It's hard to face the reality of needing long term care. But more and more people are realizing that if they do need it, they may lose their entire retirement assets just to pay for it. It's now considered part of a smart financial plan to have long term care insurance if you don't have enough assets to cover the costs and still maintain your standard of living. The insurance can seem expensive so keep these points in mind when shopping for quotes

The older you are, the greater the chance that you may need long term care. Thus insurers will charge more to insure a 65-year-old than a 55-year-old. A recent study* released by the American Association for Long-term Care Insurance showed that the difference in yearly premium between a 55-year-old in good health and a 65-year-old in good health -- for the same benefits -- averaged almost $700 more.