How are cash value accumulations treated for tax purposes in individual life insurance policies?

Cash value accumulations in individual life insurance policies are treated as growing tax-deferred until they are withdrawn. This means that the policyholder does not pay taxes on the growth of the cash value as long as it remains within the policy. This tax-deferred status is one of the significant advantages of permanent life insurance products, allowing the cash value to compound over time without immediate tax implications.

When a policyholder eventually withdraws money from the cash value, the amount that is considered taxable is generally the amount exceeding the total premiums paid into the policy. This tax treatment encourages policyholders to save and invest in their life insurance policies without the concern of annual tax burdens on the accruing value.

In contrast, the other options presented suggest various tax treatments that do not apply to cash values in life insurance policies, such as immediate taxation upon withdrawal or annual taxation as income, which are not consistent with the actual tax rules governing life insurance cash values.