When thinking about your years spent in retirement, where are you? Are you relaxing on a beach? Are you in a cabin in the mountains? Or are you in the home and town that you spent your working years? There are so many possibilities. Start your search for the perfect place for you by visiting all the locations you could see yourself retiring. After spending some time in the areas you think would be ideal, you might change your mind. Take these things into consideration while visiting.
Weather
You will want to visit a few times for your top picks to see how you will deal with all the locations seasons. Unless you are planning to travel a lot in retirement, the weather all year long will need to be part of your choice. Those loving four seasons may not want to end up in a tropical place. Just like those that hate the snow won’t want to live in an area that snows for half the year. Find a location that you will enjoy every day and never wish you were somewhere else. When retirement comes, you deserve to sit back and relax and love where you are.
Taxes
Oh, the taxes, and that is plural. It would be best to involve a professional in your research of all the different taxes in your chosen retirement place. There are state taxes, how the state taxes retirement incomes, and the taxes on dividend income. On one of your trips, plan a visit to talk with a professional. You will need one if you move there. Taking taxes into consideration is essential, but the lowest tax states may not be ideal for you. Taxes should not be the only aspect to take into consideration.
Cost of Living
On the same line of thought of money being taken for taxes. How much will you need to spend to live? Cost of living may help narrow down your options. Living on a fixed income means that you cannot go over your budget. Before spending the time exploring and falling in love with a location, look at this Cost of Living Index site. When you visit, it will be reassuring to know that you could afford to retire there.
Crime Rate
The rate of crime is another statistic you will want to look into. As adults, we first strive to find a location to raise our families in a safe area. Then we need to find a secure place to live our older years. It is not a fact we like to admit, but the older we get, the larger the target we will become. Driving through the neighborhood at different times of day can help you see what is going on in the area. Another option is the FBI’s Crime Reporting Program. See what type and how many issues are found in your chosen state and town.
Travel now and find yourself a forever home.