Why Couples Should Plan Together
70% of Americans over 65 will need some long-term care. For couples, one spouse's care often depletes the assets the other spouse needs to live on. Planning together protects both of you.
What to Insure, What to Self-Fund
A common pattern: insure the catastrophic risk (3+ years in a facility) and self-fund the manageable risk (early in-home help). Hybrid life/LTC policies, traditional LTC, and short-term care plans all play different roles.
How to Have the Conversation
Start with values, not numbers. "If one of us needed full-time care, would we want to stay home or move to a facility? Who would we want around us? What's our 'enough' number for the other spouse?"