Guide
How much life insurance do you need?
A tool to help you think through income years, debts, education and what is already in place.
One way: add up years of income you would want covered, add major debts, subtract what is already saved or insured, then round to the nearest $5,000. It does not need to be exact—term policies come in round increments, and the goal is a figure that protects the household through the years that count.
Coverage estimate
A quick formula: (annual income × years) + debts + education savings − current savings and coverage, rounded to $5,000. This is a starting point for conversation, not professional counsel.
Why those inputs
Income years. Most plans cover ten to twenty years of earnings; your answer depends on how long dependents need backing. Families in Carson with young children often lean toward twenty because schooling, childcare and housing costs cluster together.
Debts. For most households, a mortgage is the biggest one. If coverage clears it, survivors have the choice to stay or move, not a forced sale.
Education. A ballpark amount per child in current money. Locking it in now is easier than buying extra coverage afterward.
What you have. Cash reserves and employer coverage. Group policies often stop when employment ends, so counting only a fraction is smart.
Once you have figured an amount, try the quote tool to see what 10-, 15-, 20-, 25- and 30-year terms cost from each carrier. Many people choose more than the estimate because the extra cost per month is modest when you are younger.