AARP in late November launched a free
online Health Care Costs Calculator, a major
addition to its Ready for Retirement suite of
planning tools.
In a survey accompanying the release of the
calculator, AARP found that just 36 percent of
older Americans have taken any steps to save
for out-of-pocket health care expenses, though
multiple studies show that such costs often
reach significantly more than $200,000 for many
a retired couple.
The new tool is available at www.aarp.org/healthcostscalc.
“The free Health Care Costs Calculator can play an important and often overlooked role as families and individuals plan for retirement,” said AARP Vice President for Financial Security Jean Setzfand. “Health care costs can have a significant impact on retirement savings. With this calculator, AARP aims to help more Americans confidently plan for and achieve retirement goals.”
The Health Care Costs Calculator estimates health costs in retirement by utilizing a database that includes $136 billion in costs from actual health care claims, according to Setzfand. Individuals can select from 82 medical conditions to estimate how much they may need to spend on out-of-pocket health care costs. The calculator also assumes that individuals will be eligible for and select Medicare Parts A, B and D.
After estimating costs with the calculator, users can create a customizable action plan to help save for health care in retirement and make impactful changes in their lives that include planning, saving, and making healthy changes, Setzfrand said. For example, if a person has “get to a healthier weight” as a goal, the tool will offer possible next steps for pursuing that goal.
The Health Care Costs Calculator requires no registration and collects no personal data on any user, AARP said.
To learn more about the tool visit www.aarp.org/healthcostscalc.