Laguna Woods Village Active Adult Community

Laguna Woods Village, on the outskirts of the town of Laguna Beach, California, has been chosen as one of the 2012 Top Ten Best Active Adult Communities in the United States by Top Retirements.  I have to agree with their assessment of Laguna Woods Village, since that is where I live.

It is a lovely retirement community, just four miles from the beach and surrounded by open land ... including the horseback riding trails shown in the photo.  It is also adjacent to the 20,000 acre Laguna Wilderness area.  Whether you like having all the advantages of living in an urban area or you enjoy time in the outdoors, this community has something that should appeal to nearly every retiree.

Advantages of Laguna Woods Village

Laguna Woods Village has a wealth of recreational choices and amenities, including a 27 hole golf course, a nine hole golf course, five outdoor swimming pools, two fitness centers with on-site trainers, ten tennis courts, four paddle tennis courts, lawn bowling courts, shuffleboard courts and numerous ping-pong and pool tables.  Two garden centers make it possible for people who love to garden to enjoy this activity in an area that has been set aside for that purpose.  There are also seven clubhouses, an elegant golf starter building with restaurant, an equestrian center with community owned horses, and a community center.  Part of the twenty-three acres of equestrian trails are shown in the photo that accompanies this article.

One of the clubhouses contains a theater where residents can enjoy live performances throughout the year.  Another clubhouse is devoted to artistic endeavors and contains woodworking and art studios, as well as a sewing room.  The other clubhouses have rooms that are appropriate for club meetings, parties, dances and social activities.

Speaking of clubs, Laguna Woods Village has over 200 official clubs.  Many of these clubs organize their own special parties, outings and trips.


The recreation department also offers a variety of exercise classes and activities.  The equestrian center offers trail rides and horseback riding lessons to the residents, as well as their adult children and grandchildren over the age of ten, at very affordable prices.

In addition, nearby Saddleback College offers approximately 200 free emeritus classes in and near the community.  Several Southern California casinos have buses that pick up residents and provide free transportation to and from the casinos.  There is also a free bus system that operates within the community, as well as to nearby shopping malls and doctors' offices.

Home prices vary dramatically.  Most co-ops can be purchased between $150,000 and $350,000.  Condominiums can be purchased from $200,000 to over $1 million for some of the larger homes with garages and views.  There are also high rise condominiums with prices that range from $10,000 to $350,000.  These prices are general and there are properties that are available outside these ranges.  This is just intended to give you an idea of what to expect.  Cooperatives are less expensive because they are older and there are more restrictions and financing complications involved.  However, they are a very good deal, especially for people who have sold a home in the Midwest and are looking for a bargain in Southern California.

Laguna Woods Village is a very safe community.  It has one of the lowest crime rates of any town its size in California, partly because the entire community is walled, with fourteen guarded gates and a private security force.  In addition, with so many senior citizens who are home during the day, it is very difficult for strangers to enter a home without someone noticing.

Laguna Woods Village is also well located in Orange County, California, just four miles from beautiful Laguna Beach.  This lovely nearby town not only features beautiful beaches, but also has numerous art galleries, shops, and restaurants, as well as fun art festivals in the summer.

There is no question that Laguna Woods Village qualifies as an active adult community.  Most of the residents have a full daily calendar of activities, which can include bridge, line dancing, yoga, water aerobics, art classes and much more.

Disadvantages of Laguna Woods Village

There are approximately 18,000 residents of Laguna Woods Village, living in about 12,000 condominiums and cooperatives.  Almost all of the housing units have one or two bedrooms and one or two bathrooms, which is smaller than many residents were accustomed to prior to living in Laguna Woods Village.  Most of the housing units are assigned only one parking spot in a carport.  While some of the condominiums have the appearance of single family homes with one or two car garages, none of the cooperatives have that option.  As a result, most residents have an adjustment to make when they move to Laguna Woods Village.  The majority of them no longer have a single family home with a private garage.

In addition, nearly all of Laguna Woods Village was built in the 1960's and 1970's.  Although many residents have updated their condominiums and condos, there are still many units that need to be modernized.  Whether or not the property has been updated is usually reflected in the price of the property.

There are also several layers of government in Laguna Woods Village, which does create some friction.  The cooperatives, condominiums and high rise towers each have their own governing association, with different HOA fees and services. Above all of these associations is another layer of government called the Golden Rain Foundation, or GRF.  GRF hires the maintenance people for the entire community.  Since Laguna Woods Village is also a city, there is a city government that needs to be dealt with from time to time, especially if you decide to make improvements to your property.  It can seem cumbersome to deal with all these governing bodies until one gets accustomed to it.

