Tellico Village Retirement Community

The picturesque Tellico Village Retirement Community on the shores of Tellico Lake near Knoxville, Tennessee is a fabulous retirement location for anyone who is looking forward to a wide array of recreational amenities after retirement. 

In addition to the clubs and social activities that residents enjoy at many active adult communities, Tellico Village also has three championship golf courses, a fitness center, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, and country club and yacht club facilities that enhance the residents' enjoyment of the gorgeous lake that adjoins the property.  Best of all, it is located in the scenic state of Tennessee where residents can enjoy four seasons and hardwood forest.

Cost of Living in Tellico Village

The Tellico Village community was initially developed in 1986.  Today there are over 7000 residents in the retirement community who have a median income of $60,000 to $80,000.  The majority of them are living in homes that have typical values of about $200,000 to $350,000.  The community also has a slightly below average crime index.

Another factor that keeps the cost of living manageable is the fact that Tennessee has no state income tax.  However, like most states, there is a state sales tax.  According to the website Topretirements.com, the property taxes on a typical $200,000 house would be less than $2000 a year.

Tellico Village Weather

Tellico Village offers a definite four seasons, including the opportunity to enjoy the colorful Tennessee fall foliage, shown in the attached photo.  In January, the temperature in nearby Knoxville ranges from an average low of 27 degrees to a high of 47 degrees.  In July, the average temperature ranges from a low of 68 degrees to a high of 87 degrees, perfect weather for summer boaters and golfers.

Enjoy a Convenient Lifestyle at Tellico Village

Tellico Village is located only about 35 minutes from downtown Knoxville, a small city of less than 200,000 residents, but large enough to provide easy access to shopping, the Knoxville airport, the University of Tennessee, the Knoxville Convention Center, a regional history museum, theaters, outdoor concerts, the Knoxville Opera Company, numerous art festivals and a wide assortment of restaurants and bars.

Boating at Tellico Lake

According to boatingmag.com, Tellico Lake is one of the top lakes for recreational boaters.  The same website says that Tellico Village is one of the best places to live for people who enjoy water sports.  The waterfront availability and the ease of use by boaters is highly rated and, consequently, Tellico Lake is where most boat builders in the Knoxville, Tennessee area go to test their boats.  There is also excellent fishing available on the lake.

Bottom Line on Tellico Village

If you are dreaming of a retirement that involves boating as well as golfing and other outdoor activities, rural beauty with the convenience of a nearby large city, then Tellico Village is one of the premier active adult communities that you should consider.

If you want to learn more about other retirement locations, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles on where to retire in the United States or overseas, common medical problems, changing family relationships, financial planning, and more.

Articles about other retirement locations that may interest you are:

Green Valley Arizona Retirement Communities
Great Places to Retire in the Northern US
The Villages Active Adult Community in Florida
Popular Retirement Communities in the United States
Laguna Woods Village Active Adult Community
Best Places to Retire Outside the US

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

Photo of Tennessee mountains courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Is it Time to Retire?

One of the reasons that the unemployment rate has fallen over the past few years, after hovering over 8% between 2007 and 20011, is because thousands of Baby Boomers are beginning to retire.  Over the past few years, Baby Boomers have been turning 65 at the rate of 10,000 per day, but many of them were reluctant to let go of their jobs in the middle of the 2007 recession. 

In many cases, Boomers needed to recoup what they had lost in the real estate and stock market crashes of a few years ago before they could retire.  In other instances, they were afraid to let go of their jobs too soon for fear of another financial set-back.  Over the past few years, however, Baby Boomers began to believe that it was possible for them to retire. 

If you are uncertain whether you are prepared to give up your job in the next few years, listed below are some things to consider.

How to Decide if You are Ready to Retire

Make a Realistic Post-Retirement Budget

The first thing you need to do is make a list of the expenses you have now.  Remove the items that you do not expect to have after you retire, such as commuting costs.  Add in money for the extra expenses you expect after retirement including travel, replacing your car, Medicare insurance premiums, prescription drugs and medical co-payments.  Next, add up the retirement income that you expect to receive from your Social Security, your spouses's Social Security, pensions, annuities and any other sources.  Will you have enough income to cover your expenses, or do you need to make some adjustments?

Consider Ways to Supplement Your Retirement Income

In the retirement community where my husband and I live, hundreds of retirees work part-time for the homeowner's association.  They serve as Gate Ambassadors, bus drivers, receptionists, and office workers.  They are paid several dollars an hour above the minimum wage and are also allowed the free use of some of the pay-for-use facilities in our community. 

