{
  "slug": "wrongful-death-settlement-estimator",
  "title": "Wrongful Death Settlement Estimator",
  "heading": "Wrongful Death Claim Value Estimator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wrongful-death-settlement-estimator",
  "summary": "Lost financial support, services, and non-economic damages, present valued.",
  "description": "Wrongful death claims are valued on what the family lost rather than on the deceased's suffering, and the economic core is a present-value calculation: the income the decedent would have contributed to the household over their remaining work life, less personal consumption, plus the replacement value of household services they provided, plus funeral and final medical expenses. On top of that sit non-economic damages for loss of companionship, guidance, and consortium, which vary enormously by state — some cap them, a few bar them, and juries in different venues value them very differently. This estimator makes each component visible so families and practitioners can see what drives the number, applies a discount rate to future support, and reduces the total by comparative fault and attorney fees. It is educational only. Statutes of limitation are short, who may bring the claim is fixed by statute, and any real valuation needs counsel licensed in the relevant state.",
  "formula": "Economic = PV(Annual Support × Years) + PV(Services) + Final Expenses. Total = (Economic + Non-Economic) × (1 − Fault) − Fees.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-06",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=wrongful-death-settlement-estimator",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "income",
      "label": "Decedent's annual income",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 72000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 2000000
    },
    {
      "id": "consumptionPct",
      "label": "Share consumed personally",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 30,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 70
    },
    {
      "id": "workYears",
      "label": "Remaining work years",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 22,
      "unit": "years",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 50
    },
    {
      "id": "servicesAnnual",
      "label": "Household services value",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 12000,
      "unit": "$/year",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 200000
    },
    {
      "id": "finalExpenses",
      "label": "Funeral and final medical",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 18000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 500000
    },
    {
      "id": "nonEconomic",
      "label": "Non-economic damages claimed",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 500000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 20000000
    },
    {
      "id": "faultPct",
      "label": "Comparative fault of decedent",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 0,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 99
    },
    {
      "id": "feePct",
      "label": "Attorney contingency fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 33.3,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 45
    },
    {
      "id": "discount",
      "label": "Discount rate",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 10
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "gross",
      "label": "Estimated claim value",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "net",
      "label": "Net to the family after fees",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "economic",
      "label": "Economic damages",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "pvSupport",
      "label": "Present value of lost support",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "pvServices",
      "label": "Present value of lost services",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "fee",
      "label": "Attorney fee",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Decedent's annual income: 72000 $",
      "Share consumed personally: 30 %",
      "Remaining work years: 22 years",
      "Household services value: 12000 $/year",
      "Funeral and final medical: 18000 $",
      "Non-economic damages claimed: 500000 $",
      "Comparative fault of decedent: 0 %",
      "Attorney contingency fee: 33.3 %",
      "Discount rate: 3 %"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Estimated claim value: $1,512,464",
      "Net to the family after fees: $1,008,813",
      "Economic damages: $1,012,464",
      "Present value of lost support: $803,221",
      "Present value of lost services: $191,243",
      "Attorney fee: $503,650"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter decedent's annual income ($).",
      "Enter share consumed personally (%).",
      "Enter remaining work years (years).",
      "Enter household services value ($/year).",
      "Enter funeral and final medical ($).",
      "Enter non-economic damages claimed ($).",
      "Enter comparative fault of decedent (%).",
      "Enter attorney contingency fee (%).",
      "Enter discount rate (%).",
      "Read your estimated claim value on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "income": 43000,
        "consumptionPct": 20,
        "workYears": 13,
        "servicesAnnual": 7000,
        "finalExpenses": 11000,
        "nonEconomic": 300000,
        "faultPct": 0,
        "feePct": 19.979999999999997,
        "discount": 1.7999999999999998
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "income": 72000,
        "consumptionPct": 30,
        "workYears": 22,
        "servicesAnnual": 12000,
        "finalExpenses": 18000,
        "nonEconomic": 500000,
        "faultPct": 0,
        "feePct": 33.3,
        "discount": 3
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "income": 115000,
        "consumptionPct": 50,
        "workYears": 35,
        "servicesAnnual": 19000,
        "finalExpenses": 29000,
        "nonEconomic": 800000,
        "faultPct": 0,
        "feePct": 45,
        "discount": 4.800000000000001
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Why subtract personal consumption?",
      "a": "The claim compensates the survivors' loss, so the portion of income the decedent would have spent on themselves is excluded. Economists commonly use 20-35% for a married earner with dependants and more for a single person."
    },
    {
      "q": "Are non-economic damages capped?",
      "a": "In some states, yes — particularly in medical malpractice cases, and a few states restrict them in all wrongful death actions. Check the applicable statute before relying on the figure you enter."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who can file the claim?",
      "a": "State statutes specify it, usually the personal representative of the estate or a defined class of surviving spouse, children, and parents. Filing by the wrong party can lose the case outright."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is a wrongful death settlement taxable?",
      "a": "Compensatory damages for physical injury or death are generally excluded from federal income tax, while punitive damages and interest generally are not. Get tax advice before distribution."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/personal-injury-settlement-estimator",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/lost-wages-claim-calculator"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Wrongful Death Settlement Estimator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/wrongful-death-settlement-estimator)"
}