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I can tentatively suggest Columbia, MO--it came recommended as a retirement town, and I was there for about a week with some friends. It is a nice town, and very Midwest. It is clear, attractive, and laid out well.
I don't know what the weather is like come winter, but late March was splendid.
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A disadvantage of living in Florida that you didn't mention, would their taxes... both homeowners', and taxes on investment earnings. But then they have no income tax. Guess you have to pay the piper one way or another.
Not that I have a lot of good things to say about Florida, but I'd feel like I should correct this statement. Florida abolished the intangible property tax (the tax on savings and investments not held in ordinary bank savings accounts or tax-free bonds) as of January 2006. It never seemed like a huge burden to me anyway, with the 500k exemption for married couples. I think the most I ever paid was about $125. Property taxes, though, that's another story...
Not that I have a lot of good things to say about Florida, but I'd feel like I should correct this statement. Florida abolished the intangible property tax (the tax on savings and investments not held in ordinary bank savings accounts or tax-free bonds) as of January 2006. It never seemed like a huge burden to me anyway, with the 500k exemption for married couples. I think the most I ever paid was about $125. Property taxes, though, that's another story...
Thanks for the update! I was trying to be helpful but didn't know that it had been abolished, and I was not aware that there was an exemption. I have personally ruled out Florida and all locations less than 200 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, but I am sure that there are plenty of people reading this forum who are considering Florida and who will be glad to know this.
Regarding the original heading of this discussion- I have thought that being single has a huge effect on retirement decisions. On one hand, there's no one else to consider. On the other hand... there's no one else to consider! If you're in a couple, you take a lot of what you need with you in the relationship. Even if the coupling is, well, more habit than anything else, you still have structure. You have someone to go to the movies with. In a good situation, you have a capable person who "has your back."
Supposedly, something like 58% of baby boomers will hit 65 unmarried in one way or the other. A fairly high percentage of BB women, especially those with education, don't have children. Although I am childfree by choice (and terminally single by experience), I do sometimes feel like a tumbleweed, drifting past others who have more roots.
Ilene B
After doing alot of retirement research, there would be quite alot more places to consider to move to if I was part of a couple rather than being single. Generally a couple would have more money in retirement and having a husband/wife to help each other and care about each other, especially when health problems arise, makes a big difference emotionally/stress-wise. I know their are advantages and disadvantages to both, but watching my married friends and my single friends in retirement, the married ones are better off, IMO. But I think this is generally true in every stage of adult life, not just in retirement.
After doing alot of retirement research, there would be quite alot more places to consider to move to if I was part of a couple rather than being single. Generally a couple would have more money in retirement and having a husband/wife to help each other and care about each other, especially when health problems arise, makes a big difference emotionally/stress-wise. I know their are advantages and disadvantages to both, but watching my married friends and my single friends in retirement, the married ones are better off, IMO. But I think this is generally true in every stage of adult life, not just in retirement.
In general I would agree with you for the reasons you stated IF the marriage/relationship is a good one. If it's not, nothing could be worse. I say that as someone who has had both kinds.
After doing alot of retirement research, there would be quite alot more places to consider to move to if I was part of a couple rather than being single. Generally a couple would have more money in retirement and having a husband/wife to help each other and care about each other, especially when health problems arise, makes a big difference emotionally/stress-wise. I know their are advantages and disadvantages to both, but watching my married friends and my single friends in retirement, the married ones are better off, IMO. But I think this is generally true in every stage of adult life, not just in retirement.
Much of what you say can be true - as I was reading your post I was thinking the exact same thing that Curmudgeon wrote.
Do what you can with what you have - your needs will not be as great as what 2 people would need. I agree with the emotional support of it, if it's a supportive relationship - but since you must do it alone don't get bogged down with negative what-ifs. 54% of women are single - there are a lot of us out there - the majority in fact. Sure would be nice to hand it all over to someone else to do it all but I was married - I did it all then too. I am missing nothing.
I really think we need to have a meet up with the single people - they can be your support group.
After doing alot of retirement research, there would be quite alot more places to consider to move to if I was part of a couple rather than being single. Generally a couple would have more money in retirement and having a husband/wife to help each other and care about each other, especially when health problems arise, makes a big difference emotionally/stress-wise. I know their are advantages and disadvantages to both, but watching my married friends and my single friends in retirement, the married ones are better off, IMO. But I think this is generally true in every stage of adult life, not just in retirement.
The statement is absolutely true and it is difficult to get to the point that as a couple you are doing it together. I know I and DW are special. There are fewer and fewer of us one time lifetime marriages. Still there are some. There are those with spits and stops taking two, three and more attempts to find it. Now please before anyone goes off the deep end I don't mean that condesendingly. It is just fact.
For some it is better to keep trying while others well that is why we have Baskin Robbins. More on that further down.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Curmudgeon
In general I would agree with you for the reasons you stated IF the marriage/relationship is a good one. If it's not, nothing could be worse. I say that as someone who has had both kinds.
Those words could not be truer Curmudgeon. A bad relationship going into the end would always end worse.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Umbria
Much of what you say can be true - as I was reading your post I was thinking the exact same thing that Curmudgeon wrote.
Do what you can with what you have - your needs will not be as great as what 2 people would need. I agree with the emotional support of it, if it's a supportive relationship - but since you must do it alone don't get bogged down with negative what-ifs. 54% of women are single - there are a lot of us out there - the majority in fact. Sure would be nice to hand it all over to someone else to do it all but I was married - I did it all then too. I am missing nothing.
I really think we need to have a meet up with the single people - they can be your support group.
Umbria you are as wise too. We need to do with what we have. It is easier emotionally with a partner that is there to share. Not one that is a syphon and an anchor to the other. The road partners need to travel together must be done in as much harmony as possible. Yes no road is perfectly harmonious but an understanding and a sharing.
On the meeting places and chat/forums that is a great option for single people. I hope that something can be done and that it helps.
My father-in-law died two years ago. My mother-in-law still goes to FL for the winter and back to their home in the summer. She says she will continue to do this as long as she is able. She is an extremely positive person, but the gray of winter days weighed her down more and more each succeeding year. Sunshine and the ability to stay active in the winter have been good for her. She is active in both places, she babysits great grandchildren and gardens when she is at her home base and in FL she has friends and activities and flower tending to keep her on the go.
The friends in the FL retirement community have changed. She goes with the other single women with many trips and activities that they do as a group. She isn't excluded from the couples she is friends with, since she is a single, but things change and she has gone with it. She used to square dance as a couple, but finds line dancing is perfect for singles. She has had a few men interested in her but she doesn't need lonely men in declining health to take care of, so she's gently let them know she's not interested. She's happy on her own and is finding her own happiness as a single.
She isn't in a hurry to sell the homestead as long as she can take care of things and herself. If that changes, she will go with it. She took care of money/retirement funds when she was part of a couple and that has been instrumental in handling issues that have come up since she became single again. She has been able to transition much easier than women who lost husbands that handled finances. In that respect, single people retiring are more likely to be in a better place retiring than marrieds who allow one partner be in charge of finances.
I hope I can emulate her as I age, she is such a great role model on so many levels.
Last edited by jean-ji; 06-07-2013 at 07:58 AM..
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