What is your reserve?

What amount of reserve do you need to meet a disaster? Like the current health crisis which has closed 100s of businesses. I  can remember when I was about 45-50 our reserve would cover new tires for the car or a fence if the old one collapsed.  Our savings was put and take. We’d save it and 2 months later an appliance would die. No 3 months, not even 1 month. When I finally went back to work full time in a tenure track job we just didn’t spend my salary, and 15% went to TDA.  It was a very late start for retirement.

When our son was diagnosed with a brain tumor that ended his employment on October 1 we discovered that disability assistance based on Social Security begins SIX months after diagnosis, and medical help 2 years after that (Medicare). If you are poor or an illegal alien there is help, otherwise you should have enough assets to row your own boat for 6 months. Hospitals and cancer clinics have special programs to help low income patients , some don’t pay a penny, but not those who earn over $25,000 and own a house and car. And that is most who read this post.  So . . . Do you have 6 months of liquid resources?