5 Things You Need for a Comfortable Retirement

Editor’s Note: We are happy to post this retirement article by guest author Sierra Powell… concise and solid advice for all current and prospective retirees. Photo credit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/people-on-seashore-1377070/

Retirement is a new chapter– An opportunity to savor the results of years of diligence, to follow your interests, and to unwind, free from the demands of 9-to-5 employment. Reaching a comfortable retirement calls for careful decisions supporting your lifestyle and future requirements. Whether you desire to see the world, spend time with loved ones, or just enjoy a slower paced life, several essential components will enable you to have all you need for a safe, happy retirement.

Creating a Comprehensive Financial Plan

A good financial plan is the foundation of a comfortable retirement since it provides a clear road map for handling your money in the next few years. This approach covers forecasting your spending, figuring out revenue sources, and developing a plan for withdrawing money without quickly running out of savings. It goes beyond simple saving. First, project your monthly costs using the lifestyle you want. Add needs such as food, healthcare, and shelter; also include discretionary expenditures for entertainment, vacation, and hobbies. Knowing your planned costs helps you to decide if your revenue sources are adequate to meet them. You can also opt for a good local financial advisor. For example, if you live in Florida, seek a financial advisor in Tampa if you need guidance in selecting the best plan for yourself and your family.

Prioritizing Health and Wellness

Enjoying a nice retirement depends on keeping excellent health. It becomes difficult to enjoy your newly acquired independence without bodily well-being fully. Emphasize keeping active, following a healthy diet, and planning frequent doctor visits. Time spent in wellness not only improves your mood but also lowers your chance of chronic diseases that could affect your finances or quality of life. Think about adding pursuits that keep your body and mind active. Without taxing your joints too much, low-impact activities like yoga, swimming, or walking provide excellent advantages. Just as crucial is mental stimulation; consider picking up a pastime that tests your brain, acquiring a new skill, or club membership.

Building a Strong Social Network

A strong social life improves your retirement experience by offering company, encouragement, and chances to remain active. Retirement typically alters your daily schedule, particularly if most of your prior social life came from employment. By means of actions to establish and preserve a solid network of friends, family, and community ties, you may prevent emotions of isolation and loneliness, therefore influencing both mental and physical health. To meet new people and be active, join clubs, volunteer groups, or neighborhood organizations that fit your interests. To keep your social calendar full, get in touch with old pals, throw events, or schedule visits with loved ones.

Ensuring Housing Stability

Your degree of retirement comfort depends mostly on your choice of living environment. Your house should fit your way of life, be reasonably priced, and call for little upkeep. Downsizing to a smaller house, condo, or senior living complex provides the ideal balance for some between cost and convenience. Smaller spaces cut maintenance, decrease utilities and liberate resources for additional uses. Think about things like family, closeness to hospitals, and services supporting your everyday requirements. If you would like to keep your present house, think about implementing changes that would help keep aging in place. Simple adjustments that improve mobility and safety include adding grab bars in the restroom or substituting ramps for stairs.

Creating a Flexible Budget

Unexpected expenses might develop in retirement even with the finest financial preparation. Creating a flexible budget lets you negotiate these shocks without sacrificing your general financial situation. Set aside some of your savings, especially for unexpected vacation demands, house repairs, or medical bills. An emergency fund serves as a financial cushion so you may handle pressing needs without compromising your monthly income flow. Your budget should also contain a provision for discretionary expenditure for unplanned events such as family visits, holidays, or new interests. This adaptability lets you enjoy the advantages of retirement without feeling limited by your means.

Conclusion

Making decisions according to your beliefs and future vision can help you to create a comfortable retirement. Every component of your retirement plan supports your way of life and well-being, thereby enabling you to savor this new chapter with peace of mind. Accept the chance to live life on your terms, knowing that your careful planning has set a firm foundation for your next years.

WHERE Should You Retire?

This article was first released in the Fall 2018 state journal of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, PMEA News.

 

Do you know where you’re going to?
Do you like the things that life is showing you?
Where are you going to, do you know?
Do you get what you’re hoping for?
When you look behind you there’s no open door.
What are you hoping for, do you know?

Lyrics to “Do You Know Where You’re Going To?” and the “Theme from Mahogany” by Michael Masser and Gerald Goffin

Sung and recorded by Diana Ross, Mariah Carey, and Tina Arena

 

What are the three most important factors to consider before choosing your retirement destination?

  1. Location
  2. Location
  3. Location.

 

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Much has already been discussed and archived here at this blog-site about definitions (“the what”) and strategies (“the how”) for a happy retirement. And deciding to retire (“the when”) is a very personal issue, something in which only you and perhaps your closest family members may have a voice at the appropriate time and setting.

Now, what about “the where?”

