Half of Workers Fear Bad Health in Retirement

More than half or workers say they’re not confident about having the means to cover medical expenses in retirement, according to data from the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

The numbers are even worse when it comes to long-term care, a subject of concern for 61% of people now working.

Craig Copeland, senior research associate at EBRI in Washington, D.C., says the trend over time has been that more pre-retirees each year have started to worry about future healthcare costs.

The upward rise in concern predates the 2008 crash, Copeland says, which indicates that general awareness of the healthcare issue is growing regardless of market conditions. This is potentially good news for advisors, he says.

“More people are recognizing that they’re not prepared, and while some won’t take action, others will be more willing to discuss these costs,” Copeland says.

The upshot is that not only will more people save more toward retirement, but they also will be more open to discussing financial solutions to possible long-term care issues.

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