Where Do You Retire To Enjoy Your Golden Years
After years and years of working to provide a living for your family it's now time to choose where to retire and settle down from those years of hard work. The question shouldn't be taken lightly and should not be made without some good thought. Research possible retirement locations and discuss it with your spouse.
First you may want to look at the top rated retirement locations online to get a good understanding of price, locations, community, amenities, etc. For example if you prefer to be in a community with lots of city life, like going out to museums, shopping, casinos, concerts, sporting events etc, it would be best to look at locations close to or in a large city. But, if you prefer tranquility, outdoors, fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, horse back riding, then I suggest looking at rural communities that are within maybe 1 to 2 hours away from a large city. This way if you miss the city life then it won't be a problem to visit that life and go back to a rural life.
Also you need to consider what you can afford. It's easy to dream of retiring in a large ranch out in Texas but if you cannot afford such a dream then you need to look at alternatives. I also suggest you do not take out a new mortgage on a retirement property. If you are like most people who own a home after retirement then I suggest selling that house and buying your dream retirement home for cash. For example if you own your home and sell that property for $250,000.00 then buy a retirement property for $100,000.00 and take the $125,000.00 and put it in a high yielding Money Market account along with a percentage in Stocks and Mutual funds. $30,000.00 for Stocks and Mutual funds should be a good amount.
Many retirees are enjoying active lifestyles that include golf, shopping, antiquing, travel, boating, tennis, theater and much more. Retirement today is expected to last 30 or 40 years, so it is possible that the place you choose to retire today will be but one of several retirement spots in which you live. Perhaps the first 20 years of retirement will be spent on a lake while the second 20 years will be spent near a golf course. When thinking about the best retirement places, think about what you want out of your retirement and if these destinations are going to be able to offer what you need. Choosing where to retire is all about choosing the best place for you and your spouse. These are factors that everyone should take into consideration, but in the end it is about the kind of life style you are looking for and where to go to get it.
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