Hello and

welcome back to Moneygirls quick and dirty tips for richer life.

I'm Laura Adams. A listener named Brian requested a show about long-term care

insurance. He's not sure if he's old enough to need it yet, but he's been

receiving policy offers in the mail. He writes,

I frequently get scary letters offering long-term care insurance. I understand the benefits,

but I don't understand when is the ideal age to buy a policy.

I'm 53 and plan to work to at least age 65.

Is it better to wait until you're closer to 65,

or is there any benefit from purchasing a policy while you're still working and are insured.

Brian, thanks for your question.

There's no doubt that long-term care insurance can be a confusing product.

There's a lot to consider when deciding if it's right for you or for someone in your family.

And if you do want it, how do you know when you should buy it?

In this show, I'll share five pointers.

First off, let's discuss why you'd want a long-term care policy to begin with.

Long-term care is a special type of insurance that covers many of the services you may need when you have a prolonged illness or disability that keeps you

from caring for yourself.

Don't confuse it with disability insurance, which replaces lost wages or business income

if you have a serious illness or accident that leaves you

unable to perform work in your occupation.

Long-term care insurance is typically recommended for those nearing retirement age, but the potential for needing long-term care really exists

...