Can I skip payouts to increase my Live capital?

Yes — that is exactly what the buffer is for. At every checkpoint, the difference between the maximum payout and what you actually request becomes live capital:

buffer = (max payout − amount requested) × split × 0.98

Two extremes on a $50K account:

• Max cash: withdraw $1,500 at every checkpoint → $3,825 net cash, Live capital $3,000 (base only).
• Max Live: withdraw nothing → buffer $3,748.50, Live capital $6,748.50.

The total value you receive is almost invariant (≈ $6,750–$6,825 on the $50K): you are choosing the mix between immediate cash and live capital, not the amount. Skipping withdrawals also keeps your balance further above the static floor.