How to Draw Down Retirement Assets

As you approach your retirement, one of the first things you may wonder is how to draw down your assets.  How much money can you take out of your IRA, Roth IRA, 401(k) or other savings, investments and liquid assets, and still feel confident that your money will last the rest of your life?  What laws will affect the amount of your withdrawal?  What asset withdrawal system will work the best for you?

Start with a Retirement Budget

The first thing you need to do is carefully list all of your current expenses and come up with an accurate budget.  Next, go through the budget and adjust it to account for any expenses that you believe will be higher or lower after you retire.

For example, if your employer currently pays for your medical insurance, or you have a company car, those expenses may be higher after you retire.

On the other hand, if you currently pay high individual insurance premiums and you plan to use a Medicare Advantage Plan with low premiums after retirement, your medical expenses may be lower.  In addition, if you have high fuel and auto costs due to a long commute, those expenses will be reduced, too.

Don't forget to include the cost of hobbies and travel during your retirement year.  Owning a boat or traveling extensively can add a substantial amount to your retirement costs.

Obtain Accurate Estimates of Your Pensions and Social Security Benefits

Once you have estimated your expenses, you will need to get an accurate estimate of what you will receive in pensions and Social Security benefits.  You should be able to obtain this information from your pension plan administrator and from the Social Security administration.

Compare your retirement expenses to your retirement income.

If there is a gap (and for most people there will be), you will either need to downsize or fill that gap from your liquid assets.

What is the best strategy for doing that?

Required Minimum Distribution Rules

If your assets are in an IRA, you are required to draw minimum amounts from your account once you turn 70 1/2.  The amount you must withdraw is calculated based on your life expectancy, using factors listed in IRS Publication 590.  The owner of an IRA simply divides their total year-end portfolio balance by the life expectancy factor listed for their age.  Each year you will need to repeat this process.  The amount you must withdraw will vary depending on your age and the success of your investments.  The withdrawal percentage increases as you age.

According to Kiplinger's Retirement Report for May, 2015, this strategy out-performs other systems for drawing down your assets.  In addition, if most of your assets are in a traditional IRA, this is the strategy that you are required by law to follow.

Spending Only the Portfolio's Interest and Dividends

For those retirees who have their money invested outside traditional IRA's, in a Roth IRA or investment account, for example, they may hope to leave the principal to their heirs.  As a result, they may decide to only use the portfolio's interest and dividends for their personal expenses.

There are two potential risks with this type of asset withdrawal plan:

1.  They might not have enough interest and dividends to meet their needs.
2.  They might choose stocks based only on their dividends, rather than on whether they are good long-term investments with growth potential.

However, assuming you do not have either of those problems, this system works well for people who hope to leave an estate to their loved ones or to a favorite charity.

The Four Percent Withdrawal Rule

Another option that is simple to follow is for the retiree to simply withdraw 4 percent of their liquid assets the first year and then increase that base amount by three percent of the withdrawal amount each year, to account for inflation.  In other words, if you have $100,000 in assets, you would withdraw $4,000 the first year, $4,120 the second year, $4,243 the third year, etc.

With this plan, it is very unlikely that you would outlive your assets.  Even with only a tiny return on your investments, they should about 25 years.  If you started at age 65, your assets would last until age 90.  If you receive an average return over the years, your assets could last much longer.

However, if you were hoping to leave money to your heirs, it is possible that you would draw down all your assets and there would be nothing left.  If returns remain very low during that period of time and you lived well past the age of 100, it is also possible that you could outlive your assets.

How Should You Draw Down Your Assets?

One factor you will need to consider is how large your retirement deficit is and which asset withdrawal plan will best fill that gap. 

That is why you need to start with a reasonable budget first.  If you know that your gap is going to be larger than you can fill using any of the asset draw-down systems, you may need to make some adjustments to your lifestyle ... perhaps moving to a smaller residence, paying off your mortgage or other bills before retiring, or making additional adjustments.

With adequate retirement savings and a little financial planning, you should be able to retire and not spend your "Golden Year" fretting over your finances.

If you are looking for more retirement ideas, including financial planning, where to retire, medical issues and family relationships, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article.  They will connect you to hundreds of additional retirement articles.

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TIA Mini Strokes - Transient Ischemic Attacks

Recently, I was shocked to learn that a good friend of mine had experienced three mini strokes, also known as TIA's or Transient Ischemic Attacks, in the past four months.  When she told me what happened, she described her first TIA this way:

She was discussing a new project with her boss when, inexplicably, she realized that nothing her boss was telling her made sense, even though my friend was familiar with the project and knew she should understand what was being said.  She asked her boss to write the details down for her and then she left the room.  Although she could walk and talk, looked normal and was even able to cover up her confusion, she still realized that she couldn't understand most of what was being said to her.  She went outside and sat on a bench outside her office building.  A few minutes later, a co-worker came out to check on her and realized there was a problem.  They called an ambulance.  Her confusion gradually passed and she was feeling much better by the time she reached the hospital.  She was shocked to learn that she had experienced a mini-stroke or TIA.

Our conversation completely stunned me, especially when she told me that it has happened twice more since that first event, despite the fact that she is being treated for the condition.  This woman has a high powered job as the supervisor over a number of employees in a California state department.  She is normally assertive and comes across as self-confident and capable.  I was shocked to hear that something like this had happened to her.  I was equally surprised to hear that she was able to hide it from her superior, while she was in the middle of experiencing a TIA.  Is it possible someone else I am with in the future could experience a TIA, and I would not even recognize it?

I realized how important it is to learn the symptoms so I would recognize them, should this ever happen to me or someone I am with.

Facts about TIA - Transient Ischemic Attacks

*  A TIA has similar symptoms to a major stroke, but they usually last only a few minutes and cause no permanent damage.

*   Like a major stroke, TIAs are typically caused by a build-up of plaque in your arteries which can release a blood clot that blocks the blood supply to part of your brain.  In a TIA, the blockage is temporary so the symptoms pass quickly.

*  About one-third of the people who have a TIA will eventually have a major stroke.  In about half of those cases, it will happen within a year.

*  TIAs are sometimes regarded as a warning of an impending stroke.

Risk Factors for TIAs

*  Some risk factors you cannot avoid: being over age 55, being male, being black, having sickle cell disease, or having a personal or family history of strokes or TIAs.  My friend is a 59 year old white female, so it is obvious that people who don't fit the typical "profile" can also experience a TIA.

*  Certain lifestyle choices can make you more susceptible to TIAs: smoking, heavy drinking, poor diet, lack of exercise, illegal drug use (particularly cocaine), or using birth control pills.  My friend does not smoke, drink or use illegal drugs.  She still experienced a TIA.

*  There are other risk factors that you can treat to lower your risk: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, peripheral artery disease, obesity, carotid artery disease, or high levels of homocysteine. My friend has lost weight, but did have a history of obesity and was pre-diabetic, both of which could have contributed to her TIA.

As you can see, almost anyone can have a mini stroke.  Even if you do not think you are at risk, you should still pay attention to any symptoms you might experience.


Symptoms of TIA Mini Strokes

*  You may experience weakness or numbness on one side of your face, or in one arm or leg.

