why do people feel the need to move when they retire? (vacations, long-term)

[berries]

I feel for ya Kathleen54. It is a shame that some places people lived and worked for many years are no longer affordable for them to retire in and that is a completley different and much longer post indeed!!! If it is not housing costs, it is taxes and if it is not one of those the health care will get you or be unavailable. Such a shame families are being split up so much. Good luck

[CosmicWizard]

NewToCA wrote:

Lesson is, sometimes the retirement moves are for external reasons beyond our own personal goals.

ABSOLUTELY...unfortunately or fortunately depending on ones viewpoint!

blessings...Franco

[LordBalfor]

Well, as others have mentioned, for us it's not so much a NEED to move as an OPPORTUNITY to move (to a quieter, less congested part of the country where the weather is sunnier and warmer).

Ken

[Submariner]

Almost none of the areas where I transferred to during my career were places where we would have chosen to live.

I assume that many others find themselves moving to maintain their careers.

It would than be logical that at the end of such a career, you would desire to move once to a location of your own choice.

[brightdoglover]

I am thinking I might stay where I am (30 mi. nw of Boston) as I love my home and property, and there are wonderful facilities in the Boston area for healthcare and other urban things. Where I live is car-dependent, but not too terribly, in that there are COA transports to supermarket and hospital. I think there are a couple of small businesses starting up (finally!) like a private taxi service. There are no taxis anywhere near here. I hope to be able to afford the taxes, remaining mortgage, life in general here with my savings and pension and Soc.Sec. If not, I'll consider moving to the 55+ mobile home place in this town- very nice and well kept. If not there, then I'd have to do some real thinking. I would consider a continuing care community, as that would cover all older age. I'd consider WindCrest outside Denver, since I love Colorado, but don't seem to see a way to move there that suits me otherwise.
Having assets is the key to choice. If I don't manage to give myself a lot of choices, I do have an idea of what to do as necessary.

[Kathleenh54]

Thanks for the empathy, Berries.

Forest, think about how it must feel to leave an area where you've built a life. True, your job may have necessitated your residence but meantime you've established a friend and family support network, your medical care, etc. It's nice to live in a lovely place, which is what we've done, but it wasn't so easy starting over again. What happens when we become infim, anyway? Do we stay here? My guess is we'll wind up back to where our kids are.

My prediction is that the USA will be segregated between 'young' and 'old'. 'Young' will be families in high-tax areas who need good schools. 'Old' will be retirees who can't afford the high taxes, even with local tax breaks.

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by Kathleenh54

T...My prediction is that the USA will be segregated between 'young' and 'old'. 'Young' will be families in high-tax areas who need good schools. 'Old' will be retirees who can't afford the high taxes, even with local tax breaks.

so sad you are right (if such places will exist)

Zero income tax was a benefit when I had some income...

Zero property tax would be nice now

I've never been much of a consumer so sales tax is not too much of an issue.

I'll need to find a joint with low property taxes and hopefully low taxes on dividend / interest and retirement distributions. (should I live till 59.5...) that is a long way off, but coming faster than I would like

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by berries

to move away when they retire. leave eveything they know. why didn't they move when they were younger. i guss i do not get it

The location that was good for me when I was growing up and newly married was not good for me when I was moving up at work and divorced. The location that was good for me when I was moving up at work, was not good for me in retirement. There's nothing wrong with any of the 3 places. They were just better suited to different stages of my life.

The town I am living in now offers the kind of activities I enjoy in retirement. I'm never bored. This past week I attended 3 lectures on The Civil War, Nuclear Nonproliferation and Northern India. My nonfiction book group met. I drove to The Great Smoky Mountain National Park and took photos. I drove to the Foothills Parkway and Norris Dam to take photos. I attended a street painting fair. I made my first ever DVD from my photos and added music. I had to skip a concert that I had a ticket for because I was too pooped. The point is I enjoy these type of things but they would not have been available to me had I stayed put where I was living before I retired or if I moved back to my hometown.

[Bette]

Just want to say I have enjoyed reading these posts and am getting insight. Sometimes, people say things here they would not say in person!

My husband and I have a long time to go, working, that is. We are both self employed so pensions....forget that idea!

I would like to get him out of here for a month each summer, go somewhere, ent a home in an area, bring our office with us (for his enjoyment, of course!!) and then we will be in a better position to decide.

Retirement has always scared me. I did not have good role models for it. That's why we support our parents financially. They were all self employed too!!

Reading your posts here have helped. As of yet, I am in my early 50's and I don't really know anyone well that is retired. I know other women who never worked but that is different. I always had to work. I envied them though for their choices sometimes!!! (but I would not trade my husband, kids or my dogs!!)

[texdav]

In my case ;it really was a choice to work and live in a area were the opportunities were good and pay. Not where I would chose to live. During this time we spent alot of time in many places. We looked for and found a place were the life style more suits us.Still within a 4 hrs trip from where we now live ;so visiting isn't a problem.