To Be Responsible In Your 30s, Do This.

26: The average age women have their first child*
27: The average age women get married
29: The average age men get married
33: The average age Americans buy their first homes
35: The average age of a Haven Term life insurance policy owner

The late twenties are a pivotal time in life. You have children. You get married. Overall, you start building a life and family of your own. Or, if you haven’t decided to take the plunge into marriage and children yet, you’re likely working toward buying your first home and achieving financial security and independence. All significant milestones with equal importance.

But what also can be gathered from the above stats is this: In your 30s, you have a boatload of personal and financial responsibilities. Responsibilities that would potentially be unmet if you were to die suddenly.

Imagining your demise can be unsettling. You probably have big plans for life and your 30s, after all. But the good news is that planning for death doesn’t make it happen any sooner. And it can leave you with the peace of mind that everyone is cared for.

When you have people who rely on you for financial support or to pay your portion of the bills, the responsible thing to do is to consider buying life insurance.

You might need life insurance in your 30s if:

You’re Married

Marriage alone doesn’t create a need for life insurance. But some might argue it’s the considerate thing to do for your spouse to leave a legacy and reduce the financial burden of an unexpected death.

What constitutes a real need for life insurance, though, is if you and your partner have bills or cosigned debts that neither of you could cover solo. For example, a mortgage or maybe even wedding or honeymoon debt. Heck, if you live in a city life San Francisco or New York, it might even be rent that requires dual incomes to afford.

Sure, the surviving spouse could move in with family or friends, but your partner shouldn’t need to do so to stay financially afloat. This article makes a good case for why a spouse might not be ready to leave a home after death.

Also remember, life insurance pricing is more affordable the younger and healthier you are. Doesn’t hurt to lock in a lower rate before…

You Have A Child

Having a child is often one of the top reasons people buy life insurance. In fact, it’s why our founder and CEO Yaron Ben-Zvi purchased a policy. He and his wife were expecting their first child.

Children have a way of making you aware of your mortality and everything you need to provide for the people you love most. You want to ensure they’re protected should you die, and that your partner has the financial resources to continue paying the day-to-day bills and also to prepare for the bigger things in life: like your children getting married and going to college.

Life insurance policies, for both of you, can help meet those financial obligations with as little stress as possible.

You’re Single

This is not the part where we tell you everyone needs life insurance. But, it is the part where we say that financial dependents come in all shapes and sizes. It’s not just your partner and children.

Americans are in a record amount of student loan debt. More than $1.3 trillion dollars in student debt is owed, to be exact. Most federal student loan debt is forgiven in the event of death. However, not all private student loans work this way. If you have private loans, your co-signer, typically a parent, could be left with those debts if you died. The same goes for any other cosigned loans, such as a mortgage.

Parents shouldn’t be left to mourn their child while simultaneously paying off loans that have been passed on. Make sure you know where your debt would go if you died and if you need to protect cosigners financially. It’s the right thing to do.

Taking debts out of the equation, some people don’t want to get married or have children. That’s OK, and many could argue, a positive, self-reflective decision on its own. However, if you want to remain single and free of obligations, do you have plans to be the greatest aunt or uncle ever to your sibling’s or close friend’s children? Life insurance doesn’t need to be used only for financial obligations. It can also be used to leave behind a legacy to the ones you love.

Do You Want to Leave a Legacy?

Your 30s are a defining decade personally, professionally and financially. For most people, it’s a time when you start to realize fully the magnitude of having individuals who rely on you.

No matter your particular need for life insurance, it has one central purpose: leaving behind a positive legacy after you’re gone.

What will be your legacy?