Guide
How much life insurance do you need?
A calculator plus the thinking behind it: how many income years, what debts to include, education reserves, and what coverage you already own.
A frequently used approach: sum up the income your dependents would need and subtract existing resources. It doesn't have to be exact; term policies are bought in standard amounts, and the goal is a number that would sustain your household during the years that matter most.
Coverage estimate
Calculation: earnings × number of years + outstanding obligations + education costs − existing coverage, rounded to the nearest $5,000. This is a starting point only and not a professional recommendation.
Why those inputs
Income years. Between ten and twenty years of income replacement is a typical guideline; your specific number reflects when your dependents would stop needing your financial help. In South San Francisco, families with young children often prefer the upper range since child-related costs for housing, education, and care stack together.
Debts. The largest debt for most families is their mortgage. Coverage sized to retire this debt gives survivors the option to remain in their home without financial pressure.
Education. Set aside a ballpark amount per child, valued in today's dollars. Including this now prevents the need to buy additional coverage later.
What you have. Savings available for use, plus any group term through your employer. Group coverage typically terminates when employment ends, so most households count only a portion of it.
Once you have determined your target amount, the quote tool lets you compare costs across all available terms (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 years) and carriers. Most people choose a little more than they initially estimate since the monthly cost difference is minimal at younger ages.