Guide
How much life insurance do you need?
See a tool and the method: years of income, liabilities, schooling expenses and current coverage.
Most people start by totaling what their earnings would have paid for and subtracting existing protection. Precision is not the point—life insurance comes in round amounts anyway—and the aim is a sum that would sustain your family through the critical period.
Coverage estimate
Start with: income × years + debts + education − existing protection, rounded to $5,000 steps. This is a framework, not guidance.
Why those inputs
Income years. Ten to twenty years of income is the range most p...
Debts. For most households, the mortgage is the biggest one. A benefit large enough to pay it off gives your family choices instead of forcing them into a financial corner.
Education. Budget per child in current dollars. Building it in now is simpler than buying extra coverage later.
Existing protection. Count liquid savings and employer plans. Group plans often end at job exit, so factor that into your numbers.
Once you have your target amount, the quoting tool displays monthly costs across all carriers for terms of 10 through 30 years. Many people purchase slightly above their estimate because the added monthly cost is modest when you are younger.