Should I choose a 20-year or 30-year term life policy?

Match the term length to how long people will depend on you financially. Choose a 30-year term if you have young children, a new 30-year mortgage, or a long runway until financial independence — you want coverage that lasts until the kids are grown and the house is paid off. A 20-year term often fits better if your children are already school-aged (covering them through college and launch), if you're closer to retirement, or if you expect to be self-insured in two decades through accumulated savings. The 30-year version costs more per year but locks in your rate for longer, which matters if your health might decline. A practical middle path is laddering: combine a 30-year and a 20-year policy so coverage steps down as obligations shrink. Map your timeline before deciding.