At a glance
- The same survey found 78% worry about how rising medical costs will affect retirement, while only 48% have built those costs into a plan and 23% have raised the topic with an advisor.
- Advisors are pushing health savings accounts to fill Medicare gaps, InvestmentNews reported.
- Fidelity Investments puts the average lifetime healthcare bill for a 65-year-old retiring in 2026 at $185,500, a 7.5% increase from the prior year, excluding long-term care, a projection Private Wealth Daily previously reported.
Only 16% of Americans say they feel very knowledgeable about what healthcare will cost them in retirement, InvestmentNews reported, citing a D.A. Davidson survey of 1,006 US adults fielded online in February 2026.
The same survey found 78% worry about how rising medical costs will affect retirement, while only 48% have built those costs into a plan and 23% have raised the topic with an advisor.
Advisors are pushing health savings accounts to fill Medicare gaps, InvestmentNews reported. D.A. Davidson vice chairman of wealth management Andrew Crowell told InvestmentNews that even $25 a month invested strategically can compound against healthcare inflation.
Fidelity Investments puts the average lifetime healthcare bill for a 65-year-old retiring in 2026 at $185,500, a 7.5% increase from the prior year, excluding long-term care, a projection Private Wealth Daily previously reported.
Worry about healthcare costs far outruns planning
Share of US adults giving each answer, February 2026 survey (%)
- Worried about rising costs78%
- Costs built into a plan48%
- Raised topic with an advisor23%
- Very knowledgeable16%
Show as table
| Item | Value (%) |
|---|---|
| Worried about rising costs | 78% |
| Costs built into a plan | 48% |
| Raised topic with an advisor | 23% |
| Very knowledgeable | 16% |
Reported by the Tax & estate planning desk from InvestmentNews. Published . Corrections