Is Your Family Prepared for the Unexpected?
Is your family prepared for the unexpected?
You might be working on paying down your debt, building an emergency fund, and saving for the future. While all of those things are definitely great what would happen if one of your family’s breadwinners was no longer around?
Would the rest of the family be able to get by?
A recent State Farm study reported that three-fourths (76 percent) of Americans say their family would be financially protected if the unexpected were to happen to them.
Are you within that 76 percent? In other words do you have life insurance?
Nobody likes to think about it but death is a fact of life. And while you’re in the midst of grieving the loss of a loved one there’s no doubt in my mind that you’re not thinking about money. But what about when your mortgage comes due or your car payment.
Could you get by without the financial support of your spouse and would your spouse be able to get by without you?
If not, you need to seriously consider getting life insurance. Here’s why.
Your Mortgage, Debt, and Basic Expenses
With two income families it’s likely that if one spouse is no longer around that the other can cover basic expenses like utility bills, insurance, and daycare. But what about the mortgage and other debt? And worse, what if one of you doesn’t work outside the home?
The truth is it’s hard to even think about. You don’t want to think about your family not being able to pay the bills without you but it’s a reality you need to face. Luckily, life insurance can help you with this. When you’re covered you don’t have to worry about how your family will get by. You know.
Your Children’s Education
Do you have big plans of your children going to college? If you don’t already have the funds put aside and were instead thinking of a pay-as-you-go type of education then you might want to consider getting enough coverage to help cover the costs you anticipated on paying.
If your family was to lose you would your children have to get jobs to help your spouse pay the bills? Would they completely push the idea of a college education out of their heads?
I don’t know and you don’t either.
While I’m a firm believer that money doesn’t bring happiness I also believe that the lack of money can make you downright miserable and that’s not something you want for your family.
Your Own Comfort
As spouses, parents, and family members it’s nice to know that you’re not going to leave a big financial burden to those you love. That could mean leaving enough money to cover the costs of a funeral, the amount of your mortgage and other debt, and money for your children’s education.
We’re all different and therefore require different levels of coverage.
If you’ve been working hard to get your financial life straightened out don’t forget to add the extra layer of financial protection you need: life insurance.
Call your agent to get a quote or check out Good Neighbors for more information on life insurance.
Is Your Family Prepared for the Unexpected?
Disclosure: This blog post was written as part of a sponsored program for State Farm to raise awareness about the importance of life insurance. All views expressed are entirely my own, and were not influenced or directed by State Farm. You can learn more about this blogger program and life insurance at GoodNeighbors.com, PlantingMoneySeeds.com, and by following #StartLiving on Twitter.
James is an internet entrepreneur, blogging junky, hunter and personal finance geek. When he’s not lurking in coffee shops in Portland, Oregon, you’ll find him in the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors. James has a masters degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelors degree on Sociology from Earlham College. He loves individual stocks, bonds and precious metals.