Category: Health and Wellness Issues
March 23, 2023 -- If you haven't figured it out already, money and possessions are no guarantee of personal happiness. There are oh so many examples of very wealthy, perfectly miserable individuals. Sure, not having to worry about money is great, but that alone won't lead to personal fulfillment.
The New York Times came up with a 7 day happiness challenge that makes a lot of sense. But before you even start that - a question. What do you think is the greatest single ingredient in making for a happy person? (Answer at end).
Personal relationships
People weren't made to be alone. Researchers in the long-running Harvard Study of Adult Development agree; people who have the most meaningful relationships with other folks are the ones who are the happiest. Those relationships are far more powerful than social class, IQ, or wealth.
more...
Published on March 22, 2023
Comments 1
Category: Active adult communities
March 20, 2023 -- Every time we poll the Topretirements community, finding a walkable retirement community is always one of the top things that people want. In fact, in our 2020 survey (link at bottom below), walking trails were the number one preferred active adult community amenity. But beyond walking trails, many people are also looking for a place to retire where they can walk or bike to stores, doctors offices, restaurants, and activities. This article will take a look at some active communities that do a great job of putting people's homes where they can walk to these destinations instead of driving. Although there are some great towns where it easy to walk for everyday living, in this article we will concentrate on planned developments - some 55+, and many others open to people of all ages.
more...
Published on March 19, 2023
Comments 0
Category: Retirement Planning
March 15, 2023 -- It seems like a person shouldn't be allowed to start retirement until they went through a course. There are so many important decisions - when to take Social Security, where to live, what to do all day, how to budget for the long haul, etc. To help with those as well as items that go well beyond those usually recognized issues, I've prepared a list of some of the top observations that I wish someone had shared with me long before my retirement began 16 years ago. Your suggestions are welcomed in the Comments section at the end.
11 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Retired.
Recognize that retirement has many phases. The best approach is to have a long range plan that will work for each period of retirement. That means considering what your first place to retire might be like if you lived there as an old person. Will the healthcare situation be right as your needs change? Are there assisted living or CCRC facilities in the area, so you don’t have to move far away and start over again with friends, doctors, church, etc. Is there public transportation when you can't drive anymore?
more...
Published on March 14, 2023
Comments 6
Category: Retirement Planning
March 7, 2023 -- It is the rare person who strikes out on the unbeaten path, and that includes their route to retirement. Usually we prefer to follow a track made by someone else, learning from their experience and thereby avoiding unexpected mistakes and mishaps. It is helpful to know what others are thinking and doing, though. That is where the 30+ retirement surveys conducted since 2012 by Topretirements can help. Here you can see where you agree, and differ with the retirement plans of thousands of other folks in a similar situation.
30+ Surveys - From Where to Retire... to Social Security... Snowbirding....to Spousal Compatibility - and a Lot in Between
more...
Published on March 6, 2023
Comments 1
Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
March 5, 2022 -- How many people do you know who have been scammed? Chances are, there are a lot more than you know about, including many friends or relatives who are too embarrassed to talk about it. Scammers are counting on you being uninformed of their deceptive tactics so that you will fall prey to their ruses. Don’t let it happen. The Social Security Administration, invoked maliciously by so many criminals, wants you to join them on National Slam the Scam Day, March 9, 2023. Their aim is to help raise awareness and prevent scammers from succeeding in crimes against innocent victims.
National Slam the Scam Day was created in 2020 to combat Social Security-related scams. Last year, it expanded to include other government imposter scams as reported losses from consumers climbed to more than $446 million in 2021. According to the Federal Trade Commission, reported losses for 2022 are nearly $509 million. And unreported losses are so much more.
Beware a government agency telling you about a problem.
more...
