Stay Connected In Retirement

by Cynthia Barnett

You’ve probably heard it said about getting ahead in life that “it isn’t what you know, it’s who you know.” While there is a certain amount of truth to that claim, I can assure you there is a great deal of truth in this statement: “Happiness depends on your ability to stay connected in retirement.” Quite simply, numerous studies show that people who withdraw from life and from connections with others are not only miserable in their retirement years, but they tend to die sooner than people you stay connected in retirement.

It is always easy to postpone doing things; and this doesn’t change when we retire. Staying connected is one of the most important things people need to do after retiring. Fortunately, this is not difficult. No matter how shy you are, and no matter how much of a loner you are, you need to stay connected to life, to the world, and to at least one or two other people. We don’t have to become isolated or lonely in retirement. We just need to stay connected.

Here are a few ideas to help you stay connected:

Consistently watch one news broadcast each day at least. This is one way to stay informed about the world and your community. It also gives you topics for conversation with other people. Keeping up with the news also keeps you informed of new developments and the like that can make your life better.

Have a conversation with at least one person who is important to you each day. It really doesn’t matter so much whether the conversation occurs over the telephone or face to face. The important thing is to stay in conversation with someone every day. Whether you discuss world news or childhood memories, the conversation is good for you.

Write a letter (not an e-mail) to someone each week. Take the time to actually connect with someone by taking the time to sit down and write a long letter. Write about what is happening in your life, your family, your thoughts, and your feelings. Not only will the letter brighten someone else’s life, you will probably receive a response that will brighten your life.

Find an exercise buddy. We all need exercise. Whether you choose to walk or engage in some other physical activity for exercise, it will be more fun if you share the experience with a friend. You can discuss many things on a daily walk, or even at a pool or a gym or spa.

Volunteer to help others. There are many people around us who need help with things. There are people whose only contact with others is a conversation with the meals-on-wheels delivery person. There are children who need to be taught or just need to be loved. There are many organizations that rely upon volunteers to carry out their mission. Not only will you stay connected with other people, you will know you have done something to help someone, and that will feel good.

Join a group or club. Regular get-togethers with other people who enjoy the same things you do, are great fun. Whether you play cards, mah jong, dominoes, chess, checkers or bunko; whether you share bird watching experiences or take in a movie or a show together, you are spending time in conversation with people with whom you share interests.

Remain or become active in your church, synagogue or mosque. You can be assured that you share basic beliefs and values with the people you meet there. You will also find ways to help others, teach others, and contribute to a better world.

Learn to do something new. Whether you take computer classes, dancing lessons, or you audit a course at the local college, learning something new keeps your mind sharp, puts you in contact with others who have similar interests, and opens up new possibilities for social, business or educational activities in the future.

Try these tips to become connected and stay connected in retirement. You will be happier, healthier, and you can make a positive impact on the lives of others.


Dr. Cynthia Barnett is a "refired" educator who has reinvented her life, moving from the school house to an entrepreneurial venue. She is the author of "Stop Singing the Blues: 10 Powerful Strategies for Hitting the High Notes in Your Life," and "Seven Secrets of Highly Successful Retirees." She is a retirement lifestyle coach. She was recently interviewed by Time magazine for their article on women in mid-life who have reinvented themselves. She can be reached at 203-855-9714 or http://www.refiredontretire.com.

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Discover How You Can Afford to Retire Early in Luxury

Real Estate and Your Retirement

by J Harris

Many people are looking for ways to increase their retirement income. For most of these individuals, their homes are the greatest asset. A large section of the aging population has failed to plan effectively in order to have sufficient savings at retirement. They now are looking to their real estate to supplement their retirement income.

Real estate values are very unpredictable, especially now with the decrease in the real estate bubble. Prices are falling in some cities and flattening in others. It will take some planning to get the most from selling your real estate to supplement your retirement.

Be Realistic. To plan effectively, you must be realistic about the price you may get for your home. Real estate is an up and down market, so you should assume a traditional real estate market for valuating your home, with gains in value equal to the inflation rate. At retirement, you will have the same purchasing power you currently have. If gains in real estate values are better than the inflation rate, then you will have more. Just don’t count on it.

Get the Most from Your Real Estate. People used to work hard to pay off their mortgages for homes they planned to raise their children in and retire. Since 1989, the number of people 65 and older with mortgage debt has nearly tripled, adjusting for inflation. Making payments on real estate in retirement years will deplete your savings and retirement income faster than any other expenditure.

There are three reasons to pay off your real estate mortgage — (1) decrease expenditures in your retirement years, (2) use the mortgage interest rate that you will save to increase your retirement savings, and (3) build more equity, in case you need it as income on which to live later. Paying off your mortgage is a good thing to do, regardless of what the real estate market is doing.

Downsize Your Home. If you are living in a home that is larger than what you need, do not hold on to it for sentimental reasons. Selling the larger home for a smaller one can: (1) give you a smaller mortgage payment than you currently have, or (2) purchase a smaller home outright with no mortgage. It also means less physical upkeep by you, as well as less maintenance and repair costs in the future during retirement. Please keep in mind that there will be selling, moving and new home renovation costs that must be deducted from the sale proceeds.

Sell the Extra Real Estate. If you have a second home or vacation real estate that will not be your retirement residence, you may wish to sell this extra real estate now, putting the sale proceeds into your retirement savings. You can put the mortgage and annual upkeep payments for this property into your retirement savings, too.

Reverse Mortgages. Though these products have been around for some time, we are hearing a lot about them lately. Such mortgages give you 50 percent or more of your home’s value with no mortgage payments, which are collected by the lender at your death or if you sell the real estate.

Beware! Reverse mortgages should be used only as a last-ditch effort at survival. The interest and fees added to your mortgage debt can be very costly. If you must consider a reverse mortgage, here are a few smart tips:

• There are only a few reverse mortgage products now on the market, but others are coming soon. So, wait two or three years to garner more options and possibly better products.

• You must be 62 to qualify for a reverse mortgage loan, but wait as long as possible to take such a loan. The younger you are, the smaller the loan and higher the cost over time.

• Check out all of the products on the market and get independent financial counseling on the best one for you. They may look the same upfront, but the number of years and the loan value differ greatly between products, as well as the costs over time.

• Do not buy into the hype! Mortgage brokers receive a large commission on these products. If you feel you are being pushed in this direction, check out other lenders.

• Plan ahead. If you move and sell your real estate, the lender receives all that is due on the reverse mortgage from the sale proceeds. This could actually leave you in a worse financial state.


John Harris is an expert researcher and writer on real estate topics such as economics, credit improvement tips, home selling advice and home buying preparations. For more information please visit San Diego Realtor

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Discover How You Can Afford to Retire Early in Luxury