The Forbes List of Top Retirement Cities

Forbes Magazine periodically comes out with their choices for the best cities for retirement.  In 2013, the criteria they used was based on finding cities that had a low cost of living, low taxes, and low crime.  They also looked for cities with easy access to medical facilities, a wide selection of outdoor activities and plenty of  volunteer opportunities.  In addition, they considered the climate of their different choices, although they took into account the fact that many people do not want to move to a new region of the country and not everyone considers the Sun Belt to be essential to a happy retirement.  Therefore, some of the cities on the list are in the northern United States, in locations that get harsh winter weather.

On this particular list, Forbes did not take into consideration the local economy, which could be an important factor for those Baby Boomers who hope to work after retirement.  Consequently, be aware that some of these location may have high unemployment rates.

Forbes looked at 400 cities before coming up with their list.  Here are their top retirement choices:

Forbes List of Top Cities for Retirement

Alexandria, Louisiana
Athens, Georgia
Austin, Texas
Bangor, Maine
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Billings, Montana
Columbia, Missouri
Fargo, North Dakota
Huntsville, Alabama
Mesa, Arizona
Orlando, Florida
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

If you want to read more details about the criteria used in coming up with this list, you can read the full article at:  http://finance.yahoo.com/news/the-best-places-to-retire-in-2013

More Commentary about the Forbes List of Top Retirement Cities

The median home price in these cities ranged from a low of $127,000 in Bangor, Maine to a high of $208,000 in Austin, Texas, which means that retirees in a variety of financial situations should be able to find an affordable city on the list.  In fact, some retirees who have a lot of equity in their current home may even be able to pay cash for a small home in some of these towns.

One city that comes up over and over again on a wide variety of lists of popular places to retire is Austin, Texas.  For someone who is planning to retire in Texas, the area around Austin is certainly worth considering.  Just north of Austin is the popular retirement community of Sun City - Texas, which I discussed in another blog post a few months ago.  Although the median home price in Austin is above average for the United States, and at the top of the Forbes list, this city is a fun place to live.  It has a thriving music industry and numerous recreational lakes in the area.  Austin is the state capital of Texas and is also home to the University of Texas.  In addition there are several other small colleges in the area, such as Southwestern University in nearby Georgetown, where Sun City - Texas is located.  It is also worth mentioning that Texas has no state income tax, although property taxes are higher than in many other states.  (When we moved from Texas to California, we discovered that our property taxes were only half as much per $100,000 in home value in California than they had been in Texas.  This offset the state income taxes we now pay in California.)

Another city I wanted to specifically mention is Columbia, Missouri.  I grew up in Missouri and attended the University of Missouri at Columbia.  It is a charming small city in a beautiful state with gorgeous hardwood forests and rolling hills.  Missouri is also centrally located for people who want to live in the Midwest region of the United States.  From Missouri it is an easy drive to a number of other states, including Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, Kentucky, and Tennessee.  The downside to living in Missouri is the extreme weather.  Temperatures can climb to the upper 90's, with high humidity, in the summer.  Freezing temperatures and snow are not uncommon in the winter.  In addition, some of the other cities in Missouri are not as charming as Columbia.  For example, St. Louis has had one of the higher crime rates in the United States during the past few years.

Orlando, Florida is the ideal city for people who love theme parks.  Orlando is home to Disney World as well as many other amusement parks and recreational facilities.  You could never be bored in this active area.  Like Texas, Florida also has the advantage of no state income tax.  I have relatives who live in Orlando and they love it.  The cost of living and home prices are quite low, with a median home price of about $135,000.  Small retirement homes can be purchased for even less.  Winters are beautiful, although it can occasionally get down to near freezing.  On the other hand, summertime temperatures can be quite hot.  Most retirement communities in the area have swimming pools, golf courses and other amenities, so this can be a very desirable area to retire.

There are cities on this list in almost every region of the United States except the western states of California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Nevada.  The closest cities to the western region are Mesa, Arizona in the south and Billings, Montana in the north.  Hopefully, next year Forbes will add some desirable locations to live out west!

