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If you’re reading this, you’ve probably already decided that you are going to buy life insurance. Smart move: Life insurance will, in the case of your untimely death, protect your loved ones. If you keep up with your monthly premiums, your beneficiaries will receive a lump sum payment that will help them replace the money you would have otherwise earned. Expenses like your mortgage, a child’s education, monthly utilities and more need to be factored in.

Wondering how to do the math? Let us help you out with some simple methods for calculating that amount of coverage that will give you peace of mind.

How to Manually Calculate How Much Life Insurance You Need

Here’s a great way to get started: Take out a piece of paper or open a document on a computer and start making lists. In one list, you are going to look at all the financial obligations that lie ahead. In another, you’ll consider all the assets you have that could be used to fund these expenses for your loved ones if you were not around.

For the financial obligations ahead, make sure you come up with a figure that includes:

•   Your income over the term of the insurance policy.

•   Daily living expenses (food, utilities, medical care) if you don’t think the income in the line above would cover that sufficiently.

•   Your mortgage. If this is covered by your income, you don’t need to add this, but if not, you want to make sure your loved ones can pay this loan off over the years.

•   Any other debts. Do you have a chunk of credit card debt? Student loans? Those will need paying. Also think about end-of-life costs. Grim as it may be, you don’t want loved ones struggling to pay for funeral costs. These are not insignificant. In 2021, the cost of a funeral and burial was typically almost $8,000. In addition to that, there may be additional costs for gravestones, an obituary, and the like.

•   Tuition. Think about how many children you have or plan to have. The current annual cost for an in-state student at a public 4-year institution is $25,615; for a private university, that number rises to $53,949. Don’t forget to account for inflation, too.

•   Childcare if applicable. Think about whether your income alone would cover this, or if more funds would be needed to pay for these costs.

Add these costs up, and those are your life insurance needs. But now, let’s look at assets that might go towards paying these costs were you not alive. Include the following:

•   Savings. What do you have in savings (include your retirement accounts if you believe your loved ones would tap into those versus keeping them aside)? Also look at any investment accounts you may own.

•   Other insurance policies. You may already have some insurance. Just keep in mind if it is something you have via a group life insurance policy at work, it will probably end if and when you change jobs.

•   College funds. If you already have, say, a 529 account that will help pay for your children’s higher education, add that to the assets list.

To find out how much insurance you need, take the first number (your financial obligations to be covered) and subtract from it the assets you have (the second number). Ta-da: You now have a number that you’d like your life insurance policy to at least equal.

3 Ways to Quickly Estimate Your Life Insurance Needs

Not everyone wants to do the math above, we get it. Here are a few other ways that may be a better match for you when it comes to estimating how much life insurance you need.

1. The DIME Formula

The DIME formula — an acronym that stands for debts, income, mortgage, and education — is a time-tested way to determine the right amount of life insurance to buy. Here’s how it works:

Debts Add them up, including car loans, student loans, personal loans, credit card balances (even if it’s a cringe-worthy number you plan on whittling down, you’ve got to include it), and so forth. Include everything except mortgage payments — because that’s the “M” portion of this formula — and add them up. What’s the total?

Income The goal of having a life insurance policy is to replace income that was coming in but would stop because of the death of the policy holder. Multiply your income and the potential number of years you want covered by life insurance.

Mortgage If you’re a homeowner, what balance remains on your home loan? If you are considering buying a home, what size mortgage would you get?

Educational costs If you have or are planning to have kids, estimate how much tuition would cost for each and determine the total needed to fund higher education.

Add up these D, I, M, and E amounts, and that’s how much life insurance coverage you need. Worth noting: This technique doesn’t recognize any assets you might have, so it might tend to have you buy more life insurance than you need.

2. Use an Online Calculator

Sometimes it’s easier to use a digital tool that holds your hand through calculations like these. If you love clicking your way to answers, try a life insurance calculator to help streamline the process. Many are available online.

3. Try the Multiplication Trick

Some people like to use a formula to figure out how much life insurance they should get. Typically, this says to take your income, multiply it by a number (usually 10, but sometimes much lower or higher) and bingo! That’s the amount. Prevailing wisdom, though, is that this can be a very inaccurate figure. And it certainly doesn’t take into account the subtleties of your situation, whether that means you have to pay whopping student loans from grad school, alimony, caregiving expenses for a parent, or another expense. So while you may hear about this shortcut, it’s not considered reliable.

Who Needs Life Insurance?

Many people would benefit from life insurance, and most Americans do have a policy. Buying life insurance protects your dependents in the event of your dying; it provides a lump sum payment that can keep them financially afloat.

If, however, you are a person without dependents or any shared debt (such as being a co-signer with your parents for a student loan or with a partner on a mortgage), then you may not need to buy a policy. But for those who do have people depending on their earning power, life insurance can be a wise buy.

Many people get a policy when they are anticipating the major “adulting” milestones of marriage or parenthood. It’s likely to be particularly important if you are the primary earner in your marriage. If tragedy were to strike and you died, your spouse could be hard-pressed to maintain their standard of living and pay the bills. The rule of thumb is that the sooner you get insurance, the better. Rates go up as you age.

