Rosemary Spielmann had hoped to be retired by now. But her husband’s illness and the wrench it threw at their finances have altered that plan.
Mrs. Spielmann, 65 years old, makes $53,400 a year working as an administrative assistant in Arden Hills, Minn., a suburb of St. Paul. She loves her job, though she wishes for more flexibility.
Her 74-year-old husband was diagnosed with dementia in 2019, and he now lives in a memory-care facility. Most of his care cost is covered by his pension of $3,981 monthly (which has a 100% survivor benefit), his monthly Social Security benefit of $1,848, and Minnesota’s Medical Assistance program.
Once her husband’s retirement benefits were going completely to pay for his care costs, the family home was no longer affordable, Mrs. Spielmann says. She sold the house last summer for $580,000, paying off the mortgage and other debt and…
