Long term care is needed by those who can’t perform the basic tasks required to take care of themselves. This can include people suffering from a debilitating illness or chronic injury. The need for long term care can arise unexpectedly, often creating a large financial burden. This calculator can help you determine if you are financially prepared for this impending expense.
Definitions
Estimated daily cost
This is your current estimated cost of long term care. According to the Genworth Financial 2015 Cost of Care Survey, the estimated median annual cost for a nursing home stay was $80,300 per year for a semi-private room. This is about $220 per day. The cost for a private room was $91,250 or $250 per day. Assisted living at home can cost more than $43,200 per year or $20.00 per hour for a home healthcare aid. All of these long-term care costs can be considerably higher in larger metropolitan areas.
Years of care
The number of years you expect to require long term care. The average stay in a nursing home is about 2.5 years, but can vary considerably.
Inflation rate
This is what you expect for the average long-term inflation rate. A common measure of inflation in the U.S. is the Consumer Price Index (CPI). From 1925 through 2015 the CPI has a long-term average of 2.9% annually. Over the last 40 years highest CPI recorded was 13.5% in 1980. For 2015, the last full year available, the CPI was 0.0% annually as reported by the Minneapolis Federal Reserve. We will increase the cost of your long term care by this rate each year.
Funds currently available
The total amount that you have saved or invested that would be available to pay for long term care expenses.