Consumer Guides
Start with the official NAIC buyer's guide, then dig into our own plain-English guides and fillable workbooks on how long-term care actually works — where care happens, what it costs, how to pay for it, and how to compare coverage. Every download is instant and there's no obligation.
20 questions to ask before you choose coverage.
Premiums, rate increases, underwriting, insurer strength, claims, timing and alternatives, with 2026 figures and sources. Read the 20 questions.
The regulators' own buyer's guide.
Before you compare a single quote, read the guide the insurance commissioners wrote. Most states require an insurance company or agent to hand it to you before you apply — so here it is, free and without the wait.
NAIC Long-Term Care Insurance Buyer's Guide
The official A Shopper's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners — the standard consumer buyer's guide referenced in state long-term care insurance regulations.
Inside: what long-term care is and who ends up needing it, how benefits are triggered and paid, what policies typically cost and what makes premiums rise, hybrid life and annuity options, tax treatment, state Partnership programs, shopping and cancellation tips, side-by-side comparison worksheets, and contact details for every state insurance department and SHIP counseling program.
Published by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Reproduced for consumer education; NAIC is not affiliated with and does not endorse Funding LTC Marketplace.
Guides we wrote ourselves.
Shorter, more specific reads from George A. Mellendorf, CLTC — written to go deeper than the official guide does on funding, taxes, Medicaid, and paperwork.
How to Fund Long-Term Care
A plain-English consumer guide covering where care happens, six honest ways families pay for it, how Medicaid eligibility is decided, and how to choose a licensed professional you can trust.
LTC Policy Checklist & Financial Workbook
An 11-page fill-in workbook to assess your needs, map your finances, compare two policies side by side, and understand riders, tax rules, and terminology before you apply.
Long-Term Care Insurance Buyer's Guide
A plain-English walkthrough of the three coverage types, the riders worth paying for, how underwriting decides your rate, and a worksheet for comparing quotes side by side.
Medicaid Planning & Asset Protection Guide
A plain-English guide to Medicaid eligibility rules, the look-back period, legitimate spend-down and asset-protection strategies, spousal impoverishment protections, and an illustrative family planning story.
Long-Term Care Insurance Tax Guide
A plain-English guide to the federal tax rules for long-term care insurance — premium deduction limits, tax-free benefits, and rules for the self-employed.
Consumer Guide: State Partnership Long-Term Care
A plain-English guide to State Partnership long-term care policies — dollar-for-dollar Medicaid asset protection and how to confirm a policy qualifies in your state.
1035 Tax-Free Exchange for Long-Term Care
A plain-English guide to using a Section 1035 tax-free exchange to move value from an existing life insurance policy or annuity into long-term care coverage.
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