How do I figure out how much life insurance coverage I need?
Traditionally, the rule of thumb is to get life insurance worth 10 times your annual income — so if you make $75,000 a year, you'd get $750,000 worth of coverage. However, some experts consider that to be a low estimate, especially if you'd want your life insurance payout to cover your child's college tuition or if you have a mortgage on your home you'd want to pay off. Others choose to get millions in coverage. Generally, you'll want to get as much life insurance as you can comfortably afford each month. If it would be a struggle to make your premium payments, it's probably too much for you.