Want a (relatively) affordable nursing home? Move to Texas and avoid Alaska.

That’s according to a recent study of median nursing home costs in all 50 states.

It’s almost five times cheaper in Texas (~$68,000) compared to Alaska (~$334,000) for one year of a semi-private room at a nursing home.

The national median is about $9,800 per month. And prices are expected to keep climbing as America’s population ages. Higher labor costs and (in some cases extreme) staffing shortages are contributing as well.

Oregon, the second-most expensive state for nursing home residents, is reporting staff shortages in 94% of its facilities. That’s causing many to limit admissions.

In addition to Alaska and Hawaii, coastal states generally feature the most expensive price tags. The South and Midwest “generally benefit from cheaper labor, lower real estate costs, and less expensive operating environments.”

Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini have made getting financial advice faster and easier than ever before. But as the AI gold rush heats up, a massive privacy risk is emerging. Clark breaks down the critical things you should never tell an AI chatbot. Also, Clark exposes the anatomy of a Ponzi scheme, diving into two massive fraud cases—Drive Planning and First Liberty—which collectively defrauded thousands of investors out of hundreds of millions of dollars. When inflation or economic uncertainty makes us feel insecure about our money, we become incredibly susceptible to smooth pitches. Clark reminds us of the ultimate golden rule of investing: any time someone promises you "guaranteed" double-digit returns with zero risk, it is a lie. Learn how these schemes operate so you can spot the red flags, protect your hard-earned savings, and secure your financial future.

The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.