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Relocating isn’t just about money, but factors like taxes and healthcare may be tiebreakers
It's not always about the money when it comes to deciding where to live in retirement. Four years ago, after more than three decades of living and working in New York City and environs, Jerrold Footlick, a magazine editor, and his wife, Ceil Cleveland, an author and New York University English professor, retired to Durham, N.C. It had nothing to do with lower taxes or a cheaper cost of living. "That was happy happenstance," Cleveland says.
That's not so unusual. About half of boomers expect to move to another state at retirement, according to a survey by Del Webb, a retirement housing corporation. And while a smart relocation decision will bolster a financial plan, the reality is that money matters often take a back seat to lifestyle issues in retirement.
Not that money doesn't matter (more on that later), but what's really key is living in a place that makes you feel comfortable. "Sure, the cost of living is very important," says Tom Wetzel, president of Retirement Living Information Center, a website. "But family, social networks, and other things often come first." Several criteria can trump financial concerns: climate, access to healthcare, crime rates, recreation, and culture—even shopping.
For Cleveland, 69, and Footlick, 72, moving to the Tar Heel State had everything to do with culture and the temperate climate. The couple was pulled in by the lively arts, sports, and intellectual scene around |
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