Too often, people contact me when it's too late to access all their LTC planning options. Some people believe they are planning ahead at age 80. Some people wait to inquire until after a diagnosis either limits their options or makes them altogether uninsurable. The earlier we plan, the more choices we have, AND the more benefits we can obtain for the least amout of premium. Business owners can deduct LTC premiums, so it's helpful to pay for the plans while you still own the business, to get additional tax write offs. C corporations can deduct 100% of LTC premiums without a cap. LLCs and S Corps have a maximum they can deduct.  The 2024 caps are below.  These are per person Age 40 or less  $470 Age 41-50  $880 Age 51-60  $1760 Age 61-70  $4710 Age 71+    $5880 Schedule with me to learn more

This week, my husband, Paul, asks me multiple questions that we get quite often.  I'm guessing you've asked at least one of these questions if you've been considering LTC insurance to protect your family from an extended care need. Please email me additional questions you may have, and I'll be glad to answer you.  I may even use your question for a future episode. In fact, I challenge you to ask me a question I've never heard before. Schedule time to strart designing your plan at

There are many professionals from whom you can purchase LTC insurance, but an LTC Planning Specialist is going to have the most knowledge and training about all the options that can be available based on unique needs of each person or family. This week I'm sharing what to watch out for when you work with different kinds of professionals.  I'm not saying that every representative who does not specialize in LTC will not do a good job. I'm sharing things to watch out for because this is one of the most important decisions you'll make regarding your family's future. You need to be sure you are protecting those you love and your life savings using the most appropriate method to meet your needs. LTC Planning Specialists are not afraid to ask the hard questions that need to be asked to do the job right. LTC Planning Specialists will wait for the best opportunities for you to be approved. Schedule with me to learn how you can protect your family, savings and choices at a time when you may be the most vulnerable.   email me at to ask a question

Several people are asking if they can use their life insurance policies for long term care needs. Some newer life insurance plans include a chronic illness rider that let's you use the dealth benefit while still alive and needing help living through your day.  Those plans don't consider that needing care wil cost much more in the future, however. Older life insurance policies generally don't allow early use for LTC needs. You can exchange those plans for a plan that wil pay for LTC.  Some of the LTC plans will also pay a death benefit if care is not needed. Listen and learn what Rob & Judy are considering with their old life insurance policies by using the IRS 1035 exchange rule to reposition their plan feom a death benefit only to a death and LTC benefit. If you own life insurance with cash value built up, you can use that cash value to create an LTC plan wil little or no premiums. Schedule with me to learn how

Teresa wants to know what happens to any LTC benefit money she doesn't use. There are plans that pay your family back if no care or little care is needed, but that's not why we buy insurance. Insurance by definition is a guarantee against the risk of loss or harm.  We buy insurance in caswe we need it. Any help our family gets will more than likely be accepted with gratitude.  Without outside help, caring for someone is a full-time job in itself.  Then we need to take into account all the other stuff that needs to be managed. The most common thing I see is that people don't open their claim early enough.  As people age, they try so hard to prove they don't need help.  They don't see that if they use their benefits, they are giving so much back to their family. Whether you own LTC insurance or not, you need to have a plan.  And you need to share your plan with your family so they know what you would like to have happen when extended care is needed. Email me for a planning guide you can use to start the conversation - Schedule an introductory meeting with me at

Alicia's insurance agent told her she was too short for her weight and no LTC insurance can be offered to her. Turns out that agent only represented one company.  Other companies will consider her build (height/weight).   Many people are either very small or very big.  There are alternative solutions to planning for future care needs that can help those outside of the weight limits of most companies.   Some companies don't ask about build or health at all, while some have more lenient health requirements than others. If you've been told you can't qualify for LTC insurance, it is wise to ask for a second opinion. Reach out to me to ask what else can be offered to help you protect your family, assets and choices https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/30min

We have a lot of new listeners, so I'm taking you back to one of our earliest episodes to share my "Why".   I became a long term care specialist because my heart yearns to help you not go through what I and my family went through in the same degree. Currently, there is no way to prevent Alzheimer's disease from overtaking a person's brain, but there are ways to make it just a little easier on the family as they work to help as much as they can. My aim is to help you reduce the emotional, physical and financial consequences that dementia carries. We need to ask ourselves if we will have a plan to take care of the immeasurable risks of a long term care need, or will our needs eventually control our plan. Let me help you Prepare for the Tomorrow that we all hope never comes, but too often does.  Schedule tome with me to protecxt those you love most

This week, you just need to listen and learn from my mistakes.  Some I made as a kid, and the most recent was over the last few years.  I didn't want to seem intrusive when that is exactly how I should have been.   Now, I am just sad.  Sad that I didn't do what I've been encouraging you to do.  I tried, but I didn't try hard enough.  If you need caregiver support, go to The Alzheimer's Association has support info at Schedule time with me to plan today so you can be prepared for the storms of tomorrow at   Email me a question at

To deepen our look into LTC annuities, this week we review how Danny 1035 exchanged a $160,000 variable annuity to a LTC indexed annuity with tax-free benefits for extended care needs.   His cost basis (amount he originally deposited) was only $54,000.  He has a lot of liquid assets and doesn't need the $160K to live on today. He is also an uninsurable health risk for almost all LTC funding options other than Medicaid, which he wants to avoid. Listen and learn how we moved his $160K into over $435K in tax free LTC benefits.  The account and LTC benefits balances will continue to increase over his lifetime. Now he has a dedicated stream of tax-free cash for care needs and is free to spend the rest of his retireement assets however he chooses. If you or someone you love has been holding onto an annuity because they don't want to pay taxes when withdrawing, ask me how you can also create tax-free benefits for care.  Leave Uncle Sam out of your plans. My calendar

This week, Diane shares how the PensionProtection Act passed in 2010 makes it possible to 1035 exchange non-qualified annuities into various LTC plans that generate tax-free income for extended care needs. Not all annuities are tax-free for LTC.  LIsten and learn how different rules apply to different annuity forms. If you or somone you know has an annuity that they don't want to use due to many years of taxable earnings when withdrawn, consider 1035 exchanging that into an LTC annuity with tax-free income for long term care. If care is never needed, the annuity is passed to beneficiaries just like  other annuities.   Let's work together to learn if you can design an LTC plan that saves taxes and dosen't impact your budget. Schedule with me at to learn what is available inyour state.