The advisory community loves statistics.  They use them to justify asset allocations, estate strategies, tax planning, retirement projections—you name it.  But when it comes to Long-Term Care (LTC) Planning, every statistic you've ever heard is irrelevant except for ONE:  The ONE client who will either need care or won't. 

That's it!

The Flaw of Planning with Averages

You have probably seen numbers like 70% of Americans 65+ will need care, or 3.2 years is the "average" duration of care, or $100,000/year is the average cost for a private room in a nursing home.  Those may sound important, but they are utterly useless in planning.  Why?  Because if your client ends up on the wrong side of the average, they could lose far more than they ever expected.

Put it this way…..If you're reading this, it's unlikely I know anything about you.  But, based on the AVERAGES, I can definitively say that 50% of everyone you know is a below-average person.  Sounds silly, but it's true.....

Do you still want to use "average" in your planning for clients?

The HALO Assessment  

Most clients need a wake-up call, and that's the role of the HALO Assessment—because it doesn't deal with probabilities or variables.  It deals with real-life consequences.

It doesn't ask, "What’s the average cost of care?”

It asks, “How will YOU cover $XXX,XXX cost of care over X years when care is needed?”

It doesn’t ask, “What percentage of people need care?”

It asks, “How will care be delivered, managed, and paid for if and when YOU need it?”

It doesn’t ask, “What’s the probability of needing care?”

It asks, “If you’re the ONE who needs care, what's your plan?”

Because at the end of the day, the only statistic that matters is ONE — The ONE client sitting across from you.

The Default is No Plan at All

Until LTC Planning is in place, every client is in the default position of 100% self-funding future care needs.  They are exposed to market risk, tax inefficiencies, and unpredictable costs—whether they realize it or not.

With HALO-projected planning targets, it's impossible to ignore the potential financial risk, the impact on family, lifestyle, and legacy, or the reality that the conversation has shifted from "if" to "when."

No one in an advisory role would recommend that clients skip retirement planning because they might die early, ignore tax planning because some might move to a zero-tax state, or dismiss estate planning because some might never build wealth.  So, Long-Term Care Planning can't be ignored because some hope they won't need care……Hope isn't a plan; the risk is real, and the consequences are severe.

ONE is the only statistic that matters!  It's not 70%, 3.2 years, or $102,000 per year because your client will need care or they won't.   And if they do…..

What's the plan?