Next Step: Buying Life Insurance

Once you know how much life insurance you need, it’s almost time to start shopping. Almost. Let’s take a quick look at the two main types of life insurance, term life versus whole life insurance — and the key differences between them.

Although they share the same goal of protecting families financially when a tragic loss occurs, the elements of the policies, how much they cost, their terms, and more can be quite different.

Term Life Insurance

As the name suggests, this kind of policy lasts for a certain period of time, or term. The policy is taken out for a designated dollar amount, usually with fixed premium payments — and, if the policy holder dies during that time frame, then designated beneficiaries can receive the payout they’re due. This can work well for people who think that, at the end of the term, they’ll have saved enough money that they no longer need income replacement. Or, they may believe that beneficiaries will have gained financial independence by the time the policy ends.

Whole Life Insurance

This option offers coverage for your “whole life” as the name suggests, and is a popular choice among the different kinds of permanent, or lifelong, insurance policies. Payments are typically higher, perhaps as much as five to 15 times more than the same amount of coverage as a term life policy, but part of this whole life premium is a contribution to the policy’s cash value account. This savings vehicle can grow and may be borrowed against if needed.

Choosing Term or Whole Life Insurance

If affordability is especially important, then term life insurance can make more sense. Term life may also be the right choice if coverage is only needed for a certain period of time, perhaps while money is still owed on a mortgage or young adult children are in college.

Another reason why some people may choose term insurance is because they take the difference between that premium and what they’d pay for a whole life premium, and then invest those dollars in another way.

That said, some people prefer the ongoing coverage of whole insurance and the peace of mind it can bring. Others may like watching their cash account grow. It’s a personal decision; only you can judge which kind of life insurance best suits your specific needs.

The Takeaway

Buying life insurance is an important step. It secures the financial future of your loved ones who rely on you and your income. Figuring out just how much life insurance you need is a necessary part of the process that can feel complicated. Fortunately, there are a number of different ways to get a solid estimate for that figure. The ideas we’ve shared not only help you do just that, they may also give you a deeper understanding of you and your family’s financial future.

Let SoFi Help Protect You

Once you have a rough idea of how much life insurance you’d like to buy, why not consider what SoFi is offering: affordable term life insurance in partnership with Ladder. Applicants can receive a quote in just a few minutes for policies that range from $100,000 to $8 million. It’s quick and easy to set up a policy, and the coverage amount and associated premiums can be adjusted at any time with just a couple of clicks. No hassles.

Rates are competitive with Ladder and, because the agents do not work on commission, there are no fees. Plus there are no medical exams required for qualifying applicants buying $3 million or less in coverage.

Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.
Coverage and pricing is subject to eligibility and underwriting criteria.
Ladder Insurance Services, LLC (CA license # OK22568; AR license # 3000140372) distributes term life insurance products issued by multiple insurers- for further details see ladderlife.com. All insurance products are governed by the terms set forth in the applicable insurance policy. Each insurer has financial responsibility for its own products.
Ladder, SoFi and SoFi Agency are separate, independent entities and are not responsible for the financial condition, business, or legal obligations of the other, SoFi Technologies, Inc. (SoFi) and SoFi Insurance Agency, LLC (SoFi Agency) do not issue, underwrite insurance or pay claims under LadderlifeTM policies. SoFi is compensated by Ladder for each issued term life policy.
Ladder offers coverage to people who are between the ages of 20 and 60 as of their nearest birthday. Your current age plus the term length cannot exceed 70 years.
All services from Ladder Insurance Services, LLC are their own. Once you reach Ladder, SoFi is not involved and has no control over the products or services involved. The Ladder service is limited to documents and does not provide legal advice. Individual circumstances are unique and using documents provided is not a substitute for obtaining legal advice.

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The Department of Education allows federal student loan borrowers to seek a student loan discharge in certain circumstances. One such scenario involves a discharge related to permanent school cancellation.

If your college or university closes while you’re enrolled you may be wondering if you still have to repay loans you took out to fund your education. Closed school loan discharge can relieve you of the financial responsibility of repaying federal student loans.

There are certain eligibility requirements you need to meet to qualify for a closed school discharge. Understanding the guidelines, along with other options for student loan discharge, can help with managing your student debt.

What Is School Cancellation Loan Discharge?

The Department of Education can discharge up to 100% of federal student loans through the closed school discharge program.

The types of loans eligible for school closure discharge include:

• Federal Direct Loan Program loans (including Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans, consolidation loans, Parent PLUS loans and graduate PLUS loans)

• Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFEL) loans

• Federal Perkins loans

School cancellation discharge of eligible loans is not the same as loan forgiveness. Federal loan forgiveness programs, including the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF) and Teacher Loan Forgiveness, have service and repayment requirements. With PSLF, you’re required to work in a public service job and make 120 qualifying payments toward your loans. Teacher Loan Forgiveness requires you to teach in a qualifying school for five consecutive years to be eligible for loan forgiveness.

A closed school loan discharge, on the other hand, imposes no requirements with regard to any minimum number of payments you need to make toward your loans or work service commitments. If you qualify, your obligation to make payments to your loans disappears.

