Category: Retirement Real Estate
July 15, 2011 -- Note: This is Part II in our series from Sandy, who has spent years researching how to find the perfect - and affordable - retirement spot. "Part I: What Sandy Learned in 8 Years of Visiting Dozens of Active Adult Communities" has attracted 49 comments so far.
For me and my husband the best way to a ‘perfect’ retirement is to enjoy wonderful Northern springs, summers and falls - and spend winters somewhere warm. In spite of what a lot of people think, it is possible for almost anyone, even those on a very small budget, to experience this dream. This article will tell about a successful strategy we used to get there.
A few years ago I was searching the Internet for a way to stay longer in Florida without the high cost of the Destin
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Published on July 15, 2011
Comments 55
Category: Baby Boomer Retirement Issues
July 13, 2011 -- When you were in college or just out of school, did your parents seem old to you? Mine were in their mid 50's then, and they seemed a little bit old. Funny how mid-50's feels awfully young these days. According to a new Associated Press-LifeGoesStrong.com poll, a lot of baby boomers feel the same way - the median age cited as starting to get old is 70, with a quarter going a lot higher, about 80. Younger adults, however, seem to think 60 represents the start of old age. The results among baby boomers make sense to us!
Other conclusions from the survey are interesting
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Published on July 13, 2011
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
September 30, 2014 Note: This article from July 2011 has just been updated. A lot has happened in the health care market since then, particularly the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare). And so this is now Part 3 in our Health Care Insurance series - see links to Parts 1 and 2 in Further Reading below
Congratulations on your retirement. Now, what the heck are you going to do about health insurance?
Millions of baby boomers are finding themselves retired before the "normal" retirement age of 65. Whether your retirement is the fulfillment of a dream or an unwanted outcome, it usually comes with a huge question - what to do about health insurance? This article will help you understand your options, particularly if you find yourself retired before Medicare takes care of most of your health care insurance issues.
If you retire at age 65 or later you will most likely have no major health care insurance issues to worry about. That's because Medicare enrollment will cover most of your health insurance needs. You could still face major out-of-pocket costs for non-reimbursed expenses, so supplemental insurance might be a good idea. But if you have not yet reached the magic age of 65, what are your health care options?
The Health Insurance Options
- Healthcare insurance provided by your previous employer. Traditionally this was the ideal situation, particularly if your employer paid all of most of the premiums after
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Published on July 11, 2011
Comments 32
Category: General Retirement Issues
July 6, 2011 -- The purpose of this article is to generate discussion in the Comments section about the good... and the bad things about retirement. Everyone is encouraged to contribute their thoughts about what retirement means to them, both the great stuff and the not so great. If you are not retired yet, what are your concerns and hopes? The more thoughtful comments the better, we will all be able to learn from our mutual experiences.
Your editor will start it off:
Good stuff
Freedom. I just love being able to act on invitations - without the guilt
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Published on July 5, 2011
Comments 23
Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
June 25 -- Seems like there is no end of articles about folks delaying retirement. Millions of boomers are planning to work longer than they had intended. But just how long should you delay: how good are your reasons, and even if you don't retire - should you hold onto your current home? We will explore these questions in this short article.
There are several main reasons for delaying retirement - most, but not all of them, have to do with money.
- Haven't saved enough - need more money...
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Published on June 25, 2011
Comments 14
Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
Updated February 2018 -- The first article in this series, "Five Reasons Why You Should Retire in Another State", explored the major reasons why it might be a really good idea for you to move from the Midwest or the Northeast to a different state. In this related article we have had the good fortune to interview Barton Smith Esq., a Florida attorney who, in addition to focusing in the areas of real estate, land use and civil litigation, has helped many clients establish legal residency in the Sunshine State. While this article specifically refers to becoming a Florida resident, most if not all of the steps are similar to moving your residency to another state.
TR: Bart, thanks for taking the time to talk with us. We understand you are not giving legal advice here, but have agreed to provide some helpful overview information for Topretirements members. First off, could you tell us if there are any advantages to becoming a legal resident in Florida?
BSmith: There are obvious advantages to becoming a Florida resident. The first, and most well known, is...
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Published on June 21, 2011
Comments 38
Category: Active adult communities
June 20 - Finding the active adult community or retirement town of your dreams can be fun, but it does take some effort to do it well. Lately we have received some interesting questions about how to use Topretirements for that purpose. We'll use this post to give you some ideas - and ask for your help as well.
Question 1: You've got so many communities listed at Topretirements. How can i narrow the list down to a manageable number, short of clicking on every community in your State Directories of Active Adult and 55+ Communities?
A: We think we have some good suggestions to help...
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Published on June 20, 2011
Comments 6
Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
June 14, 2011 -- So you've been thinking about your impending retirement. We'll bet you are wondering where in the heck you should retire to, even if you are pretty sure you will end up in the group of 70% of retirees that never move more than a few miles from home in retirement. This article will give even you some powerful reasons to consider moving a lot farther away, in fact all the way to another state. Most, but not all, of the reasons have to do with money. Part 2 of this series, "Becoming a Florida Resident", will provide the nuts and bolts of how to...
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Published on June 13, 2011
Comments 105
Category: Active adult communities
June 10, 2011 -- Note: This is Part I of a multi-part series from Sandy. Don't miss "Part II: How Anyone Can Afford a Warm Winter Retirement".
Sandy and Roger from Michigan have been living what a whole lot of retirees dream of doing. On and off for the past 8 years they've been out exploring dozens of active communities. Along the way they've honed their vision of the perfect community, and they are closer than ever to finding their ideal match from the ones they have visited. This article will share the icing of what they've learned ...
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Published on June 10, 2011
Comments 170
Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
June 7, 2011 -- Before you answer that question, consider this situation. Assume for a moment that you are age 65 and could have two retirement choices. In the first you get a portfolio that, conservatively managed, would generate $4,000 per month until it runs out of money at age 85, or $3,000/mo. until you run out of money at age 100. If you die before the age in each scenario, your heirs get whatever is left. With the second choice you get the same amount of money invested in an annuity that would also produce $4,000/mo. - except that you would get that income for as...
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Published on June 7, 2011
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