Find Your Long Term Care Gap
Most retirement plans count on Social Security, a pension and savings to cover the bills. Very few count what care costs. That's the math error I help people fix.
Enter a few numbers below. You'll see the monthly gap between your retirement income and the cost of care where you live, how long your savings would cover it, and what it does to money you meant to leave your family. It takes about two minutes. Your numbers never leave this page.
Questions people ask
What is a retirement care gap?
It's the difference between what your retirement income brings in each month and what care costs, on top of the bills you already have. Most plans are built to cover living expenses, not a caregiver or assisted living. When care starts, the difference comes out of savings, often far faster than the plan assumed.
How much does long-term care cost?
It depends on where you live. Nationally, the 2025 CareScout Cost of Care Survey puts in-home care (44 hours a week) at a median of $6,673 a month and assisted living at $6,200. Some states run thousands higher. The calculator uses your state's figures and projects them forward to when care might start.
Won't Medicare pay for long-term care?
Mostly no. Medicare covers skilled care, like rehab after a hospital stay, for up to 100 days, with a daily copay starting on day 21. It doesn't cover custodial care: help with bathing, dressing, eating and getting around. That's most long-term care.
What about Medicaid?
Medicaid does pay for long-term care, but only after most of your savings is spent, often down to about $2,000 for a single person. It looks back five years at money you've given away, and a spouse at home can keep only a limited amount. Rules vary by state.
Will Social Security cover the cost of care?
For most people, no. The average Social Security retirement check is around $2,000 a month, a fraction of what care costs. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.
Is my information private?
Yes. The calculator runs entirely in your browser. Your income, savings and expenses are never sent or stored. If you choose to send me your result, I receive only your monthly gap, your state and your contact details.
I have a gap. What now?
Most people do. The next step is seeing what it would cost to close it. Use the button in the calculator to see estimated monthly costs for a plan sized to your state, or book a 15-minute call with me.