Recommended: Types of Federal Student Loans

Who’s Eligible for Closed School Loan Discharge?

Borrowers may qualify for a school cancellation discharged if their school closed and they meet any of these conditions:

• They were enrolled at the time of the closure

• They were on an approved leave of absence when the closure occurred

• The closure occurred within 120 days of their withdrawal from the school and their loans were first disbursed before July 1, 2020

• The closure occurred within 180 days of their withdrawal from the school and the loans were first disbursed after July 1, 2020

Borrowers may not qualify for any discharge of student loans related to a school closure if:

• The student’s withdrawal happened outside the 120-day or 180-day windows allowed, based on the date of their first loan disbursement

• They are continuing education at another school

• They completed all coursework toward their degree before the school closed, even if they haven’t formally received a certificate or diploma

If any one of those things happens to be true then it’s possible a borrower won’t qualify for a closed school loan discharge.

How Does A Closed School Discharge Work?

If the school closes while a student is enrolled, they can apply for a federal student loan discharge. In general, students who meet the eligibility criteria will automatically receive an application from the Department of Education. The application is also available on their website.

Automatic Closed School Loan Discharge

School closure discharge is automatic if the school closed between November 1, 2013 and July 1, 2020 and the borrower hasn’t enrolled in another school within three years of the date of the closure. The Department of Education handles the closure for the borrower, there’s no need to complete the application. However, borrowers who would prefer to fill out the application, are able to do so.

Once your loans are discharged, the borrower is no longer responsible for paying anything toward them. But while an application for closed school discharge is under review it is important to continue making payments toward the loans as usual if they’re already in repayment. This can help avoid late payments.

Any discharged loans are removed from a borrower’s credit reports once the discharge is complete. That includes your entire payment history as well as negative items such as late payments.

Other Options for Discharging Student Loans

If you aren’t eligible to have your loans discharged because of school cancellation, there are some other scenarios that may allow it.

Disability Discharge

For example, you could apply for a discharge of your loans if you become totally and permanently disabled. The disability discharge option is available to eligible borrowers who owe:

• Federal Direct loans

• FFEL program loans

• Federal Perkins loans

It’s also open to TEACH Grant program recipients. In order to be eligible for a student loan disability discharge, you must be able to provide proof of your disability through a physician, the Social Security Administration, or the Department of Veterans Affairs. You’ll need to complete a separate application for this type of discharge and once approved, you’re subject to a three-year monitoring period to certify that you lack sufficient income to pay your loans.

Discharge in Death

Student loans can also be discharged due to the death of the borrower. That includes loans taken out by a student as well as Parent PLUS loans. In the case of Parent PLUS loans, discharge is an option if the parent who took out the loans passes away. To qualify for a death discharge of student loans, proof of death (i.e. a death certificate) must be submitted to the Department of Education.

In Rare Cases: Declaring Bankruptcy

Though it is rare, bankruptcy may be another option for discharging federal student loans, though it can be difficult to achieve. In order to have student loans discharged through bankruptcy, the borrower must be able to prove through an adversary proceeding that having to repay their loans would cause a sustained undue financial hardship for both themselves and their family.

Filing a bankruptcy case could result in all of the loans being discharged, some of them being discharged or none of them being discharged. Declaring bankruptcy adversely affects a person’s credit score and is generally a last resort. Always consult with a qualified and trusted financial advisor, accountant, or attorney before considering bankruptcy.

Other Options for Managing Student Loans

Federal student loan borrowers who are ineligible for other forms of discharge or student loan forgiveness may want to consider alternative options such as income-driven repayment options or student loan refinancing instead.

Income-driven repayment plans are offered to borrowers with federal student loans and consider a borrower’s discretionary income when determining their loan terms and payments. This can help make monthly payments more manageable but may make borrowing the loan more expensive over the life of the loan by extending the loan term.

Student loan refinancing may allow qualifying borrowers to secure a more competitive interest rate or loan terms. Though, keep in mind, refinancing any federal student loans will eliminate them from federal plans and protections, including income-driven repayment plans and closed school loan discharge.

Does School Closure Discharge Apply to Private Student Loans?

Federal closed school discharge applies to federal student loans only. Borrowers with private student loans wouldn’t be able to apply for a discharge through the Department of Education should their school close.

It may be possible to contact your private student loan servicer to see if any type of discharge option is available. Your lender may be able to offer a solution for handling private student loans if your school closed while you were enrolled and you have no plans to re-enroll elsewhere.

The Takeaway

Closed school loan discharge can help erase federal student loan debt, in the event a qualifying borrower’s school has closed. But if your school remains open or you have private student loans, you may need to consider other possibilities for keeping up with your payments.

Refinancing student loans could help borrowers secure a lower interest rate. Know that refinancing a federal student loan into a private loan eliminates it from federal student loan borrower protections, like income-driven repayment plans, deferment, and loan forgiveness options. So it may not be the best option for everyone.

If you’re considering student loan refinancing, take the time to look around for the best loan rates and repayment terms for you. SoFi, for example, offers competitive student loan refinancing rates with no hidden fees. Weighing student loan refinancing alongside other options can help make your loans more manageable.

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