*  Your speech may be blurred or garbled.  You may also have trouble understanding what other people say.  (This was the only symptom that my friend experienced, and that was frightening enough.)

*  You may experience temporary blindness in one or both eyes, or double-vision.

*  You may feel dizzy or uncoordinated.

Remember, like my friend, you may only experience one of these symptoms.  Even if your symptoms seem mild and go away after a few minutes, it is important that you see a doctor right away in order to prevent a major stroke.

Treatment for Transient Ischemic Attacks

After a variety of tests to diagnose the cause of your TIA, your doctor will choose a treatment regimen for you. Below are some of the common treatment plans:

*  Anti-platelet drugs such as aspirin, Plavix or Aggrenox.

*  Anti-coagulants such as Coumadin, Warfarin or Heparin.

*  Carotid surgery to clear out the plaques.

*  Angioplasty or the insertion of a stent in your carotid artery.


For additional information, you may want to read this article from the Mayo Clinic:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/transient-ischemic-attack/basics/definition/con-20021291

For more information on retirement and aging, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of helpful articles on other health issues you could experience, financial planning, where to retire and changing family relationships.

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The Baby Boomer Body Maintenance Plan

The majority of Baby Boomers are looking forward to living longer than previous generations.  In fact, I have read that if you are healthy at age 65, the average person can look forward to living well into their 80's. Information about increasing our longevity seem to be everywhere.

Unfortunately, the longer we live, the more likely we are to deal with some of the difficulties of having an aging body ... poor eyesight, deafness, hair loss, weight gain, osteoporosis, heart disease and, perhaps the biggest worry of all, mental decline.

With a little forethought and "maintenance," however, most people will be able to minimize these problems or, at the very least, postpone them longer than they may have thought possible.

You might be surprised to know that our body actually starts to decline long before we realize it.  As a result, you are never too young to begin taking better care of it.  The longer you can postpone health issues, the more likely it is that you will enjoy good health when you reach your 70's and 80's.

As a result, it was with great interest that I read an article titled "Stretch Your Timeline" in the March 2, 2015 issue of "Time" magazine.  In this article, they explained when different systems in our body begin to break down and how to slow down the process.  Below I have summarized their findings so we can all create our own personal body maintenance plan.

How to Maintain Your Body

Skin - I was shocked to learn that the collagen and elastin in our body begin to decline at a rate of about 1% a year starting at age 18.  Every teenager who is considering cooking herself in the sun or in a tanning salon should know about this.  In addition to protecting your skin with sunscreen, no one should start smoking if they hope to have nice skin later in life.  One worrisome issue that "Time" pointed out is that apparently some compact fluorescent light bulbs can also damage the skin.

Lungs - We begin to lose about 1% of our lung function per year starting at age 30.  Exercise will slow down the process and, although "Time" didn't specifically mention this, I'm sure this is another reason to avoid smoking.

Bones - By age 35, our bone mass begins to decline at a rate of 1% a year.  Weight bearing exercise, including jumping up and down, can help maintain your bone mass.

Muscles - Once again, exercise can come to the rescue and slow down the muscle loss that is common after the age of 40.

Eyes - Another part of our body that begins to decline at age 40 are our eyes.  Smoking speeds this up, as well as sun exposure.  Don't smoke and wear good quality sunglasses whenever you are outside, even on an overcast day.

Kidneys - Around age 50, your kidney function will start to decline.  People who drink plenty of fluids are less likely to experience as much kidney decline ... so drink water every day.

Gut - By age 60, our gut starts to absorb fewer nutrients.  As a result, it becomes even more important that you begin to make sure you are eating nutrient dense, healthy foods and avoid empty calories.  Discuss with your doctor any vitamin shortages that come up in your blood work, and find out if you should be taking extra Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, or other vitamins and minerals.

Ears - Another issue that develops in our 60's is hearing loss.  In fact, one out of three people between the ages of 65 and 74 have measurable hearing loss.  I was shocked that there does not seem to be much you can do to avoid it, other than avoiding loud music and other loud sounds.

Heart - Heart disease usually begins to appear around the mid-60's.  However, it actually started back in our 20's or 30's, when our peak aerobic capacity began to decline at about 10% per decade.  While "Time" didn't mention anything specific to do in order to postpone the decline in the aerobic capacity of our hearts, we know that exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and eating healthy are all ways to extend the life expectancy of our heart.

Brain - If we do everything else, but lose our cognitive function, there is almost no point to having a healthy body.  Fortunately, the same activities that keep the rest of our body healthy will also benefit our brain ... avoid smoking, get exercise, and eat a healthy diet.  In addition, we need to keep our brain active by engaging in social activities and doing things that stimulate our brain ... playing games, working puzzles, or learning a foreign language are all good ideas.

If you want to learn more about how to take care of your aging body, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article.  They will connect you with hundreds of additional articles on medical information for Baby Boomers, where to retire, family relationships, travel and more.

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Livable Communities for Retirement

Since the vast majority of retirees make the decision to continue to live in their current home or, at the very least, their current neighborhood when they retire, many people wonder if this is the best choice for them.  Now, AARP has come up with a matrix to help senior citizens compare the livability of different neighborhoods around the United States and enable people to look up their own community, or another one that interests them, and see how different neighborhoods compare with each other and the national averages.  Comparing different neighborhoods has just become a whole lot easier!

What is a Livable Neighborhood?

Of course, livability means different things to different people.  As a result, AARP looked at sixty different factors including: availability of affordable housing (including apartments and condos), access to work and play, transportation, the environment, engagement, health, opportunity, access to jobs, and amenities.

The AARP List of Most Livable Neighborhoods

When they were done with their research, including surveying thousands of people over the age of 50, here was the AARP final list of the ten most livable neighborhoods in the United States.  They have narrowed it down, not just to cities, but specific neighborhoods within the cities:

Mifflin West, Madison, WI
Upper West Side, Manhattan, NY
Downtown Crossing, Boston
South of Market, San Francisco
Washburn, La Crosse, WI
Downtown Sioux Falls, S.D.
Southside, Virginia, Minnesota
Downtown Bismarck, N.D.
Downtown Seattle
Downtown Los Alamos, N.M.

Other Categories of Livable Places to Retire

Of course, relatively few people live in the communities mentioned above.  In addition, those neighborhoods might not be anywhere near where you currently live or where you would like to live.  As a result, AARP also came up with several other categories of livable places.  These were:

Most Livable Cities
Best Cities for Staying Healthy
Easiest Cities to Get Around
Best Cities for Date Night
Best Cities for Making New Friends

Furthermore, they broke those lists down into three sub-categories ... large, medium and small cities.

It interested me that there were several cities on more than one list.

How to Evaluate Your Community

Are you curious about how your community compares to others?  AARP allows anyone free access to their matrix.  Here is how to find out how your community ranks:

1.  Log into aarp.org/livabilityindex
2.  Enter your address or, if your prefer, just your zip code
3.  It will show your livability score in several categories, including housing, access to work and play, transportation, environment, health, engagement, opportunity.

You can click on the various categories to learn more about each one and how your community ranked in a number of areas.