According to many advisors, including Melissa Phipps in her The Balance blog-post “Find Out Where You Should Retire” (https://www.thebalance.com/where-should-i-retire-2894254), your deliberation may be affected by a number of influences:

  • Personal preference: stay local or go elsewhere?
  • Housing
  • Mortgage?
  • Taxes
  • Your health and mobility
  • Proximity to family, children/grandchildren?
  • Human services, recreation, history/cultural attractions, shopping, and transportation

The US Census Bureau reports that 49 out of 50 people over the age of 65 stay right where they are when they retire. Phipps advises, “If your current hometown is affordable, close to friends and family, and near activities and entertainment you most enjoy, why move for the sake of moving? Instead, consider whether the need for change can be satisfied through more frequent brief vacations, or by purchasing an inexpensive weekend getaway home.”

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However, are there advantages to downsizing and leaving your current abode?

You may want to read “Should You Downsize in Retirement?” by Casey Dowd of Fox Business at https://www.foxbusiness.com/features/should-you-downsize-in-retirement. I also recommend https://www.newretirement.com/retirement/your-complete-guide-to-downsizing-for-retirement-12-tips-for-a-happily-ever-after/.

Posted on The Motley Fool is Christy Bieber’s article “Where Should You Retire? These 5 Factors Will Help You Decide” (https://www.fool.com/investing/2017/09/19/where-should-you-retire-these-5-factors-will-help.aspx). She focuses on that scary “e” word – economics.

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“The world is your oyster once you no longer need to work – you could technically move anywhere. But there are, of course, practical considerations in deciding where you’ll live – and while dreaming about a mega-mansion on the beach may be enjoyable, it’s also important to make a viable plan. Your choice of location can affect how much you need to save, how long your money will last, and even what happens to your health and to your legacy.”

Most of the online retirement gurus recommend careful and comprehensive research, even spending time to visit and “live awhile” in the places on your “short list,” and educate yourself in these areas:

  • Population, economy, attractions, and general info (visit the Internet sites of the local Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Agency, and visitor bureaus)
  • Climate (review interactive climate data tools from the National Climatic Data Center)
  • Cost of Living (see “cost of living comparison calculator” of the Council for Community and Economic Research)
  • Crime Rates (read the PBI’s annual “Crime in the United States: Uniform Crime Reports”)
  • Health Care (check out the U.S. News & World Report “Guide to the Best Hospitals” data base)

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If you are looking for a book on the subject of “where to live in retirement,” there are many. At least, be sure to check out the 2007 revised edition of The New Retirement – The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life by Jan Cullinane and Cathy Fitzgerald (Rodale) with more than 30 new recommendations for specific communities to consider for retirement, plus updated home prices and cost-of-living figures for existing communities, new niche lifestyles including club living, spa living, communities that are also cities, and moving where there is free land, and an expanded section on second homes.

If you are still a little “unsettled on where to settle” and enjoy taking online quizzes, check out these links (to which, although fun, I cannot vouch for their validity):

Although geography may play a crucial role in this debate, so does your choice of floor plan. (One could argue that the other three most important factors in choosing a retirement destination are mobility, mobility, and mobility!) When I retired in 2013, I suffered severe pain in my Achilles heels requiring ten weeks of challenging physical therapy. During recovery, I walked my two puppies past numerous one-story ranch structures in my neighborhood, feeling a little jealous that I had to return to a split level with its multitude of stairs – four sets of five steps! The trend in our area for new construction for retirees is a one-floor patio home with a “great room” (kitchen, dining and family/game room areas) that incorporates the safety and ease of future “senior access” while accommodating the needs of multi-generational use of the residence, with these practical design elements:

  • Wheel chair access, especially in the bathrooms
  • Pull-out and pull-down shelving
  • Multi-level counters
  • Remote control blinds and windows
  • Slip resistance floors
  • Open floor plan
  • Bright, functional lighting
  • Flat-panel light switches

(Source: https://houseplans.co/articles/planning-for-retirement-house-plans-for-seniors/)

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Finally, this is too important an issue to “pull any punches” without a few more resources (below) for your consideration. Good luck, and happy trails, retirees!

 

PKF

© 2018 Paul K. Fox

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Photo credits from Pixabay.com: “hands” by stokpic, “people” by MabelAmber, “early morning” by werner22brigitte, “polynesia” by Julius_Silver, “portugal” by larahcv, “panorama” by pixexid, and “venice” by kirkandmimi.

