• Provide income for surviving dependent family members.
  
• Preserve an estate — pay federal and state death taxes and other estate settlement costs.
  
• Pay off loans.
  
• Fund college education expenses for children and grandchildren.
  
• Equalize inheritances.
  
• Protect business from loss of a key employee.
  
• Shift wealth from one generation to another in a cost- effective manner.
  
• Benefit a charity.
  
• Replace a charitable gift.
  
• Meet special financial demands of dependents with physical or mental limitations, such as physically or mentally handicapped or learning disabled children, or elderly parents.
  
• Relieve survivors of financial management burdens by providing the death benefit in the form of an annuity payable for life.
  
• Create an estate.
  
• Create a supplemental retirement fund.
  
• Fund a business continuation arrangement.
  

This insurance needs estimator may help.