Wrongful Death Economic Damages Calculator 2027
Compute present value of wrongful death economic damages — lost earnings, employer benefits, household services, less personal consumption. Uses growth rate, discount rate, and remaining work-life expectancy. Free, private.
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What are wrongful death economic damages?
Wrongful death economic damages are the financial losses the surviving family members suffer because of the decedent's death. They include lost net earnings, employer-provided benefits (health insurance, retirement contributions, pension), the value of household services the decedent provided, and in some jurisdictions, the lost value of inheritance. Forensic economists calculate each stream's present value using growth rates, discount rates, and a work-life expectancy table (typically the Skoog-Ciecka or BLS work-life tables).
The most disputed adjustment is the personal-consumption offset. Because the decedent would have consumed part of their own earnings (food, clothing, personal travel), only the portion that would have gone to the family is recoverable. Standard offsets: 20% for single decedents, 25-30% for married decedents with children. Excessive consumption offsets are a common defense tactic to lower damages.
Present value: growth rate vs discount rate
Future earnings are projected using a wage growth rate (historically 2.5-3.5% per BLS data), then discounted to present value using a safe-investment discount rate (Treasury bond yield, typically 3.5-4.5% in 2026). The net discount rate (discount minus growth) determines how aggressively future earnings are reduced. A 1.5% net discount rate is the standard PV factor in most circuits. Some economists use the "total offset method" (growth equals discount), which simplifies to a straight sum.
For example: a 40-year-old decedent earning $75,000/year with 25 years of remaining work-life, 2.5% growth, 4% discount, and 30% consumption offset yields approximately $1.2 million PV of lost net earnings. Add $200K-$400K PV of employer benefits (health insurance is $20K-$25K/year for family coverage) and $300K-$500K PV of household services for a working spouse with children.
Household services valuation
Household services include childcare, cleaning, cooking, lawn care, home maintenance, transportation, financial management, and elder care. The BLS American Time Use Survey provides hours-per-week benchmarks: a married parent in a dual-earner household provides about 24-30 hours/week of household services worth $18-$30/hour (2026 replacement cost). Over a 40-year life expectancy, this often totals $400,000-$700,000 in present value.
Household services continue beyond work-life (which ends at retirement) because retirees still provide household labor. Use life expectancy from CDC tables, not work-life. Defense experts often argue household services should be reduced for declining capacity in old age. Plaintiff experts respond with empirical data showing time-use stays high through age 75. The American Bar Association and Nolo wrongful death guides emphasize that household services are routinely undervalued in settlement negotiations.
Sources: BLS American Time Use Survey, Skoog-Ciecka Work-Life Expectancy Tables, americanbar.org Tort and Insurance Practice Section, nolo.com wrongful death guides, dol.gov wage data. Last updated: May 2026.