Guide
How much life insurance do you need?
A reference calculator plus the framework for using it: years of income, outstanding obligations, education expenses, and coverage you already maintain.
The common approach is to add up what years of lost income would cost, then deduct what's already in place. This method isn't precise, and it doesn't have to be: term insurance is sold in round numbers, and the goal is an amount that would stabilize your family for the period it matters most.
Coverage estimate
Calculation = income × years + obligations + college funding − existing coverage, rounded to $5,000 increments. This serves as a starting point, not professional guidance.
Why those inputs
Years of income. Industry convention points to ten to twenty years of household income as a planning baseline; the correct span depends on when your dependents would become self-sufficient. Families in Sunnyvale with young children typically select the longer range since child care, housing and education costs cluster together.
Outstanding balance. If you have a mortgage, life insurance proceeds can satisfy that obligation, relieving surviving family members of the decision between staying and moving.
College costs. Set aside a rough amount per child using today's dollars. Planning for this now beats trying to add another policy later on.
What you already have. Liquid assets, emergency savings, and employer group coverage all count. Remember that group plans typically end with your employment, so many families count only part of that protection.
Once you've arrived at a target figure, the quote tool lets you see what each carrier charges for that amount over 10, 15, 20, 25, or 30 years. Many households find a slightly higher amount affordable because the monthly increase diminishes at younger ages.