Let’s Talk About Retirement

The Option™ asked:


Or will he move elsewhere to realise his personal ambitions?

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rvirzi2000 asked:


Suppose I retire and start collecting Social Security benefits, but I also work part time and earn income. Ignoring any income taxes taken out of my pay, does Uncle Sam also still take social security tax from my wages even though I am now a beneficiary of the system?
TIA
I know the rules of how federal income tax is determined after retirement. What I want to know is will I still be paying into the social security fund even after I start collecting social security myself.

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Gen Wright asked:


mployee has been with a company for 20 to 30 years and they have decided it is finally time to retire it is very important that you honor them before they go. You should hold a retirement party and allow all of the staff members to say a final goodbye and thank the person for their service in the way they should be thanked. Corporate awards are the best option when you are honoring a retiree.

Gifting corporate awards for a retiree is important. You might consider a glass, green marble, black marble, or even a black granite award. These are all excellent choices that look very professional and amazing. Some awards stand for length of service so you might want to research the different awards before you make a purchase. If the company has a standard for retirees then you will only need to personalize it.

Personalizing corporate awards for retirees is very important. You might place the company name and logo on the front with the employee name and years of service to the company. The award may even say that the employee retired also. Engraving the award is very important and you cannot give a retiree one without it.

When corporations want to recognize an individual for years of achievement, the award must reflect the company’s heart felt thanks. There are many tasteful corporate awards that not only look stunning because of the material that each one is made of, but each award also has a unique shape and theme, which makes these awards, truly one of a kind. Elegant crystal awards make excellent retirement momentums for business men and women alike.

When you give corporate awards to retirees, that are professionally engraved and classy, it shows the employee that you cared and appreciated the hard work and dedication they put into the company. They know that they made a difference with the company. A corporate award is a nice thing for the retiree to take with them when they go because they will have something to remember the many years they spent dedicated to the company. A wall or desk plaque gives the retiree an option to display their corporate award where they want to and will be proudly displayed for years to come.

Corporate awards require many considerations when you are purchasing for a retiree. You want the employee to know that their many dedicated years are greatly appreciated by the entire staff and organization. You can personalize an award and write information about the employee and the company on it. There are also many very professional and classy awards to choose from. Set a standard by picking an award to give to all of your retirees when they go.

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Leander asked:


Me and my wife are Filipinos. I just acquired my US citizenship about 4 years ago but am planning to get a dual citizenship. Semi-retiring in the Philippines but with a comfortable life is our goal. We’ve already missed a lot of relatives’ and friends’ weddings, baptisms, birthdays, and fiestas not to mention all the occasions. Don’t want to do it when we get older because all we know would be old or dead.(hope not) But any hel would be great especially if you could add the living expenses today.
So, would that 1 million bucks just the initial investment or would that be a sustainable amount for at least a year. I know that it might have been just thrown out there as pertaining to big bucks but it might be valid.

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artattack asked:


I am 29 years old and had about $10,000 invested in a High Risk IRA and now I am down to $9,400 after 2 months of Investment. I know that I am not retiring for many years but still am unsure if this is the best option for my money right now. I really am concerned about retirement and I want to make sure that I am doing the right thing in the retirement process.

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Hallie asked:


My father is retiring after twenty years in the US Navy. My mother wants my sister and I to sing at the ceremony, so I need a good song. Please make reasonable suggestions.

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Gregory Smyth asked:


Thailand is the most favored home-away-from-home for expatriate retirees looking for the sunnier climes of South-East Asia, but the kingdom faces rising competition from their neighbors, a renowned international property consultant reported.

Thailand, which has been energetically trying to woo foreign retirees for years, granted 12,092 special retirement visas to foreigners in the first seven months of 2006, projecting it as the major attraction in its regional push to acquire revenues off the elderly expatriate market. According to leading property consultants, more and more South-East Asian countries are seeing foreign retirees as second home purchasers (RSH), but Thailand is still the dominant force.

Thailand stands in a very strong position competing to persuade RSH purchasers against other countries in South-East Asia. The boom in the property market in South-East Asia has been a product of, among other factors, the surge in property values in Europe and the US that have enabled retirees to sell their homes and fly abroad.

