Financial planners weigh best accounts for self-funding long-term care
For people who forgo long-term-care insurance and instead plan to pay out of pocket, a key question is which type of account should hold those reserved funds. The discussion centers on balancing accessibility, tax treatment, and growth potential given that care costs may arise unpredictably and years in the future.
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As fewer insurers offer traditional long-term-care policies and premiums rise, more households are choosing to self-fund care costs, making smart account selection increasingly important. Choosing the wrong vehicle could mean unnecessary taxes, penalties, or insufficient liquidity exactly when care is needed most.
- Self-funding long-term care requires choosing an account that balances liquidity and growth.
- Tax treatment of withdrawals varies significantly across account types like HSAs, brokerage accounts, and retirement funds.
- This decision follows earlier guidance on estimating how much to set aside for future care costs.
Vanguard Bogleheads' Guide to Investing (book) — If you're figuring out where to park money earmarked for future long-term-care costs, this classic walks through account types, asset allocation, and low-cost index investing in plain language. It's a great companion for building a self-funded care reserve without paying for insurance.
See Vanguard Bogleheads' Guide to Investing (book) on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: fastcompany.com, 2026-08-25
Published there as: “How to invest money for long-term care”
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