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Term vs whole life insurance: which should I get?

Quick answer

Term life for 99% of people. It's pure death benefit insurance — cheap, simple, and matches the years you have dependents (typically 20-30 years). Whole life mixes insurance with investing at high fees; better to buy term and invest the difference. Whole life only makes sense for specific estate planning needs.

More context

Term life for 99% of people. It's pure death benefit insurance — cheap, simple, and matches the years you have dependents (typically 20-30 years). Whole life mixes insurance with investing at high fees; better to buy term and invest the difference. Whole life only makes sense for specific estate planning needs. The exact answer depends on your specific situation — the numbers above are a strong starting point, but the right next step is to plug in your actual figures.

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