There is much more information you will want to consider before choosing a place to retire.  Consequently, you may want to check out the topics below.  Each of these links will connect you to a number of articles on these topics.  You may be especially interested in viewing "Great Places to Retire in the United States."

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States 

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement
 

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

Photo of Austin City Park courtesy of www.morguefile.com

How to Pass on Your Digital Assets When You Die

An e-book is one example of a digital asset.

For those Baby Boomers who are writing e-books, own personal domain names, store their photos on sites like Flickr, or earn an income by producing content for sites like InfoBarrel, Hubpages or Squidoo, what happens to those digital assets when you die?  In addition, do you know if you can pass on your expensive ITune collection, gaming avatars, or your email and Facebook accounts?

The law is still murky regarding many of these issues.  As a result, it is important that people understand the current rules regarding these digital assets, and take steps to protect these assets if they are important to you.  This article will certainly need to be updated from time to time, as laws change.

How to Pass on E-books You Own or Have Written

According to a Time Magazine article in the February 11, 2013 issue, Kindle books can be willed to your heirs.  This is true whether you have purchased them and downloaded them to your Kindle device or whether you have written them and you are receiving royalties.

However, the issue is vague with regards to other types of ebooks.  This will become a serious problem in the future since, at this time, approximately one out of every four books that are sold in the United States are e-books.  Some people have already accumulated hundreds of books on their devices and they want to pass their "library" to their heirs, just as people in the past were able to leave their library of books to their heirs.  In addition, there are a number of authors who have gotten their start by writing e-books, and some of these books produce a substantial income for the family.  They will also want their heirs to benefit from the royalties on these books. Watch for laws to be written in the coming years to clarify this matter so that these downloaded e-books can be willed and/or book royalties can continue to support families after the original author is deceased.

How to Transfer Domain Names

Some domain names are worth millions of dollars.  Even those that are less valuable can be important to the small family business or individual who owns the domain name.  If the domain name is registered with Go Daddy, it can be transferred to your heirs within 24 hours, but only if the paperwork is in order.  Anyone who owns a domain name should check with the registrar of that domain to make sure that both they and their heirs know how to transfer the name upon your death.  All of the big registrars have already had to deal with this issue, and they have well established rules for handling it.

Vague Laws Regarding On-line Writing Sites

A few months ago I saw a tragic letter in the forum of a writing site.  A woman said that she was dying of cancer and she wanted all of her articles removed from the site.  Another writer on the site suggested that the company simply transfer the articles that she had written to the social security number of a family member.  This particular woman declined the suggestion, stating that none of her heirs were interested in learning how to use the site.  However, this forum exchange did make me realize that we all need to make sure that our heirs know how to gain access to our online libraries, and be able to contact the site administrators to send them copies of our wills and death certificates, should our untimely death occur.  The income from these assets could provide an additional income to our family members for years after our death.  However, it remains vague whether the sites will allow the royalties from these assets to be transferred to heirs, even if it is what you wish.  Again, watch for laws in coming years which will either allow these assets to be passed on or require them to remain as the property of the writing sites.  The legal system will undoubtedly have to clarify whether these assets are the property of the author or the site where they are published.

One of the writers at InfoBarrel recently asked the owners of that site what she had to do to pass her articles to someone else.  They answered that they did not have "anything in place for that yet."  They went on to say "it would probably be up to the user's estate to let us know what to do with the account" and they suggested that "they put any transfer instructions in their will."  From this it appears that InfoBarrel, at least, will allow you to transfer the library of articles you have written to a relative, as long as you make your wishes clear in your will and your estate submits your instructions to the site owners.  (See the next section about using a Revocable Trust for this purpose.)


