50-Somethings Advised to Calculate Their 'Long-Term Care Savings Gap'

If it's too big, it jeopardizes retirement dreams, but there are options

October 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Most Americans are poorly prepared to pay for long-term care costs, but there's a two-step fix, according to ACSIA Partners, a leading long-term care insurance agency. 

It starts by learning if there's a gap, and how big, between your ability to pay and your likely future expenses.

For most Americans there is indeed a gap. According to a May 2015, report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), 52 percent of households age 55 and older have no savings for retirement (let alone long-term care). 

If you're among the 48 percent with some retirement savings, you may be prepared to cover some, but not all, of your probable LTC tab.

What to do?

"Step one," says Denise Gott, CEO of ACSIA Partners, "is to see if you have a gap, and how big." Doing so can take less than five minutes. 

For a rough estimate, Gott recommends entering a few facts into a calculator provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: http://longtermcare.gov/savings-calculator/.

Here's a sample calculation for a 52-year old woman planning to retire in Florida, who could afford to set aside$300 (earning 4 percent interest) per month starting now. 

She would have a long-term care savings gap of$652,184, based on $839,263 in projected care costs in Florida, for life remaining after age 65, minus $187,079in accumulated savings, as determined by government data and assumptions.

If the woman were married, there would likely be a similar gap for her partner.

Once you know you've got a gap, "the next step is just as simple and almost as quick," says Gott. "Ask a state-certified long-term care agent to help you explore your options." 

This can be done by phone or online. An in-person meeting is optional.

ACSIA Partners offers state-certified agents covering all parts of the country. 

To get in touch with one, just go to the company's website -- http://www.acsiapartners.com -- and submit an inquiry form indicating your state of residence.

ACSIA Partners LLC -- http://www.acsiapartners.com -- is one of America's largest and most experienced long-term care insurance solution agencies with hundreds of agents serving all states. 

The company is also a co-founder and sponsor of the "3in4 Need More" campaign, run by the 3in4 Association, which encourages Americans to form a long-term care plan.