Family Office Clients have in the past gone down the rabbit hole with this topic. However in the end most will agree to just get started to get the hang of utilizing the system in conjunction with your personal liquidity and investing.
Below is one comment from one client who got really confused at first and came full cycle to simplistic understanding:
How does the loan usually need to be paid back? annually? quarterly?
HELOC and IBC banking strategies is like having two different credit cards with varying cash back rates, depending on the category you’re playing in the credit card hacking game.
In the past, HELOC had a lower rate, while infinite banking usually pegged around five to five and a half percent for borrowing. However, recently HELOCs have become more expensive, sitting at around 7%. But don’t worry, some banks offer great teaser rates, especially here in Hawaii, which can get you under 5% for a limited time.
Both HELOC and IBC are fantastic sources of lazy equity that can be turned into 10-15% more through value add deals and other real estate opportunities. That’s what we’re aiming for, right?
Personally, I use both HELOC and IBC. However, I’ve moved beyond relying solely on a HELOC. Once you reach a certain point, it’s better to either refinance the house if you plan to stay long-term or sell it and venture into more real estate and investments, rather than owning the house you live in.
The great thing about a HELOC is that there are no fees involved, unlike refinancing, where hidden fees can catch you off guard. However, one downside is that when the economy takes a little dip, banks can retract those HELOC. This is the upside to the IBC policy loans.
ILITs are a way to buy life insurance within a trust so that the income grows income and estate tax-free
It’s a useful tool for those who have a very high net worth, are over the estate tax exemption, and will need to pay estate taxes. The estate tax exemption is currently $12.06 million (2022), but will drop back down to $5 million by 2025. Keep in mind that this exemption does change so if you have a high net worth, this may be a strategy that you might use.