2013 Update:  Google has launched a new feature that will let you assign your Google accounts, such as Google Adsense, G-mail, and your other digital assets, upon your death.  You can choose to either have them inactivated or assign them to another person.  It is called "Inactive Account Manager."  Look for it on your Google Account settings page.  This is a huge step in the right direction!  I have had articles that still earn me Google Adsense income years after I wrote them.  I would love to be able to pass this income to my husband or daughters after I die.  Hopefully, other online sites will follow Google's lead.

Using a Revocable Trust to Pass On Your Online Business

Whether you realize it or not, your e-books, domain names, blogs and online articles for writing sites constitute a business.  Therefore, you may want to ask your attorney to include a page in your trust entitled "Assignment of Business Interest."  In this document, you want a statement to the effect that you are transferring "all rights, title and interest in the business entity known as (your pen name) including the goodwill, accounts receivable, equipment .... and all other assets of the business."  The purpose of this document is to notify the trustee that you have potential income from your online business that will need to be collected and dispersed per the terms of your trust.  You should list all of your business ID's on this document so the trustee knows the names of the businesses that send you earnings.  Make sure the trustee also has a list of companies where he or she will need to send your death certificate and other documentation so the trust can continue to accept and disperse the income from your online business.  This is the simplest way to handle your online digital assets.

Giving Your Heirs Your iTunes Collection

If you have spent hundreds or thousands of dollars on your iTunes collection, someday your heirs might want to enjoy your music selections, as well.  In the past, family members often loved to inherit their relative's album collection.  Today, however, passing on digital music collections is more complicated.  According to the Time Magazine article, Apple's current stance is that "we do not have a policy to will or inherit an iTunes collection."  Your best bet is to will your iPod to your favorite family member.  However, your heirs will probably not be able to transfer your music to their own devices at this time.  Once your iPod or MP3 player ceases to work, your collection of music will be lost.

Sharing Photos with Your Heirs

Many people are now storing their photographs on sites like Flickr, SmugMug and Instagram.  Flickr is owned by Yahoo which states that the photo file accounts can be transferred to someone else, as long as that person has written consent and the password.  Without those, survivors can only ask that the contents of the account be deleted.  If you want to make sure that your photos outlive you, your best advice is to order prints of your favorite photos and use them to put together photo albums that you give your family members.  You may also want to store your photos on your home computer.   If you do use sites like Flickr, make sure that someone else has your password and knows how to access the photos.  Personally, I am a firm believer in sharing my photos with family members as often as possible, either through Facebook or by giving them gifts of photo albums and framed photos.

Transferring Other Digital Assets

If you have Facebook, Twitter, email and other social media or digital asset accounts, and you want your family members to have continued access to these sites after your death, you need to put that information in writing and give your heirs your passwords, public IDs, and any other information you have that would make access easier. You should also give them your written consent to have access to your account.  Even these actions will not guarantee them access on all sites, but it will make it easier to pass on these assets on the sites that allow it.

Meanwhile, watch for some upcoming court cases and changes in the laws.  As more and more of us age while owning valuable digital assets, new laws are likely to be written to clarify some of the murky rules regarding their transfer.


If you are interested in reading more about issues you need to consider as you reach retirement age, you may want to check out the topics below.  Each of these links will connect you to a number of articles of these topics.  You may be especially interested in the articles under "Money and Financial Planning for Retirement."

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


Information about the laws regarding the transferability of digital assets was from the Tech column in Time Magazine, February 11, 2013, pgs. 54-55.

Information regarding Infobarrel was from their forum: http://www.infobarrel.com/forum-topic.php?id=9993&page=2 

Information regarding the use of a revocable trust to pass on the income from your online assets was provided by a California attorney.  Your state laws may differ, so it is highly recommended that you seek out legal advice in your home state.  

This article is not intended to replace the legal advice of your attorney.  In addition, new laws regarding the transfer of digital assets are currently being debated in state legislatures across the nation, and some of the issues mentioned here may be expected to change during the coming years.



