How long will savings last with care costs?

A simple, rough estimate. Enter your parent’s numbers. Nothing you type leaves this page.

Use your own numbers. Care costs vary a lot by town and type of care. Call the in-home care agency or assisted-living community you’re considering and ask for their actual monthly price. We don’t fill in any “average” costs for you.

How the math works

Add monthly care cost and other monthly expenses.
Subtract monthly income. That’s the monthly gap.
Divide savings by the monthly gap. That’s about how many months savings could cover.

Example: $150,000 savings, $2,400 income, $5,000 care, $1,200 other. Gap: $5,000 + $1,200 − $2,400 = $3,800 a month. $150,000 ÷ $3,800 = about 39.5 months, or about 3 years and 3 months.

This is a rough estimate. It does not include interest earned, taxes on withdrawals, price increases, changing care needs, or benefits that could start later.

Good to know

Medicare generally does not pay for long-term care. Medicare.gov says most long-term care is non-medical help with daily tasks like bathing and dressing, and that Medicare and most health insurance, including Medigap (Medicare Supplement Insurance), don’t pay for it. Medicaid may, if your parent meets their state’s rules, as may private long-term care insurance.
Be careful with gifts before applying for Medicaid. Under federal law, when someone applies for Medicaid nursing-home or certain home-care services, the state looks back at gifts or transfers made for less than fair value in the 60 months (5 years) before applying. Those transfers can cause a period without coverage. Talk to an elder-law attorney before giving money or property away.
Local help: the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) can connect you with your parent’s local Area Agency on Aging for options and benefits.

Sources

Last checked Oct 18, 2026.

Medicare.gov: Long-term care coverage: https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/long-term-care
42 U.S.C. 1396p(c): Medicaid transfer-of-assets rules, 60-month look-back (Social Security Act sec. 1917): https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/1396p
Eldercare Locator (U.S. Administration for Community Living): https://eldercare.acl.gov/

Rules and numbers change. If something here does not match what an agency tells you, trust the agency, and please let us know.