Government is talking about cutting Medicare and Medicaid funding while costs of care are increasing. Dementia used to be considered a mental defect, and people were hidden from the rest of society and not talked about publicly Today, we know tis is a disease that needs to be managed. We also know that younger people are developing memory concerns. The plus is that we're not afraid to talk about it anymore. The negative is that we're delaying the needed planning until it's too late to design meaningful planning strategies. Here are links to the resources I discuss in this episode. Alzheimer's Disease International shares different forms of dementia  Mayo Clinic dementia info National Institutes of Health McKnight's Senior Living on budget cuts View current and projected costs of care where you live  Learn what your state's Medicaid system let's you keep Schedule a free consultation with me

This week, I interviewed Mike Simenstad, an LTC veteran with 34 years of experience working for several LTC carriers and distributors.  He currently works for National Guardian Life (NGL), a traditonal LTC company across the United States. Mike, and others in his role help me and other LTC specialists to be able to work smarter for our clients.  We all work together as a team to find the best solution for each family. Mike answers questions about tools/resources consumers use to research and why that can  get confusing.   We discuss actions people are taking today to plan, and we discuss how the traditional LTC industry has evolved and gotten much healthier over the last 50 years. Learn costs of care where you live Estimate LTC premiums for plans with a 6 year benefit period and 3% compounding inflation When we talk we will decide if larger or smaller plans will meet your needs better, but this a good start. Learn what you state's Medicaid program will currently let you keep and access the state Medicaid sysytem for care Schedule a phone or Zoom meeting with me

We often hear from sons and daughters who want to buy LTC coveeage for a parent.  This could be to preserve a family home, to avoid Medicaid, or because they watched their parents care for their own parents for several years.  They don't want to go through that again. This works if the parent is still healthy enough to be approved by an insurance company. Different kinds of planning strategies are offered by different companies up to various age limits, and health questions differ as well. We can be pretty certain that Medicaid will be less accomodating in the future.  Learn more about that with resources from View current and projected costs of care where you live Estimate premiums for 6 year LTC plans Learn what your state Medicaid program lets you keep today Schedule a meeting to learn more

This week is about tax deductions and tax savings with LTC insurance.  Individuals and business owners often overlook the tax advantages that a long term care insurance plan offers.   Listen and learn who can use what kind of tax planning when funding their LTC plan. Disclosure: I am not an accountant or tax advisor.  I'm simply sharing what tax saving strategiesa are available.  Consult your CPA or tax advisor for specifics to your situation. Note: I mention non-forfeiture benefits on traditional LTC plans.  This rider lets a policyholder cancel their plan any time after three years AND RETAIN BENEFITS EQUAL TO PREMIUMS ALREADY PAID.  I left this last part out in the recording. Estimate LTC insurance rates for 6 year plans with 3% inflation growth See what Medicad let's us keep in different states currently View median costs of care in various settings where you live Schedule a phone or Zoom meeting

This week, I'm hearing that people want to plan for potential LTC needs, but they are afraid to do that today because of our uncertain economy and stock market fluctuations. It's more important than ever to own our own plan today.  Federal programs are being gutted, and Medicare and Medicaid are the two biggest expenses on the federal budget.  Medicaid is not going to do more in the future. People who thought thay had enough savings to self fund care are seeing today that that should not be a lone solution.  Those who are drawing from retirement accounts today to pay for care will have no opportunity for a rebound. That money is GONE! There aren't enough professional caregivers today to keep up with demand. We need to be our own advocates and plan for future care needs.  We're going to get through this, and many of us will continue to live a long life.  When we live a long life, we get old.  And when we get old, we need help living. It's much easier to get help when we plan ahead. Schedule with me today

We and our financial advisors are preparing to need money to last 30 plus years in retirement, yet we don't trust LTC insurance companies to help protect us during that time. If we think we're going to live that long, do we really believe we will remain as strong, healthy and active as we are today?  Look at our parents and grandparents. Humans slow down as we age.  Dementia is showing up in our 60s.  People are having strokes in their 50s due to stress. We need to be prepared. LTC insurance is strictly regulated by the NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners) to make sure that rules are followed for marketing and claims.  Learn how our state departments of insurance protect us The America Association for LTC insurance was created in 1988 to educate consumers and support insurance/financial professionals.  You can learn a lot from them The report from Faegre Drinker on NAIC Model regulation can be found Estimate LTC premiums View current and projected costs of care where you live Schedule a meeting with me and Prepare for Tomorrow

I wanted to title this episode "Stable & Controlled" because that's what LTC health underwriters look for in every applicant's medical history. Today, I share several things not to do until after you've applied and been approved for some form of LTC insurance. We don't need to be in perfect health, but we need to be aware of red flags that the insurance companies will view as an unacceptable risk. Listen and learn what not to do until both you and the insurance company of your choice have made decisions and coverage is in place. Schedule with me to design your plan   Estimate traditional and hybrid LTC premiums   Learn what your state Medicaid system lets you keep Explore current and projected future costs of care at home, in assisted living and in nursing homes

I was introduced to a couple ages 79 and 72 who thought it might be too late to plan for LTC protection. Thankfully, companies that offer LTC coverage continue to create new ways to plan and help older Americans protect their loved ones when an extended care need shows up. If you think you may have waited too long, you might be surprized at what is available today. Schedule a meeting to learn more Estimate LTC insurance premiums (These are not the plan I'm sharing today) Check out current and projected costs of care where you live Schedule a quick question Learn what your state's Medicaid system let's you keep

This week, we answer two questions by sharing some history of the long term care industry. 1) Do I have to go to a nursing home to receive my benefits? 2) Can I use my LTC policy to pay my family? Listen and learn how the LTC industry has evolved over the last 51 years to accomodate needs and desires of our aging population. Estimate LTC premiums Schedule to ask me a question Learn how much income and assets your state Medicaid system let's you keep Catch more episodes Learn current and projected costs for home care, assisted living and nursing home care  Schedule with me to design your plan

Would you rather pay $145,000 or $245,000 in total premiums to have $1,300,000 in long term care benefits at age 85? When we pay our premiums over a shorter number of years, we almost always pay less than if we pay a smaller rate for the rest of our lives. It's important to understand the big picture of both physical and financial health when designing a plan. If I don't ask questions, I won't know if there is a way to pay $100,000 less for the same benefits. Estimate recurring LTC premiums Schedule 15 minutes to ask a question Learn how much income and assets your state Medicaid system lets you keep   Listen to more episodes Learn current and projected LTC costs of home care, assisted living and nursing homes where you live Schedule to design your plan