Preparing For Tomorrow podcast

Hosted by Diane Stoddart, Certified Long Term Care Consultant, CLTC

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283

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Diane Stoddart, Certified Long Term Care Consultant, will show you how to protect your family and loved ones from the financial, physical and emotional burdens and consequences when long term care is needed. In each episode, Diane will help you to navigate through long term care concepts, terms and options and to discuss what strategies are available that can best protect both your family and your nest egg. We will invite guests to sit with us and share ideas regarding various parts of our lives as they relate to long term care planning.

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60 recent

September 17, 2026Episode 4810 min

Case Study and update: LTC annuity with tax-free income for care

This is always a busy time of year for me. I know it happens every year, and I need to remember to adjust my schedule a bit after Labor Day. This is the time when all the people I've been working with decide that they need to get a plan in place by year end. And they're reaching out now to get moving. I'm thankful to be the specialist you choose to manage this part of your retirement plan, and will gladly help. So today, I'm reposting a case study of a gentleman I helped in 2023. The plan we designed for him is performing better than we had projected, and he's very happy. Take a listen and then schedule with me to start preparing for your tomorrow https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/30min

September 10, 2026Episode 4712 min

Nursing home care is inevitable unless...

In this episode, Diane shares excerpts from a recent LTC Bullet published by The Center for Long Term Care Reform https://centerltc.com/ There is a ton of great research and information at the Center. their mission statement is below.... The Center for LTC Reform is a private institute dedicated to ensuring quality long-term care for all Americans by promoting public policy that targets scarce public resources to the neediest, while encouraging people who are young, healthy and affluent enough, to take responsibility for themselves. I encourage you to continue to learn more about what we're up against and what we can do to encourage lawmakers and other public decision makers to prioritize the future of aging in our country. Hopefully, we'll all be aging, right? Sometimes, it feels like I'm aging as I type... Once you've decided that you need to prepare for your tomorrow, schedule a "get to know you " meeting with me by phone or zoom https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/30min

September 3, 2026Episode 4611 min

Alternatives to LTC insurance

Sometimes, when long term care insurance or hybrid life/LTC insurance is not available due to health concerns or budget, it's good to know that there are other options that may be available. This week, Diane shares some of those options. All may not be offered in every state, but it's worth it to ask if you can consider some of these planning strategies. If we don't offer some of these solutions, we have trusted colleagues who do. Schedule a brief meeting to learn more at https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/30min The July 12, 2025 episode comparing annuities with income doublers and annuities with LTC extensions here

August 27, 2026Episode 4415 min

When should we not buy LTC insurance?

When is it not a good idea to own LTC insurance? Many people search for long term care insurance simply to avoid letting Medicaid take over and decide where that care is received. We need to consider if the premiums are affordable while working AND after retirement. It doesn't do us any good to pay for five or ten years and then not be able to afford the premiums when our income changes. Others inquire after a diagnisis has been made that either limits or eliminates options. We need to apply for coverage at the time when we are young enough and healthy enough to be approved by the company where we apply. Age 40 would be ideal if you can make it work. My responsibility is to learn about you, what support you expect from family and what your financial situation will be like when retired to make sure we are discussing suitable products to meet your needs today and tomorrow. Please view current and projected costs of care where you live at https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care Schedule a brief introductory meeting with me here Or schedule a full initial consult here

August 20, 2026Episode 4414 min

When is it not a good idea to buy LTC insurance?

This week, Diane shares some situations when LTC insurance may not be the answer for a family. It's clear that if Diane and her husband had listened to this advice 25 years ago, they would not own LTC insurance today, and they would not be approved by almost every company that offers these plans if they were looking for answers today. To be clear, this is not all or nothing. There are always circumstances that could alter these points. The important thing to know is that, when it IS appropriate to transfer some of your risk to insurance, do it as soon as you can to obtain the lowest total premiums paid and to potentially receive good health discounts. View current and projected costs of care at https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care and please use the 4% or 5% inflation growth when viewing future costs. If we think LTC inflation will be lower than that, we're lying to ourselves. Then schedule a free, no obligation consult with Diane to learn how you can transfer some of your risk https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/30min

August 13, 2026Episode 4312 min

What are typical exclusions with LTC insurance?

