AXA Equitable Provides Long-Term Care Protection Tips in Honor of National Long-Term Care Awareness Month

Business Wire

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AXA Equitable, a leader in providing financial security and retirement products, released today important tips from nationally recognized gerontologist Dr. Sandra Timmermann to help people complete the retirement puzzle with long-term care protection.

Several focus areas are highlighted, such as assessing the current living situation and anticipating future needs, to help provide a framework around planning for a secure and enjoyable future. Some suggestions include:

Don’t put off a family conversation. Greater numbers of people will need long-term care as longevity rates increase. It is estimated that 52% of Americans who reach age 65 will need some form of long-term care support¹. The time to initiate this conversation is when you are healthy and independent – starting a dialogue early will pay off both for you and your family.
Plan for possible cognitive incapacity. Elderly people who become frail or cognitively impaired may ultimately lose control of the ability to execute their affairs on their own, so it is important to consider that possibility early in the retirement process. One out of ten people over age 65 have dementia and the ratio increases to about one in two after age 85.²
Evaluate your home to see if it is “age friendly.” 87% of adults age 65+ want to stay in their current home as they get older.³ One of the major benefits of long-term care coverage is that it can enable people to stay at home longer or until the end of life, so it is important to evaluate how your housing needs might change over time.
Get to know other resources available in your community. As more people focus on remaining at home as they age, more community-based services are springing up around the country. Towns, cities, and states often provide a range of low or no-cost services such as transportation to doctor’s appointments, home delivered meals, and adult day care.
Review your retirement plan to make sure the cost of care is covered. Take time now to calculate how much long-term care will cost and how it will impact your retirement finances, and start the conversation early with your financial professional. Planning in advance for the possibility of needing long-term care in the future can help you focus on building an enjoyable and fulfilling life in retirement.

“One of the most important and least discussed elements of a retirement plan is long-term care protection,” noted Dr. Timmermann. “It is essential to have those difficult discussions early to protect your and your family’s assets and ensure that you are able to age where and how you desire.”

AXA and Dr. Timmermann announced a collaboration earlier this Fall to deliver materials around aging issues for financial professionals to use with their clients. Dr. Timmermann’s areas of expertise include retirement life stage issues and connecting the dots between aging at home and long-term care protection.

”We often hear that clients are concerned about their future care needs but don’t know where to start or what benefits long-term care protection can provide,” said Trey Reynolds, Head of Life Distribution for AXA in the US. “At AXA, we see the retirement journey on a multidimensional level, going beyond just the financial aspects, to include overall wellbeing. Our work with Dr. Timmermann allows us to provide clients with the tools and resources needed to think holistically about their personal journeys.”

With longevity rates increasing, the conversation around long-term care is more relevant than ever. It is also important for people to consider the impact it may have on their spouse’s/partner’s and/or children’s financial security. Long-term care protection via a rider on a life insurance policy, such as AXA Equitable and MONY Life Insurance Company of America’s Long-Term Care Services^SM Rider⁴, can provide cost effective coverage for potential long-term care needs. One of the most competitive and flexible long-term care riders in the industry, our Long-Term Care Services^SM Rider requires no receipts; has features that may help clients keep pace with rising long-term care costs; doesn’t allow the policy to lapse while claims are being paid; and allows a client’s condition to be temporary.⁵

GE-130824 (10/17)

About AXA

The Long-Term Care Services^SM Rider does have an additional cost and is subject to restrictions and limitations. Clients may qualify for life insurance, but not for the Long-Term Care Services^SM Rider. The Long-Term Care Services^SM Rider is paid as an acceleration of the death benefit.

“AXA” “AXA” is a brand name of AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC and its family of companies, including AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY, NY), MONY Life Insurance Company of America (AZ stock company, administrative office: Jersey City, NJ), AXA Advisors, LLC, and AXA Distributors, LLC. In business since 1859, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company is a leading financial protection company and one of the nation’s premier providers of life insurance and annuity products distributed to individuals and business owners through its retail distribution channel, AXA Advisors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC) and to the financial services market through its wholesale distribution channel, AXA Distributors, LLC (member FINRA, SIPC).

AXA S.A. (also referred to as “AXA Group”) is a Paris-headquartered holding company for a group of international insurance and financial services companies, including AXA Equitable Financial Services, LLC companies. AXA S.A. is a worldwide leader in financial protection strategies and wealth management with 103 million clients in 64 countries. AXA S.A. has been ranked the No. 1 insurance brand in the world by Interbrand for eight consecutive years as of Oct. 5, 2016.

The obligations of AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company and MONY Life Insurance Company of America are backed solely by their claims-paying ability. Find AXA on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. For more information, visit www.axa.com.

¹ U.S Department of Health and Human Services (https://aspe.hhs.gov/basic-report/long-term-services-and-supports-older-americans-risks-and-financing-research-brief)

² Alzheimer’s Association. https://www.alz.org

³ AARP Public Policy Institute, “What is Livable? Community Preferences of Older Adults,” April 2014

⁴ The Long-Term Care Services^SM Rider does have an additional cost and is subject to restrictions and limitations. Clients may qualify for life insurance, but not for the Long-Term Care Services^SM Rider.

⁵ Not applicable in CT and NY.