Typically, retirement planning entails setting up a 401(k), calculating social security benefits, and investing in a term or whole life insurance policy. The most recent retirement strategy also includes long-term care insurance investments in the event that a retiree requires daily care in the future.
With age, the risk of developing health conditions such as Alzheimer’s and cardiovascular disease increases, increasing the likelihood that an elderly person will require care in a health or nursing home facility. Long-term care insurance helps pay for health aides, nursing home stays, and other daily assistance without jeopardizing personal assets.
“Consumers who would like to protect their assets, minimize dependence on family members, and control how they receive nursing or home care, should carefully consider long-term care insurance,” said Sandy Praeger, National Association of Insurance Commissioners president-elect and Kansas’s insurance commissioner.
Medicare cannot be relied on because it does not cover custodial care, and private health insurance may not cover everything you require. According to the Insurance Information Institute, if you are over 65 and have little money, you may be eligible for Medicaid; however, if you expect to be in the middle financially, long-term health care may be the best option.
Home healthcare costs can range from $8,000 to $10,000 per month, and nursing home costs can exceed $100,000 per year. Furthermore, if you purchase the policy when you are younger and in better health, your premiums will be lower. Once the premium is set, it remains constant for the duration of the policy.
However, there can be many variables to long-term health care that can be confusing, so if you plan to buy a policy, make sure you discuss the details and benefits with an insurance specialist so that you know exactly what type of care is covered.
The possibility of developing health problems later in life emphasizes the importance of retirement planning. Aside from establishing a 401(k) or Roth IRA, it is critical to purchase a life insurance policy to ensure that your survivors have enough funds to support themselves in the event of your death.