Long term care is a major concern of American families. Studies have shown that Americans rank long term care second, behind saving for retirement, when prioritizing financial needs. Unfortunately, many Americans do not want to think about needing long term care and, therefore, fail to plan for it. Others wrongly assume that Medicare or standard health insurance policies will cover the costs of long term care services. As a result of this failure to plan, tens of thousands of Americans are impoverished each year by the costs of long term care. The best time to plan for long term care is before it is needed. Start thinking about long term care when you plan for retirement. If you are already retired, it is not too late to begin planning for potential long term care needs. Private long term care insurance is an excellent way to finance long term care. This brochure will guide you through the important process of selecting the right long term care insurance policy. This booklet provides information on long term care services, what to look for in a long term care insurance policy, and a glossary of terms.