You are reading from the blog:  http://Baby-Boomer-Retirement.blogspot.com

Photo of the book cover for author's e-book, "Your Guide to a Fabulous Las Vegas Wedding," courtesy of Amazon.com

Golf Cart Friendly Retirement Communities

The other day, while relaxing at our local Starbucks just outside one of the gates to our community, a golf cart with a surfboard tied to the roof pulled into the parking lot.  Although the surfboard was an unique accessory, it is not unusual to see golf carts in the parking lot of our local Starbucks, the grocery store, the pharmacy, neighborhood restaurants and the Home Depot.  Even golf carts that are not officially "street legal" are able to use the streets inside our gated community, as well as access the parking lots of local businesses.  There are special golf cart paths and parking spaces around many of our community facilities, including the horse stables.

The use of golf carts within the walls of over-55 communities is an amenity that is rarely mentioned in the brochures for these gated communities.  However, they are a wonderful benefit to many people, even those who never play golf.

Advantages of Owning a Golf Cart after Retirement

Many people in states like California and Florida have discovered that they can legally operate a golf cart within their retirement communities, even if they have lost their driver's license due to health or other issues.  This enables seniors to maintain their independence, visit friends, access the clubhouses and do their grocery shopping whenever they want, without relying on buses, taxis or friends.

Residents have also discovered that operating a golf cart is much less expensive than owning a car.  They can purchase a used golf cart for under $1000; a new one can cost from about $5,600 to $10,000 or more if you want something really fancy.  Accessories can include radios, custom paint jobs, and plastic enclosures to protect you from the weather.  You can also upgrade to features that will make your golf cart street legal, including turn signals, seat belts and brake lights.

Residents charge the electric carts overnight for very little money.  Every few years, depending on how often you use it, you will need to replace the batteries.  This can cost about $600 to $700.   Even with this maintenance cost, operating a golf cart can cost far less than operating a car.  Some people may choose to purchase a gas powered golf cart, which can still be operated for significantly less money than the typical gas powered car.

Golf carts are considered environmentally friendly for people who want to have a minimal impact on the world around them.

In addition, owning your own golf cart is fun for people who actually use them on the golf course!

Golf Cart Accessible Communities

A number of retirement communities around the United States have been planned with the idea of making them golf cart accessible.  Here are a few examples:

Laguna Woods Village
Orange County, California

Timber Pines Retirement Community
Spring Hill, Florida
(Has held the world record for its golf cart parade.)

The Villages
Central Florida
(This may be the largest golf-cart oriented community in the world.)

Sun City Center
South of Tampa, Florida

Ball Ground
North of Atlanta, Georgia
(Allows golf carts on some of its streets)

Naturally, nearly all gated communities that have private golf courses will also permit residents to drive their golf carts on the streets.  Without this ability, the residents could not get their carts to the golf course!

If you are aware of other specific golf cart friendly communities that may interest our readers, please feel free to mention them in the comments section of this article.

If you are interested in reading about different retirement communities, as well as obtaining additional retirement information, check out these topics.  Each link below will connect you to a number of articles on that topic.  You may be particularly interested in viewing "Great Places to Retire in the United States."

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


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

Photo of golf carts in a parking lot courtesy of www.morguefile.com

Meritage Homes Adult Communities in Arizona

Are you looking for affordable retirement communities in Arizona? One respected builder is Meritage Homes.  This homebuilder has been listed by Fortune Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in America.   Forbes Magazine has also included them in their list of the best big companies in America. Meritage has four active adult communities in the state of Arizona, and one of them may be just right for you.

Energy Star Retirement Homes

Meritage Homes pride themselves for their energy efficient, 100% Energy Star certified homes.  According to their estimates, homeowners can save as much as 80% on their utility costs.  This can be an important factor to people who are worried about the cost of air conditioning in the Arizona desert.

