I ADMIT I'M ENVIOUS of people who feel passionate about their careers. People who have no desire to stop working. People who can’t imagine how they’ll fill their days when they finally retire. I spent 37 years in the workforce. My first few years, I held multiple part-time jobs to put myself through college. Once I completed my master’s degree, I began working fulltime. For 30 years, work was just a daily chore. During three decades of employment, I never took an extended period of time-off. I never went on maternity leave. I didn’t take a sabbatical. The two times I made career changes, I stopped working for my old employer on a Friday and started my new position the following Monday. I have a file folder filled with glowing recommendations, positive annual reviews and multiple nominations for performance awards. I almost always felt the work I did was appreciated. But I never felt passionate about what I was doing. For 30 years, I worked five days a week. While my body went through the motions Monday through Friday, my mind was usually focused on the weekend. Saturday and Sunday were the days I could spend time doing what I truly enjoyed. Every hobby I had, whether it was competitive pistol shooting, training dogs or writing, came with its own set of daydreams. I spent countless hours thinking of ways to turn the activities I loved into a career. I’d fill notebooks with business plans and estimates of potential income. I would research the cost of medical insurance policies. I’d admire people who ran their own businesses and wonder if I could achieve similar success. Inevitably, I’d give up on my dreams. I was never confident enough in my abilities to take the necessary leap of faith. I was too afraid of giving up the security of a fulltime job for the unknown of self-employment. Finally, in early 2022, I did what I’d imagined doing for years: I gave notice to my employer. My final day of work coincided with my 55th birthday. The first two weeks of my retirement were hectic. My husband and I sold our home in Oregon. We packed up our four dogs and moved to Arizona. Those first days in Arizona felt a lot like work. I spent hours every day unpacking boxes, cleaning and organizing. I felt compelled to be productive for eight hours a day. Instead of compulsively checking my work email account, I began compulsively checking my personal email. The idea of spending an entire day reading a book was incomprehensible. [xyz-ihs snippet="Mobile-Subscribe"] My husband, who retired four years ago, encouraged me to slow down. He reminded me the days belonged to us. There were no deadlines. There were no fabricated goals to be met. There was just time. I gradually began to devote less energy to unpacking boxes. I spent more time training our dogs. I started setting aside at least an hour a day to write. I started playing my clarinet—something I haven’t done since I was in high school. My husband and I are starting to develop a daily routine that allows both of us the time to do the things we enjoy. We’re both up before the sun rises so we can exercise our dogs before the heat sets in. After that, we plan our activities for the day. Most of the tasks are mundane. But we find pleasure in simple things like riding our bikes to the grocery store. The most difficult part of retirement for me has nothing to do with time. It has everything to do with money. Not getting a regular paycheck feels odd. I struggle with the idea that I no longer contribute as much to our household expenses as my husband, who receives a generous pension. Since I was 18 years old, I’ve always paid my own way. I never received an inheritance. I never had a college fund. Every penny I have today is there because I earned it myself. I’m thankful my husband and I are in a better financial situation than I expected. We sold our house in Oregon for more money than I thought possible. Having a substantial cash reserve in the credit union helps relieve some of the stress I feel. If the need arises, I’m willing to go back to work. I feel confident I could find a part-time job. But for now, I’m happy spending my days getting caught up on all those things I put off for the past three decades. As for those boxes that still need unpacking? They’ll still be there next week. Kristine Hayes Nibler recently retired, and she and her husband now live in Arizona. She enjoys spending her time reading, writing and training their four dogs. Check out Kristine's earlier articles. [xyz-ihs snippet="Donate"]