Thailand, boasting of two coastlines, warm climate, and a hospitable population, has emerged as a major destination for retirees buying second homes. If we view the country as a product, the ‘Thai Brand’ puts forward messages of good quality of life for RSH, comprising advanced health care, safety in life, necessary infrastructure, enjoyable vacations and the keenness of Thailand as a hub of air transportation in Asia.

However, the consultants also caution that Thailand’s growing market for retirees faces hurdles, such as limitations on property ownership, financial facilitation and visa regulations. Compared with Malaysia, where there is no limitation on property ownership, Thailand does not enable foreigners to own land and grants only 30-year leases on land rental. For the ownership of high-rises, it gives 49 per cent freehold of foreigners for condominiums.

Malaysia has been the most lenient country in delivering an attractive property ownership, financial aids and visa structure for retired second-home purchasers.

The “Malaysia my second home programme” facilitates foreign sole ownership of land with houses, eligibility for domestic loans to purchase the property and a 10-year-visa permit. Despite all the favors, over the past five years Malaysia’s second home programme has only catered to 8,700 people.

Singapore also attaches no restrains on freehold condominiums. Even though foreigners cannot buy land, the country delivers 99-year leases on Sentosa Cove, the only land development specifically for foreigners. China provides 70-year leases for land tenants while Vietnam permits 50-year leases.

Thailand, facing ballooning regional competition in the retirees as second home purchasers market, will require to be “committed in improving a better package of property ownership, domestic financing for foreigners and visa regulations,” warned the leading consultants.

Lots of expats are thinking of retiring to Thailand, but as has already been pointed out, the government is not very favorable toward foreign retirees. The strenuous Visa, Income and reporting obligations coupled with the land ownership laws do make other countries more compelling. If Thailand is to benefit from the growing interest from foreign retirees, it requires to seriously reconsider the current status and attitude. It is not good enough to welcome the money of expats, expats have to feel comfortable and secure wherever they are looking to spend their declining years.



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Real Estate Advisor asked:


If you are someone looking for a dream place to live your retirement life, here are the top five best choices according to AARP The Magazine, which is a bi-monthly periodical that represents the 50+ market.

These dream cities have everything a retiree could ask for. AARP Researchers selected the cheapest cities based on factors such as affordability, income, property and sales tax. Of these, five dream places were selected considering additional criteria such as weather, recreational opportunities, livability, health care and transportation.

Las Cruces, New Mexico tops the list of five dream cities for retired people. There are about 82,600 residents in this community and the median age of the population is 31.2 years. Las Cruces is a beautiful city characterized by affordable homes, excellent quality of life, great year-round weather and plenty of attractions. Locals enjoy low property taxes and outdoor activities such as hiking and camping in the mountains. The New Mexico State University situated in the city is a plus. This college town offers a wonderful culture and a relaxed lifestyle.

Charleston, South Carolina is the next best dream city one would love to retire in. Locals enjoy tax exemption on social security benefits. Charleston is known for its civility, and according to one expert in etiquette, has been judged the best-mannered city in America nine times in a row. The city’s friendliness and regal reputation is maintained by its livability court, the only one of its kind in the U.S, which addresses minor quality-of-life complaints such as barking dogs, loud parties and smelly trash. The Senior Scholars program at the military college and non-degree courses at the College of Charleston are hot favorites among residents. The city has an estimated population of about 106,700 and a median resident age of 33.2 years.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware is a paradise for retired people and ranks number 3 on the list. With a land area of 1.2 sq. miles, the city has a population of about 1,550 residents and a median age of 57. About 38% of the residents are 65 years and above and the number is expected to increase to 75% in the next 25 years. Residents enjoy a variety of benefits such as low property taxes, sales tax exemption on many items, and tax exemption on some retirement benefits. Residents love the beach, the central location and small town feel.

Memphis, Tennessee is the fourth dream city on the list. With its big-city style and small- town charm, the city is another great place for retirees. Its ongoing revitalization, numerous tax benefits, rich culture, and abundant attractions such as the Mississippi Delta region are big hits with the locals. The city has a resident population of 672,200 people with a median age of 31.9 years.

