Long-Term Care Shock Planner

Stress-test your plan against a 2-, 3-, or 5-year long-term-care shock. Cost bands are educational national medians from Genworth. Discuss with an elder-law attorney and an LTC broker.

Planning guide

How to use the long-term care shock planner

Long-term care is not an annual average expense; it is a shock that can land unevenly on one spouse, one home, or one family member. The planner stress-tests a care event against spending, assets, housing, and family capacity.

Inputs to gather first

Potential care duration
Monthly care cost scenario
Family support assumptions
Assets or insurance available for care

Common planning mistakes

Planning around averages only
Assuming family care is free
Not modeling survivor cash flow after one spouse needs care

Example use case

A two-year assisted-living or home-care period can force withdrawals at the wrong time. Stress-testing the event before it happens shows whether insurance, housing changes, or family planning deserve attention.

Related RetireFree resources

Useful source checks

RetireFree provides educational planning estimates only. It is not financial, tax, legal, healthcare, or investment advice. Use the output to prepare better questions for a qualified professional. See the methodology and editorial policy.