Category: General Retirement Issues
January 3, 2023 -- The most read retirement articles of 2023 at Topretirements are always interesting to look at. That is because although we are often convinced a topic will hit a sweet spot for our Members, it doesn't always work out that way. 10 Myths That Could Sink Your Retirement was one of those with a disappointing response, although it did generate 12 interesting Comments. Another surprise - topics that we have written about many times continue to turn up again as popular favorites ("Where Is the Best Place to Retire"). Often times a guest post turns out to be very popular. For example, "My Life in God's Waiting Room" (Florida) by Lisa Black, a civilian forensic scientist, and "Elizabeth Loves Her Retirement in Portugal", were two we were fortunate to receive by Topretirements fans.
The 10 Most Read Retirement Articles of 2023
This is the list of the 10 articles at Topretirement that attracted the most readership at Topretirements last year. One conclusion that could be drawn from them is that anything having to do with "best places", either towns or communities, is probably going to be popular. Our members also like hearing the perspective of other members who have explored places to retire, like Yolande's somewhat scathing review of St. George, Utah.
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Published on January 2, 2024
Comments 11
Category: Active adult communities
By Larry GavrichJanuary 9, 2024 --
Whether you and your significant other are looking for golf, or no golf, in your retirement community, the principles behind searching for a golf community home and a home in some other “planned development” is essentially the same. This became apparent to me as I conducted research for the book I published in 2020, "Glorious Back Nine: How to Find Your Dream Golf Home". Except for a few paragraphs dedicated to choosing golf courses that fit a golfer’s style and game, much of the guidance in the book applies to non- golfers just as well. (And the advice about choosing a golf course is pretty much the same as for choosing a marina for your boat, tennis and pickleball courts for your net games, and local stables for your horse.
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Published on January 8, 2024
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Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
January 9, 2024 - People contemplating retirement often wonder what is the Maximum Social Security Benefit is 2024. That is the benefit received by high earners who have maximized their FICA payments for 35 years, and who waited until age 70 to collect. The answer is pretty impressive - the maximum Social Security benefit in 2024 is $4,873 per month!
Others with less fortunate earning records, or who claimed as early as age 62, are more likely to receive something around the average 2024 Social Security benefit. That figure is a relatively paltry $1,907 per month in 2024, up from $1,848 in 2023.
Waiting until Age 70 Helps with the Maximum Social Security Benefit
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Published on January 9, 2024
Comments 23
Category: Active adult communities
January 18, 2024 — It is hard to imagine anything better than finding a great lake town for retirement. Waking up to the sound of lapping waves, taking a dip or a boat ride out to drop a few lines, or looking at the sunset mirrored on the lake - the beauty and lifestyle can be hard to beat. In this article we will profile 11 great lake towns for retirement, along with some outstanding active communities in or near those towns.
11 Great Lake Towns for retirement
Almost every part of the country has some wonderful lakes of every size and description. Some are in major cities like Chicago and Madison WI, while others are near tiny little towns. Many active adult and 55+ communities have taken advantage of these lakes to offer terrific opportunities for lakeside living. We used our new Community Explorer to find the lakeside communities in this article. As an example, looking at just Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, and Tennessee, we came up with 138 communities that are either on or near a lake.
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Published on January 17, 2024
Comments 4
Category: Active adult communities
January 27, 2024 — Thanks to a Member suggestion, we have now added the capability for you to add Comments to our reviews of Communities (you could always do that with City reviews). This is designed so you can tell us about your experience with that community, or ask if…
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Published on January 27, 2024
Comments 5
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
January 28, 2024 -- People ask, should I retire in New Mexico? The answer is easy if you are looking for a place to retire that has a varied climate, mountains, deserts, a big city (Albuquerque), small towns, ski resorts, and plenty of wide open spaces. It is also much less crowded than more traditional and popular retirement destinations like Florida, Arizona, and the Carolinas. In this article we will explore the pluses and minuses of a New Mexico retirement, along with some of the best places to retire in the Land of Enchantment.
New Mexico Climate
The State has a climate that many people will find as excellently suited for retirement. For folks who like low humidity, New Mexico is dry with a semi-arid climate. The northern sections experience winter, while the southern realms have warm winters. Generally the altitude is high and even has some mountains over 12,000 feet. The eastern portion of the State is more like the Great Plains. The southern portion borders on El Paso, TX, and Cuidad Juarez, Mexico.
New Mexico Taxes in Retirement
Tax Burden: At 10.2% the total tax burden in New Mexico is the 25th lowest of all the states (TaxFoundation.org).
Marginal Income Tax Rates: The New Mexico income tax has marginal rates from 1.7% to 5.9%.
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Published on January 28, 2024
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