ARROW Insights

What health care benefits are available in retirement? Health care in retirement is available from many sources. Government programs (such as Medicaid and Medicare) offer numerous health care benefits. However, you may need to purchase supplemental health insurance or Medigap, as well. Most Americans are eligible to begin receiving Medicare benefits at age 65, but qualifying for Medicaid may require some planning on your part. In addition to these resources, you may also be entitled to military health care benefits if you are a veteran, retired servicemember, or the spouse or widow of a veteran or retired servicemember. Continuing care retirement communities and nursing homes also offer health care services for older individuals. Depending on your specific needs and circumstances, you may use any number of these resources during your retirement years.

Long-Term Care Insurance: Introduction Whether you should purchase a long-term care insurance (LTCI) policy depends on your financial ability, age, health status, retirement objectives, and whether you have assets you want to protect. Once you've made the decision to buy, you'll need to decide how much coverage is enough. Insurance protects against an event that may (or may not) occur in the future. Buying sufficient protection is important, but the insurance must also be affordable for you. When considering the purchase of LTCI, you'll need to pay particular attention to the benefit amount and to the benefit period.

IRA contribution limits The maximum amount you can contribute to a traditional IRA or a Roth IRA in 2018 is $5,500 (or 100% of your earned income, if less), unchanged from 2017. The maximum catch-up contribution for those age 50 or older remains at $1,000. You can contribute to both a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA....