60%
Net Worth
to FIRE
Ky Vu - Velocity to FIRE
30%
Borrowable
to FIRE

After years of maxing my 401k and realizing it was building wealth for fund managers and the IRS—not my family—I discovered a different path. Now I'm documenting my journey to financial independence using strategies the wealthy actually use.

One Dad's Race to
Financial Independence

I'm a licensed agent who tested this strategy hard on my own policy before trusting my family's future to it.
I know when it works and when it doesn't — and I'll tell you the truth about yours.
No hype. No jargon. Real numbers, plain English.

Borrowable Progress to F.I.R.E 30%

The only number that matters for early retirement

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Ky Vu with family

Why This Matters to Me

I'm a dad who wants to be there for my kids' milestones, not stuck in meetings until I'm 65. After discovering that my "safe" 401k was actually dead money that I couldn't access without penalties, I found a better way.

I got licensed as an insurance agent so I could structure my own IUL policy correctly—not to sell, but to understand. Now I share my journey because if it helps even one family reach financial independence faster, it's worth it.

— Ky Vu, SavvyVelocityIUL LLC

💣 The 401k Tax Bomb Calculator

See what you'll ACTUALLY keep after Uncle Sam takes his cut.
Most people are shocked by the results.

Calculate Your Tax Bill →

My Wealth Strategy: Multiple Tools Working Together

I don't rely on one strategy. I use Buy-Borrow-Die principles with two main tools:
IUL for tax-free liquidity and option selling for income generation.

💰

Buy-Borrow-Die Strategy

Build assets, borrow against them tax-free, never sell. Avoid capital gains completely.

📊

Option Selling (TSLA & iBit)

Sell covered calls and puts on long-term holdings. Generate monthly income from positions I already own.

🏦

IUL as Personal Bank

Replaces savings, emergency fund, and college savings. Tax-free growth and liquidity at 5% loan rate while earning 6-7%.

Real talk: I'm a licensed insurance agent (SavvyVelocityIUL LLC) because I wanted to structure my own policy correctly. I tested my own policy harder than any agent ever tested one they sold — and what I learned changed how I fund it. I share what I learned — the good and the bad — so you don't have to learn it the expensive way.

Run Your Own Numbers Free

What I'm Actually Holding

Brokerage Account ~65%

Main holdings: TSLA & iBit (BTC). Selling covered calls/puts for income generation.

Allianz IUL Cash Value ~35%

Tax-free savings, emergency fund, and kids' college fund. Liquid capital for opportunities.

This is my personal allocation. Not advice. Your situation is different. I keep it simple: IUL for safe money, brokerage for growth + income.

The Truth About IUL, In Plain English

I own one. I sell them. And here's the honest version you won't hear in a sales pitch:

  • ✓ Built right and funded right, an IUL can genuinely deliver tax-free retirement income
  • ✓ Built wrong — the way it's too often sold — it can quietly fail decades from now, when it's hardest to fix
  • ✓ The difference comes down to a few numbers in YOUR policy, not the brochure
  • ✓ I check those numbers for people. Sometimes the answer is "you're fine." Sometimes it isn't.

Either way, you deserve to know. I share the real numbers as I go — follow along and decide for yourself.

Start with the free calculator

See Your Real Numbers →

IUL vs 401k with honest assumptions — no email required.

Own an IUL? Being Pitched One?

Don't take my word for anything — and definitely don't take a salesperson's.
I document my real policy, real numbers, and real lessons as they happen. Watch, compare against your own situation, and make up your own mind.

Follow the Journey on YouTube

Frequently Asked Questions

Real answers to the questions I had before starting my IUL journey.

Is IUL better than 401k for retirement?

It depends on your situation. IUL offers tax-free withdrawals via policy loans, no market downside risk, and no age restrictions on access. 401k offers employer matching and higher initial tax deductions. Many financial professionals recommend using both: max out your employer match in the 401k, then fund an IUL for tax-free retirement income.

What is the 401k tax bomb?

The 401k tax bomb refers to the large tax bill you face when withdrawing money from your 401k in retirement. Since contributions were tax-deferred, every dollar withdrawn is taxed as ordinary income. At a 22% federal rate, a $40,000 annual withdrawal means $8,800+ in federal taxes alone — and that's before state taxes and Medicare surcharges (IRMAA). Try our free calculator →

How does the Buy-Borrow-Die strategy work?

Buy-Borrow-Die is a wealth strategy where you buy appreciating assets, borrow against them instead of selling (avoiding capital gains taxes), and pass them on at death with a stepped-up basis. With IUL, you borrow against your cash value tax-free at ~5% while the full cash value keeps earning indexed credits. In good years that creates a positive spread; in 0% floor years the loan still accrues — which is why loan strategy and monitoring matter.

How much tax will I pay on 401k withdrawals?

You pay ordinary income tax on every dollar withdrawn from a 401k. The exact amount depends on your total income and tax bracket. For example, at a 22% federal rate with no state tax, you'd lose $22,000 per year on $100,000 in withdrawals. Over 30 years of retirement, that's $660,000 in taxes. Calculate your specific numbers →

What is an Indexed Universal Life (IUL) insurance policy?

An IUL is a permanent life insurance policy with a cash value component that grows based on a stock market index (like the S&P 500). It has a 0% floor (you never lose money when the market drops) and a cap rate limiting maximum gains. When properly structured (max-funded, minimum death benefit), IUL can serve as a tax-free retirement vehicle through policy loans.