Don’t Let Your Heartstrings Control Your Purse Strings

People are living longer – that’s a fact. Unfortunately, all those additional years aren’t always spent in optimum health. With longevity comes the complicated question of how to pay for the necessary health care for those additional years. Costs for unexpected and long-term chronic care are rarely covered by Medicare. People are having to face these costs on their own. Thankfully, the right type of planning can make this task less daunting.

Long-term care can be an overwhelming topic. The statistics are sobering. 52% of people turning age 65 will need some type of long-term care services in their lifetimes, and 14% will need long-term care for longer than five years. With the median annual cost of adult day care averaging $18,200 and assisted living facilities at $45,000, the financial implications can be staggering. It can sound like a complicated topic, but the way to protect you really boils down to three options.

• Self-insure: This is the option that many select by default because they don’t want to think about the possibility of illness creeping into their future. It’s a scary option, which they hope won’t happen to them. However, this option typically leaves them unprepared for the medical costs that eventually do occur.
• Long-term Care Policy: This is a good form of financial protection as it covers your risk but won’t wreck your financial plan. However, the down side with such a policy is that if you don’t use it, you lose it.
• Accelerated Benefit Riders (ABR’s): Lastly, you can invest in life insurance you don’t have to die to use. These riders in your insurance plan will allow you to receive your benefits prior to death due to terminal, chronic or critical illness. The ABR’s will cover your risk, and you’ll still receive the benefit if you don’t need to use it for long-term care purposes.

Now, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. It’s always best to meet with your trusted financial advisor to find the right option for you. Just know that when you do take the time to plan ahead and find the right option for your particular situation, you’re not only providing for your future but also your peace of mind as well.

[i] https://www.morningstar.com/articles/879494/75-must-know-statistics-about-long-term-care-2018-edition

The opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual.

A tax refund isn’t winning the lottery. It isn’t a gift. It’s the return of your money, money that you’ve earned that the government has been holding. At a time when you need your money to be working for you, you can’t afford to have your money do nothing, not even earn interest. Rather, your money needs to be working towards your financial freedom.

The issue with a large tax refund is that the money that has been withheld throughout the year could have been working for you all along. Rather than have it deducted, you could have been paying down debt, contributing to your emergency fund or investing it for your future. Yes, you can definitely do those same things with your tax refund. However, now you’ve missed out on the time your money was being held where it could have been earning interest or saving you money by paying off debt sooner.

While I am a firm believer in minimizing your withholdings throughout the year, I know that this shines a light on an individual’s sense of discipline. You need to make sure that you’re applying the additional funds where they need to go, which is not the retail fund or other expenses that aren’t working towards your future. Automatic transfers for both savings and investment accounts make it convenient to get your money to work for you. Another consequence of having a minimal amount withheld throughout the year is that you could owe the government come tax season. Once again, this supports the need for saving and being disciplined with your money.

You’ve put in a lot of hard work for your money. Not only should it be a means to your financial independence, it should be a tool that you can access right away. Take advantage of your money today to ensure that you get where you want to go tomorrow.

This information is not intended to be a substitute for specific individualized tax advice. We suggest that you discuss your specific tax issues with a qualified tax advisor.