When I did this with my own community of Laguna Woods Village, California, it was above the average in five categories and below average in two.  It ranked particularly high in health, partly because there are few smokers, few obese people and there is plenty of access to exercise and health care.

My community's overall score was about the same as that of Austin, Texas ... another popular retirement city.

AARP Featured Cities

At the bottom of the website mentioned above, you can click on Featured Cities and see the scores of most of the major cities in the United States.  By entering a zip code, as described above, you can find out the details of specific neighborhoods in those cities.

Enjoy this fabulous way to research the communities where you might want to retire.  It is a great way to evaluate every place in the United States you think you may want to live and will help you decide which livable communities are right for you!

If you are looking for more retirement information and ideas, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article to find links to hundreds of additional articles about retirement.

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Redesigning Death - Bring Joy to Your Final Days

While most of us do not want to think about it, we are all going to die.  It could happen at home, in a hospital or while out in public.  If we are lucky, we may have the time to say good-bye to our loved ones and spend time with them during the last few days of our lives.  However, death does not always come gradually.  Sometimes it happens with the speed of a heart attack or an auto accident. 

Most of us will have some type of funeral or memorial service; we will probably be interred in a cemetery or cremated, with our ashes distributed according to our instructions.  If we are leaving family and loved ones behind, there are likely to be sad relatives and lots of tears.  It all seems very simple, clear and preordained.  However, are there ways to change the feelings surrounding our death?

Death Redesigned

What if we could completely alter the process?  No, there is no way to prevent our death.  We may not even be able to predict when it will happen or postpone it.  However, with a little creativity, planning and forethought, we can change the way both we and our loved ones will experience our death.  What are some ways we can do that?

Plan the End of Your Life

One of the first things you can do is think about how you want to spend your final days, should you be given the opportunity to choose.  Do you want to die at home or in a hospital?  Would you prefer to cease treatment and get palliative, hospice care, instead?  Do you want your loved ones to be with you at the end?

What type of atmosphere do you want?  You can set the mood.  Do you want those last few days to be sad and tearful, or would you rather spend the time talking about all the happy memories of your life?

How to Change the Mood Surrounding Your Death

I love my children enough that it would break my heart to see them in tears while I was dying.  I would rather have them focus on the happy and funny experiences we have enjoyed together.  When I die, my goal will be to provide all the comfort I can to them.  What are some ways to do that?

1.  Put together photo albums to share with your loved ones at the end of your life.  Personalize them with photos of specific memories you had with each of them.  This could be a wonderful way to keep the conversation light and happy.  I went to a memorial service recently at which I was handed a DVD of the slide show about the deceased that was shown during the service.  The man had volunteered as a hospital clown through his church, and it was very touching to be able to play the DVD at home and see all the joy that had been part of his life.

2.  Write letters to the people you care about ... and it doesn't have to be only your family members.  One of our friends died of lung cancer a few years ago.  He owned a construction company and, during the last few weeks of his life, he wrote a letter to each of his sub-contractors, telling them how much he appreciated their years of service and giving them each one final payment.

I have also heard of parents who were dying far too young, who wrote a series of letters to their children that they could read each year on their birthdays.  The letters are usually meant to encourage them and include the things you would like to say to your children at each age.  In some cases, parents have even made DVDs for their children, so they can speak to them in a more personal way.

3.  After gifting - This was an idea I found in an article called "Death Redesigned," in the April 5, 2015 issue of The California Sunday Magazine.   You can arrange to have birthday gifts sent to family members for years after you die.  The gifts could even be something you made for each of them or a special item for a grandchild you have never met.  I think this is an especially caring thing to do if you are leaving behind young children.  It will bring them comfort to know that you were thinking of them and planning for them, even during the final few weeks of your life.

You don't have to limit yourself to family.  I recently read about a man in Great Britain who had a group of close friends that he would go with to the local pub.  He left them 3500 pounds (about $5000) so they could have a trip and a big party, at his expense.  This seemed like so much more fun for them than a terribly sad wake back at home.

4.  Messages from Beyond - The "Death Redesigned" article mentioned above also speculated about the idea of arranging for text messages to be sent to loved ones after your death.  This might work in some families; in others it might seem creepy or make it hard for them to move on.  Only you can decide whether this would be the right move for your family.  One of the points they made was how a widow would feel if she was on a date three years later and received a text message from her deceased husband.  If you decide to try this, make sure you write something loving and supportive; you will also not want these messages to go on for more than a few weeks or months. We all need to find a good time to let go of our loved ones.

5.  Share Your Story - So many times I have heard people say that they wished they had written down the stories that their grandparents shared about their lives.  Why don't you do it for your descendants?  Write down your memories and pass them on.  You can do something as simple as a typed document that you print out at home.  Or, you can get more elaborate and write it in book form, using a free service like Amazon's CreateSpace website.  They will produce paperback books that you and your family members can order for $5 or $6.  Order a couple of dozen of them yourself to be given out at your funeral.  Your descendants will appreciate knowing more about the lives of their ancestors and you will feel good knowing that your memories, experiences and dreams will not die with you.

One of our neighbors, who grew up in Korea before he and his wife moved to the United States, wrote a biography of their early years for his children and grandchildren. He also had extra copies printed out and gave them to his neighbors and friends.  I enjoyed reading about his early life and I am sure his descendants really appreciated the fact that he made the effort to do this.  

Taking Care of Your Will and Basic Funeral Plans

If you want to lighten the load on your family members, you will want to take care of all the basics, as well.  Make sure you have consulted with an attorney and written your will, trust, and advance directive.  Be sure you have put together a list of bank accounts, life-insurance policy numbers, user names and passwords for Facebook and other social media you use and put this information with your will.  In addition, you should give this information to the executor of your will.

You may also want to include any special instructions you have for where you want to be buried, specific requests for your funeral service, and any other messages you want to leave your loved ones.  We wrote a message to our daughters that we want them to read upon our death.

My husband and I have put together a notebook labeled "In The Event of Our Deaths."  We set it out whenever we are on a trip ... just in case something happens.  We have included copies of all our important information in our notebook, including copies of our will, special instructions, insurance information and anything else we thought would be helpful to them.  In addition, we made a copy of the information in this notebook and gave it to the daughters we chose to be our co-executors.  We wanted to make life as simple for them as possible.

While you may not want to do everything listed in this article, hopefully it will inspire you to redesign your own death in such a way that, while you cannot prevent your death, you feel as if you are going out on your own terms ... and that is the best any of us can do.

If you are looking for more information about aging and retirement, use the tabs or the pull-down menu at the top of this article to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

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Mortgage, No Mortgage, Reverse Mortgage or Rent?

Once you decide where you wish to live during your retirement, you need to consider how you will pay for your residence.  There are issues to consider no matter what you decide, and this article will give you an overview of some of your choices.  You might decide to get a traditional mortgage on your home, just as you have done during your working years. You could choose to pay cash for the home with savings or the equity from the last home you sold prior to moving into your retirement community.  You might decide to stay where you are and use a reverse mortgage to pay off your current debt and fund other retirement expenses.  Finally, you could choose to invest the proceeds of the last house you owned, and rent your retirement home.

