I’m in my 50s. My mother died from Alzheimer’s. Do I need long-term-care insurance?

You are in your 50s, and your mother passed away from Alzheimer's disease. You are now considering long-term-care insurance for yourself. Your husband, who is 59, and you, who are 55, are planning to retire soon, and you are worried about the potential cost of long-term care for you or your spouse. Your mother had Alzheimer's disease, and she spent seven years in a memory-care facility, which cost about $7,000 per month.

Your parents had purchased long-term-care insurance and had been paying premiums for about 12 years. When your mother passed away, the insurance company paid out almost $600,000, which covered all of her care. However, your mother's policy ended when she passed away. You are unsure whether to self-insure or buy long-term-care insurance, and you want to know what your options are.

Medicare is part of the equation, but you want more control over your options than simply hoping that Medicare will be enough. You are currently saving as much as you can and hoping for the best.