It's either your plan or someone else's plan for you
Preparing For Tomorrow podcast
We need to decide if we're going to make our own care decisions when we can no longer live alone or independantly. Or are we going to leave those decisions to a governement employee who must follow whatever the current government decides is approved for your care. Medicaid is being gutted, so please don't believe that you can rely on that at your most critial time in life. Please check out the links below and then schedule with me to start designing your plan so you can be prepared for whatever tomorrow brings your way. Kaiser Family Foundation 10 things about Medicaid long term care services...
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We don't know what it feels like to be old
Preparing For Tomorrow podcast
Professionals in geriatrics and gerontology define "elderly" and "advanced age" as 65 and older and those with chronic needs. It's hard to believe I'm almost elderly?!? The fact that there are professional specialties and new Ai tools, websites, apps and software programs focusing on this enormous age group should indicate to us younger than 60 to prepare for those days ahead of us. There are people and tools available to help as we age, and we should never be embarrassed to ask for help when we need it. Here are several helpful links you can use: America Association for LTC Insurance Phyllis...
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Saving $26,850 in premiums over 5 years? LTC Specialists matter
Preparing For Tomorrow podcast
A client with whom I've maintained a relationship for over a decade was almost talked into buying a new LTC plan earlier this year. I'm glad she called me to ask for help! I researched her risk and offered a very similar plan with significantly lower rates. Research is the key to finding the best plans for your family. When you are offered a quote for LTC insurance, ask the person quoting you how many companies they represent and how many LTC applications they submit on average each year. LTC planning is too important to leave to amatures! View current and projected costs of care where...
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I should have done this when I first thought of it
Preparing For Tomorrow podcast
Don't let your 50 year old kids regret not having planned for future extended care needs when they first thought of it. A first question I ask when meeting with someone is "What made you decide to look into LTC planning now?" Far too many reply with some form of having thought about this years ago, but for whatever reason they came up with, they decided to wait. Now, the plans we're considering cost a lot more at 70 than they did at 50. Or maybe they can't health qualify for the plan they want. You must encourage your 40, 50 and 60 year old children to plan now, while they can be...
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He fell and he couldn't get up
Preparing For Tomorrow podcast
This week, I'm sharing a story of what happened when I was walking my dog on Saturday. This can happen to anyone. We don't have to be old or sick to have an accident. So many people wait to buy LTC insurance because it's for old people, but 1/3 of people receiving care today are under age 65. And we need to be healthy enough to qualify for coverage. If we wait until after an accident, or a diagnosis, or a medicine that insurance companies won't accept, our options narrow or disappear. Also, we need to encourage our older family members to not be afraid to tell on...
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48% increase in cost of care from 2019-2024
Preparing For Tomorrow podcast
According to an AARP report, the Department of Health and Human Services reported a 48% increase in cost for home care and assisted living from 2019-2024, while median household income for families 65 and older rose only 22%. That's an average 8% annual increase! And people doubt when we use 5% annual increases to project future needs.... View a summary of the report See what current and projected cost of care where you live at Then schedule with me to learn how you can protect your family, assets and choices
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Don't let them scam you or your parents
Preparing For Tomorrow podcast
This week, I received a very disturbing call, and this was soon after I met a man whose job is to protect people (mostly seniors) from scams. I'm so glad that a woman reached out to me for guidance before spending over half of her mom's little bit of savings she needed for her care. Listen and learn, then schedule time with me to prepare for your tomorrow. When we're prepared, we're less likely to be tricked. The 2025 Cost of Care report is available so you can see both 2025 costs and projected costs of care where you live. Check it out BTW, home care costs increased by 13% across the country...
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We need to plan like the sun will come up tomorrow morning
Preparing For Tomorrow podcast
We need to believe that we're going to get through these world events that are being thrown at us every day. We have to believe that we're going to live a long life. When we live a long life, we get old, and when we get old we need help. The massage today is short, and I hope it encourages each of you to continue planning to protect those you care about most. The new 2025 Cost of Care updates were released thjis week and you can see current nd projectewd costs where you live We're seeing a 13% increase in home care costs across the country. If we want o stay home when we need help...
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If I can't get what I want, I don't want anything
Preparing For Tomorrow podcast
Just like when we go to an all-you-can-eat buffet, our eyes are bigger than our stomach. With LTC protection, bigger than our budget. We want the best policy that will pay for everything we need for as long as we need care, but our income and savings say we can afford something with less coverage. Or we apply as a couple and one is declined for health. Does this mean we don't get any coverage at all? No! It means we get as much as we can afford for the duration of premiums. If half of our expenses are paid for with insurance, that's using our own assets and income to pay the other half...
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My clients need me 25 years before they think they need me
Preparing For Tomorrow podcast
I get so many calls from families trying to find caregiving support answers for their older parent or relative. They've reached a point where they are overwhelmed and need help providing for their loved one. This is not the time to look for insurance. The choices are limited and have higher costs because at age 75 or 80, we're close to or at the age when the insurance companies think we'll open a claim. That parent should have considered LTC funding options at 50 or 55. But 50 and 55 year olds too often believe we'll be in the same health mentally and physically at 75 or 80, and that's usually...
info_outlineThis week, Diane compares 10 year hybrid Life/LTC plans with 10 year paid up funding for a couple age 50, age 60, and age 70 to share why it's so much better for everyone when we plan early.
Even though we don't want to think about it, at age 50, we need to consider what our 70 year old self, our 80 year old self and even our 90 year old self may be like and what kind of help we may need.
Genuinely see the older people around you - your family, people at the grocery store, people walking out to their mailbox to get the mail. Are they moving more slowly or unbalanced as compared to how they may have been able to move around 10, 20 or 30 years ago?
Why would we really think we'll be different?
By starting at age 50 onstead of 60, you could save hundreds of thousands of dollars in premiums over your lifetime, get your policies paid in full before you retire and then have 10 times what you paid in premiums to pay for care needs wherever you and your family and doctor sees as the best and safest place for you to live and get help living.
You'll know you have a plan for when things don't go as planned.
View current and projected costs od care where you live here and remember to use a 5% cost of living adjustment when considering future costs as that is the average rate of inflation on LTC services.
Schedule a phome or zoom meetign to start designing your plan here