Pros and Cons of Having a Mortgage on Your Retirement Home

*  Advantage: You can use the mortgage interest deduction to reduce the amount of income taxes you will pay.  This is especially useful for people who expect to pay high taxes, especially now that they will no longer have other types of deductions, such as business expenses.

*  Advantage:  Money that would have been put into a home, could be channeled into investments that would increase your income, instead.  This gives you the double advantage of increased tax deductions and increased retirement income.   This option is best for high net worth people with a large tax liability, who want to maximize their deductions.

*  Disadvantage:  Some people do not want to carry debt during their retirement.  It can cause them to experience additional stress and worry, especially if their finances are very tight.  They worry that something could happen to their investments and they would be unable to pay off their home.

Pros and Cons of Paying Cash for a Retirement Home

*  Advantage:  Many people feel more comfortable knowing that their home is paid off and they will have an inexpensive place to live, as long as they can pay the property taxes and insurance.

*  Advantage:  Many lower income retirees in moderately priced homes would not receive enough of a tax deduction to enable them to lower their tax liability more than if they simply filed using the standard deduction.  In fact, there is no tax benefit for some people who have a mortgage.  On the other hand, not having a mortgage makes them feel more financially secure.

*  Disadvantage:  When people pay cash for a home, most of their assets will be tied up in their house, which makes it more difficult for them to come up with cash in an emergency.  You do not want to pay cash for a house if it will use up all your cash assets, leaving you without any reserves.

Pros and Cons of Getting a Reverse Mortgage

*  Advantage:  People with a lot of equity in their home can use a reverse mortgage and use the money to pay off their traditional mortgage and/or use their home equity for other retirement expenses. 

*  Advantage:  You do not have to make payments or re-pay an reverse mortgage until you die, sell the home or move out.  If a couple lives in the home, however, it is important to make sure both of their names are on the reverse mortgage so that the loan does not have to be repaid until both of them have died, moved or decided to sell.

*  Disadvantage:  The equity in your home could be used up during the early years of your retirement, especially if you get the reverse mortgage soon after retiring, leaving you without an asset you can tap into during your later years.

*  Disadvantage:  You may not have any inheritance to leave your children.


Pros and Cons of Renting Your Retirement Home

*  Advantage:  Renting allows you to invest your savings and the proceeds from the sale of your last home in stocks, bonds, mutual funds or annuities, to maximize your retirement income.

*  Advantage:  Renters have the flexibility of quickly adjusting to changes in their financial situation or medical condition.  For those with serious health concerns, renting can make it much faster and easier to move into assisted living or a Continuing Care Retirement Community.  Upon death, it is often easier to probate the estate.

*  Advantage:  Renters in some areas may be able to pay far less in rent than they would in house payments.

*  Disadvantage:  Renters do not have the opportunity to participate in the increased equity they could receive during periods of real estate inflation.  They have to hope that this disadvantage is offset by rising values in their investments.

*  Disadvantage:  Renters who have investments may tap into them too easily, if they are not disciplined. This could lead to a decrease in their income later in life.

*  Disadvantage:  Renters do not have the advantage of reducing their income taxes by using the mortgage interest deduction.  They have to accept the standard deduction.  However, if their taxable income in low, a mortgage deduction may not be helpful to them, anyway.  This is often true for people who have most of their retirement assets in a Roth IRA or tax-free bonds, for example.

Bottom Line:  As you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages no matter which choice you make.  You have to know yourself.  Will you be more comfortable knowing that you own a house that is paid for?  There is a lot of value in that kind of peace-of-mind.  Or, would you feel more secure knowing that your money is invested and you have maximized your retirement income?  Do you feel comfortable with the idea of getting a reverse mortgage when the time comes that you need extra cash?  Would you like the flexibility of renting your retirement home?  Only you can decide which option will work the best for you.

Source:

"Cash vs. Mortgage? Here's How to Decide" by Marc D. Allan, Where to Retire Magazine, January/February 2015, pg. 32.

If you are looking for more information about where to retire, use the tabs or the pull-down list at the top of this article.  They will connect your to hundreds of additional, helpful articles on where to retire, financial planning, health concerns, family relationships and more.

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Affordable California Coastal Retirement Communities

Are you "California Dreaming," but believe that affordable housing, especially near the coast, is out of your reach?  Have your heard stories about all the multimillion dollar homes that you know are absolutely not going to be part of your retirement plan?  Certainly, the California coastal communities of Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Manhattan Beach, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Carmel and Monterey, to name a few, are far too expensive for the vast majority of retirees.

However, the idea of retiring in a cozy cottage or condo near the California coast is not impossible.  There are small towns, especially along the central California coast, where people are still able to find homes for under $500,000 ... and sometimes much less.  These are not ocean front homes, of course, but they are homes within ten or fifteen miles of the coast, where they are still in a temperate climate just a short drive to where residents can enjoy a variety of beach activities.

California Geography

As in most states, the majority of California residents are clustered around the major urban areas of San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego.  Homes within commuting distances of those cities are often quite expensive, especially the properties near the beach.  Other particularly expensive areas in the state include the Silicon Valley between San Francisco and San Jose, the Napa Valley, Santa Barbara and Montecito, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey and most of the coastal regions of Orange County.

That leaves hundreds of miles of California coast that is dotted with small towns.  Many of them are too far away from any metropolitan area to make it possible to commute to jobs.  As a result, it is possible to find relatively affordable homes in a variety of locations.

California Towns Worth Exploring

If you are considering retiring in California and you think you might enjoy living in a small city or town, especially along the central coast, below is a list of towns worth exploring that are either on the coast or within ten miles of it.  You may want to contact the Chamber of Commerce or a Realtor in these towns and learn more about what they have to offer.  Ask the Realtors to expand your search to other communities in their area that they think might fit into your budget.  Several of the towns listed below have even more affordable retirement areas nearby.  Here are the towns you may want to consider, starting in the south and moving north:

Carlsbad
Oceanside
Laguna Woods Village
Ventura
Nipomo
Oceano
San Luis Obispo
Avila Beach
Pismo Beach
Shell Beach
Grover Beach
Los Osos
Morro Bay
Cayucos
Harmony
Cambria
Pacific Grove
Eureka

Range of California Weather

If you have not spent much time in California, you may not be aware that the weather varies dramatically between the Southern and Northern part of the state.  Southern California tends to get very little rain.  Typical summer highs are in the 80's and 90's; winter highs are usually in the 60's and 70's.    Northern California weather is colder, foggier and wetter, although it rare for weather along the coast to tip below freezing (but it does happen occasionally).  Precipitation ranges from an average of only 13 inches of rain annually in Oceanside to as much as an average of 38 inches of rain in Eureka.  Along the central coast, where you will find many of these small towns, high temperatures in both the summer and winter are usually in the 60's or 70's, although they can go higher or lower.

While the weather along the central and northern coast of California may not appeal to those who hope to spend time swimming in the ocean water, it is perfect for those who enjoy other outdoor activities such as golf, bicycling, gardening, tennis or hiking.  Be prepared for breathtaking views around every corner!

