top retirement places

Williamsburg ranks for retirement
HOUSTON -- In its September/October 2010 issue, Where to Retire magazine, the only magazine geared to helping people with retirement relocation decisions, features eight spirited college towns with super deals.

Shields and Gerson on Voters' Economic Fears, GOP's 'Party of No' Payoff
Listen to the Audio Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson, sitting in for David Brooks, analyze the week's top news stories, including voters' ongoing economic concerns headed into the midterm elections and the White House taking on "the professional left." JIM LEHRER: Now the analysis of Shields and Gerson -- syndicated columnist Mark Shields ...

Edwin Van der Sar: Manchester United can't rely on old guard much longer
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, the oldest player currently in the Premier League, has hinted this is likely to be his final season.

HEALTH CARE:
As we become wiser (certainly not older), we become wiser to our health needs. hospitals, doctors, health practitioners. The AMA web site can help you locate what you're looking for particularly if you might be facing a medical challenge or specialty.

COMMUNITY:
What kind of demographics are you looking for? Neighbors? Convenience? Do you want zero lot lines between your house and next door or do you want five acres? The Census Bureau's Quick Facts web site will show you population, income, business information for all counties in the United States.

Contact the department of education (for public schools) to see how the area you are contemplating measures up to your expectations. Of course there is always the private sector for schools.

FOOD:
General grocery shopping is fine. However, what about; seafood, vegetarian, kosher, deli, farmers market, green market, organic market, specialty markets? Dining out…….how far do you travel to your favorite restaurant or Starbucks?

Get a sense & feel for where you want to move. Call the local Chamber of Commerce or view the local newspaper online. See if there are local chat message boards or local web sites. Check with local law enforcement for safety & crime in the area. The F.B.I has a crime reporting system that they release annually.

WEATHER:
Neither rain, nor snow or sleet……..Oh, yeah. That's the postman's creed. Do you want to live & play in snow or at the beach? You can certainly check the weather patterns in the coldest months (Jan-Feb) & the warmest months (July-August) to the area you are considering. The local Chamber of Commerce & weather channels can assist you in your decision.

Now that you've decided to hang up the plaque on the wall & start to show off that gold watch you so deservingly earned, you might start to ask yourself… ‘how do I pick where I want to retire?'

LOCAL TAXES:
Look at Retirement USA ® for taxes by state. Just Because you found that perfect house in your perfect price range, it may not be what you bargained for.

RECREATION-LEISURE-FIESTA:
What are you going to do with all this FREE TIME you now have on your hands? Golf, walking, beach, skating, cruises, gardening, traveling, cleaning your house, become a dog walker for the neighborhood, become a volunteer (so many needed)?

EDUCATION:
Ready to explore new interests or a degree? Want to study rocks……… archaeology or diamonds, they are a girls best friend. Continuing education just might be for you. A new language, become a tour guide.

TRANSPORTATION:
How do you get where you want to go? Are you willing to drive everywhere? Check out those gas prices. Does the area you are looking at have public transportation that is convenient to do grocery shopping, travel to the mall, take you to the cruise ship? What about airports? International or domestic? The FAA has maps showing major U.S. airports with links to smaller or regional airports. Don't forget the train or bus lines.

FAITH, RELIGION & SPIRITUALITY:
Going to your house of worship can be a great way of breaking into the community. Usually, you will be welcomed and start new friendships with those who have the start of something in common.

CELL PHONE COVERAGE:
Check it out with your current service. What's involved of keeping your popular cell phone number or going through the anxiety of letting everyone know your new cell phone number. The cancellation of a contract, a new contract, area coverage. Do you plan to be a world traveler with needed coverage or just local? Dial up the coverage maps for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile or your current carrier.

Did you know that there are garlic festivals all around the country? What about wine tasting? You can check online by using the key words to your desired activity. One thing for sure……look to see if there are certain gatherings in your prospective new address that might be a little overwhelming for you. Some events happen in certain areas of the country during certain times of the year.

It's easy to find a movie theater or a video rental store. What about the likes of local community live theater (dinner or not), symphony orchestras, dance companies, museums, free local tours, mall shopping.

As you review these points, consider where these categories fit into your lifestyle in order of YOUR importance.

HOUSING:
Check out Retirement USA ® . The National Association of Home Builders publishes a spreadsheet that shows the affordability of houses around the country.

FAMILY:
Are you willing to leave family, (immediate or extended), aging parents, children, grandchildren? If you are in that position, will you have room for them to stay a period of time? How about children still in school?

LIBRARIES:
Sure there are bookstores in every mall across the country. Have you considered used book stores, libraries and their resources? Many libraries offer free classes, book readings & senior activity. Glow little book worm, glitter, glitter.

JOBS:
WHOA! Hold on a minute. I want to go into retirement. I've done my time you say. You know what is said about idle hands……. You just may want to keep those hands busy now that you realize you're not a couch potato. So, maybe a part time position is in the cards…..mmm, a dealer at Vegas?

Personal Finance, focus-retirement Most people don't get to have their cake and eat it too. Case in point: we know the best employers for workers over age 50.