LTCI is perhaps the most effective simplification tool when it comes to retirement finance planning. The costs of Long-Term Care have risen so dramatically ($77,000/yr) that a large portion of an uninsured individual's assets must be set aside to cover the risk in any retirement plan. Adding an LTCI policy protects those assets and allows their redeployment to cover other needs, greatly simplifying the financial planning challenge. Program discounts and simplified underwriting can make this option even more attractive.