Other people in our neighborhood earn extra money selling real estate in the community, working in antique stores and gift shops in the area, and in similar part-time occupations.  A few of our friends have remained in their former occupations, but now only work part-time.  These jobs help retirees stretch their retirement income without the necessity of continuing to work full-time in a demanding career.

Pay Off Debts

If your income will not be enough to cover your post-retirement living expenses, one step you should take is to make a plan to pay off your debts.  If you have credit card payments, car payments, and college loan payments for your children, you may need to pay off these bills before you can realistically retire.  If you have a small mortgage with a low payment, this is one debt you may be able to continue to carry, if you are free of other large expenses.  However, if you are overwhelmed by debt and feel as if you can never retire, you may consider selling assets to free up enough money to clear out your obligations.  If your debts are excessively large, you may even consider selling your current home and buying a smaller, less expensive one.  Your goal is to rearrange your expenses so that it is possible to have a planned, manageable  retirement, before a healthcare crisis or job loss forces you to retire unexpectedly.

Have a Plan for Long Term Care

Many of us will need to spend some time during our lives receiving long term care, either at home or in a nursing facility.  In fact, experts estimate that two out of three senior citizens will spend some time in a long-term care facility.  Approximately one out of five people over the age of 65 will need to stay in long-term care for more than five years.  Everyone needs to make a plan for handling this future expense. 

You may want to purchase Long Term Care Insurance or make sure you have set aside enough assets to cover several years of care.  As part of your long-term care planning, you may also want to write a living will that explains the healthcare decisions you want made if you are too ill to speak to the doctors on your own behalf. 

Plan for How You Want to Spend Leisure Time

What do you want to do with the free time you will have when you retire?  Do you want to travel in an RV, take an annual cruise, spend time on the golf course, or take art classes?  Before you stop working, you need to make a plan that will allow for you to enjoy your retirement.  Perhaps you may want to move to another part of the world, sell your home and buy an RV, or move to a retirement community that has free or low cost amenities such as golf courses and art classes.  Whatever type of retirement appeals to you, you need to include the cost in your retirement planning.  In some cases, the cost of living in a retirement community, another country, or in an RV may be less than you are currently spending on living expenses.  However, it would be wise to discuss the change with others who have tried it and get their advice.  You want to be realistic about what your new lifestyle will cost.

Your Personal Retirement Plan

If you are a Baby Boomer who hopes to retire in the next few years, it is not too early to begin making plans and changes to your lifestyle so that you can make it happen.  There is no reason why anyone should assume that they will have to work until they drop dead at their desk, as I have sometimes heard some people say.  With a little planning, nearly anyone who has spent years working hard on a job will be able to make a plan and find a cozy, comfortable way to have the retirement they always wanted.

If you are interested in more retirement planning tips, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional articles on where to retire in the United States or abroad, financial planning, common medical issues, changing family relationships, travel and more.

For more help in making your retirement plans, you may also want to read:

Do You Need a Million Dollars to Retire?
Cheap Places to Retire
Finding Niche Retirement Communities
The Villages Active Adult Community in Florida
Popular Retirement Communities in the United States
Laguna Woods Village Active Adult Community
Garden Spot Village Community for Seniors in PA
Best Places to Retire Outside the US

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

Photo of couple courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Where Obama and Romney Stand on Issues



Blue States are Leaning Obama
Red States are Leaning Romney
Other States are Undetermined

 No blog about retirement can simply ignore the upcoming presidential election.  Many people are still undecided and the recent debate did little to clear things up for a number of individuals.  With about a month left until the national election, the vote could still go either way. 

Consequently, it is important that we address some of the issues that may be important to our readers.  Often senior citizens are lumped into one "pot" and it is assumed that we all think alike.  Of course this is ridiculous.  Many of us are influenced by our religious beliefs, our personal financial situation, health issues that are a concern for ourselves and other family members, and various other issues.  Therefore, I am making an attempt to mention a few important issues, while trying to remain as impartial and factual as possible.  I have also avoided publishing all the accusations the candidates are making about each others' programs since most of those negative comments are unproductive.

I respect the right of citizens to make up their own minds about the presidential election, and I wish to inform rather than influence.  An issue that is extremely important to one person may not be important at all to someone else.  Only you know the best decision for you and your family.  Listed below are some of the facts that I have been able to gleen from various news sources.  Hopefully, this information will be helpful to you as you decide which candidate supports policies that will benefit you, your spouse, your adult children, grandchildren and your family in the future.