Medical Facilities Serving the California Coast

Most of the cities on the above list have access to medical facilities within 30 miles.  For example, the town of Cambria is about 30 minutes away from a hospital in Templeton; Grover Beach contains its own hospital and is also located a short distance from San Luis Obispo with additional medical facilities; Avila Beach, Pismo Beach, and Shell Beach are also near San Luis Obispo; Pacific Grove is near medical facilities in both the Monterey Peninsula and the Salinas Valley. Eureka contains its own hospitals.  The other towns on the list are also close enough to well-populated areas (like San Diego or San Luis Obispo) that there are a variety of medical facilities available.

Common Community Amenities

All of the communities on the above list have a variety of amenities to offer retirees.  Specifics vary from location to location.  However, in general, within a short drive you should expect to find the services and programs that are listed below.  Contact the local Chambers of Commerce and senior centers in the towns that interest you for more specific information:

Wide variety of places to worship
Golf courses
Tennis courts
Senior centers
Festivals, parades and local celebrations
Colleges with classes/programs oriented towards senior citizens
Farmer's Markets
Art Galleries
Wineries and vineyards
Restaurants
Live theater
Places to go boating, paddle boarding or kayaking
Bridge groups and similar clubs and activities
Airports (in all the major cities, plus San Luis Obispo and on the Monterey Peninusula)

Types of Housing Available along the California Coast

There is a wide variety of housing choices available in these communities, ranging from charming old cottages, manufactured homes, condos, and new home developments such as Shea Homes' Trilogy at Monarch Dunes in the town of Nipomo, with new houses starting at about $400,000.  There are also manufactured home parks in some of the above towns, some specifically designated as over-55 senior communities, with prices that are in the $200,000 to $300,000 range.  In addition, you will have to pay a space rental fee, which can vary dramatically throughout the state.

The community of Laguna Woods Village, located half-way between San Diego and Los Angeles in Southern California, has condos and co-ops available with prices starting as low as $150,000.  The town also contains a large selection of two-bedroom condos in the $300,000 to $400,000 price range.  It is located just five miles from Laguna Beach.  Like most over-55, age-restricted communities, you should expect to pay homeowner's dues.  In Laguna Woods, you must also meet reasonable income and asset requirements.  However, it is one of the most affordable places to live in Orange County, California.

Rental Houses and Apartments on the California Coast

All of the communities listed above have apartment complexes and rental homes available, often with prices in the $1250 to $2000 a month price range. Low income seniors may also qualify for Section 8 rent subsidies, so don't hesitate to apply.

Whatever housing prices and amenities you desire, the California coast has a variety of possibilities that may work for you.  You may even want to take a road trip along the California coast and explore the possibilities.  Talk to Realtors, look at the various towns and have a great vacation at the same time!

If you are looking for more ideas about where to retire, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article to find links to hundreds of additional articles.

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

Photo credit:  www.morguefile.com

How to Prevent Colon Cancer

Do you have a family history of cancer, especially colon cancer?  While that increases your risk of developing colon cancer, there is no reason to believe that it is inevitable that you will get it, too.  The vast majority of people can avoid this horrible disease.  Approximately 90% or more of all colon cancers can be avoided with proper screening and lifestyle changes.  In other words, Baby Boomers and other retirees do not have to accept the inevitably of developing this cancer, even if they have a family history of it.

Unfortunately, far too many people fail to take the necessary steps to prevent colon cancer. Here's what you need to know.

Get a Colonoscopy

According to a number of studies, most people can dramatically reduce or even completely eliminate their colon cancer risk, simply by getting colonoscopies starting at age 50.  They may want to start getting them sooner in some cases, especially if they have a personal or family history of colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease.

Colonoscopies are more than a screening test.  During the exam, the physician is able to remove precancerous polyps.  Since these polyps are usually slow growing, removing them dramatically reduces your odds of developing this cancer in the following five to ten years.  By then, it will be time for another colonoscopy.

Thanks to insurance changes that were made under the Affordable Care Act, this life-changing procedure is either free or very low cost under most insurance plans.  This is a money-saving development for both insurance companies and Medicare.  Very simply, it is less expensive to administer a series of colonoscopies than it is to do surgery and chemo on someone after they have developed colon cancer.

Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Colon Cancer

Prior to your first colonoscopy, and in between the ones you have later in life, there are a few simple lifestyle changes you can make that will also lower your colon cancer risk.  If you make these changes, combined with colonoscopies, it is very unlikely that you will develop this potentially fatal disease.

Here are some practical changes that could make a significant difference in your overall health, including your colon cancer risk:

1. Lose weight.  Obesity raises your risk of developing several types of cancer, including colon cancer.

2.  Enjoy your morning coffee.  According to a National Cancer Institute study done over 15 years, drinking four or more cups of coffee a day can lower your colon cancer risk.

3.  Take a multi-vitamin or combination of vitamins that contain 400 mcg. of folic acid and 1000 IU of Vitamin D.  Both have been shown to cut your colon cancer risk.

4.  Eat a healthy diet that includes onions and curcumin (the yellow pigment in the spice, turmeric). The right diet can also reduce your odds of developing colon cancer.

5.  Stop smoking and drink only moderate amounts of alcohol.  Smokers and heavy drinkers have a higher rate than normal of colon cancer, as well as other health issues.

Remember: These are steps you should take in addition to regular colonoscopies, not instead of them. Only colonoscopies can virtually eliminate the colon cancer risk for the majority of adults.

For more information on colon cancer:

http://www.cancer.org/cancer/colonandrectumcancer/

http://www.ucirvinehealth.org/medical-services/colorectal-disease

For other health and retirement information, check out the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article.  They contain links to hundreds of other articles on health, finances, family relations and where to retire.

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Lumosity Brain Games for Your Memory

Are you interested in trying to use brain building exercises to improve your mental acuity and, perhaps, postpone the symptoms of dementia?  Scientists have developed a program called Lumosity that you can use for just that purpose.

Because so many Baby Boomers have begun to subscribe to Lumosity, I thought it would be worth exploring.  I began by going to www.lumosity.com.

When I clicked on "Start Training Now," I was asked which aspects of my memory I wanted to challenge.  The choices were:

Remembering patterns and locations;
Associating names with faces;
Keeping track of multiple pieces of information in my head;
Recalling sequences of objects and movements.

Of course, I checked them all!

After I hit "next," I discovered that I was also given choices regarding the areas I wanted to concentrate on in other aspects of my memory.  In each category, I was given four choices.  I checked most of the boxes for each category.  However, I skipped a few that I did not think were particular problems for me.  For example, under "Attention," I did not check avoiding distractions.  I am generally able to stay pretty focused (and my later test score showed that I was correct).  Other people may want to choose that item.

I only made a couple of choices in the thinking speed category.  (When I received my score, however, I realized that I may not think as quickly as I thought I did!)   Under flexibility I checked all the choices.  

After choosing the areas that I thought needed the most development, I was asked to set up an account and give them my email address so I could start my free Fit Test.  They began by asking my gender, level of education and occupation.  This was followed by more questions regarding how much I exercise, how much sleep I get, etc.  Then they generated my assessment tests.


