Most people buy life insurance to help provide financial security for their families upon the death of the insured person. If this is your reason, the first step in calculating how much insurance to buy is to identify your dependents’ likely financial needs. If you are married, in a civil union, or have a significant other, you will want enough coverage to minimize your spouse’s or partner’s financial need after you are gone. If you have dependent children, you may want to help pay for their college tuition and other expenses. If your annual living expenses such as a mortgage on your home, personal or car loans, or property taxes are fairly high, you will need more insurance than someone whose home mortgage is fully paid for.