<prompt> Human: I need some sound advice about whether to purchase whole life insurance from Mass Mutual. It is being pushed by my financial adviser, and we recognize that stock will earn more money than whole life ever would. We even looked at the numbers. In his words, Cash value isnt supposed to beat the stock market.The objective is to diversify my account by including a secure savings that is viable in a low-stockhigh-tax environment. Not that I would have to explain, but it is supposed to be money that I either never touch or only take from if removing savings from other parts of my portfolio would result in bleeding my account. I am aware of many of the drawbacks to whole life insurance, but there is no indication that Mass Mutual keeps your savings when you die a major problem with many policies. Mass Mutual has also always paid their dividends, and the dividend return over the last 20 years bottomed out at 6.85 and maxed out at over 13 I forget the exact number. The monthly payment is 100, but that is a front-loaded cost that I only pay for 20 years. After that, the cash value will still grow. At the end of the day, 20,000 should ideally become 200,000. Its meager, but it isnt supposed to create a windfall of money. It is simply there to create an added layer of security in retirement.There are also variables that impact the bottom line for buying term and reinvesting the difference. Term insurance will end. The payments I make at 23 will be negligible, but those payments could become significant when I sign back up in 20 years. That is especially the case if I have a medical crisis along the way or worse when my contract runs out. That immediately decreases the hypothetical numbers I could run for term insurance. I also understand human nature. Real numbers could be calculated to show how a person retiring around the market crash of 08 would have become uncomfortable. The market is on the rise again, but my assumption of risk at retirement will not be what it is today. That could impact how I react to my savings in 40 years. Also, I am getting married and intend to have kids. My wife would rather put money in a mattress than touch the stock market due to some bad investing by her parents. Diversification would ease her mind a little assuming Mass Mutual is good for their word with this cash-value life insurance.To close, allow me to redirect all of this back to the original question. Does Mass Mutual have a sound whole life insurance policy? Is it something they legitimately push as part of a financial group strategy to diversify portfolios, or is there stuff that goes on under the surface that their calculator and guarantees dont show me? I could care less about other cash-value programs from other companies; I am not talking to those companies at the moment. Of course, I will take everything said here with a grain of salt, and I am looking for detailed explanations so that I can cross-examine my evidence. I would also love to be directed to any related, authoritative literature. If it is any assistance, I am making a little over 40,000 as a first-year teacher, and I am fresh out of college with a Master in Education aka, 26k in debt.  <response>: Please read our FAQ entry on insurance Whole life insurance is almost never a good idea, regardless of who is selling it to you. 