The Retirement Spending That Sneaks Up After Age 75
Spending habits change over time. You may spend less on housing if you downsize in retirement, and less on travel as you age.
But healthcare costs tend to increase as people get older, and you may need to pay for help around the house or long-term care. It’s important to account for these rising expenses as you plan for retirement.
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How spending changes as you age
A study from RBC Wealth Management found that a healthy couple between 65 and 74 spends roughly $13,000 annually on health care. But that figure jumps to $23,000 between ages 75 and 84 and to $40,000 over the age of 85.
Keep in mind that your spending may change in other categories, too. Costs related to travel, hobbies, cars and dining may decline after you turn 75, depending on your habits. While you may initially spend more money on these areas in your 60s and early 70s, those types of purchases may not be as frequent deeper into your retirement.
Knowing how healthcare costs typically rise as you age isn’t meant to make you panic. However, it’s important to keep that expense in mind when planning for retirement instead of just assuming all of your costs will go down.
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Costs retirees may underestimate
Healthcare is a broad spending category that covers a lot of ground. However, you may be surprised to hear that Medicare won’t cover everything. You still have to contend with rising premiums, out-of-pocket medical costs, deductibles, coinsurance and prescriptions. Medicare also doesn’t cover basic procedures like dental care, vision and hearing except in certain health-related scenarios.
Medicare also won’t cover long-term care. While someone in their 60s may not think much about long-term care, it may become a necessity in their 80s or 90s. Long-term care can get expensive, so it is better to plan for that scenario than get caught by surprise deep into your retirement.
How to plan without overcorrecting
Planning for rising healthcare costs doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Saving specifically for healthcare costs can help prepare you. You can anticipate how much money you will spend each month and plan accordingly instead of guessing your way through retirement. Some people also opt to purchase a long-term care insurance policy.
Taking a look at your future budget can inspire you to make changes right now that provide more financial flexibility. Downsizing to a smaller home, for instance, can lead to lower monthly mortgage payments. Even if you paid off your mortgage, you will still have property taxes, insurance and maintenance, all of which can continue to increase over time.
It’s more exciting to plan how much you will travel in retirement, but healthcare and some of the less glamorous costs of aging become realities for many people after 75. While you can’t predict every expense, you can give yourself a financial cushion in retirement with good planning.