How big should your family's second paycheck be?
Your salary is your family's first income card — flowing in every month, reliably. If that card stopped, the family needs a second card to catch the load. Let's size the backup. No sign-in required.
Insurance isn't an expense — it's another income card
Think of life insurance as "the card that automatically deposits money for the family every month if I'm not there" — not as "the premium I have to pay each year". The card's size determines how long the family's lifestyle holds; the premium is just its annual fee.
Children's education is the most-fixed auto-debit
You can delay buying a car, downsize a house, postpone travel. But your child's four university years cannot wait. The education line is the most certain block of the second card and should not be trimmed.
Your spouse's income is a "third income card"
Our model assumes a working spouse continues to contribute about 70% of household needs. If your spouse can't (or won't) keep working, the second card's required size rises sharply. This is the single most underestimated risk in one-earner families.
This is just a starting point. One brief a day, letting these judgments unfold for you over time.
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This is a general estimation tool and does not constitute insurance product advice. "A second income card" is a planning frame — in practice it can be assembled from life insurance, annuities, trusts, and other instruments. Specific planning must consider your age, health, risk tolerance, family structure, tax residency, etc. Consult a licensed financial planner.