St. George, Utah with its desert landscape is an appealing city that ranks fifth on the list. According to a 2006 AARP report, St. George is one of the ten fastest growing counties in the U.S. for people who are 60 and above. Locals enjoy several tax advantages, excellent outdoor entertainment and proximity to major nearby attractions. The city has a population of 64,200 and median resident age of 31.4 years.

Whether you are buying a family home, or a full-time retirement home, make your dreams come true by obtaining the services of a real estate professional to help you in the home buying process.



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Anti-Socialist asked:


If you didn’t already know Social Security is in deep trouble because it won’t be able to handle all the baby boomer’s retiring over the next 20 years if they ain’t paid you are going to have tens of millions of angry old voters which means there is no way a major new program like universal health care will happen.

So all you Dems who are voting for Hillary or Obama because you want universal health care, they ain’t going to give it you.

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Dr. Cynthia Barnett asked:


I never cease to be amazed by some of the unique characteristics of clutter. For some reason, clutter is often associated with the homes and workplaces of retirees or “seniors.” We have all heard stories and read accounts of elderly people who live in tumble-down houses filled with unbelievable amounts of clutter. This is not, however, a universal characteristic of retirees.

So what are the essential characteristics of clutter? Here are a few that come to mind at the moment:

§ Clutter takes many shapes and is composed of many items

§ Clutter has the inherent property of expanding to fill all available space

§ Clutter is generally collective – it builds up over time

§ Clutter is generally composed of items we believe we must continue to keep

§ Clutter is composed of items we believe to be important for some reason

§ Clutter is generally composed of items we have not used in years

§ Clutter is often composed of items we cannot find

§ Clutter is often made up of things we actually don’t need

§ Clutter can be dangerous for retirees

§ Clutter is hard to remove

Let’s face it. At some point in time, everything that makes up clutter was important to us. What we do with it and how long we keep it is often directly proportional to the sentimental or emotional value we attach to it. For example, some of us keep every memento of every activity shared with a loved one. Others keep some souvenir of meaningful travel destinations. Some keep newspapers or magazines. And some of us are collectors gone wild.

We all know clutter in our homes can be dangerous – it can pose a fire hazard or a tripping or stumbling hazard, especially as it expands to mega-proportions. We hear so many stories of retirees who are victims of home fires, who fall and break fragile bones or who fall and get a serious head injury. For these reasons alone, de-cluttering is a really smart move for retirees.

Clutter can also be emotional, mental or psychological. This kind of clutter can often be most difficult to clean out of our lives. This kind of clutter distracts us or re-enforces negative self-images or continues to reopen old wounds. This kind of clutter makes us feel unhappy, stressed out, angry, or even guilty.

While the physical clutter around us might be more noticeable to others, it is easier to remove. It just takes determination and a realistic appraisal of the value of things. Clearing out old animosities, guilt, sorrow and pain, however, is even more important if we really want to enjoy the second stage of our lives.

My advice to all retirees who want to experience a feeling of a new freedom and a fresh outlook on life is: DE-CLUTTER. Start with the “stuff” that is cluttering your environment. If something has real value, but you don’t need to keep it, give it to someone who will appreciate its value.

Remind yourself that if you haven’t used or read something in over a year, you don’t need it. A first step is to get rid of anything you have been saving to which you have access on the internet. This, for example, is a great way to get rid of stacks or boxes of newspapers, magazines, and the like. A little de-cluttering will give you a great sense of freedom and space. It’s a wonderful feeling.

Start de-cluttering your psyche. Deal with unresolved guilt: make apologies, make peace. Put old animosities and anger to rest – recognize it, ask yourself if it really matters any longer, move beyond it. Deal with old sorrows and pain. Make the decision to put them to rest.

Finally, you can start the fun part of de-cluttering your mind. Make a list of all the ideas and activities you have stored up to do someday. Prioritize your list. Discard those things that just are not that important any longer. And make a plan to do the things you still want to do.

De-cluttering will give you a new sense of freedom, focus and direction. Your home will also be much safer.



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