In order to achieve these phenomenal savings, Meritage homes have Energy Star-Certified Appliances, water-efficient faucets and showerheads, Low-E coatings on vinyl windows to reduce energy loss, programmable thermostats, a minimum SEER 14 heating and air conditioning system, and Low-VOC paints and finishes (to reduce indoor air pollution)

Meritage Homes are also well-priced.  When combined with the exceptional energy savings, many couples living on Social Security will find these homes are are quite affordable.  In fact, Meritage frequently brings up their desire to turn renters into homeowners.

Active Adult Communities in Arizona by Meritage Home Builders

Currently, there are four active adult communities that Meritage has developed in Arizona.  The homes in these communities are currently priced in the $145,000 to $235,000 price range. 

Province in Maricopa, Arizona

Province is a guard gated community with 50 acres of lakes as well as greenbelts and a 32,000 square foot clubhouse with a library, ballroom and fitness center.  There is also a 5,000 square foot heated resort style pool.  Although there is no golf course inside the community, the Duke at Rancho El Dorado is just a short drive away.

Homes vary in size from 1214 to 2419 square feet, with prices ranging from $144,900 to $212,900.  Of course, all the home prices quoted in this article are base prices.  If you enjoy adding expensive upgrades to your home, you could actually spend a bit more.  In addition, you will want to find out about the cost of your homeowner's dues.  The amenities in these communities are charged to the residents in the form of a monthly HOA fee.  You will need to take that into consideration when you are planning your budget.

Mission  Royale in Casa Grande, Arizona

Like other Meritage Home communities, Mission Royale has a gorgeous recreation center with an exercise room, a billiards room, library, card rooms, and a ballroom.  This community also has a golf course, tennis courts, swimming pools and a spa.

The homes vary from 1214 to 2032 square feet, and the base prices of the homes range from $154,900 to $205,900.  Like other Meritage homes, these houses are also specifically designed to be energy efficient.

While the home prices are moderate and the homes are designed to have low utility bills, the homeowner's dues in golf communities are typically higher than they are in neighborhoods that do not have a golf course.  Make sure you know what your monthly dues will be.  In addition, if you enjoy playing golf, find out if you will need to pay additional greens fees.  These can add up if you play golf several times a week.

Sundance At Buckeye in Buckeye, Arizona

The lovely retirement community of Sundance also has outstanding amenities including golf, swimming, tennis courts, a clubhouse with card rooms, a ballroom and a fitness center.  There are also pickle ball courts, a billiards room and numerous clubs and activities.

Despite the abundant amenities, the homes at Sundance are particularly affordable, with prices ranging from $157,900 to $191,900. 

Potential residents will want to check out possible extra fees, including HOA dues and greens fees.

Las Campanas at Green Valley, Arizona

This community has several golf courses and swimming pools with spas.  The community also offers three art exhibit galleries, racquetball courts, fitness centers, tennis courts, a woodworking shop, billiard rooms, meeting rooms, bocce ball courts, numerous clubs, and much more.

Home prices range from 1238 to 2287 square feet, with prices from $158,900 to $230,900.

Green Valley has been mentioned before on this blog as an area of Arizona that has had water shortages, although the community is aggressively working on a water reclamation plan and on some other potential solutions to try to alleviate the situation.  However, you may want to read my blog post "Green Valley Arizona Retirement Communities" before you make a final decision on this community.  Fortunately, if you still have concerns about water issues in Green Valley, there are other excellent Meritage Active Adult retirement communities in Arizona.

Again, make sure you are aware of the HOA dues and greens fees before you make a final decision on this, or any other, retirement community.

Sources for Information


Prices, square footage and amenities are based on figures given on the website for Meritage Homes.  Get more information on all of these communities at: http://www.meritagehomes.com/search/active-adult-az/

If you are looking for more retirement information, check out the topics below.  Each link below will connect you to a number of articles on that topic:

Gifts, Travel and Family Relationships

Great Places for Boomers to Retire Overseas

Great Places to Retire in the United States 

Health and Medical Topics for Baby Boomers 

Money and Financial Planning for Retirement


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

Photo of Green Valley, Arizona courtesy of www.en.wikipedia.com/commons