As they stream into retirement, baby boomers are more prepared for death than life, according to a recent report from the Bankers Life Center for a Secure Retirement.
The lack of preparedness is particularly concerning when it comes to health care, according to the report. In a survey of 1,500 middle-income boomers, the center found that just 18 percent had placed a high priority on receiving nursing or long-term care during retirement, yet 45 percent expected they would need long-term care at some point.
The researchers point out that baby boomers are underestimating the likelihood of needing long-term care, as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that someone turning 65 years old today has an about 70 percent chance of eventually needing some sort of long-term care.
At the same time, the respondents seemed to be thinking more about their legacy and estate plans: 81 percent had made at least one formal preparation for what will happen when they die.
Seventy-nine percent of middle-income boomers haven’t set aside any money specifically for their long-term care needs, yet 74 percent of the respondents felt confident in their ability to manage their household’s health-care needs as they age.
Almost paradoxically, the long-term care issue is staring the respondents in the face: Two-thirds of them, 67 percent, know someone who has required long-term care, and 45 percent of them currently have experience as a caregiver.
As concerning to the researchers is the lack of resilience built into baby boomer retirement plans. Of the survey, 30 percent had less than $1,000 set aside to handle financial emergencies and half of the survey had emergency funds of less than $5,000.
The center surveyed boomers between the ages of 54 and 72 with annual household incomes between $30,000 and $100,000 in October.