Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
August 3, 2022 -- Since the pandemic began a housing boom has churned markets across the country. Big cities have lost out, and smaller ones with better quality of life and cheaper housing prices have gained. The Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Emerging Housing Markets Index is a list of the top metro areas for a strong local economy, appealing lifestyle amenities, and an appreciating housing market in this year's second quarter. This index comes as home prices have fallen in most parts of the country for the past few months, finally succumbing to higher mortgage rates and an overheated housing market.
Although the study was mostly oriented toward young working people looking for a better lifestyle, an easier commute, and lower real estate prices, many of the markets that came out on top are quite suitable for baby boomers and people of retirement age. That is not only because these housing markets bode well for the future, but mainly because many of them, such as Billings, Montana, offer exceptional outdoor recreational opportunities. The index's top-ranked market for the quarter was Elkhart, IN with its 206,000 people. After that came Burlington, NC; Johnson City, TN; Fort Wayne, IN; and Billings, MT. Indiana had two cities in the top 10, as did North Carolina.
Here are the WSJ's top 10 Emerging Housing Markets:
more...
Published on August 2, 2022
Comments 0
Category: Travel
August , 2022 -- Airlines can't keep up with demand this summer. Even London's Heathrow Airport told carriers not to schedule any more flights until the fall. Retirees and others are taking cruises, travelling by train, and taking trips in the car. This surge in demand has caused new problems for travelers, not the least from demon Covid, which shows no signs of going away.
This article will explore some of the pros and cons of traveling in the age of Covid. We also hope to get input on your travel plans and experiences. We've also included a few photos for a little armchair experience of our current travels in northern Scotland.
more...
Published on August 11, 2022
Comments 19
Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
August 17, 2022 - After reaching record highs, the stock market is down almost 12% this year. Perhaps just as bad, inflation is raging at over 8%. Both of these developments make for a terrible situation for retirees, especially for those just beginning their retirement and worried about outliving their money.
It is far easier to predict how long your savings will last in a stable environment with low inflation and friendly stock and bond markets. Unfortunately, that is definitely not the case now. Our hope is that the tips and suggestions in this article might help people better negotiate these tricky times.
Tried and true - the 4% rule
Although there are many theories on how to take distributions from your retirement portfolio, the most enduring is the 4% rule. Most experts agree you probably won't outlive those savings if you take that much out each year (and some say 5% is also a safe number). But these are only general rules, and unusual circumstances like we are having now can upend them.
more...
Published on August 17, 2022
Comments 11
Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Updated Jan. 30, 2024 -- The FDA's ruling that allows people over 18 to purchase hearing aids without a clinical assessment has been in effect for over a year now. It estimates that consumers could save up to $2800 with these air conduction devices when sold in stores like Best Buy, CVS, or Walgreens. The goal with this initiative is to help prevent the depression, mental decline, and lack of socialization that can come with hearing loss.
The ruling applies to people with mild to moderate hearing loss. If you think you might be a candidate for these, now is the time to do your homework - there is a lot of complexity to figure out before you buy.
more...
Published on August 22, 2022
Comments 5
Category: Work and Volunteering
August 24, 2022 -- So many people look forward to their retirement, and then when it happens, blah. Maybe they go on a river cruise, play a lot of golf, or finally get the garage sorted out. But after the initial rush, many retirees find they miss the daily interesting people and challenges they had in their previous careers. So here are some unusual opportunities that you might consider - either for a season or even a few years.
nextavenue.org recently profiled a couple, Jane and Mark Tafel, who have taken advantage of some fantastic opportunities since they retired. Their 3 month stints included working at a contemplative retreat in Washington state doing gardening, communication, and odd jobs - with housing provided. They have also had jobs at a lodge on Lake Superior, Bryce Canyon National Park, and teaching English in India and Tanzania. They loved all of those jobs, while taking them on in 3 month increments allowed them to be home for holidays and family events. The Tafels use the website Coolworks, which has a section called "Older and Bolder." The website is a fantastic resource, which not only has plenty of jobs posted in all kinds of categories, but also has helpful articles on how to organize your search, including how to identify any must haves and possible deal breakers.
more...
Published on August 23, 2022
Comments 2
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
August 31, 2022 -- There is one list that no state wants to be on - the one that names the worst states for retirement. A new list came out last week from bankrate.com, and it immediately got a lot of attention. While their list isn't bad, it really misses the most important thing - lists like this don't make sense because they don't take into account that everyone's retirement criteria are unique. Any attempt to generalize means coming up with the wrong answers for a lot of people. In this article, we will list the worst 5 states on the bankrate list, as well as the top 5 from Topretirements' most recent Worst Places to Retire list. But more important than that, we will also outline what could be the worst states for retirement for people in very different situations (well off retirees vs. those on a tight budget, homeowners vs. renters, those with a focus on well-being or strong political opinions, as well as folks with climatic and recreational requirements).
more...
Published on August 31, 2022
Comments 14
