When people do the math to determine what their financial budgetary needs will be they factor in all the usual expenses, as well as change-of-lifestyle expenses (such as a travel budget, for example). But according to this article on CNBC.com, what many people still neglect to factor into their retirement budget is health care expenses. According to the article, “most people don’t realize Medicare covers much less than traditional employer plans.” One recent report reveals that “For a 65-year-old couple retiring this year, the cost of health care in retirement will be $240,000, 6 percent more than that same couple retiring in 2011 would pay.” This can end up being a significant portion of your annual budget, and if you haven’t planned for it correctly it can be the difference between a comfortable retirement and scraping to get by. Furthermore, one of the primary oversights of retirement planning is accurate knowledge of Medicare. Most individuals in the planning stages “routinely and wildly overestimated the percentage of health care costs covered by Medicare.” Even when health care costs are accurately taken into account, individuals often neglect to consider that they may be living in a different state with different health care costs than what they’re used to. “Moving to cheaper and possibly warmer climates is something many retirees naturally do. But while someone may be willing to move to Florida to reduce state taxes and avoid the ice and snow of the north, most people have so little awareness about the costs of health care in retirement that those costs are probably not a driving factor.” Planning for retirement—and trying to anticipate all the cost and expense that may come with it—can be made much easier if you have a knowledgeable advisor to guide you through the process. Your elder law attorney, estate planning attorney, financial advisor and insurance agent are just a few of the experts who can help ensure that your future will be comfortable and secure.