The question nobody asks
Not “okay someday.” Okay next month. The mortgage. The kids. The person who sleeps next to you. Most people never ask the question, because they're scared of the answer. Let's ask it together. And fix it in 5 minutes.
Free call. No pressure. Real answers.
The excuses, one by one
The short answer
Most families need enough life insurance to replace the paycheck until the youngest kid turns 18, plus enough to clear the debt, pay for college, and cover about $20,000 in final expenses. Then subtract any coverage you already own outside of work. That usually adds up to far more than the one or two years of pay a work plan covers. The calculator on this page does your exact math in 30 seconds.
Let's be honest
You've told yourself a few things to feel better about not having this handled. Most people do. Let's walk through them. Straight, no sales pitch. Then you decide.
01
Here's the hard truth. The coverage at work isn't yours. It's the company's. And it's tied to that desk.
Quit, get laid off, or get hurt and can't work, and it's gone. Most work plans only cover one or two years of your pay. That doesn't raise a kid. It barely covers the funeral and a year of bills.
Now picture the worst version. You get sick or you get hurt. You can't work. You lose the job. And the second you lose the job, you lose the coverage too. Right when your family needs it most. No paycheck. No safety net. Your family packs up and moves in with the in-laws.
Work coverage is a nice bonus. It is not a plan.
02
Maybe they will. But think about how.
Do you want the person you love to have time to grieve you? Or to be forced to find someone fast, just to keep the lights on?
Money buys them time. Time to mourn. Time to heal. Time to pick the right person later, not the first one who can pay the bills. Don't make the love of your life choose a partner out of fear.
And think about your kids. Whoever your spouse leans on helps raise them. Leave your family so well taken care of that they never have to settle for less than they deserve. That's the move of someone who loved his people, and kept loving them long after he was gone.
03
This is the one that scares me the most. Because healthy people die too. And once your health turns, it's too late to buy it, or it costs a fortune.
These are real families. Real stories from Life Happens.
Tom was young and healthy. He was killed in a snowmobiling accident at 45. His wife Jeanie said it best: “I thought it was ridiculous we were wasting money on life insurance, being young and healthy. I couldn't have been more wrong.”
Their story at lifehappens.orgHer husband died out of nowhere from a heart problem. Three kids. The life insurance is the only reason they're not drowning right now.
Their story at lifehappens.orgHealthy and working, until Parkinson's hit at 47. Because he was covered, his family kept the life they'd built.
His story at lifehappens.orgReal stories courtesy of Life Happens (lifehappens.org). Life Happens does not endorse any insurance company.
Healthy is not the reason to skip it. Healthy is the reason you can get it. It's the only time you can lock it in cheap. Wait, and you're betting your family's future on nothing going wrong. Waiting is the killer.
Most people don't know this
Most people think life insurance only pays out when you die. Not anymore.
Many policies now come with living benefits. If you get seriously sick, like cancer or a heart attack, or you get hurt and can't work, you can pull money from your own policy while you're still here. To cover treatment. To pay the bills. To keep your family steady.
Asia Schroeder's family used the cash value from life insurance to help fund their gym. Same tool. Used while she was very much alive.
(Living benefits have rules. Using them lowers what your family gets later, and they're not a swap for health, disability, or long-term care insurance. We'll explain exactly how it works.)
Set up right
Set up right, the same policy can do a lot:
It can build money you tap later in retirement, with tax perks, and no income cap like other accounts have.
(It's not actually a Roth, and how you pull the money matters. We'll explain it straight, no tricks.)
It can leave a clean, tax-friendly legacy to your kids.
It can fund your business without going to a bank for a loan.
It can keep your family's lifestyle going if you can't earn a paycheck anymore.
The one everybody forgets
If someone stays home with the kids, don't let anyone say they “don't work.”
They're the daycare. The driver. The cook. The nurse. All in one. All day.
If something happens to them, the working parent can't just keep clocking in. Who watches the kids now? Who does the hundred things that just got done every day? You'd be grieving and scrambling for babysitters at the same time. Leaning on family. Stressed to the bone. Missing work and losing pay.
The money gets hit from both ends. A stay-at-home parent needs coverage too.
The job has a price tag. Even if nobody mails them a check.
The number
No guessing. Put in your numbers. You'll get a real number in 30 seconds.
How it works
01
Or just call us. 15 minutes.
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And tell you straight what fits.
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No pressure. Ever.
Who we are
We help families make sure that if the worst happens, the people they love are okay. Real people. Plain talk. We pick up the phone.
Plain answers
Enough to replace your income until your youngest kid turns 18, plus your total debt, plus college money, plus about $20,000 in final expenses. Then subtract any coverage you already own outside of work. The calculator on this page does that math for you in 30 seconds.
Usually not. Most work plans only cover one or two years of your pay, and the coverage ends when the job ends. Treat it as a bonus, not a plan.
Yes. They're the daycare, the driver, the cook, and the nurse. Replacing that work costs real money every year. If you're not sure what number to use, start around $45,000 a year and we'll dial it in on the call.
Many newer policies can. Living benefits let you pull money from your own policy if you get seriously sick or hurt. They have rules, using them lowers what your family gets later, and they're not a swap for health, disability, or long-term care insurance.
No. It's a rough estimate to start the conversation. The real number depends on your age, your health, and your budget. A free 15-minute call gets you a straight answer.
Two choices
Or you can take 15 minutes and know your family is covered no matter what.
The call is free. Peace of mind is the point. And waiting is the killer.
Important: This page and its calculator are for general informational and educational purposes only and are not legal, tax, or investment advice. The calculator’s result is a rough estimate of a coverage amount to discuss — it is not a quote, an application, or an offer of insurance. Actual eligibility, coverage, and pricing depend on the policy you apply for and on underwriting, including your age, health, and other factors. References to building or accessing cash value and to tax treatment are general; life-insurance tax rules are complex and depend on how a policy is structured and funded, and outcomes are not guaranteed — consult a qualified tax professional. Any policy guarantees and living benefits (such as long-term-care or chronic-illness riders) are subject to the terms of the contract and the claims-paying ability of the issuing insurer, may carry additional cost, and require qualification. Product availability varies by state. Consult a licensed insurance and tax professional about your specific situation.
