Guide
How much life insurance do you need?
A tool to estimate coverage needs: walks you through income replacement, debts, education, and existing resources.
Simple: add earnings replacement needs, subtract what you already have, round to an even number. Accuracy isn't critical—amounts are quoted in blocks, and reasonable coverage matters more than precision.
Coverage estimate
Start here: (monthly/annual pay × number of years) plus outstanding loans plus schooling costs minus existing coverage, rounded to $5K increments. It's a framework, not professional guidance.
Why those inputs
Years of replacement income. Most advisors recommend 10–20 years; your choice reflects when dependents stop relying on your earnings. Paso Robles households with young kids often select the longer span because childcare plus housing plus schools all peak together.
Financial obligations. Most families carry a mortgage; equal coverage gives freedom of choice instead of forcing relocation.
School and college. Budget a reasonable amount per child in today's costs. Lock it in your policy rather than increasing coverage later.
Existing protections. Count liquid savings and workplace group plans. Remember that employer coverage stops when employment ends.
After picking an amount, the tool displays monthly costs across 10/15/20/25/30 year windows for all available carriers. Many buyers increase their estimate slightly since cost gaps narrow at younger ages.