WE BEGAN IN 2019 to think seriously about what we wanted our retirement to look like. My husband had retired in 2018. I was aiming to leave my job in 2022. We were hoping to have a plan in place long before my final day of work. Our first step was to decide where we wanted to live. We were both eager to escape the Pacific Northwest, so we zeroed in on a couple of potential destinations. We spent a few weeks during the summer of 2019 investigating our choices. Our initial pick was St. George, Utah. We quickly discovered we weren’t alone in our love of the southern Utah climate. Over the past decade, St. George has consistently ranked as one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S. Knowing our retirement budget would be modest, we realized we needed to find a location where housing was more affordable. Sun City West, Arizona, an age-restricted community located just outside of Phoenix, was next. The desert climate appealed to us. The cost of homes was lower than in many other parts of the country. The question we had: Would we enjoy living in a retirement community? Our doubts didn’t last long. On our first trip to visit Sun City West in June 2019, my husband and I both commented on how easy it felt to be there. The community—which encompasses 12 square miles—consists of 17,000 single-story homes. Within the city boundaries are all the various amenities you’d expect to find in a small metropolis. Sun City West is home to three grocery stores, a gas station, a full-service hospital and a variety of restaurants. There are also numerous banks and credit unions, three fire stations, two hardware stores and several churches. The one thing conspicuously absent? Schools. With a median age of 75—and a minimum age of 55 to purchase a home—residents of Sun City West have no need for an educational system. As a result, property taxes are significantly lower than in surrounding areas. [caption id="attachment_1538151" align="alignright" width="400"] Kristine's new home in Arizona[/caption] Two days after we arrived for our initial visit, we began looking for a home to buy. With only a handful of houses for sale, and many eager buyers, we found ourselves in a market that favored sellers. We bid—and lost out—on two homes. A few days later, we flew back to Portland, Oregon, and continued our search online. Two weeks after returning to Portland, we found a fully furnished home in our price range. We quickly made an offer and, within a month, we were absentee homeowners. Although we made a few extended visits to our new home in 2020 and 2021, we didn’t become fulltime residents until April 2022. In the year since moving to Sun City West, we’ve become convinced an age-restricted community was the right choice for us. What have we learned over the past 12 months? We made a good decision to buy when we did. The average price of a home in Sun City West was $272,000 in mid-2019. Three years later, they peaked at an average $408,000. If we’d waited to buy until I retired in 2022, we would have been priced out of the market. Relocating has helped us financially. The cost of living in Phoenix is some 18% lower than Portland. Our Arizona property taxes, for a 2,000-square-foot home on a 10,000-square-foot lot, are $1,200 this year. That compares favorably to the nearly $4,000 property tax bill we had on our much smaller Portland home. [xyz-ihs snippet="Mobile-Subscribe"] We aren’t as social as we thought we’d be. One of the draws of Sun City West is the ample opportunity for social interaction. With more than 100 chartered clubs, there’s something to do every waking hour. Prior to retiring, both my husband and I imagined joining at least a couple of the clubs to explore new interests. But since we’ve moved down, we find ourselves with little time for extracurricular activities. Training our dogs, working out, going for walks and riding our bikes keep us busy. Our community is designed to help seniors age in place. The homes in Sun City West were built with an older population in mind. The open floor plans allow residents to negotiate their home using a variety of mobility aids. The gravel- and rock-filled yards are generally maintenance free. Most of the homes are single-family residences, but there are duplexes, townhouses, apartments and condominiums as well. Several assisted living facilities are located within the city’s boundaries. [caption id="attachment_1538152" align="alignleft" width="400"] Sun City West has 25,000 residents, a third of whom are age 80 or older. [/caption] The entire community is designed to allow residents to age in place and maintain their independence for as long as possible. Since moving down, we’ve learned about several nonprofit organizations that provide free or low-cost assistance to residents who need it. My husband and I appreciate knowing we can likely stay in our home for as long as we’re physically able. We don’t miss commuting. One hesitation I had about moving to a suburb of Phoenix was dealing with the traffic. Having commuted to my job in Portland for several years, I wasn’t looking forward to dealing with all the cars in the fifth largest metropolitan area in the U.S. But since moving, we’ve discovered there aren’t many times we need to leave our immediate area. Most of the services we require are located within—or just outside of—our community. It’s apparent there’s a tradeoff when it comes to buying items locally. We may pay slightly more for purchases made at the stores within walking distance of our house. But we save the time and aggravation that comes with battling big city traffic. We also feel it’s important to support our local retailers as much as possible. Many of the local stores go out of their way to employ residents who want or need a job. Kristine Hayes Nibler retired in 2022, and she and her husband now live in Arizona. She enjoys spending her time reading, writing and training their four dogs. Check out Kristine's earlier articles. [xyz-ihs snippet="Donate"]

