How long will you live? It’s a key question in retirement planning. If you’re healthy and your family tree has branches with staying power, you may figure that you have decades ahead. If your parents died early of natural causes, you may assume a shorter life. Yet research shows that behavior is more crucial than genes in determining longevity. If you are eating better, smoking less, and exercising more than your parents did, there’s a good chance you’ll live longer than they did. You’ll also need to consider how much money to live on. With low expenses, you may be able to get by with as little as 55 percent of your preretirement income. But based on a survey of recently retired readers, Consumer Reports estimates that 85 percent of income from your last year of work is about right.
How can you ensure your nest egg’s longevity? The Boston Globe asks “Can you afford to live to 100?” and provides some helpful strategies.
Delay claiming Social Security. This is the least costly way to add to your income later in life. For example, those born in 1949 are now reaching “full retirement age.” They are able to earn a benefit that’s 8% higher each year they delay, up to age 70. At the minimum, you should wait to claim until your full retirement age, which ranges from 66 (for people born from 1943 to 1954) to 67 (for people born in 1960 and later).
Buy an Annuity. Consumer Reports’ surveys of retired readers show that having a pension as a guaranteed income correlates with satisfaction in retirement. With these becoming less available, insurers are providing annuities, which have pension-like, lifetime income. If you have a small nest egg, the less you’ll want to devote to an annuity, as this effectively locks up your savings. A 65-year-old could cover all spending after age 85 by earmarking 10-15% of his or her current assets toward purchasing a longevity annuity.
What about Long-Term Care Insurance? The average cost of nursing home care in a semiprivate room is about $80,300 per year. Although 44% of men and 58% of women currently age 65 will need nursing home care at some point, those stays will average less than a year for men and less than 18 months for women. Most of the care is provided at home or another community setting. Half of nursing home and retirement care expenses are typically covered by either Medicare or Medicaid. Nonetheless, in assisted living facilities, where stays are around 22 months and the cost is about $43,200 annually, they might not accept Medicaid. You’ll need long-term-care insurance to fill the gap.
Don’t Forget Medicaid. If you believe you may require long-term care, either in your home or in a care facility, you should see where you stand as far as Medicaid. An experienced elder law attorney may be able to help you legally transfer certain assets before you submit your application.
Reference: Boston Globe (September 11, 2015) “Can you afford to live to 100?”
Comments