I completed three tests that were designed to assess my speed, attention and memory.  They were a bit more challenging than I expected.

Here were my final results, when compared to other people in my age group of 65 to 69:

Speed - 42% of people
Train of thought - 87% of people
Memory matrix - 61% of people

I was right that I am able to stay focused and maintain my train of thought.  My memory, on the other hand, was only slightly above the typical score.  My speed, however, was slower than my peers, which surprised me.  This is definitely an area that needs work.

After completing the tests, a screen popped up that said they were creating a personalized training program for me.  When nothing changed on that screen after several minutes, I logged off.  Then I went back to the site and my personal results were awaiting me.

Once you have done the free assessment, they invite you to take advantage of their full program.  You can continue to play a few of their games for free, which I have done periodically in the following months.  This is a good way to determine whether or not you think you will consistently use the program.

If you decide that you do want the full, personalized program that is designed specifically for you, those games are not free. However, they do offer a range of price options ... paying for the program monthly, yearly or as a two year subscription.  It can cost as little as $3 a month for an individual who pays two years in advance or as much as $11.95 a month for those who prefer to pay monthly.

If you wait for a few weeks, you will be offered an opportunity to purchase the program at a discount of 25% to 35%.  It is worth it NOT to sign up the minute you do the first assessment.

If you do sign up for the personalized program, the daily games you will be given will be based on the mental areas that you think are most important for you to exercise, as well as the results of your tests.  Lumosity will continually challenge you to perform better and better.

According to the Lumosity website, the exercises are designed by neuroscientists and are continually evaluated through independent research studies at institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, and the University of California at Berkeley.  This program could prove to be a fun, interesting and helpful way for Baby Boomers to keep their minds as sharp as possible.

The site also claims that just ten to fifteen minutes of doing these exercises each day can lead to improvements in your mental function, at least as measured by the Lumosity tests. 

Lumosity members can be found in 180 different countries.  People all over the world are finding that these brain challenges can improve the way they think.

You can try Lumosity for yourself at www.lumosity.com.  At the very least, you may want to take the assessment tests and decide if you think you either need the program or whether it would be helpful to you.

Please note: I have no financial interest in the company, nor do I receive any commissions if people decide to sign up.  I just thought I would give the program a try, since so many Baby Boomers have expressed interest in it.

In addition, it is important to remember:  You may be able to get similar improvements in your thinking skills by doing crossword puzzles, playing video games such as the ones created by BrainAge, playing card games like Bridge and staying socially, physically and mentally active.

If you are interested in reading more about health and retirement issues, use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this article.  They contain links to hundreds of additional articles on a variety of topics related to retirement and aging.

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

Photo credit: Morguefile.com

MIND Diet Reduces Alzheimers Risk

Are you worried about your Alzheimer's Disease risk?  Follow the MIND diet and you may be relieved to know that there is something you can do to cut your risk in half ... simply by eating a healthy diet.  Even better, you do not have to be 100% compliant in order to benefit from this diet.  You just need to follow it most of the time!

This vegetable based diet may also explain the long, healthy lives of people who live in the Blue Zones (the places on earth where people routinely live to be 100 years old and have a lower than normal incidence of dementia).  If the idea of living longer, while staying healthy and thinking more clearly sounds appealing to you, you may want to try following this diet, too.

Facts about the MIND Diet

The MIND Diet was developed by Professor Martha Clare Morris and other researchers at Rush University in Chicago.  It is a mixture of the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet (a blood pressure lowering eating plan). 

MIND stands for Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay.

The researchers came up with the MIND diet after following 923 people between the ages of 58 and 98 over a period of nearly ten years.  While the Mediterranean and DASH diets also significantly lowered Alzheimer's risk, this was only true when the participants were rigorous about following those eating plans.  The MIND eating regimen does not need to be followed quite so carefully.  In fact, those who followed the plan only moderately were still able to reduce their Alzheimer's risk by 35%.

If you are interested in trying out this eating plan, what are the foods should you be eating and avoiding?

Foods to Eat on the MIND Diet

Vegetables - both green and other colors
Nuts
Berries
Beans
Whole grains
Fish
Poultry
Olive oil
Wine

Foods to Minimize on the MIND Diet

Red meat
Animal fats
Sugary foods
Fried foods
Fast food

Eating Rules for the MIND Diet

Eat vegetables and and nuts daily
Eat poultry twice a week
Eat berries twice a week
Eat less than one tablespoon of butter a day

As you can see, even the foods you need to minimize, like animal fats, do not need to be eliminated completely.  Having a little real butter on a slice of whole wheat toast still keeps you within acceptable ranges.

In addition to lowering your Alzheimer's risk, there is evidence that this eating style will also lower your risk of heart disease, as well as certain cancers.  The good news is that there is nothing harmful in this eating style and, if you "cheat" once in a while, you are still reaping the overall benefits.

Sources:

http://news.yahoo.com/diet-could-considerably-reduce-risk-alzheimers-161522019.html

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/food/article/new-diet-could-considerably-reduce-alzheimers-risk

If you are interested in learning about other health issues that could affect you during retirement, use the tabs at the top of this page to find links to hundreds of other helpful articles from this blog.

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

Photo credit:  morguefile.com

Why You Need Extra Retirement Income

A huge divide is developing between the people who will retire on Social Security alone and those who will have extra retirement income ... from a pension, 401(k), IRA, or job.

When American workers are all averaged together, the typical worker is on track to replace only about 58% of their current income when they retire.  Unfortunately, things are getting worse, not better.  In just one year, from 2014 to 2015, the average income replacement estimate for the typical American worker dropped from 61% down to 58%.  This will not provide a lavish retirement, but it could be survivable ... if the average actually reflected the reality for most workers.  However, even these averages are misleading.

In reality, most people fall into one of two groups ... those who are going to rely on Social Security alone and those who will have Social Security plus at least one additional source of retirement income.  The first group will be barely able to feed and house themselves; the other group will be traveling or moving to luxurious retirement communities, enjoying golf and other amenities.

Here is how things actually break down:

Those who have a 401(k) and/or other retirement plan are on track to replace 72% of their current income.

Those who do not have a supplemental retirement income will, on average, only replace about 42% of their current income.

How Much Income Will You Need in Retirement?

According to most financial planners, you should have a goal of replacing about 75% to 80% of your current income when you retire.  This means that nearly everyone will need to have a supplemental source of income, beyond Social Security.  If you are currently in the category of people who are on track to only replace 42% of your income, because you expect to retire on Social Security alone, you may want to start re-thinking your approach to retirement. 

How Can You Supplement Your Retirement Income?

There are a variety of options for supplementing your retirement income.  Many people use a combination of several sources.  Here are some common ideas:

Contribute to a 401(k) through your current employer;
Make large contributions to an IRA or Roth IRA;
Continue working in your current occupation as long as possible;
Start an encore career in a field that interests you;
Get a part-time job;
Earn a pension through your current occupation (although this is becoming less common).