SEVEN MONTHS AGO—on my 55th birthday—I walked away from a job I’d held for 24 years. That day, I got in my car, left Portland, Oregon, and began a two-day roadtrip to Arizona. My husband, who retired in 2018, was already living in our Phoenix-area home. I was looking forward to joining him, but I questioned how well I’d adapt to my new life as a retiree. During my 1,300-mile journey south, I had plenty of time to ponder my future. I wondered how my husband and I would cope with the hot desert climate. I questioned if we’d have sufficient income to cover all our expenses. I was unsure how I’d deal with the vast amount of free time I would have. Now, just half a year later, I feel comfortable with my decision to leave behind fulltime work. Moving to Arizona in May meant dealing with the summer heat right away. The hottest daytime temperature we endured was 115 degrees. We learned summer heat requires waking up at 4 a.m. to get outdoor activities completed while temperatures are still in the 80s and 90s. During the heat of the day, we often visited one of the swimming pools or climate-controlled gyms located in our retirement community. We also spent time catching up on the various television series we enjoy. [caption id="attachment_1535710" align="alignright" width="350"] Aldo the corgi getting in his steps on the treadmill[/caption] Exercising our four dogs in the heat required some creative solutions. The dogs logged many miles on a treadmill we purchased for them. We had an air-conditioner installed in our garage so we could use the space as a training area. Financially, we’re doing fine. My husband’s income stream includes a state pension, Social Security and rent from a home he owns in Washington state. His pension includes an annual cost-of-living increase, so inflation hasn’t been much of a burden. I have a pension, a 403(b) and a Roth IRA, but we don’t plan on tapping those until I turn 65. While our income decreased in 2022, so too did our expenses. Since 2019, we had been paying mortgages on two homes—one in Oregon and one in Arizona. We sold our Oregon home in the weeks prior to my retirement, eliminating a major money drain. Other expenses decreased as well. The utility and property tax payments on our Oregon home were higher than what we pay in Arizona. Oregon’s 9.9% personal income tax rate is over twice as high as Arizona’s. We do pay sales tax in Arizona, but many items—including most groceries and prescription medications—are exempt. The money we netted from the sale of our Oregon home is sitting in a cash account, earning 3% interest. Those funds provide us with peace of mind. Should we face a large, unexpected expense, we know we have enough cash to cover it. The dog training business my husband and I started in June is beginning to turn a profit. The money we make helps offset some of the costs associated with our own dogs. The real benefit, however, is the feedback we receive from clients. Helping residents in our community develop better relationships with their four-legged friends rewards our souls. [xyz-ihs snippet="Holiday-Donate"] What about all that free time I knew I’d have once I retired? It’s devoured by all the activities I never had enough time for when I was working. My husband and I spend our days playing with and training our dogs. We ride our bikes almost every day. We take sunset walks through the neighborhood and we’ve rediscovered the simple joy of reading books. I admit learning to enjoy a slower pace of life hasn’t been easy. For 30 years, my life followed a set routine. On weekdays, I woke up, spent the day at work, returned home and slept. Weekends were almost always devoted to home improvement projects and house cleaning. I vowed to take a break from my hectic schedule when I retired. At first, I wasn’t very successful. I spent hours each day organizing our new home. I scrubbed tile grout, replaced door knobs and cleaned carpets. Slowly, I learned how to unwind. My housekeeping standards are no longer as stringent as they once were. If the dirty dishes sit in the sink overnight, it isn’t the end of the world. The stack of papers I’ve been meaning to file away can wait a bit longer. I’ve learned I can even indulge in the occasional afternoon nap. People sometimes ask me if I miss my job. I don’t. For 30 years, working was just a means to an end. Time will tell if I ever return to regular employment either through choice or necessity. But for now, I’m adapting to my new life as a retiree just fine. Kristine Hayes Nibler recently retired, and she and her husband now live in Arizona. She enjoys spending her time reading, writing and training their four dogs. Check out Kristine's earlier articles. [xyz-ihs snippet="Donate"]

