Honed Money · Family

Put a number on the safety net.

Use the DIME method to estimate a starting amount of life insurance for debts, income replacement, a mortgage, and future education costs.

Income to protect

YOUR ESTIMATE
$
Use the amount your household would need to replace each year.
years
A planning horizon—not a policy term recommendation.

Large obligations

D + M + E
$
Credit cards, car loans, personal loans, final expenses, or other balances. Leave the mortgage below.
$
$
Enter one combined amount for the people you plan to support.

Coverage already in place

SUBTRACT
$
Include personal and employer-provided life insurance you expect to count on. Employer coverage may end when employment changes.

Your entries stay in this tab and are not saved.

Start with the four big needs.

Enter the obligations you want a policy to help cover. The result will show what existing coverage already handles—and the remaining gap.

Last reviewed: October 2026.