There are about 77 million baby boomers in the U.S.—making that group significantly larger than the generations immediately before and after it. As they age, they’re creating a much larger senior population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, adults 65 and older will outnumber children for the first time in U.S. history by the year 2035.
As many people get older, they’re buying in to some current elder law myths.
- “I won’t be one of those people who need special care.” The truth is that 70% of people age 65 will need some type of long-term care.
- “If I do need long-term care, Medicare will pay for it.” Medicare pays for an acute illness like a stroke or heart attack, but it doesn’t pay for chronic disease like Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s. It also doesn’t pay for non-medical care and only covers medical costs for a short-term recovery.
- “Long-term care isn’t really that expensive.” In the Boston area in 2017, approximate costs for assisted living were $5,975/month and $12,120/month for nursing homes.
- “I won’t have to pay for my spouse’s care.” Although there are some exceptions, typically spouses are responsible for the cost of each other’s long-term care.
- “I’ll be able to easily deal with it later.” Your best chance to manage these costs is to plan for them now. You can use estate planning techniques that protect your assets and save you money to be better able to cope with these expenses.
Call us today at 617.299.6976 or send an email to mkarr@maheritagelawcenter.com to schedule a confidential, no-cost consultation to discuss how we can help you maximize your legal strategies to protect your assets.