Mike emailed asking about typical exclusions or pre-existing concerns with LTC insurance. LTC insurance is governed by Internal revenue Code (IRC) 7702(b). To be able to offer insurance, companies must adhere to this rule. American Association for LTC insurance (AALTCi) has many resources available on this https://www.aaltci.org/long-term-care-insurance/ You can view both current and projected costs of care where you live at https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care I strongly suggest using a 4 or 5% cost of living factor when checking future costs. I think we'd be lying to ourselves if we believe the costs of care will be lower than that in the future. Baby Boomers are starting to turn 80 this year. Learn how Medicaid works (or doesn't work) in your state at https://www.elderlawanswers.com/ Book a quick phone or zoom meeting to ask a question at https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/15min Book an introductory get to know you meeting at https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/30min Schedule an initial no obligation consultation at https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/60min Get ready to Prepare for Tomorrow!!!

August 6, 2026Episode 4111 min

What's on the menu?

Just send me a quote can be compared to going out for dinner, but on a bigger level. When we go out to eat, we consider how hungry we are, what atmosphere we want for dining, what fits our budget, what kind and amount of food we want, and more. We need to plan for LTC needs the same way. Where would we want to live? Who will be providing care? How can we afford this? What companies and plans will consider our health risk? As a planning specialist, I have several insurance companies (restaurants) with various planning and funding options (menu). LTC planning can seem overwhelming, but if we know and understand what we want, we can eliminate menu items (plan options) and restaurants (insurance carriers) to focus on the one's who will pay for the type of care we would want and by whom. As your guide, I help to clarify your questions and share answers to those questions so you can decide what's best for you and your family. Schedule an introductory call or zoom meeting with me to start planning https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/30min

July 30, 2026Episode 4114 min

Which is my favorite hybrid LTC plan?

This week, because I was the primary caregiver for our very sick dog, I exhausted myself for 10 days (nothing compared to caring for a parent or grandparent for several years). We're replaying one of your most listened to episodes about hybrid life/LTC plans as a refresher. Learn current and projected costs of care where you live at https://www.carescout.com/cost-of-care Learn what each state let's you keep to qualify for Medicaid at https://gotltci.com/2026/01/what-your-state-lets-you-keep/ and please note that if you request to meet with a specialist from this website, you'll need to ask for me specifically as there are six specialists on this team. Schedule an introductory meeting with Diane at https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/30min Schedule a full initial consultation to learn how to protect your family at https://calendly.com/diane-p4t/60min And take care of your favorite furry family members!!!!

July 23, 2026Episode 4011 min

What's Your Long Term Care Plan?

As promised, here is the link to view my dog's awesome workout routine on Facebook Frank's facebook reels He's doing a little better each day and will hopefully be back to normal in a few more days. On long term care, we all have a plan. Some of us know what our plan is, and some are leaving the decisions up to others, maybe family, maybe the state Medicaid system. In either case, if our memory is fading, or if our decision making skills diminish, we can't be involved in those decisions, and the people around us are stuck tryuing to figure out what we would have wanted. If we have these conversations 10-20-30 years before a need shows up that forces us to need help to get through each day, then our people will know what we would want. Whether you choose to own LTC insurance in some form or not, you still need to have a plan, and those you love most need to know what that plan is. Email me at diane@preparing4tomorrow.com and I'll reply sending you tools and resources you can use to build your plan. Then, once you know where you would like to live and who you would like to have helping you, schedule time with me to figure out how you can afford to implement your plan here

July 16, 2026Episode 4113 min

Guest Interview: Mary Ellen Gilbert with Navacare

This week, my guest Mary Ellen Gilbert with https://navacare.org/ shares how we can see the early signs that an aging parent or family member needs more support, even when they insist they're fine. She shares how her company helps families find the right place where their loved one can be the most comfortable at a time when nothing seems comfortable. We need to understand that the person in need is not resisting the help; they're resisting losing thier independence. That we can help them stay as independent as possible with the right support. We need to have these conversations early, so we're not scrambling to figure out what they would have wanted without their input. We always feel guilty that we're doing it wrong if we don't ask early enough to know what they would want. As caregivers, we also need support to know we're not the only one going through this. Navacare offers a free support group for family members in the Clearwater, Tampa Bay area, and they have an online course that can be purchased that walks families through the A-Z of the aging process. These resources are so valuable and can be found in their website https://navacare.org/ Once Mom or Dad is safe, or even better, before they need your support, reach out to me to prepare for your tomorrow at my 30 minute introductory meeting