Since no one can be sure how long they will be able to work, either in their current career or in an encore career, before they have to stop working due to health issues or layoffs, the smartest decision is for everyone to contribute to a 401(k), IRA or a private retirement plan during their working years.  Even if you are on the brink of retirement, it is not too late for you to try to maximize payments into a retirement plan so you have some way to supplement your income in your later years.

How Are the Top Retirement Savers Doing It?

The most successful or "elite" retirees are those who have consistently saved 10% of their take-home pay towards their retirement.  About 20% of all workers fall into this group and they are likely to retire, on average, with an income of about 143% of their current retirement income!

These are the people who will be able to feel confident that they will not run out of money, even if they live for decades after they stop working.  In addition, they will be able to do most of the things they always wanted to do after they stop working ... live where they want, go on cruises, take fun trips, etc.

Which Type of Retiree Do You Want to Be?

Obviously, in order to save 10% of your current income, you need to be able to live on 90% of your earnings during your working years.  Some people believe that is impossible for them.  However, imagine what your life will be like if you have to live on only 42% of what you do now.   That will be far more painful.

Whether you are a young adult in your twenties, or a working Baby Boomer in your fifties, it is never too early, nor too late to start saving for retirement.  If you already have a retirement plan, you may want to talk to a retirement expert to find out whether or not you are on track to replace at least 75% of your current income ... and more, if possible.  You can also use a retirement savings calculator, like the one from Kiplinger's.  You can find a link to it under sources.

Remember:  It is up to you to determine whether or not your Golden Years really will be Golden!


Sources:

http://time.com/money/3752868/retirement-divide-elite/

http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/retirement/T047-S001-retirement-savings-calculator-how-much-money-do-i/

Looking for more retirement ideas?  Use the tabs or pull down menu at the top of this page to find links to hundreds of other articles on financial planning, affordable places to retire, health concerns, family issues, etc.

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Photo credit:  Photo of golf course taken by author, Deborah-Diane; all rights reserved.

How to Fix Your Retirement Savings Shortfall

Millions of Americans are not prepared to retire.  In fact, about one out of four Baby Boomers who are approaching retirement have saved absolutely nothing towards their retirement.  Millions more have saved less than $50,000 ... which will not last very long, unless they quickly make some drastic changes in their lifestyle.

However, for those Boomers who are still five or ten years away from retirement, it is not too late to take the necessary steps to have a comfortable retirement.  Below are some of the suggestions the experts make:

Start Saving the Maximum in Your 401(k) or IRA

If you are not maxing out your retirement accounts, you are not taking advantage of the tax savings these accounts can give you, nor are you using your last few working years to fully prepare for retirement.  Workers over the age of 50 are allowed to put $24,000 a year into a 401(k) and $6,500 a year into an IRA.  You may feel that putting $500 to $2500 a month into your retirement accounts is impossible, because your current lifestyle costs too much to support.  If this is the case, now is the time to dramatically and ruthlessly reduce your lifestyle.  If you can barely support your lifestyle while you are still working, it will become even more difficult for you to maintain your lifestyle after you stop working ... especially if you do not have much money saved.

There is no question that it will take hard work and discipline to start saving that much money.  However, you will appreciate the long-term benefits of having this much money saved when you are in your 80's and 90's.  Now is the time to make the necessary adjustments to your cost-of-living so that you start putting as much money as possible into your retirement accounts. 

Use the Equity in Your Home to Finance Your Retirement

If you own your home and have lived in it for a long time, you may have tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in home equity.  This money can be used to finance your retirement, if you are smart about how you use it.  Some people have found they do well if they sell their current home and use part of the equity to purchase a less expensive home, either in the same community or in a less expensive area.  Afterwards, they can invest the remaining equity in dividend paying stocks, an annuity, tax free bonds, or other investments that will provide them with a reliable source of retirement income.  The combination of lower expenses and increased income can help many people salvage their retirement.

Another way to use the equity in your home is by taking out a reverse mortgage.  However, there are a number of risks involved with this plan.  If people initiate a reverse mortgage when they are still in their 60's or early 70's, they may end up spending all the proceeds from the loan far too quickly ... leaving themselves destitute when they are in their 80's or 90's.  It is far wiser to wait to get a reverse mortgage until you are older and fairly confident that the proceeds will last you the rest of your life ... and the life of your spouse.  

Postpone Collecting Social Security Until Age 70

People who wait until age 70 to collect their Social Security benefits can significantly increase their monthly income compared to those to begin collecting between the ages of 62 and 67.  Your benefits increase by 8% for every year you wait after your full retirement age.   This means you will get 32% more than you would have at age 66, and 76% more than you would have at age 62.   By waiting, a retirement pension that might have been only $1500 a month at age 66 can be increased to almost $2000 a month at age 70.  That difference provides as much additional income as $100,000 in savings invested at 6% interest.

Continue Working After Retirement

There are significant advantages to working as long as you can in your 60's and, possibly, your 70's.  Even if you switch from working full-time to part-time, any money you earn equates to less money you will have to take out of your retirement savings.  This, in turn, will give you the time you need to continue to grow your nest egg.  By the time you are no longer able to work, your savings may have grown enough to provide you with a satisfactory lifestyle for the remainder of your life.

Many people also use these years to work part-time and enjoy encore careers that are fun ... as consultants, substitute teachers, writers, artists, photographers or employees of non-profits.  They keep busy, stimulate their brains, bring joy to their lives, increase their socialization and earn extra retirement income.  What better way to make your retirement savings last?

Bottom line:  It is never too late to do something about your retirement savings situation.  You just have to be willing to face reality and make the necessary changes.  You can do it!

Resources:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/last-minute-ways-improve-retirement-131813087.html;_ylt=AwrBEiJXswhViF8AjtyTmYlQ

http://www.moneytalksnews.com/ask-stacy-why-do-you-keep-telling-people-to-wait-until-70-to-collect-social-security/

http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2014/11/13/youre-at-retirement-age-but-havent-saved-enough-what-now

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/18/retirement-savings_n_3288274.html

Looking for more retirement information?   Use the tabs at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of other articles on this blog covering topics that include financial planning tips, where to retire, health concerns, and relationship issues.

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Photo credit: morguefile.com

Stress and Disease After Retirement

Many of us blithely assume that once we retire we will be free of stress.  However, life is not that simple.  Many of the same worries and problems that occupied our minds during our working years will continue to pose concerns for us after we retire.  We may have stress because of financial pressure, marital problems, worry over our adult children or grandchildren, divorce, loneliness, grief over the loss of a loved one, the responsibility of being a caregiver, or the difficulty of dealing with illness in our own lives or the lives of a spouse or family member.

Stress can cause us to eat or drink more than we should, as well as cause us to sleep and exercise less than we should.   It can also result in the release of adrenaline and cortisol into our blood, two hormones that can increase inflammation in our body and make us more sensitive to pain and vulnerable to diseases.

The Relationship Between Stress and Disease

Unfortunately, stress can cause a variety of health issues, according to an article titled, "Stress - Don't Let It Make Your Sick," in the November, 2014 issue of the AARP Bulletin.

