The policy written
the week the rings
go on.

A joint policy ("first-to-die") pays out once — when the first partner dies — and then it's done. Two separate policies pay out twice: once per death. For most couples, two separate term policies cost only marginally more than a joint policy and provide dramatically better protection. We only quote separate policies for this reason. The premium difference on a $500,000 policy for a 28-year-old is typically under $8/month.

Nothing changes automatically — which is exactly why beneficiary designation matters. Your policy pays whoever is listed as beneficiary, regardless of marital status. If you divorce, you update the beneficiary designation (a five-minute online form). The policy itself remains in force, owned by the insured. Some couples use an irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT) for additional control, but for most newlyweds, a simple beneficiary update is sufficient.

The standard formula: annual income × 10–12. For a $85,000 earner, that's $850,000–$1,020,000. But the honest answer is more nuanced. A $500,000 policy invested conservatively at 5% generates roughly $25,000/year indefinitely — about 30% income replacement. A $1,000,000 policy doubles that. The right number depends on your mortgage balance, whether children are planned, and how much your partner could realistically earn alone. Our quote tool factors in your income split to suggest a starting point.

Walk through it: mortgage or rent due on the 1st. Car payments. Groceries. Utilities. Student loans that don't pause for grief. The average American carries $87,000 in household debt. Without life insurance, your surviving partner inherits that debt plus the emotional weight of managing it alone, often while taking unpaid leave to grieve. A $500,000 policy at $28/month for a healthy 28-year-old buys them the option to not make any financial decisions for a year. That's what coverage is actually for.

Significantly. A child adds 18+ years of financial dependency. The standard recommendation shifts from 10× to 15× income when children are in the picture. More importantly: the cost of waiting matters. Every year you delay, your premium increases. A 28-year-old pays roughly 30% less than a 35-year-old for identical coverage. Locking in a rate now — before pregnancy, before any health changes — is the financially rational move. Many couples buy a 30-year term policy at 28 so it covers the mortgage and carries through their children's college years.

At 28, a healthy non-smoker pays approximately $22–$35/month for a $500,000, 20-year term policy. Combined for two people: $44–$70/month. That's less than one dinner out. The counterargument isn't about affordability — it's about prioritization. The financial risk of not having coverage is asymmetric: the downside (partner dies uninsured, surviving spouse inherits debt and loses income) is catastrophically larger than the upside of keeping that $50/month. Most couples who decline coverage at 28 wish they hadn't by 32.

You can. But three things happen while you wait: (1) your premium increases — typically 5–8% per year of age; (2) your health may change — a new diagnosis, a medication, a BMI change can all increase rates or trigger exclusions; (3) your financial exposure grows — a mortgage, a car loan, a child. The application takes 15 minutes. The policy takes 2–4 weeks to issue. The cost of acting now is measured in minutes. The cost of acting too late is measured differently.