A recent CNBC article asks the question whether $245,000 is enough to cover healthcare costs in retirement. Let that number sink in for a second. Especially, when you consider the article goes on to project those same healthcare costs up to $367,000 using the Medicare Board of Trustee’s estimate of inflation. That’s even before considering that “high-income beneficiaries” have to pay a higher percentage of the total cost of Medicare premiums. High-income beneficiaries are considered to be individuals with Modified Adjusted Gross Income of greater than $85,000 and married couples above $170,000. Currently, beneficiaries pay about 25% of the cost, but high-income beneficiaries will pay 35, 50, 65 or 80% of the cost depending on their level of income.
How much do you have saved for retirement? In your plans, have you allocated more than $250,000 to the cost of health insurance?
If not, what impact will an expense of this level have on your retirement? If the projections are correct, a quarter of a million dollar expense in retirement could derail any plan that’s not properly accounting for such expenses. As the article states, this expense could cause a detrimental impact to your yearly income at a point when going back to work is no longer a viable option. Don’t let this be your retirement picture.
If healthcare is going to be such an impact on your retirement, what other major expenses are not covered in your retirement plan? One of the core pieces of our financial planning process is to identify the specific expenses that your retirement could hold. We help you evaluate your current situation, your goals and desires, and your retirement years to create a financial plan than can hopefully withstand whatever life throws at us.
We can help you make sense of these complicated issues. Do you have questions about your retirement plans or need help figuring out how much healthcare will cost for you? Get an answer by sending us a question:
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