Listed below are common health issues that can develop when we are experiencing chronic stress:

The common cold
Weight gain
Slow wound healing
Less effective vaccines
Sleep problems
Heart disease
Depression
Ulcers
Irritable bowel syndrome
Indigestion
Heartburn
Ulcerative colitis
Crohn's disease
Back, neck and shoulder pain

Stress Can Create an Endless Cycle

The problem with stress is that it can start the sufferer on the road to an endless downward spiral.  The stress can contribute to one of the diseases mentioned above; then the disease adds more stress to the person's life.  The worse their health becomes, the more stress they feel.

As a result, one way to improve our overall health is to reduce our stress as much as possible and then learn how to cope with our remaining stress before it wreaks havoc with our immune system.

How to Cope With Stress in Our Lives

Obviously, it is important that we all learn how to recognize the sources of chronic stress in our lives and take steps to reduce its impact on our health.  According to "The Best and Worst Ways to Cope with Stress" from health.com and "Stress Management" from helpguide.org, here are some tools we can all use:

Get outdoors regularly for fresh air and sunshine
Surround yourself indoors with plants 
Eat healthy
Cut back on caffeine and sugar
Avoid alcohol, tobacco and drugs
Identify your sources of stress and start a stress journal
Set up a budget and get your finances under control
Avoid putting unnecessary pressure on yourself
Learn to say "no"
Avoid people and situations that stress you out
Reduce your "to do" list
Manage your time better
Be more assertive about setting reasonable limits
Be flexible and willing to compromise
Learn to adapt
Ask for help, especially if you are a caregiver
Give up perfectionism
Look for the positive in your life; have a gratitude list
Learn to forgive
Learn to share your feelings; call a friend
Get regular exercise
Relax - take yoga or get a massage
Keep a regular sleep schedule and routine
Maintain your spiritual life - church and prayer
Take time for fun!


Get more information on how to deal with stress at:

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/stress-management.htm

http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20765943,00.html

Looking for more useful health and retirement information?  Use the tabs at the top of the page to find links to hundreds of additional useful articles.

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Where NOT to Retire

While not all of us have the option to retire to our "dream" locations, there is no doubt that some areas are better suited to retirees than others.  As a result, rather than focusing on the "best" places to retire, some researchers have been studying the worst places to grow old ... the locations you will want to avoid, if at all possible.

There are various reasons why one state or community might be worse than others ... lack of services for the elderly, high crime rates, low life expectancy, limited or non-existent public transportation, etc.

Based on different criteria, below is information about some of the places where you might want to either avoid growing old or take steps to minimize the problems of aging of in these locations.

Five Worst States to Grow Old

According to an article on Yahoo Homes, below are the states where the elderly have an average life expectancy of less than 80 years of age, where violent crime is among the highest in the nation, and where the educational level of senior citizens is lower than the national average (and education often translates to higher income, better health and longer lives).

1.  Mississippi
2.  Louisiana
3.  West Virginia
4.  Arkansas
5.  Nevada

Of course, even within these states, a person with a high retirement income, who feels they live in a safe community with plenty of access to the services they need, would still be able to have a satisfying retirement.  However, retirees in those states may need to do more advance planning to make sure they have taken all the necessary precautions before they become old and more vulnerable.

Cities with the Highest Crime Rate

Regardless of other factors, most senior citizens are not going to want to live in the middle of cities that have a high crime rate.  Listed below are the twenty cities in America with the highest crime rates.  If you want to see the entire list of the top 100 cities, you can use the link at the bottom of this article:

1. Camden, NJ
2.  Chester, PA
3.  Detroit, MI
4.  Saginaw, MI
5.  Oakland, CA
6.  Bessemer, AL
7.  Flint, MI
8.  Atlantic City, NJ
9.  Wilmington, DE
10.  Memphis, TN
11.  Alexandria, LA
12.  Myrtle Beach, SC
13.  Harvey, IL
14.  St. Louis, MO
15.  Newburgh, NY
16.  Cleveland, OH
17.  Homestead, FL
18.  Baltimore, MD
19.  Little Rock, AR
20.  Rockford, IL

There were some surprises on this list.  For example, I was shocked to see the popular community of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina ranked at number 12 for crime.  In addition, I was surprised that Washington, DC did not make the top 20.  (Washington is actually number 30)

Of course, many of the above communities have safer suburbs within a short drive of the inner cities.  As a result, if you have relatives in those areas and you want to live near them, it becomes a little more important to make sure you check the crime rate in various neighborhoods before you get settled.  You may be able to find a retirement neighborhood or apartment complex that is safe, or move to a nearby suburb with a lower crime rate.  What you do not want to do is ignore the crime rate until you become frail and vulnerable.

When I was a Realtor, we often had people contact the police department and get the incident report for a specific neighborhood, if we had any question about the crime rate.  For example, while a general area in a city might have a high crime rate, a particular high rise condo complex or a nearby gated housing development might have a low incident report.  You will want to know both the general crime rate and the incident report before making a final decision, especially if you are moving into a unfamiliar or questionable area.

Make Sure Public Transportation is Available

Another concern for people who are planning their retirement should be public transportation.  In a study conducted by Dr. Angela Curl at the University of Missouri, many people are negatively impacted when they can no longer drive ... even if they have a spouse who still drives.  Dr. Curl discovered that when one partner stops driving, both spouses become much less likely to work or volunteer.  It also becomes more complicated for either person to socialize.

When one person becomes responsible for doing all the driving for the household, it is more difficult for either of them to maintain their outside interests and connections as they age.

While this problem may not be completely resolved with access to public transportation, it can help reduce the impact on the individual or couple.

As a result, you may not want to retire in an area that is so rural that retirees will be completely dependent on their own ability to drive ... since a time comes when nearly everyone will have to give up their driver's license. On the other hand, if you live in an urban area, you need to consider whether you will feel safe using the local public transportation as you age or whether there are viable alternatives ... such as occasionally using a taxi for medical visits or shopping. 


Proximity to Medical Facilities

We are fortunate in the United States that most communities have access to basic medical care.  However, as you age it becomes more likely that you will need specialists, particularly if you develop cancer, need kidney dialysis, or require open-heart surgery.  One factor you will want to consider is how far you might have to travel to receive specialized care, especially if you already know you have a chronic health condition.  While you may not want to live in an inner city, you might want to reconsider the idea of retiring to a remote mountain cabin or island.  When my husband and I were young, we always thought it would be fun to retire on Catalina Island, off the coast of Southern California.  Now that we are of retirement age, we understand that it might be more complicated than we realized ... our children would have to take a ferry to visit us and medical facilities on the island are limited.

Bottom line:  Once you decide the general area where you are going to retire, you need to give thought to the specific locations that will be the most practical as you age ... taking into consideration issues such as access to medical care, public transportation, the crime rate, etc.  That may or may not mean that the place where you currently live will be a good retirement location for you.  Just remember that if you think you will eventually need to move, it will be a lot easier to make that change in your 60's or early 70's than it will be in your 80's.


Find More Information at:

https://homes.yahoo.com/news/the-five-worst-states-to-grow-old-in-214333692.html

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/neighborhoods/crime-rates/top100dangerous/

http://munews.missouri.edu/news-releases/2015/0224-unexpected-outcomes-for-elderly-couples-who-stop-driving/

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