Bottom Line on Laguna Woods Village

Essentially, this community is a wonderful place to live and, after living here the past eleven years, it is hard for me to imagine growing old anywhere else.  Although there are disadvantages anywhere you live, the advantages of living in this community far outweigh any problems we have experienced.

If you are looking for more retirement ideas, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article to find information on finances, places to live, medical issues you might expect during retirement, family issues and more!

You may also be interested in reading:

Finding Niche Retirement Communities
Garden Spot Village Community for Seniors in PA
Cheap Places to Retire
The Best Sunny Places to Retire

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo of Laguna Woods Village equestrian trail from author's private collection.

The Risks of Living Abroad

Over the years, this blog has included a number of articles that suggest beautiful and exotic places to consider if you are interested in living overseas.  Many of these areas, such as Costa Rica, Belize, Ecuador and Panama, have well-established communities full of American ex-patriots and there are agencies which are able to provide you with tours of the countries and help you find your dream home.  It all sounds idyllic and the perfect way to spend your golden years.  However, I would be doing my readers a serious disservice if I left everyone with the impression that life is always perfect in these developing countries.  Here are just a few incidents that I have heard about from people who thought they were going to improve their lives by moving overseas.

Costa Rica and the Pacific Ring of Fire

As a resident of Southern California, I shouldn't express concern about earthquakes.  We have experienced several of them, and there has been no significant damage in our area as a result.  However, we have a young family friend who teaches school in Costa Rica and  they have had a 7.6 earthquake there.  Neither she nor her students were injured in the earthquake, but she reported that she had a difficult time getting home because of the damaged roads, mudslides, and similar hazards.  Fortunately, once she did arrive home, she was able to use a computer and let all of her family and friends in the U.S. know that she was safe.

The Pacific Ring of Fire is the term used to describe the coastal areas that surround the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.  This Ring of Fire includes many of the places that are frequently under consideration by people who are moving abroad.  Among the countries included in the Ring of Fire are Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, the Philippines, Panama and all of Central America and Southeast Asia, including Thailand.  The earthquakes that occur in these areas can be very severe and do significant damage to the local infrastructure.

Serious Medical Problems Experienced while Living Abroad

Many Americans travel to other countries in order to obtain inexpensive medical treatments.  This is called medical tourism and often involves elective or cosmetic surgeries that are very expensive in the United States.  It is not unusual for many less developed countries to have fabulous hospitals that cater to medical tourism.

However, last spring a retired couple we know were exploring the idea of living abroad in Ecuador.  They had researched it thoroughly, made arrangements to rent a house for a couple of months, and signed up to start their Ecuador experience with a tour of the country.  Halfway through the tour, the wife collapsed when an aneurysm in her brain burst.  The tour company took her to a high quality hospital where they were able to stop the bleeding in her brain and repair the aneurysm.  The medical facility did an excellent job on the repair, as attested by her American doctors.  However, she was very lucky.  It took the tour company eleven hours to get her to the appropriate hospital.  This couple is back in the United States and they have dropped the idea of moving overseas to Ecuador or any other foreign country.

When our young friend who is teaching in Costa Rica became sick with an identified infection about a year ago, she was sent by the school where she worked back to the United States in order to receive better treatment.  Although the American doctors were unable to determine the cause of the infection, she is now healthy and has returned to Costa Rica.  However, it is interesting that she needed to return to the US in order to get the medical treatment that she needed.

A California Family's Experience after Moving to Belize

Readers may also want to read the new book, "Freeways to Flip Flops," (available from Amazon using this link).  It is about a Southern California family's experience when they moved to Belize.  They sold their home in Lake Forest, California and moved their entire family there, including their teenage sons.  In a little over a year, they moved back to California.  They spent their time in Belize dealing with scorpions, rats, smelly drinking water, heat and humidity.  They were dissatisfied with the educational opportunities for their children.  The husband attempted to work from Belize; however, the computer system was so unreliable that he lost his job.  There were many other problems that they experienced, as well, so it might be worthwhile to read this book before you decide to make such a dramatic move.

Do not expect to find life in a foreign country to be like your life in the United States.  There will be inconveniences.  Our young friend in Costa Rica eventually moved to a gated community there, after her home in the local town was robbed.  Her home in the gated community was considerably more expensive ... similar in price to homes in the United States.  She also has bars on the windows and still has to deal with plumbing problems, huge spiders, etc.  She loves living there and has no plans to move back to the U.S.  However, living overseas does require some flexibility.

