Learning about Long Term Care with Victoria Beerer

Tina never could have imagined that Long Term Care (LTC) would be a frequent conversation topic within her social circles. But this past year – it seems to come up time and time again. It makes sense. As we move through middle age, many of us are watching our parents or other loved ones age. We begin to observe firsthand both the benefits of possessing long-term care coverage and the potential risks associated with lacking it. The overall topic of LTC can feel daunting. It touches health, money, independence, and the uncomfortable reality that none of us are immune to aging. It is all too easy to put off thinking about and planning for this stage. It was the result of these recurring conversations with her peers as well as her own ignorance on this topic, that Tina proposed this as an episode for Messy Middlescence. Tara, through her work as a financial planner, knew the perfect person to demystify this topic and answer common questions. Victoria Beerer is the Long Term Care Specialist at Rambart-Hilb Agency, and brings her 15+ years of experience and knowledge with Long Term Care to help us understand what LTC really is, how it works, and what has changed over the past 20 years. Most importantly, Victoria shares why starting the conversation earlier matters more than most of us realize. The information Victoria provides in this episode is both comprehensive and straightforward. Regardless of where LTC is on your radar, you will not regret tuning in for this episode.

Topics discussed today include:

• What Long-Term Care actually covers and what it does not;
• The difference between mortality (life insurance) and morbidity (LTC)
• Why underwriting for LTC is often stricter than life insurance and some of the possible reasons people are denied LTC;
• Traditional vs. hybrid LTC policies — and why products have evolved;
• What are the 4 key parts to a Long Term Care Policy;
• When to start the conversation (hint: earlier than you think);
• Why statistics around LTC can be misleading;
• The biggest misconceptions (Medicare does not cover extended custodial care) about LTC;
• How to think about self-funding vs. transferring risk;
• What happens when one spouse needs care and the other remains at home;
• Why “something is better than nothing”
• The benefits of working with a knowledgeable agent
• The first steps in purchasing a LTC policy