| Issue Date:November 18, 2007
Figuring out life insurance
Your family's situation determines the coverage you'll need.
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Some experts say you need enough life insurance to cover five, six, even 10 times your annual income (especially if you have a young family). However, "the answer really isn't how much life insurance you need, it's how much money your family will need after you are gone," says Byron Udell, CEO of AccuQuote, which provides term life insurance rates and helps individuals secure policies. To get started:
Evaluate your family's needs. Policies can pay immediate expenses, such as medical costs, funeral bills, taxes, mortgage payments and outstanding debts. But you also should have enough coverage to pay for future financial obligations. "Outline your family's cash-flow needs and financial goals, and then add up the price tag to figure out your true insurance needs," says Judith Rosenthal, a financial adviser with Ameriprise.
Tally up the resources your survivors could use to help support themselves. These may include your spouse's income; long- and short-term savings, such as 401(k)s, IRAs, 529 plans for college and emergency reserves; and existing life insurance policies. The difference between your family's needs and the available resources will tell you how much life insurance to get.
For help with calculations, go to smartmoney.com and search for its Life Insurance Worksheet.
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"People" names now popular for pets
What ever happened to "Rover"? It's no longer cool, it seems, to name a dog Fido, Snoopy or Lassie.
According to a database of more than 450,000 pets insured by Veterinary Pet Insurance, Max is the most popular name for both dogs and cats. Other crossover favorites: Lucy and Bella.
Interestingly, the top 10 dog names are also names for people. "When pets are an integral part of the family, people are more inclined to choose a human name," says Carol McConnell, who is the chief veterinary medical officer at Veterinary Pet Insurance.
Top dog names
1. Max
2. Molly
3. Buddy
4. Bella
5. Lucy
6. Maggie
7. Daisy
8. Jake
9. Bailey
10. Rocky
More pets are getting "people" names.
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Top cat names
1. Max
2. Chloe
3. Lucy
4. Tigger
5. Tiger
6. Smokey
7. Oliver
8. Bella
9. Sophie
10. Princess
Go on, Google your date
A reader asked me recently whether it's acceptable to Google a date. My take: Nothing is wrong with getting your Google on. Everyone does it -- even President Bush admits to using the site -- because it's a quick and easy tool for scoping out any possible positive points (having won a citizenship award, for example) of someone you're about to meet, as well as revealing negatives (such as an arrest).
Dating blindly is a thing of the past. However, don't rely solely on a Web search for guidance. Avoid going out with someone who makes you uncomfortable. Trust your gut, not Google.
How about Pac-Man with your peanuts?
Grab your boarding pass and go play. Just as fliers have had it up to here with cuts in amenities by U.S. carriers, a few foreign airlines have raised the bar by adding some fun and games to travel.
Air France installed PS3 consoles in its new satellite at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. And last year, when Virgin Atlantic opened a new Clubhouse (business-class lounge) at London's Heathrow Airport, the airline included among the available diversions a dedicated games area called the Den. It features a pool table, comfy sofas, retro tabletop video games like "Astro Wars" and "Pac-Man" and hand-held PSP stations. (You just need to show your boarding pass for access to the games.)
In the States, check out Virgin Atlantic's Clubhouse at Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C. Business-class passengers can access a separate room that offers an educational board game called "Take Off" plus a flat-screen TV on which to play video games such as "NBA Street," "NASCAR Thunder" and "The Simpsons: Hit & Run."
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