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Your inputs

About this calculator

Estimate costs if paid care is needed. Enter health, care preferences, savings, and insurance details—this is not an insurance quote.

Your information

Enter your best estimates below.

Health

Overall health affects how likely and how long care is needed.
If parents needed years of care, risk may be higher.
Trouble walking or bathing raises expected care needs.
Home care, assisted living, or nursing home — costs differ sharply.
Care is pricier in some parts of the country.

Financial

Younger ages mean more years before care might start.
Total retirement savings — used to show impact on the portfolio.
Money earmarked only for care costs.

Long-term care insurance

Private insurance can offset part of the bill.

How we run the estimate

Change care inflation and savings growth below. Health and insurance answers stay in the panel above.

4.5%
5.0%
How long we project
Through age 92
Cost estimates
National average care costs, adjusted for your region tier
How long care may last
Estimated from your health and mobility answers
Care cost inflation
4.5% per year
Savings growth
5% per year on money set aside
Not included
Policy exclusions, benefit waiting periods, or state Medicaid rules

Your results

Moderate Long-term care costs

What it means

Care costs could create noticeable pressure on your retirement plan.

How we chose it

Same exposure score. This tag appears when the score is between 50 and 74.

Estimated net care cost

$431,408

Chance of needing care (planning weight) 78% · Funding gap $311,408 · Insurance offset $0.

Savings impact

13%

Care start (typical)

Age 74

Long-term care summary

Moderate Long-term care costs

What it means

Care costs could create noticeable pressure on your retirement plan.

How we chose it

Same exposure score. This tag appears when the score is between 50 and 74.

Assisted living — 2.8 year(s) at typical start age 74.

Gross care cost

$431,408

Insurance estimate

$0

Funding gap

$311,408

Chance of needing care

78%

Care cost inflation (care event years)

747576$0k$40k$80k$120k$160k

Savings with vs. without care

Retirement balance through age 92 — other withdrawals held constant; care costs layered in at typical start age.

586062646668707274767880828486889092$0M$2M$4M$6M$8M

Care setting comparison

Net lifetime cost by setting (after insurance).

Home careAssisted livingNursing facility$0k$200k$400k$600k$800k

Risk areas

  • Funding gap

    About $311,408 in care costs may not be covered by insurance and money set aside for care under this scenario.

  • Savings at risk

    A multi-year care event could materially reduce retirement assets — consider insurance, earmarked savings, or spending flexibility.

  • No long-term care insurance

    Cumulative need probability is moderate to high with no insurance modeled — self-funding or family care may carry more risk than expected.

Planning insights

  • About 78% cumulative planning weight for needing paid long-term care before age 76.8 under this profile.
  • If care begins around age 74 in a assisted living setting, gross costs may reach $431,408 before insurance.

Beyond this calculator

Care costs can reshape your entire balance sheet

This stress test explores paid care scenarios—not an insurance quote. A complete Retirelens plan also considers:

  • Gaps Medicare does not cover for daily help at home or in a facility
  • Family caregiving versus paid services
  • Medicaid eligibility and spend-down rules if savings run low
  • Tradeoffs between care funding and everyday retirement spending

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Interpretation

What these numbers mean

Planning context for the estimates above. Not tax, legal, or investment advice.

Long-term care is one of the largest uncapped risks in retirement. For your profile, the model assigns about 78% planning weight to needing paid care before age 92. A assisted living episode starting near age 74 could cost $431,408 before insurance, with about $431,408 remaining as your out-of-pocket exposure.

After money set aside for care, the funding gap is about $311,408. Savings impact at the planning horizon is about 13% versus a path without a care event ($6,870,247 vs. $7,880,022 remaining in this simplified simulation).

Medicare does not cover most custodial long-term care. Pair this analysis with your healthcare, income, and legacy calculators in Retirelens — and with licensed insurance and legal advisors for policy and Medicaid planning.

Methodology

How we figure this out

The rules and math behind this estimate.

We estimate the probability of needing paid long-term care from your age, health, family history, and mobility, then project inflation-adjusted costs for home care, assisted living, or a nursing facility using national midpoint benchmarks adjusted for region.

Long-term care insurance reduces gross costs up to your daily benefit and benefit pool. The funding gap is net care cost minus money set aside for care. Savings paths compare balances with and without a multi-year care event on top of your other withdrawals.

This is educational planning support — not a clinical prediction, insurance quote, or Medicaid eligibility determination. Costs and laws vary by state; verify with professionals before buying coverage or changing your plan.

Help

Frequently asked questions

Straight answers to common questions about this calculator.

Does Medicare pay for long-term care?

Mostly no for ongoing help with bathing, dressing, or memory care. Medicare may cover short skilled nursing after a hospital stay.

What are the odds I will need care?

Many older adults need some paid help at some point — at home, assisted living, or a nursing home. Length and cost vary widely.

How much does care cost?

Often tens of thousands per year, more in expensive areas and for nursing-level care. This tool inflates costs to when care might start.

How does long-term care insurance help?

A policy may pay part of the bill. Enter your policy's daily benefit and years of coverage for an estimated offset—confirm details with your insurer.

Your full retirement picture

Retirement is more than money

Free to startNo credit card required

A good retirement plan covers money, health, how you spend your time, people you care about, and what you pass on. That is how Retirelens looks at the full picture.

Finance

Know where you stand and what to do next with your money.

74% of planners reported satisfaction with retirement income vs. 43% of non-planners (Goldman Sachs)

Health

Secure solid coverage, stay ahead with preventive care and healthy habits a staple.

68% of adults ages 50–64 said they were concerned that federal policy changes could affect their health insurance coverage. (University of Michigan)

Purpose

Shape days you look forward to, with steps to get there.

Research shows that a stronger sense of purpose is associated with lower mortality risk among adults over age 50. (American Medical Association)

Connections

Strengthen relationships and build a support circle.

A longitudinal study of adults aged 65+ found that older adults with more diverse social networks had a lower risk of death and better cognitive and physical function than those with less diverse networks. (Chico Health Aging Project)

Legacy

Organize your assets and document so your family isn't left guessing.

Without a proper estate plan, more than half of families experience disputes or have assets end up under court control. (LegalShield)