Majority of pre-retirees cite healthcare costs as top concern: 6 findings

Nearly three-quarters (69 percent) of affluent pre-retirees — those who have an annual household income of $150,000 or more — cite healthcare costs going out of control as one of their top fears in retirement, according an annual Nationwide Retirement Institute survey.

However, most respondents keep their concerns to themselves. According to the survey, 52 percent of respondents haven't discussed these concerns with others, including their spouse, children or financial advisor.

Harris Poll conducted the Nationwide Retirement Institute survey among 1,291 U.S. adults age 50 and older. Of these, 558 identify as affluent retirees.

Here are six more key statistics from the report.

1. Sixty-three percent of affluent pre-retirees say they are "terrified" of how healthcare costs might impact their retirement plans. However, more than half of older adults who have a significant other (53 percent) say they are not discussing their concerns with their spouse because they don't want to worry them.

2. More than one-third (37 percent) of respondents said they expect to never retire, and nearly one in four affluent retirees (23 percent) say the same.

3. Almost three-quarters (74 percent) of respondents who are not retired said they are concerned about having enough money to support them through retirement. The same percentage expressed concern about not receiving enough money from government benefits, including Social Security and/or Medicare.

4. Seventy-two percent of those who are not retired said they are worried about having enough money to cover unplanned medical expenses or healthcare costs depleting what they planned to leave to their children (55 percent).

5. Forty-five percent of respondents with children said they would give all their money to their children so they could be eligible for Medicaid-funded long-term care, or "Medicaid planning."

6. Two-thirds of respondents said they would rather die than live in a nursing home and 59 percent worry they will become a burden to their families as they get older.

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