It’s not the same as assets. Not at all.

Let me explain. The pioneers, with their Pioneer System, intended only to establish a system that would protect their communities in case of the death of key members. That was 1860. But their success in managing these assets left excesses that they decided to distribute as dividends… tax-free income.

They had no idea that the cash in their system would one day grow into the multi-billions. From the very start of Guardian, diversified business strategy, sound underwriting, responsible capital management, and robust investment returns [to quote from Guardian’s press release of December 11, 2025], put them on this path.

But it wasn’t until 1868 that Guardian reached what managers felt was a safe surplus. From then on, they have shared their success with policy holders in an unbroken stream of dividends that would continue through America’s most challenging years. Even in sharing good results, they would amass the AUM (assets under management) that they describe today. [The recent press release cites current AUM. We’ll have to wait until this coming April when the 2025 annual report is released to reveal actual end of year numbers..

Participants can still use the time-tested methods of accumulating cash within their own accounts – employed by Guardian since 1868. In doing so, owners build their own cash reserves that they can access whenever they wish.

Building cash requires a slow steady process. However, a participant can access some of this cash along the way. An idea for early access: divert current dividends. Instead of letting dividends channeled back into the policy, you can distribute them tax-free to cover current opportunities. This is an example of just one of the ownership rights you have as a Guardian policy holder – flexibility. This is a feature that America’s wealthy have known all along. GIS can assist you. Contact us when you’d like to access cash for any reason.

Over the years, my Guardian clients have found cash-free distribution to be useful. We can never be sure when we might need cash. My clients will tell you that pairing slow-growth Pioneer system products with the faster potential of IRS system products, though, turned out to be a great strategy.

- Cash supplied by funds within my client accounts have helped purchase real estate. Funds from a Pioneer system policy can be applied toward the sale price and can reduce the size of any mortgage still needed.

- Cash in post-retirement funds can guarantee a comfortable retirement. Upon officially retiring, an orthopedic surgeon client of mine in New York City, transferred a sizeable portion of his qualified accounts into Guardian. There it amassed sufficient wealth to provide him, through his early 90’s, millions in cash.

He and his wife were able to enjoy worry-free later years.

As the so-called “writing agent” of a contract, Guardian brokers like me can continue to service our clients and vice versa. After his death, his widow reached me to thank me. That felt really good!

- Assistance during a layoff: one of my Maryland clients, a mid-level executive, moved to the mid-west for a top level position. Recently laid off, she reached out to meShe was recently aid off. She reached out to me for guidance in utilizing the policies she had spent years building.

I was able to outline a funding change that distributed enough cash to cover her life-style for her first six months of unemployment and to cover her for yet another year while she looks for a suitable job.

- After emergency surgery cut off her income and group benefits at the height of her working years, anpther client accessed a disability income policy from mutual company to save the day. Government disability programs provide negligible benefits (topping $1,500 per month in some states). This businessowner was too young to qualify for Medicare. The professional disability policy she had been paying on since her younger years when premiums are inexpensive, enabled her to cover medical care. The tax=free disability income supplemented taxable distributions from her IRAs enabling her to move through an unexpected financial hardship with her future unscathed.

- A grandmother who invested the money she inherited from her own mother (a former housekeeper in the South). With her cash values, my neighbor was able to help fund her son’s new business which is now bringing in $400,000 per month and netting $100,000 in income.

- A young tech executive who poured a significant portion of his monthly income into two contracts. Over the years that were needed to build up cash values, these policies have grown to several million in cash values. I do not know what he is going to do with all this money. But whatever he decides, that money is guaranteed to be there for him.

- The author of a recent best seller talks about the value of using life insurance for leverage: another example of a person using life insurance to achieve financial goals. However, in this book, the author shows a term policy being used. At GIS, we can provide you with either term or whole life and illustrate the comparative value of whole life.