Category: Retirement Planning
March 2, 2024 -- To do retirement right, you need all of the great tools you can get. In this article we have assembled our top 10 retirement tools for your consideration. As always, we would love to hear about any helps that you have - please share them in the Comments section below.
Social Security1. SocialSecurity.gov. There is so much good and useful information at the Social Security site. You can find out what your benefits will be, when you can sign up, what your filing options are, etc. You can apply online. Of course you can always visit a Social Security office or call them, but start at the website and you will be amazed with what you can find.
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Published on March 1, 2024
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Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
March 3, 2024 – We periodically update the facts and figures in our exhaustive list of over 65 mini-retirement guides to U.S. states and popular retirement countries. The Florida mini-guide is the latest to be put up to date. The Sunshine State now has over 21.5 million residents and is…
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Published on March 3, 2024
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Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
March 12, 2024 — The vast majority of people for whom Social Security is their only source of income generally won’t pay any taxes on their benefits. But it might come as a surprise to others that their Social Security benefits could count as taxable income. People with enough revenue from pensions, savings, Required Minimum Distributions, etc., might have to pay income taxes on up to 85% of their benefits.
How are Social Security benefits taxed?
The law was changed in 1983 to help improve the stability of Social Security. After that, lower earners continued to get a break on their taxes, but higher earners now had to pay some taxes on their benefits. Over time the brackets have not expanded along with inflation, so an estimated 50% of people now pay some tax on their benefits. SS uses an adjusted gross income formula (earnings, investment income, retirement saving withdrawals and other taxable income, non taxable interest, and one half of Social Security benefits to determine what taxes might have to be paid.
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Published on March 11, 2024
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Category: Active adult communities
March 19, 2024 - Our faithful correspondent Yolande recently continued the pursuit of her perfect place to retire in South Carolina’s Low Country. She started her explorations in Charleston, then worked her way north, ending up in the Myrtle Beach/Conway area near the North Carolina Border. She visited some of the newest active communities from Lennar. Her always interesting and frank reactions are shown below. Note: We just love these site visit reports from our Members - feel free to share yours!
Yolande's Report
Charleston, Summerville, Myrtle Beach, SC
I flew into Charleston International airport; loved the awesome customer service and the airport. Easy to get through and around. I rented a car for the time I was there.
My hotel was in Mt. Pleasant which is a half hour from the airport. I was told it was the "Beverly Hills" of the South with homes starting at $1MM. I've been to Beverly Hills a lot, but I saw no resemblance. I enjoyed staying in the area since it was close to the ocean. The weather was nice for the season, low 70s. It did get windy and cold the day before I left.
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Published on March 18, 2024
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Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
March 21, 2024 -- Four of Florida’s interior Metros are among the five fastest growth in the country.(#3 is Myrtle Beach, SC). The data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s population growth figures from 2022- 2023. We speculate that much of the reason for the growth is coming the Metro's more affordable home prices and better insurance environment. The South in general is experiencing the most rapid numerical growth in the country.
The top 5 fastest growing Metros in the country
The Villages/Wildwood - The Villages, the giant active adult community with well over 120,000 residents, extends over 3 counties south of Ocala, and grew 4.7% in the year. When it comes to real estate prices, the popularity of The Villages makes it an outlier. With a Zillow Home Value Index of $407,000, it is the most expensive Metro to make the top 5.
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Published on March 20, 2024
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Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
March 24, 2024 -- We recently had a request from longtime Member Brian, who is struggling to find his right place to retire. He misses our Retirement Ranger, which was an unfortunate casualty of last year's site improvements. The Ranger was replaced by the Community Explorer, which helps Members narrow down the community search.
Brian's search for his best place to retire
"I’m getting close to retirement, and here’s my obstacle. Grew up in East Haven, CT, and I love New England and seasons. Lived in New Hampshire 1995 on Lake Winnipesaukee. Spent 3 yrs between Venice and Sarasota, FL, and loved it. Except for May through Sept, but liked being near Tampa for sports.
Lived in Baton Rouge 20 yrs , it’s cheap but not much to do. Now have spent 3 yrs. in Bluffton next to Hilton Head, SC. Great climate , clean, but nothing to do as I don’t golf or boat.
I need to leave! I can’t afford New England, but I like seasons with some snow. I like mountains over beaches. Property taxes for the Northeast are a killer even though Portland ,Maine and even the Poconos seem to be okay .
I was told to checkout Asheville or Boone , NC.
I need some insight and advice.
My son says come back to Louisiana.
My brother says go back to Venice.
On a bright side I built my home for 181k 5 yrs ago and it would sell for 400k within 5 days, most of that as equity."
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Published on March 23, 2024
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Category: Social Security
March 25, 2024 — As the Presidential and congressional campaign races enter their final months, clarity is emerging on at least one issue. The influential Republican Study Group, which has more than 170 House GOP lawmakers including Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, is advocating raising the age that people…
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Published on March 24, 2024
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Category: Family and Retirement
March 27, 2023 — If that is an unpleasant question, it certainly is. Less than half of Americans have discussed their end of life plans with a relative. The result of that inaction is incalculable trouble and work for those left behind. Like finding out that all your money is…
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Published on March 25, 2024
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