Published on March 4, 2023
Comments 6
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
March 1, 2023 -- A few years back one we featured the Best Places to Retire in South Carolina in one of our Blogs. Not only were they attractive places to retire, but most had the added advantage of being very walkable towns. The piece prompted a lot of interesting discussion and Comments. It even inspired one of our Members, Judith, to go and visit many of them on a two week trip. Happily for Topretirements, she then reported back to the Blog on her experiences.
We have reprinted her trip report below. Even better, when we contacted Judith about this article, she reported that she had gone back to many of the same towns a few years later She provided us with her notes on that tour, which are in bold below. We added a few additional details to some of those places to retire (they are in italic). Here goes:
Judith's Trip Report to SC Best Places to Retire
I did a two week tour of South Carolina from Sept. 21 to Oct. 6 (2016). It’s a quiet Saturday morning now, and I have time to put down my thoughts, for those who asked.
more...
Published on February 28, 2023
Comments 12
Category: Family and Retirement
February 23, 2023 -- One of the hottest acronyms in the real estate world is ADU, which stands for Accessory Dwelling Unit. Demographic shifts from Covid, exploding real estate prices, and a shortage of affordable places to live has suddenly put them in the spotlight, prompting more states and communities to encourage and approve them. Their rise is a bonus for retirees, who can benefit from them in a multitude of ways.
The idea behind ADUs is pretty simple.
ADUs provide a secondary building unit on one lot. So right off the bat they are less expensive - they don't require any extra land. They can take the form of a small detached building, a second floor, basement, or other addition to the main home, or a conversion of part or all of a garage into a small home or apartment. Typically they are between 600 and 1,000 sq. ft. They usually have a bedroom, small kitchen, bathroom, and living area. Or they are just a small studio apartment. Prefab models are available, or they can be custom built. Normally they have a separate entrance. An example of "gentle density, they are often called granny flats, in-law apartments, carriage houses, casitas, etc.
more...
Published on February 22, 2023
Comments 2
Category: Downsizing
Special Thanks to the author SW Hubbard (Susan) for this article, which was originally published on JungleRedWriters.com. It is the latest in our Downsizing/Decluttering/Ridding Out Series.
February 22, 2023 -- The writer Lucy Burdette asked SW if we are drawn to our profession because of our disposition, or does our disposition morph after years in the same profession? And more particularly, how does that relate to domestic relations chez Hubbard, now that you are both mostly retired?
SW Hubbard: As with any chicken-or-egg question, the answer is a little of both.
Most nurses are naturally compassionate, and I’ve never yet met a happy-go-lucky lawyer unconcerned with details.
But spending many years in one profession changes the way you view your personal life, and the skills you use in the office tend to come home with you to be rolled out on the home front.
Take my husband.
more...
Published on February 21, 2023
Comments 1
Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
February 15, 2023 — In 2021 the Federal Trade Commission received 1.5 million reports of identity theft. And guess who is usually the #1 target for scammers – right, retired people. A combination of carelessness, trust, declining faculties, and increasing deviousness from criminals is raising this crime to new levels.
more...
Published on February 15, 2023
Comments 9
Category: Travel
February 14, 2023 -- Travel is often the number one thing that people say they look forward to when they retire. Many yearn for far off, exotic destinations - like a glacier in New Zealand, African safari, or Alaskan cruise. Travel goals for others are more modest, like touring all of the National Parks or a trip to Arizona. Time is not a problem for most retired people - their biggest challenge is often coming up with the money to make the trips they dream about. This article will cover a range of budget ideas that can help not only make those trips possible, but upgrade the experience too. We look forward to your suggestions as well.
Luxury Travel on a Retirement Budget - 11 Ideas
Be flexible. Perhaps you've seen the emails - travel to San Francisco for $59! The airlines, hotels, and tour operators do offer great deals in slow periods, but you have to be ready to take advantage of them. Think about what it would take to get ready for any kind of adventure that might come up, and plan to act when you see an offer that appeals. This especially applies to budget airlines like Avelo, which has resort destinations.
more...
Published on February 12, 2023
Comments 4