The Bottom Line on Moving Abroad

If you are the adventurous type, you may discover that living in another country is not a problem for you.  Like our young teacher friend, even if you run into difficulties you may fall in love with your new country and decide to stay, no matter what inconveniences you experience.  In fact, this young woman has now married a Costa Rican businessman, and they now have a one-year old daughter.  This has made her even more cautious about her home's security.

When I wrote posts that recommend different countries where you may want to live, I do not want to create the impression that everything will always go well.  There will be challenges and inconveniences that may grow tiring after a while, especially as you get older.  The important thing is to be realistic and aware of some of the problems you may experience before you make such a life altering decision.


Looking for more ideas about where to retire?  Use the tabs or list at the top of this article.  They will connect you with hundreds of additional articles on where to retire, financial planning, medical issues, changing family relationships and other related information.


You may specifically want to read:

Best Places to Retire Outside the US
American Retiring in Panama
Live in Ecuador Comfortably on Social Security
Retiring in Luxury to Hua Hin, Thailand
Why Retire in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands or Guam

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit:  morguefile.com

Living with your Adult Children

While most of us cannot imagine living with our children as we age, it has become a reality for a growing number of senior citizens.  Sometimes, it is by choice.  The adult children look to their parents for help with baby sitting or similar assistance.  In other cases, it is because the senior citizens can no longer afford to support themselves on their meager retirement benefits.  Sometimes it is because they have developed dementia or health problems and the children take in their parents so they can care for them.  In some families it is normal for several generations to live together.  Whatever the reason, there are a number of issues you may need to consider before deciding if this is the right decision for you.

What If You Cannot Support Yourself as You Age?

In the last few years, my husband and I have known a few local retirees who had to move in with their adult children.  In every case, this was the last thing they ever expected to have happen in their later years. Apparently, this has actually become an increasing trend.  According to the AARP Bulletin for September 2012, in an article entitled, "When Parents Move In With Kids," as recently as 2011 there were 4.6 million parents living with an adult child.  This was a 13.7 percent increase from just three years earlier, in 2008.  The numbers continue to grow.

Since so many retirees lost substantial amounts of their savings during the 2007 recession, there have been increasing numbers of retirees who simply do not have enough money to live on their own.  Many of them also lost their homes to foreclosure.  If they were laid off during this period of time, they may have had to take Social Security early and, consequently, their income is not enough to cover their expenses.  In addition, they may have run through their savings or suffered substantial losses in the stock market.

Other Reasons You May Need to Live With Your Children

As mentioned above, there are also other reasons why retired senior citizens may find themselves living in their children's homes.  Sometimes it is their declining health which makes it difficult for them to care for themselves.  In other cases, it may be declining mental function. 

There can also be positive reasons why they might move in with a child.  For example, the child may want them to take care of the grandchildren.  In some families, it is common for the several generations to live together.  It can also make it possible for the families to purchase a home when the resources of two generations are combined.

Why a Written Agreement May Make the Transition Easier

When parents move in with their adult children, AARP recommends that the new living arrangement will be more comfortable for both the parents and their children if they set up a few ground rules in advance.  In fact, AARP suggests that both the parents and adult children write down the agreement, to avoid misunderstandings once you move in.  It may seem awkward to have a written agreement with your child; however, it could avoid a lot of problems in the future.  Listed below are some of the topics that you need to discuss and resolve in writing before you move in.  Feel free to add any other issues that concern you or your child.

Questions to Answer before Moving in with the Kids

How much will you contribute financially?
Who will pay for extra expenses such as a home healthcare aide?
Are you expected to help with chores, babysitting, running errands, etc.?
Will you travel with the family on vacation, and who will pay?
If you have a pet, can you bring it with you?
Will you have at least a private room and sitting area in their home?
Will there be a problem if you smoke or drink alcohol?
If you lose your driver's license, are they able to provide transportation for you?
If you pay your child for your care, what will the tax consequences be for them?
If you give them money, how will it affect Medicaid if you need a nursing home later?
If you purchase a new home with your child, what future problems could this cause?
If you have other children, will this living arrangement affect your will?
Will your other children have you stay in their homes periodically?
What social activities will there be for you to do?
If you are single, will it make your child uncomfortable if you date?
How do they feel about overnight guests, especially a boyfriend or girlfriend?
If your adult child is single, how will you feel about them bringing home dates for the night?

Seeking Professional Help before Living with Adult Children

As you can see, you may need professional help in order to answer some of these questions.  Check with an elder care lawyer or financial planner in order to help you both make the best decisions for your family.  If you have difficulty reaching agreement on some of these topics, don't simply move in and expect that everything will work out. 

