Depending upon your life situation (if you need insurance at all, some don't), a person should have anywhere from 4 to 7x their annual gross income in total life insurance. Life insurance, BTW, passes tax free to the beneficiary although it is counted in the total value of your estate for federal estate tax purposes. Wealthy people get around this by setting up ILITs (Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts). As an Exec Asst for salespeople, I worked at CIGNA insurance for 13 years. I also worked at an independent CFP's office for 18 months, who was both a broker and insurance agent. I would recommend level term insurance - in fact, the CFP I worked for refused to recommend anything else unless the policy was for tax planning purposes, in which case he recommended Universal Life. Annual renewable insurance costs much more over the long run. Mortality statistics have improved so much that term insurance is quite simply, the most economical choice for just about everyone. And level term insurance means your premium will never change, regardless of your health situation, for the entire period it is in force. Insurance companies make a lot of money off whole life and even universal life policies. With the decline in the stock market, the advantages of universal life have suffered compared to straight term insurance. Never underestimate what long-term inflation does to cash values. It hasn't been that long since people thought $50K or $100K was a lot of life insurance - but these days, $100K buys very little if your family is trying to live off of it for the next 15 years, or trying to send two kids to college and grad school. Pick the longest term that takes you to retirement age. Most people GENERALLY do not need large amounts of insurance after they retire, but YMMV. Disability insurance, if you are not covered at work, is extremely useful up until the time you retire. But the underwriting standards are extremely strict right now, unlike life insurance underwriting. It is virtually impossible to get a policy for more than 60% of your last two years' income (verified by copies of your tax returns) even if you are in good health. In contrast, I am a standard risk, NOT preferred. I have $750K of life insurance for less than $80/mo that was purchased a few years ago when I was over 50. One is a 15-yr level term, and the other is a 20-yr level term. I have them for estate planning purposes. If I were to try to purchase whole life or universal life in that amount, the cost would be astronomical.

It's a beautiful prayer. Thank you for sharing. Your pictures of Duff are beautiful. What a handsome boy he is. It's such a tragedy that he should have to undergo a cancer battle once again after what he's been through. But he'll get through this, no matter the outcome, in a way made far easier because he has you by his side to love and comfort him through the difficult times ahead. God Bless you both, M.

Love Leonard Cohen, he's a poet who sings with a gravelly voice and his words are beautiful. You made my morning, Don, thank you.

Rosie -- Don't mind me and my spreadsheets! They aren't for everyone, for sure. I didn't keep one at all until my first attempts at cross-pollinating when I wanted to be able to look at all my options in one handy spot. Also...I'm one of those hyper-organized Type-A high strung people, so I'm sure that didn't help. :) Irina -- Sure enough, yo ho yo ho the corporate life for me. In the best of times, which are rare, I absolutely love my job. In the worst of times, like now, I just pray to survive. I will have to peek around for some reading on aeschynanthus lobbianus! I got it from a friend who told me it was a "Lipstick Plant" and that lead me to radicans based on the bloom color -- which granted might have been a poor assumption. Mine gets lovely light in a southwest window, but it's young...maybe six months but probably closer to three. I think I'll just have to grumpily stare at it for a while and it'll bloom if it decides to. Even if it never does it's currently my pride and joy. I prefer knitting over crochet, but I only knit when I need to fully turn my brain off. The mindless repetition is perfect, and I at least feel like I'm being somewhat productive doing it.