Long-Term Care Cost Calculator
Enter the current cost, care inflation and how far away care is.
Pot needed at the start of care
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Enter values above
Monthly cost in the future
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Total cost of care
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Pot needed today
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Annual cost in the future
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Shortfall if you save nothing
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Worked example
With the default inputs shown below, this calculator returns the following results:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Monthly care cost today ($) | 5000 |
| Years of care needed | 3 |
| Care inflation (%) | 4 |
| Years until care starts | 20 |
| Expected investment return (%) | 5 |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Pot needed at the start of care | $394,402 |
| Monthly cost in the future | $10,956 |
| Total cost of care | $394,402 |
| Pot needed today | $148,646 |
| Annual cost in the future | $131,467 |
| Shortfall if you save nothing | $148,646 |
Values shown are produced by this page in your browser; change any input to update them.
How to use the Long-Term Care Cost Calculator
- Monthly care cost today ($) — default 5000
- Years of care needed — default 3
- Care inflation (%) — default 4
- Years until care starts — default 20
- Expected investment return (%) — default 5
- Press Calculate to update the results instantly.
Frequently asked questions
In the United States, a private room in a nursing home typically runs $100,000–$130,000 a year, home health aide support around half that, and assisted living somewhere in between.
Because care is labour-intensive and wages in the sector rise faster than goods prices. Historically care costs have grown 3–5% a year, well above headline CPI.
Standard health insurance generally does not. Long-term care insurance does, but policies are increasingly expensive and often capped. Medicaid only applies after assets are largely spent.