Unique Retiree Resources

It is always a privilege to receive email or comments from many of you regarding my past blog-posts at this site. I truly appreciate hearing from you – agree or disagree – and, whenever possible, I will “pass along” your recommendations and perspectives.

hospice-1793998_1920_unclelktThe “mission” is to help you with the transition to retirement and, when they are relevant, to communicate links to helpful sources of information. Many of these are not applicable to every retiring music teacher. However, if not issues for a family member, you might know of a friend, neighbor, colleague, or someone else who could use some direction in these eclectic topics:

  • Housing purchases/rentals, maintenance, and improvements
  • Personal security
  • Downsizing
  • Health care, eldercare, and physical fitness
  • Disabilities
  • Advance care planning
  • Medical Alert systems
  • Mattress purchase recommendations
  • Sleep guides and disorders
  • Grieving and coping with loss

We started this exposé with a previous blog, “Seniors Helping Seniors” at https://paulkfoxusc.wordpress.com/2017/05/28/seniors-helping-seniors/.

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Elmer George invited all of us to peruse his new website: elderville.org. It is called Resources for All Elders, and it shares lists of websites, blogs, and fact sheets on numerous senior-related themes – everything from “daily safety tips” to “volunteering.”

elderville.comSeveral great examples, his set of February 2018 articles (https://elderville.org/blog/) discuss “Five Ways Seniors Can Avoid Stress and Hassle During This Tax Season” and “Three Ways Seniors Can Get Healthy at Church.”

Specific to housing concerns, Elmer emailed me these additional avenues of help:

 

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Elizabeth Reynolds reached out to me with research on criteria for choosing the best medical alert system: https://www.reviews.com/medical-alert-systems/.  She said, “After hearing that there are 800,000 fall-related hospitalizations each year, our team created this resource in an effort to change that number.” Elizabeth added, “Our hope is that our guide may assist readers navigating their options to minimize this risk in the event of a fall.” At first, I thought her posting was a well-concealed advertisement for a particular company, until I explored her entire www.reviews.com website. Knowledge is power. Elizabeth has assembled a wide variety of resources in these areas worth further reading:

  • Reviews.comHome Services
  • Insurance
  • Financial Services
  • Home Products
  • Health and Fitness
  • Beauty
  • Pets

 

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Speaking of reviews, something on which you would not probably seek advice is what mattress to purchase or finding other aids for improving your sleep. Well, if you know anyone who has had trouble getting to sleep or is seeking methods of being well-rested, let me be the first to recommend https://www.bestmattressreviews.com/, shared by Jenny Thompson. She claims her “team” has been researching the science behind sleep and reviewing sleep products to see if they really have the effects that the companies claim to have. I admit, her extensive online resource first sounded a lot like a very large commercial, but I have never known such detail and vast criteria could be involved in assessing the merits of different mattresses and sleep accessories:

  • Types: foam, innerspring, latex, and hybrid
  • Sleep position: side sleepers, back sleepers, stomach sleepers, couples
  • Other benchmarks: firm, soft, cooling, crib, organic, pain management, and user type (mattresses for pet owners, runners, people with disabilities, etc.)

It is definitely worth your time to examine the article section on specific sleeping guides:

  • bestmattressreviewsSleep disorders
  • New and expecting mothers
  • Advice for children, teenagers, and college students
  • Mental health and sleep
  • Sleep and anxiety
  • P.T.S.D. and other problems

We may all know someone who has suffered the effects of Alzheimer’s. This one recently hit home to me as I just discovered one of my long-time music teacher friends was enrolled in a memory unit.

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According to this website, “Alzheimer’s disease affects as many as 5 million Americans. Scientists still don’t know how to prevent, slow, or cure the disease. Meanwhile, the death rate has increased 55% over the past decade and a half, and with the silver tsunami on the horizon, the number of patients is expected to explode. Sleep problems and Alzheimer’s are interconnected. People living with Alzheimer’s experience difficulty sleeping, while people who have sleep issues earlier in life are at greater risk for developing the disease.” We should all be aware of this link for more information: https://www.bestmattressreviews.com/alzheimers-and-sleep/.

 

spiritfinderFinally, out of the blue, Jennifer Scott contacted me with “healthy ways to cope with a loss” with these resources to help grieving families:

Reaching out to those who may be suffering with anxiety and depression, her helpful hints will go far to alleviate stress. I found parts of her website, http://spiritfinder.org/, are also very illuminating. Thank you, Jennifer!

beach-2090091_1920_qimono

 

Bookmark the URL of this blog-post for future use. You never know when you might need some guidance on these miscellaneous subjects. Revisit past writings at https://paulkfoxusc.wordpress.com/for-retirees/.  Also, please stay “connected,” communicate your “views and news” in blog comments (click at the top of the page), submit your responses to the NAfME discussion platform Amplify (we have a special “retired member” community forum, or just send an email to paulkfox.usc@gmail.com.  As Tom Bodett said in commercials for a well-known motel chain: “We’ll leave the light on for you.”  

PKF

© 2018 Paul K. Fox

Photo credits (in order) from Pixabay.com: “countryside” by sasint, “hospice” by unclelkt, “grandparents” by sylviebliss, “granny” by brenkee, “bed” by pexels, “dementia” by geralt, and “beach” by qimono.