Obama vs Romney on the Issues

Medicare

Obama: Wants to keep the current Medicare system, but make it more efficient.  The Affordable Healthcare Act cut the payments made to doctors and insurance companies by $716 billion in order to reform the program and save money without reducing benefits to Medicare recipients.

Romney:  Wants to keep the current Medicare system for those 55 and above, but initiate a voucher program for our children and future generations.  He would reverse the $716 billion reform.  Instead, he believes that more competition will eventually reduce the amount of money that the government will spend in the future on healthcare for senior citizens.

Social Security

Obama:  Wants to strengthen the current system of Social Security, but not make major changes that would slash benefits for beneficiaries.

Romney:  Wants to raise the retirement age and initiate means testing so that higher-income retirees will see smaller growth in their benefits.

Health Care Reform

Obama:  Wants to fully implement the Affordable Healthcare Act.  So far, the Act had made it possible for children to stay on their parents' plans until age 26.  In addition, younger children can no longer be denied health insurance because of pre-existing conditions.  By January, 2014, everyone will be expected to have health insurance, even those adults with pre-existing conditions, and insurance pools will be open to the poor and those who cannot get a policy through their job.  This will save billions of dollars that are currently being spent  by the government, hospitals and insurance companies when they are forced to pick up the tab for those who have no insurance and cannot afford to pay for their medical bills.

Romney:  Wants to keep some parts of the Affordable Healthcare Act, but eliminate the remainder.  He believes that the marketplace and state governments will voluntarily continue to provide coverage for children up to age 26 and health care for those who are uninsured.  He wants individuals with pre-existing conditions to be covered, but only if they already have had continuous coverage.  He wants states to receive block grants to cover Medicaid for the poor in the way that they believe will work best in their states.

Obama vs Romney on Other Issues

There are, of course, other issues that are important to seniors, including caregiving, job training, tax programs and economic growth.  However, these issues are more difficult to compare because one side or the other has been vague about providing specific information about how they would address these problems.  I believe there is no point in publishing vague statements such as "I want to provide more economic growth," or "I want to lower taxes for the middle class" if there are few specifics about exactly how these programs will be paid for and implemented.  Instead I preferred to limit the scope of this post to the stands the candidates have taken on a few issues important to retirees and the specific information the candidates have provided.

You may also be interested in reading:

Your Retirement Money and the Fed Decision
Pros and Cons of Social Security Privatization
Important Medicare Tips for Boomers
How the Affordable Healthcare Act Affects You
How to Access Your Social Security Information Online

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

Electoral college map courtesy of www.en.wikipededia.com/commons

International Travel Warnings and Alerts

Years ago, in the early 1980’s, my husband and I took our children and a teenage babysitter to Jamaica on vacation.  We stayed at a luxurious hotel with a spacious, open-air entry that was undergoing extensive repairs when we arrived. Marble tiles were being removed and replaced throughout the lobby.

After asking several employees about the repairs, one bell boy finally admitted to us that an anti-government revolutionary group had come into the hotel the week before and shot a number of people in the lobby.  Needless to say, this put a real damper on our vacation!  In those days, before the internet, it was not easy to get travel advisories before taking a vacation, so we knew nothing about the political unrest until we arrived.

A few years prior to that frightening trip to Jamaica, we took a trip to Cancun, Mexico, and arrived just as a hurricane was passing by.  Although this trip was only marginally affected by the hurricane (our hotel lost electricity for about 12 hours), it would have been nice to know about the hurricane before we left the United States.

Where to Get Travel Warnings

Today, anyone planning a trip abroad can get up-to-date travel warnings before making their reservations by going to the State Department travel website at: http://travel.state.gov/travel

When the State Department issues a travel warning, they do so because they believe that a long-term situation exists in certain countries which could make it dangerous or unstable to visit those locations.  In those situations, they recommend Americans avoid traveling to those spots.  It may also mean that the U.S. government has a limited ability to assist American citizens who choose to visit the countries because the embassy or consulate may have been closed or is operating with minimal staff.

The list of countries is extensive, but currently includes:  Pakistan, Libya, North Korea, Guinea, Mali, the West Bank and Gaza areas of Israel, Iraq, Congo, Kenya, Afghanistan, Haiti, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen, Colombia and parts of Mexico, as well as a number of other countries.  Of course, if you are traveling to those countries on government business, your situation is different. If you are considering traveling to undeveloped or dangerous countries or, even more importantly, retiring abroad, you will want to check the U.S. State Department website regularly.

