When it comes to retirement, senior citizens need to compare all of their options closely if they want to have the best quality of life. Living within your budget is just as important as choosing the right state to retire in. Think of the activities you want to partake in, the environment you desire to surround yourself with, and the amount you want to pay for upkeep. Before you come to your ultimate decision, consider these factors when choosing a state to retire in.
What’s Your Goal for Retirement?
In your retirement, you might want to pick up the pace and start with your world travel plans immediately. Others find that retirement is a time for relaxing, rekindling relationships with family, and making new friends. Whatever your goal for retirement is, a lot will depend on what state you choose. If you want to be an international traveler, then you should live in a state that has a major airport. On the other hand, a lot of retirees either choose to stay put where their family is or relocate to the area where they have an abundance of relatives living when their goal is to make lasting family memories.
Finances Versus Family Versus the Fun Factor
While you should have the freedom to do whatever you would like in retirement, unfortunately, reality binds everyone’s choices to their financial outlook. In other words, you and your family’s overall financial outlook will dictate where you live, how you interact with your loved ones, and the type of recreational activities you can look forward to. Some retirees who are in perfect health and have an abundance of assets will want to live in gated, active senior retirement communities.
For those looking for luxury retirement living options in Australia, Summerset Parnell offers spacious retirement options and resort-style amenities so residents can enjoy their golden years in peaceful, stunning settings. Of course, you don’t have to go all out with a luxury retirement living option to enjoy your golden years. Another retiree who isn’t in a position to live in a retirement home might choose to move in with their adult children.
Comparing Retirement Community Options
Though the goal is very similar, there are many different kinds of retirement communities. Some are for active seniors who live in their own homes and care for themselves independently. There are also assisted living homes that specialize in long-term care. Frontier Management Mt. Bachelor memory care facilities offer families with assisted living needs the opportunity to receive the best services possible.
Look for experienced staff and comfortable living facilities to keep your aging parent safe in their long-term care facilities. Choose a retirement community that puts safety first, while also offering some great comforts and amenities.
Taxes and Maintenance
Sometimes, the cost that comes with retirement can be very high when you are no longer bringing in your normal paychecks. For instance, loads of retirees in New York City end up moving to another state because of the high real estate taxes homeowners pay in the five boroughs. If you have a home that is paid off and you only need to worry about upkeep, property taxes, and energy bills, you have to look at how you might do if you lived in a different state. It could turn out that you end up moving to a state with higher property taxes and maintenance fees if other benefits offset those costs. This is just another factor to consider when choosing the best state for retirement.
General Health and Medical Insurance
You could be in great health as of right now or have a health condition that you know will need long-term management. The aging population always thinks about what type of medical care retirees will require when comparing different states they are thinking of moving to. After all, they realize that they will need to find new primary care doctors as well as specialists if they are to relocate. In addition, medical coverage and insurance requisites could complicate out-of-state moves. Other considerations include people on organ transplant lists, those receiving State-sponsored senior care grants, and care at local VA hospitals.
Overall Cost of Living
When calculating the cost of living for different areas, housing is going to be your main basis for comparison. Moving to an area with a higher steeper cost of living may require senior citizens to go from living in a house to a smaller apartment. The prices of food, gas, and even toiletries and odds and ends in varying states can be higher or lower, whether you are looking at options in the Pacific Northwest or the Deep South. So, prior to choosing a new state to retire in, consider the overall cost of living. Of course, if you are choosing to go to an area with a lower cost of living, you should be able to live well with ease.
Planning for Final Arrangements
If you go ahead and relocate to another state, have you decided to have your final services back in your home state or where you reside now? This seemingly trivial question could actually end up costing your family thousands in unexpected end-of-life transportation fees. Sometimes, people have already purchased burial plots and signed contracts with funeral homes before up and moving to another state for retirement. Any family or friends you want to have at your final services would have to travel as well. Consider what plans you have to make for yourself concerning final arrangements, what you would prefer, and what all of the expenses will be.
In retirement, you should have peace of mind in knowing that you made all of the right decisions while you were still part of the working world. With some type of retirement fund, employer-sponsored 401K, or just a simple savings account that you consistently deposited money into, funding your plans for retirement should be no issue. So, choose the state that offers you the most in terms of living comfortably, with adequate access to medical care if needed. You can live somewhere that is close to your loved ones, or at least choose a state with plenty of transportation options. Live somewhere close to the beach, in a city where there are plenty of bingo halls to choose from, or in a state where your family is only a stone’s throw from your senior retirement community.