You may also need to consult a family therapist to resolve issues that could cause stress in your relationship.  For example, does your adult child want you keep your mouth shut when it comes to the way they are raising their kids?  Are you willing to do that?  If you think that might be hard for you, then you may need to seek a different place to live.  After all, you are moving in with their family, and you want to create as few problems as possible.

Alternatives to Living With Your Children

You may not have considered alternatives to living with your adult children.  If you have financial issues, you may qualify for a senior apartment at an affordable price or a Section 8 voucher that will pay part of your rent.  You may also be qualified for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or food stamps and help with your Medicare premiums.  With a little financial assistance, you may be able to maintain your privacy and continue to live on your own.

If you have mental or medical issues that mean you need assisted living, you may be able to apply for Medicaid to get your expenses covered in an assisted living or skilled nursing facility, including one for memory loss.  This would relieve your children of the burden of caring for you and would be safer than being left alone while your adult children go to work.

Remember:  If you are hesitant about moving in with your adult children for any reason, seek help from your local Social Security and Social Service offices.  They can let you know what services you are eligible to receive.

If you need more information to help you get the retirement help you need, use the tabs or scroll-down list at the top of this page.  They contain links to hundreds of additional articles on where to retire, medical information, financial planning, or changing family relationships.

You may also be interested in reading:

Healing Relationships with Your Adult Children
Retiring Former Hippies Spark a New Generation Gap
Cheap Places to Retire
Best Places to Retire in the United States on $100 a Day
Part-time Retirement Jobs for Baby Boomers

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo courtesy of photoxpress.com

Garden Spot Village Community for Seniors in PA

Are you looking for retirement communities located in small towns or rural areas?  One possibility is Garden Spot Village on the outskirts of New Holland, Pennsylvania.  This community for seniors in located in Lancaster County which is frequently referred to as the Garden Spot of the United States.  Although this retirement community is in a rural area, surrounded by spectacular views and an abundance of nature, you will find that it is also within driving distance of several large metropolitan areas including New York, Philadelphia and, a bit further away, Washington, D.C. and Baltimore.

Activities at Garden Spot Village

The heart of Garden Spot Village is the Village Square, a spacious building containing a sunny atrium, an indoor park, an exotic fish aquarium, a bank, mail center, small general store, a chapel, a beauty salon and an internet cafe.  Also located on the ground floor of Village Square is the heated indoor swimming pool and the superb fitness center.  Everything you absolutely need is conveniently located.  The community has planned activities, a choir, an annual marathon and exercise classes.  There is no reason to be lonely or bored in this friendly community.

Housing Choices at Garden Spot Village

New residents have a wide range of housing choices.  You may choose the Village Square Apartments that are attached to the Village Square, with sizes ranging from about 1500 to 1900 square feet.  Other nearby apartment buildings have sizes ranging from 725 to 1700 square feet.  However, for those who prefer something more private or spacious, you can select one of the lovely attached cottages or carriage homes.  The cottages range in size from 1088 to 1318 square feet, and the carriage homes are availabe in sizes up to 2029 square feet.

Medical Support at Garden Spot Village

As we age, we may not be able to manage quite as well on our own.  If this happens to you or your loved one, there is no need to leave your friends and activities at Garden Spot Village.  They have several options to make life easier for residents.  You can request the assistance of a part time aide  to help out in your own residence or you can move into the Mountain View independent living suites.  Those who develop dementia may choose to live in the Laurel Memory Support facility; patients with more serious medical issues or who need post-surgical temporary assistance may choose to stay in the skilled nursing facilities known as The Households.  Garden Spot Village also offers respite care, which gives family caregivers the opportunity to get a much needed break, as well as adult day services.

In addition, nearby Ephrata Community Hospital operates a clinic just inside the gate to Garden Spot Village.  This makes it possible for residents to walk to their doctors' appointments, pick up prescriptions, get lab work done, have an x-ray, and receive other medical services. 

Once you move to Garden Spot Village you can be confident that you have chosen a community where you will want to spend the remainder of your life.

If you are interested in living somewhere besides Pennsylvania, use the tabs or the pull down menu at the top of this post to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

In addition, you may want to read:

The Best Sunny Places to Retire
Cheap Places to Retire
Finding Niche Retirement Communities
Best Places to Retire Outside the US

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo of grazing deer in Pennsylvania courtesy of morguefile.com

Why Retire in Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands or Guam

According to a MarketWatch article mentioned in finance.yahoo.com, entitled "7 Money Matters to Consider if Retiring Overseas," there are more Americans than ever who are making plans to retire to another country.  They don't want to give up their U.S. citizenship; they just want to try living somewhere that is less expensive. 

