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Try It NOWCategory: Financial and taxes in retirement
April 10, 2025 — Many people in or near retirement got nervous last week as nearly every stock plummeted. Who knows where the market will ultimately go in the wake of Trump’s disrupting tariff moves, but the initial reaction was bad. The S&P 500 experienced a significant decline last week,…
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Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
April 10, 2025 -- Want to retire to an affordable town that has all kinds of great things going for it? Realtor.com came up with a list last year with 10 towns that hit that sweet spot. These communities offer access to many of the things that retirees value most highly: nearby beaches, good healthcare, outdoor recreation, plenty of things to do, golf cart friendly, the arts, and most importantly - reasonable cost of living.
To come up with their list Realtor.com combed through all their single-family, condo, and townhouse listings. Then they used keywords in the descriptions to pinpoint the percentage of those listings that indicate a retiree-friendly community, and prices below or near the U.S. median price of $410,100 to determine affordability. In addition to home prices, they also included the percentage of retirement age residents as well as percentage of retiree friendly listings.
Surprisingly, New Jersey garnered three spots on this list, as did Florida. California had two towns in the top 10.
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Category: Life Care or CCRC
April 12, 2025 -- Steve S. asked us a question we know a lot of people have: "What Is the Best Way to research Independent Living housing and see ratings and costs?" The same question might apply to Assisted Living and Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs - or Life Care Communities). We asked Chatgbt the question, and they instantaneously came up with a very good answer. Here goes:
Researching Independent Living housing—especially for yourself or a loved one—can feel overwhelming, but a structured approach makes it much easier. Here are some practical steps and tips for gathering accurate info on options, ratings, and costs:
The primary rating system for independent and assisted living communities is the Five-Star Quality Rating System developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). While this system is primarily for nursing homes, it can provide some insights into the quality of care in assisted living facilities. Additionally, states often have their own rating systems or regulations that can help families evaluate facilities
Here is the link to their Comparison Tool.
Step-by-Step Guide to Researching Independent Living Housing
1. Clarify Your Priorities
Before diving into listings, ask:
Preferred location(s)?
Budget range?
Must-have amenities (e.g., dining, transportation, activities)?
Medical services on-site or nearby?
Age or income qualifications?
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Category: Active adult communities
April 15, 2025 -- Many people are tempted by the prospect of living in an active adult or 55+ community. The built in social life, the amazing amenities, maintenance free lifestyle, clubs, and being able to live with your peers can be very appealing. But how can you identify communities that will be right for you, and then narrow that list down to the one that offers the most perfect fit?
This article will cover how to find and select the communities you want to visit, how to get the most out of your on-site visit, and finally, how to compare those on your list of possibilities. What we've included in the second part, a sampling of the best of the hundreds and hundreds of Member Comments received over the years on how to evaluate 55+ and active adult communities, will be even more helpful. See list on "Further Reading" at end for a list of articles on this topic.
The Process: Finding the Right Ones
Following a disciplined path to evaluating 55+ communities will get you the information and feedback to help you make the best decisions. This journey is a process - narrowing down your list, then visiting the ones at the top of you list. Even then, one site visit normally won't give you an instant answer, but it will help build your knowledge base. After visiting several communities you will be in a position to knowledgeably evaluate all the properties you are interested in. Here is a basic approach to follow:
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Category: Financial and taxes in retirement
April 23, 2025 – More than state income taxes, those levied on your property can be one of the most problematic for retirees. That’s because they carry no direct relation to one’s ability to pay – you might have a valuable home,but little savings and income. Property taxes still have…
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Category: Life Care or CCRC
Note: This is part of a series on college town retirements. See Further Reading below for links to the other installments. Now updated, it originally appeared in 2014.April 2025 — Ask someone to name the most exciting years of their lives, and many will tell you it was when they were…
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