There are plenty of cons to getting older. Aside from health concerns, people become more aware of issues like tax rate, the value of your home, having enough money to retire, what constitutes a better quality of life, and even dealing with your own mortality. However, as you and your spouse age, it’s not all bad, and there is even some good news for people who plan for their future. Let’s take a look at what a lot of people think you should consider as you age.
1. Your Health
It’s clearly a good idea to think of your health as your age. However, most people don’t know where to start monitoring their well-being, instead of worrying about what will be the most significant improvement to it. A good place to start is at a hearing assessment center. Hearing loss affects millions of people in the United States and around the world. Worse, it usually isn’t taken seriously by the person suffering from it or by other family members. The truth is that patients of all ages can benefit from a visit to a hearing assessment center. Better hearing can lead to less anxiety-inducing experiences, more meaningful conversations, and act as a stepping-stone to other aspects of your health. There really isn’t a downside to seeing an audiologist. You could potentially find out how to manage the effects of other issues like tinnitus or teeth grinding, which also causes hearing problems.
After your visit to the assessment center and receiving helpful advice on what to address next, it would be time to shake up your routine to act on it. This could simple things like walking outside in the summer, or they could recommend you talk with a general practitioner. The important thing is that you are addressing your health concerns. You’ve worked hard to be where you are, so taking care of your health will increase the length of time you can enjoy it.
2. Current Assets
Once you’ve gotten on top of your health, it’s time to pull out the calculator and take a look at the lump sum of your assets. If you are a homeowner, it’s a good idea to use an equity calculator when determining what your current home is worth. Evaluating the amount of money that you still owe, what your monthly payment is and other aspects of your home’s value will give you a better idea of what sort of money you have in your house or condo. Determining your primary residence value is important as, for many people, it is their largest asset.
Other assets that are common for people to own are stocks, mutual funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These are often in retirement accounts. You’ll want to see how much money you have invested here as well. Ask questions like are there any exemptions or penalties if you take out money early? For some retirement accounts, you can be taxed at a higher rate or accrue fees for taking money out early. The ultimate goal for looking at your assets is to get a better idea of the money you’ll have at retirement. It should give you some peace of mind as well as an idea of the best choices you can make financially moving forward.
3. Your Residence
Now that you’ve taken a look at your passive income and assets, you’ll want to consider where you intend to live when you retire. You’ve already looked at your personal residence as an asset, now it’s time to consider the best place you could actually be. Many people, not just in the United States, find numerous reasons as to why you should move to Florida. The state has a lot to offer to retirees, (just so long as you don’t mind alligators!) With no state income tax, summer weather all year long, as well as other tax benefits; the sunshine state has become a destination for people around the world to retire to.
Being one of the largest states, there are a lot of places to settle between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. South Florida is home to Fort Lauderdale, the Florida Keys, Tampa and St. Petersburg, Miami Beach, and a wealth of other great destinations. Central Florida is home to Orlando and most of the theme parks in the state such as Disney World and Universal Studios. Pensacola and Jacksonville are two great cities in North Florida. There are also plenty of sports teams to cheer for there. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Orlando Magic, and Miami Heat are some of the best pros in the business. Floridians enjoy warm weather, amusement parks, golf courses, and is a great place for taxes. Whether you currently live in Australia or New York, you’ll want to consider the state of Florida as a place to retire.
4. New Opportunities
The final thing to consider as you age would be what you’d like to do. What are good options for you and your family to become invested in? This could be converting a home into a rental property. It may sound funny at first to call yourself a landlord, but rental income can have its perks. With an investment property, not only do you gain rental income, but there are several tax deductions, such as depreciation, you can write off as well. A renter should be able to cover the monthly mortgage payment if there still is one and within the first year or two, it should also help you cover the down payment for your new property.
Perhaps you don’t want to move to a new home or own a rental property but would still like to reap the rewards of your home equity. A good option is to learn the ins-and-outs of reverse mortgages. A reverse mortgage offers you a line of credit, lump sum, or fixed monthly payment borrowed against the value of your home. This allows you to have money based on the value of your home.
Becoming a senior isn’t always easy and there are a number of factors to consider as you age. But if you spend some time thinking about your future and what you want it to look like, you’ll be able to make sure that your retirement is bright for you and your family.