Retirees considering a move to a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), also known as a life plan community, often find the variety of contract types confusing. Many communities offer multiple contract options, and one newer variation gaining attention is a lifecare contract with equalized pricing. This option may be attractive to some prospective residents. A … Read more

This past week I had the pleasure of speaking to a group at Ventana by Buckner, a beautiful new continuing care retirement community (CCRC), also known as a life plan community, in Dallas. It was a valuable opportunity to meet prospective residents and answer questions about financial concerns, for-profit versus not-for-profit communities, and lifestyle options. … Read more

Spring is often seen as the ideal season to sell a home. Warmer weather brings buyers out of hibernation, many hoping to move before the next school year begins. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the usual spring buying season, yet there are reasons for cautious optimism for sellers. Zillow recently forecasted a modest decline in home … Read more

In the past decade the phrase “aging in place” has become common, largely because surveys and industry articles report that a large majority of older adults prefer to remain in their homes as they grow older. Advances in technology and a housing market increasingly focused on senior-friendly design have reinforced that preference. Still, it’s worth … Read more

When many people picture retirement, they imagine relaxing, pursuing hobbies, spending time with friends, or traveling. For a growing number of seniors, however, retirement looks very different: changing diapers, preparing lunches, helping with homework, and driving grandchildren to after‑school activities. An increasing number of grandparents in the U.S. are now the primary caregivers for their … Read more

One common question we hear from people exploring life plan communities (also called continuing care retirement communities or CCRCs) is how monthly community fees change when one spouse or partner continues living independently while the other requires higher levels of care. The answer depends on the type of residency contract the community uses. You can … Read more

As the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance (AALTCI) explains, your personal risk of needing long-term care is effectively binary: either you will never need it or you will. That oversimplifies reality, but it highlights an important point—you should not plan your retirement around population averages because your experience may differ. Current long-term care data … Read more

A few years ago I spoke with my pastor about a challenge I faced as an adult Sunday school teacher: I couldn’t reconcile the different viewpoints and opinions voiced each week in my class. He gave me advice I still remember: “The most important thing is to meet them where they are in their journey.” … Read more

Saving for retirement and planning for senior living is a long-term process for many people. Depending on individual spending and saving habits, funds are often allocated into distinct “buckets” for different goals. Mental accounting — the tendency to treat money differently depending on its source and intended use — strongly influences financial choices, including decisions … Read more

In today’s customized world, people expect to have choices—and that extends to senior living and long-term care. You can pick a burger exactly the way you want it or configure a car with every preferred option. Yet a Johns Hopkins University study suggests many older adults don’t receive care in the setting or manner they … Read more