United States Department of Veterans Affairs
United States Department of Veterans Affairs

life insurance

Servicemembers' & Veterans' Group Life Insurance

Life Insurance Needs Calculator

VA’s Life Insurance Needs Calculator can provide you with the estimated amount of life insurance you would need to support your survivors should you die today.

Follow this link to Use the Life Insurance Needs Calculator.

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Read more About it
How Does the Life Insurance Needs Calculator Work?
What Items are Considered Assets and Financial Obligations?

How Does the Life Insurance Needs Calculator Work? calculator buttons

The calculator asks for information to determine your current assets, the income your survivors will need, and your financial obligations.   By subtracting your total assets from your total financial obligations and income needed, the calculator arrives at the amount of life insurance you need.   In other words:

Financial
Obligations
plus
Net Income Needed to Support Survivors
minus
Assets
equals
Insurance Needs
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What Items are Considered Financial Obligations, Income and Assets?


bills and checkbookFinancial Obligations:   Financial obligations are monies that are currently owed to others on existing debts or income that your survivors will need for planned future expenses.   These include:

  • Car Loans
  • Credit Card Debt
  • Funeral/Burial Expenses
  • Children’s Educational Expenses
  • Mortgages
  • Other Personal Loans
  • Estate Taxes and Expenses
  • and more
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bills and checkbookNet Income Needed to Support Survivors:  This is the annual income you believe will provide the standard of living you desire for your survivors less the annual income available to your survivors. This includes:

Annual Income Available
  • VA Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) or Death Pension Income
  • Social Security Survivor Benefit
  • Survivor Benefit Plan Income
  • Pension Plan Amount
  • Survivor's Earnings from Work
  • Income from Dividends and Interest
Income Needed
  • Future Income for Your Family

money

Assets:   Assets are the amount of property your survivors would need to pay off your debts should you die.  These include:

  • Investments
  • Certificates of Deposit
  • Existing Life Insurance Plans
  • Real Estate
  • Social Security Benefits
  • Bank Accounts
  • Savings Bonds
  • Annuities with Survivor Rights
  • Retirement Funds
  • Employer Survivor Benefit Plans
  • and more



Calculate Your Life Insurance Needs
Now you're ready to calculate your life insurance needs. Follow this link to use VA's Life Insurance Needs Calculator.