Human Life Value Calculator
What is my human life value?
Human life value is the economic value of a person's future income to their family: what they earn, minus what they spend on themselves and pay in tax, multiplied by the years left until retirement. It gives a life insurance producer a defensible, income-based number to anchor a coverage conversation, alongside or instead of a needs-based method like DIME.
Educational estimate only, not financial or insurance advice. It does not account for a client's full financial picture, health, or goals. Kadence does not provide financial advice.
How the math works
What human life value means
Human life value estimates the economic worth of a person to their family: the future income stream that would stop if they died, expressed as a present-facing dollar figure. It is one of the two classic approaches to sizing life insurance, alongside needs-based methods like DIME.
The income your family actually loses
Not all income supports the family. The calculator removes the share spent on the person themselves and the share paid in tax, leaving the portion that actually reaches the household each year.
Multiply by your working years
That family income is multiplied by the years remaining until planned retirement, the span over which the income would otherwise have been earned and relied upon.
Subtract what is already in place
Existing life coverage and liquid assets earmarked for the family are subtracted last, leaving the gap the conversation can focus on closing.
Related terms and guides
Frequently asked questions
How is human life value different from the DIME needs method?
DIME sizes coverage from a client's debt, income replacement years, mortgage, and education costs. Human life value instead works from the economic side: it estimates the future income stream a family would lose, after the person's own spending and taxes are removed. The two methods often anchor the same conversation from different angles.
What percentage of income should I count as personal expenses?
There is no fixed rule; many producers use 20 to 30 percent as a starting point for what a person spends on themselves, then adjust for the household. This calculator leaves the percentage as a direct input so you can match it to the client in front of you rather than a generic default.
Does this replace a full needs analysis?
No. Human life value is a single economic estimate, not a full needs analysis. It does not account for existing savings composition, survivor benefits, final expenses, or a family's specific goals. Use it to anchor the conversation, then build out the fuller picture with the client.
Is this calculator financial advice?
No. This is an educational estimate based on the numbers you enter. It does not account for a client's full financial picture, health, or goals. Kadence does not provide financial advice. Confirm any coverage recommendation with a licensed professional.