How much disability insurance coverage might I need? This disability insurance needs calculator estimates your monthly income replacement target, coverage gap, and total shortfall over a disability period — helpful for income protection planning, not a substitute for reviewing your actual policy.
How to use this calculator
- Enter monthly take-home income and essential expenses.
- Enter existing disability coverage from employer or private policies.
- Add emergency savings and expected disability duration.
- Set desired income replacement percentage and review the gap.
Formula
Monthly income needed = Take-home income × Replacement %. Monthly gap = Income needed − Existing coverage. Total gap = Monthly gap × Duration months, reduced by emergency savings.
Example
With $5,200 take-home pay, 70% replacement target, and $2,000/month existing coverage, you may need about $1,640/month more — roughly $19,680 over a 12-month disability before emergency savings.
Frequently asked questions
Does employer disability coverage count?
Yes — enter the monthly benefit you expect from work. Review whether it is taxable and how long benefits last.
What about Social Security disability?
This calculator does not model SSDI. Add expected government benefits to existing coverage if you want to include them.