The Difference Between Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts

Sometimes, rather than issue a travel warning, our government issues a travel alert.  When the government issues travel alerts, they are letting you know about short-term conditions that could pose significant risks to the security of American citizens.  The type of risks involved include natural disasters, such as hurricanes, high profile events such as major sporting competitions or international conferences, as well as recent or anticipated terrorist attacks and coups.  Since there are no active hurricanes or coups taking place as I write this, there are no current travel alerts to report.  However, a wise traveler would check out the travel alerts as well as the travel warnings before taking an international trip because both lists can change quickly.

With easy access to government websites on our computers and smart phones, no American citizen should experience the shock of arriving in a country in the middle of an uprising or just prior to a hurricane.  Although not all dangerous travel situations can be avoided, traveling is more pleasant when we can avoid major disasters and political unrest.

If you are interested in more tips about travel, where to retire in the United States or abroad, financial planning, common medical issues or changing family relationships, use the tab or pull-down menu at the top of this page to find links to hundreds of helpful articles.

You may also be interested in reading:

Best Places to Retire Outside the US

Americans Retiring in Panama

Independent Travel vs. Guided Vacations

Retiring in Luxury to Hua Hin, Thailand

Live in Ecuador Comfortably on Social Security

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

Photo courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Green Valley Arizona Retirement Communities

Green Valley, Arizona has been a popular retirement area for nearly fifty years.  The first age restricted retirement community in the United States, Sun City, was built here in the 1960’s, and more have been developed in the area since that time.  

Why Green Valley Appeals to Retirees

Green Valley has a warm, sunny climate and a fairly low cost of living, which makes it an appealing location for many retirees.

Green Valley is located approximately twenty miles south of Tucson, Arizona, and 40 miles north of Nogales, Mexico.  Currently made up of about 59 Homeowners Associations, this charming area at the foot of the Santa Rita Mountains occupies 26.3 square miles and has a population of about 20,000 – 25,000 residents.  Most of the homeowner’s associations are restricted to individuals and couples with at least one person over the age of 55 in the household.  However, there are a few homeowners’ associations that are designed to allow families of all ages.

Green Valley, Arizona is one of the largest retirement communities in the world.  Median home prices in the area range from about $100,000 to $200,000, although luxury homes can sell for $600,000 or more.  Green Valley Recreation operates thirteen recreation centers in the community that include golf courses, fitness centers, swimming pools and similar facilities.  The winter months are quite temperate, with an occasional hard freeze at night; in the summer it can be extremely hot during the day.  After all, it is located in the Arizona desert!

Green Valley is a popular location for snow birds who choose to spend their winters in this high desert community.  Short term rentals are available, many of them in the $1,000 to $2,000 price range, although a few can be found both above and below that range.

Concerns about Green Valley

Retirees who are planning to move to Green Valley should confirm the current status of the water problems that have been a serious worry for the residents and businesses located in this area.

In a 2007 report, Pima County expressed concern about the water supply for Green Valley.  In fact, the report concluded that water supplies will be critical by 2017.  This is because of local mining operations, agriculture, golf courses and residential usage.  However, since 2007 steps have been taken to join with the US Bureau of Reclamation to transport and use Colorado River water and reduce the local reliance on excessive pumping from the aquifer.  It is hoped that these efforts will resolve the water crisis.

In addition, another concern is that the crime rate is considered somewhat high in Green Valley, particularly because of the drugs and illegal aliens that have infiltrated the area.  However, although the overall crime rate for the area is high, residents of many of the gated, age-restricted communities do not see crime as a serious local problem.

The final issue that could concern some retirees is that the nearest hospitals are in Tucson, about 24 miles away.

Bottom Line on Green Valley Retirement Communities

This has long been a popular area with retirees, and members of the local residential and business communities are working to resolve the ongoing water problems.  However, before buying a home in this area, you will want to do research on whether or not you should expect water rationing or other limitations on your water usage.  If you are concerned about crime, you may also want to live in one of the many gated communities in the area.

For more information on where to retire in the United States or abroad, common medical problems, financial planning and changing family relationships, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this page to find links to hundreds of additional useful articles.

If you are looking for a good place to retire, you may also want to read:

Great Places to Retire in the Northern US

The Best Sunny Places to Retire

Cheap Places to Retire

The Villages Active Adult Community in Florida

Laguna Woods Village Active Adult Community 

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

Photo of Green Valley golf cart path courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.com/commons