The Economic Value of Your Contributions

Running a household requires significant work. If a disability were to limit your ability to manage these tasks, what would it cost to hire help?

Childcare and transportation. It should be no surprise that childcare can be expensive. The average family can spend 20% of their income on childcare costs. Some families spend more on childcare than they do on their monthly mortgage payments.² Consider transportation. Estimating the cost of rides at $2 per mile for a child driven six miles per day, that’s nearly $400 per month just for transportation.³

Meal planning and preparation.  Feeding a family can be a lot of work—and expensive. Should a stay-at-home parent be unable to prepare meals, the cost of alternatives could be overwhelming. Meal delivery services are an option, but usually more expensive than it would be if you cook your own meals. Some meal delivery services cost $4.99 per meal,⁴ so for a three-person household, ordering three meals a day could cost nearly $1,300 per month.

Housekeeping. A standard house cleaning can range from $200-400, depending on the size of the house.⁵ Additional tasks such as laundry are additional but are essential to a functioning household.

Other tasks. You may also need assistance with other tasks like yard care, tutoring, or even managing the family finances. All these tasks add to extra costs you’d incur should you be unable to contribute due to a disability.

Disability Income insurance for Non-Income Contributors

Stay-at-home parents traditionally have not been eligible for Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits. Our partner, Ameritas, is one of the few companies that offers a lump-sum disability income insurance plan for stay-at-home parents and homemakers.

The DInamic Fundamental LTD plan from Ameritas pays a lump sum benefit of $25,000-$50,000 if a homemaker becomes totally disabled due to sickness or injury—and the disability is expected to last at least one year.⁶

Without disability income insurance, the costs to cover household responsibilities could devastate a family’s finances. LTD insurance from Ameritas can help provide cash benefits that could help keep your family on track in the event a key contributor can’t. Speak with an LTD Advisor to learn more.

¹Almost 1 in 5 stay-at-home parents in the U.S. are dads. Pew Research Center. www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2023/08/03/almost-1-in-5-stay-at-home-parents-in-the-us-are-dads, Retrieved February 12, 2026.
²Care Is Eating 20% of Family Income—Forcing Parents to Drain Savings and Delay Big Purchases. Investopedia. www.investopedia.com/child-care-is-eating-20-of-family-income-pushing-parents-to-drain-savings-and-cut-spending-11897955, February 3, 2026.
³How Much Does Uber Cost per Mile? Surge Pricing, Fare Estimates, and More. Upgraded Points. upgradedpoints.com/travel/how-much-does-uber-cost-per-mile, February 6, 2026.
⁴Best Meal Delivery Services Of 2026. Forbes. www.forbes.com/health/l/best-meal-delivery-services
⁵How Much to Charge for House Cleaning: 2026 Pricing Guide. Housecall Pro. www.housecallpro.com/resources/house-cleaning-prices, January 8, 2026.
⁶ Not available in CA, FL, MD, NJ, NM, UT and VT. The homemaker must have little to no income (working less than 30 hours a week outside the home). Minimum household income is $36,000 per year (households under $50,000 a year qualify for the $25,000 minimum benefit). Benefit amount is one half of the household income, rounded to the next highest $5,000, up to $50,000.

In approved states, DInamic Fundamental^® (form 4504LS) is issued by Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. In New York, DInamic Fundamental^® (form 5504LS) is issued by Ameritas Life Insurance Corp. of New York. Policy and riders may vary and may not be available in all states.
Meyer and Associates is not an affiliate of Ameritas or any of its subsidiaries.