Category: Home Owners Associations
Sept. 4, 2025 -- Unfortunately, condo properties can go bankrupt. It happened back in the housing crisis of 2008-9 because many homeowners, who had lost their jobs or most of their income, defaulted on their HOA dues. The same danger exists for many condo properties in 2025, but for different reasons.
3 Problems Taking Condos to the Precipice.
Three big problems are causing many HOAs to realize they might be able to continue as viable organizations. Combined together, they are creating financial liabilities that are higher than the value of the property. In which case, does it make sense for the owners to sell the property to a developer or other buyer.
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Published on September 3, 2025
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
Sept. 7, 2025 -- The NY Times asked trainers for their ideas on the best training tests. They came back with four tried-and-tested self-assessments for strength, balance and cardiovascular fitness. One of them is a good screener to see if you are ready for pickleball. Others measure upper body strength, cardio vascular conditioning, and balance - so important to prevent falls. Try them and see how you do! (Note: These tests were not designed with any age group in mind - some versions might be too challenging for some seniors). Here is a link to their "Training Tests" article.
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Published on September 7, 2025
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Category: Health and Wellness Issues
September 10, 2025 -- Gov. DeSantis seems to be a big fan of MAHA - Make America Healthy Again - or at least its anti-vax conspiracies. Florida recently eliminated vaccine mandates for school children, which will almost certainly bring polio, measles, and other life-threatening, but preventable, deaths to the State's school age children. For adults, the problem is the State's honoring recent changes made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new policies, which require prescriptions or the existence of certain underlying conditions to get a shot, are causing chaos and concern. People over 65 can still get the jab in many states without the prescription, but not in Florida. The South Florida Sun Sentinel recently covered the unfolding situation in its "Covid Vaccine Decisions Bringing Anger and Confusion" article.
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Published on September 9, 2025
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Category: Life Care or CCRC
This article was originally published in 2021. Updated Sept. 2025 with updates from several people we know, including the couple profiled in the original article.
For most people, the answer to the question when is the right time to move to a Life Care community is, "when I get older". It pretty much doesn't matter how old the person is at the time; some undefined date in the future is always the answer. True, a minority make the decision when they are in their 60s or early 70s, but they are the outliers, often with a good reason for doing so.
Good friends
Topretirements has some good friends who have wrestled with this decision for years. Jane and Jack's current situation illustrated the problem so many people will face. Several years ago he was in his mid 90s and she in her early 80s. She has wanted for some time to move from their town home into a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC, often known as a Life Care Community). He, however, was never quite ready. Fortunately, they put a deposit down at a Connecticut CCRC, delayed making a decision to wait for one of the larger units. After a serious medical incident requiring an extended hospital stay with an uncertain future, so they took an available unit. It was not easy downsizing and moving a jam-packed town home's contents to fit into a much smaller apartment, but with help they did it.
Update Sept. 2025 - Our beloved friend passed at age 98 in July after a steady decline. The couple's move there worked out great - their life got simpler and he got the care he needed. Jane lives on in the CCRC, very glad she moved there. She has many friends and social engagements - in fact it's hard to get a dinner date with her!
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Published on September 10, 2025
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Category: Adventurous retirement
September 17, 2025 — The dream retired accountant Kent Broussard had since 1968 was to play in a big time college marching band. Now at age 66, the Sousaphone player has reached that goal, and is loving every second. Kent, a freshman at Louisiana State University, is thrilled to be…
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Published on September 16, 2025
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Category: Social Security
September 18, 2025 - Anyone who has been following Topretirements for a while knows that we are a big proponent of delaying taking Social Security benefits as long as possible. But maybe is time to change that position.
Up to now the advantages of waiting to claim Social Security retirement benefits to age 70 have been pretty clear (for most people). For every year you wait to claim after age 66 you get an 8% increase in your benefits, up to age 70. Delaying has a second benefit because ir raises your COLA $ increase be every year. And, if your spouse's benefit isn't as high as yours, he or she will get your higher benefit for the rest of their life at your passing. If your finances are tight, all these advantages could be worth a lot. On the other hand, for people and couples who have a very short remaining life expectancy, or who need the money now to survive, it might not be a good idea to wait.
So what has changed?
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Published on September 17, 2025
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