Long-term care is expensive and often not covered by insurance. Estimate what you'd need.
A long-term care calculator estimates the future cost of extended care, nursing home, assisted living, or in-home care, and the gap between that cost and what you've set aside.
Long-term care is one of the largest and most overlooked retirement risks. Costs are high and rising faster than general inflation, and standard health insurance and Medicare cover little of it. Projecting the future cost, inflated to when you might need care and multiplied by the years of care, shows the scale of the need.
Options include self-funding from savings, long-term care insurance, hybrid life-insurance policies with care riders, and, for those who qualify by income and assets, Medicaid. Each has trade-offs in cost and coverage. Planning early, while premiums are lower and you're insurable, gives the most options. This estimate is a starting point, not advice.
A lot and rising, often tens of thousands per year for in-home care and more for nursing homes. Costs vary widely by type and region.
Largely no. Medicare covers limited short-term skilled care, not extended custodial care. Medicaid covers it only for those who qualify by income and assets.
Options include self-funding, long-term care insurance, hybrid policies, and Medicaid. Planning early gives more options and lower premiums.
See the exact formula and a worked example on our methodology page.