Since many Americans lost a large part of their retirement funds in the past decade, the desire to live in a cheap, exotic location is greater than ever. In fact, The Social Security Administration reports that the number of people receiving their benefit checks overseas has grown from 242,000 in 2002 to 613,000 in 2014. 

The Market Watch article listed some of the issues that Americans should consider before they make a move to another country, and the author repeated over and over again the importance of getting professional assistance and expert advice from attorneys and estate planners who have experience in this area.  In fact, you may want to first consult an American attorney, and then work with attorneys, accountants and tax professionals in the country where you plan to reside.

Professional Assistance is Needed for these Issues:

Foreign income tax issues
U.S. income tax issues while living in a foreign country
Income taxes owed to your former state of residence
Fees for transferring Social Security to foreign banks and converting currency
Foreign health insurance (Medicare doesn't cover Americans living abroad)
Foreign real estate investments
Foreign securities investments
Estate Planning - especially if you want to transfer foreign assets after your death

Retire to the American Territories of Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands or Guam

If dealing with these legal and financial problems overwhelms you, it is important to know that you can move somewhere inexpensive and exotic without the complications mentioned above.  Rather than live in another country, you could choose to move to one of the U.S. territories.  Living in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands or Guam will give you all the advantages of retiring somewhere far away and romantic, without the necessity of learning a new language, finding foreign lawyers, securing foreign health insurance, and worrying about the complications of filing foreign taxes or owning property in a foreign country.

Living in Puerto Rico

While living in Puerto Rico is not as cheap as living in a third world country, rents are affordable once you get outside of the major cities like San Juan.  You do not need a passport to travel to any of the US territories.  In Puerto Rico, there are no inheritance taxes.  If you buy land in Puerto Rico, consult with an attorney, and make sure that you have title insurance and a clear legal title to the land in order to avoid future legal complications.  However, the good news is that there are no restrictions on American citizens who want to own property in Puerto Rico.  Puerto Rico has beautiful beaches as well as gorgeous mountain towns.  There are a variety of climates from which to choose.  In addition, your Medicare is valid in all the US territories.

Living in the U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John

Like Puerto Rico, if you move to the U.S. Virgin Islands you do not need any special documents.  You can travel freely to and from these tropical islands.  Among the islands that make up the U.S. Virgin Islands are St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John.  If you have a beloved pet, it is possible to bring it with you when you move to this Caribbean paradise.  Some cell phone carriers offer free long distance to the mainland.  There are currently no large malls on the islands, although there are a few popular stores such as Tommy Hilfiger and Polo.  The weather is fairly constant, with high temperatures normally in the 70's and 80's.  Severe rain is unusual.  There is no sales tax or state tax.  New residents should also realize that this is a laid back, slow paced Caribbean territory, so don't expect things to happen on a mainland schedule.

Living in Guam and the nearby Northern Mariana Islands

Guam, in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, along with the other Northern Mariana Islands, is a beautiful island territory that is often compared to the smaller, less populated islands of Hawaii.  Pets can be brought here after a short quarantine period.  It is a pretty island, and the high temperatures are typically in the 70's and 80's.  It is a popular area for anyone who loves to scuba dive or snorkel.  It is very laid back, with low speed limits and slow moving traffic.  It is also only a four hour flight to Japan and South Korea, if you want to vacation in one of those destinations.  There is a large U.S. Navy base located on Guam and, like the other territories, U.S. laws are enforced there.

American Samoa

Another option is to move to American Samoa, in the South Pacific.  The disadvantage is that it is along way from the mainland of the United States and it is an expensive flight home.  However, most of the 55,000 to 60,000 residents speak English as well as Samoan and it is a very patriotic location, with the highest level of military recruitment of any state or territory.

Sources:

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/08/24/retirement-more-boomers-head-overseas-for-cheap-li.aspx

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/7-money-matters-to-consider-if-retiring-overseas-2012-07-26

If you are interested in other overseas retirement destinations that are outside the US, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article for links to hundreds of additional articles.  You may also want to read:

Best Places to Retire Outside the US
Americans Retiring in Panama
Live in Ecuador Comfortably on Social Security
Retiring in Luxury to Hua Hin, Thailand

You will find additional articles using the tabs at the top of this page ... particularly the one that focuses on places to retire overseas.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo or modern Puerto Rico courtesy of www.morguefile.com