I'M IN EXCELLENT health. I avoid overindulging on sugar and carbohydrates. I exercise every day. I hope to live well into my 90s, if not longer. What if I don’t live nearly that long? From a financial perspective, it makes little difference if I pass away before I tap my retirement funds. The value of most of my accounts wouldn’t be affected by my premature demise. My husband would simply inherit my 403(b) and Roth IRA accounts. My state pension, however, is a different beast. I became vested in the pension when I was in my 20s. It’s a lucrative benefit. The funds are guaranteed to earn a minimum 7% interest each year. Some retired employees end up receiving as much as 130% of their final salaries from their pension payouts. My pension consists of two separate accounts. The employee account makes up about 40% of the overall value, while the employer account holds the balance of the funds. My plan is to hold off taking any payout from my pension until I’m 70 years old, which is 14 years’ away. At that point, I’d be eligible to receive approximately $1,400 a month for the rest of my life. In lieu of a monthly payout, I could opt to take a lump sum benefit worth approximately $165,000. Those payouts are based on a complicated formula that includes the value of both the employee and employer accounts. Here's where things get tricky. What if I were to die before drawing any pension benefit? My husband would receive a survivor benefit. But as beneficiary, he’d be entitled to receive only those funds held in my employee account. So how could I make the best of a situation that isn’t fun to contemplate? If I’m diagnosed with a terminal illness in the next 14 years, I’ll likely take a lump sum payment from my annuity. Doing so would guarantee that the full value of my pension would be passed along to my husband, instead of just the 40% employee portion.

A FEW YEARS AGO, my future husband and I took a trip to southern Utah to participate in a pistol shooting competition. We were taken by the area’s beauty and easy access to outdoor recreational activities. While there, we looked at a few homes and were pleasantly surprised to find the prices quite reasonable. We decided Utah would be high on our list of places to relocate to once I retired from my job. Soon after we returned home, St. George, Utah, was ranked as one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country. As the population increased, so too did housing prices. Not long after our visit, we realized we were priced out of the market. Last year, we learned about a retirement community located just outside of Phoenix. Arizona was another state we were interested in retiring to, so we took a trip to investigate the area. Within a couple of days, we felt we’d found the right location for us and we began house hunting. It took two months before we closed on a home. We were outbid on two properties before finding a home we felt was ideal for us. We’d formulated a list of criteria for our retirement destination and the house checked every box. First, we wanted easy access to the various activities we enjoy participating in. Our retirement home is just 20 miles from a world-class shooting range. There are also multiple dog-training clubs throughout the region, which will help us keep our pack of four canines active and engaged. Live concerts, movies in the park and an overwhelming number of continuing education opportunities are available within the community itself. There are also multiple fitness facilities, a library and several clubs we look forward to joining. Next on our list was access to health care. With a full-service hospital and multiple physicians’ offices located less than two miles from our home, this box was easily checked. Having lived in the Pacific Northwest for most of our lives, both my husband and I were interested in retiring to a location with less rain and lower taxes. Arizona met both criteria. Weatherwise, we’ll be trading wet, cold winters for hot, dry summers. Taxwise, we’ll be trading high payments for much lower ones. The property taxes on our 2,000-square-foot Arizona home, located on a 10,000-square-foot lot, are 75% less than the taxes on our 1,100-square-foot home on a city lot in Oregon. [xyz-ihs snippet="Mobile-Subscribe"] Finally, we knew we wanted to find a home and community that were disability friendly. Although my husband and I are both healthy and active now, we realize this might not always be the case. When my husband underwent knee-replacement surgery last year, it gave us insight into how difficult it can be to negotiate a house that isn’t designed for mobility devices. Nearly all of the 17,000 houses in our retirement community were built with accessibility in mind. Most are single-story homes with open floor plans and bathrooms designed for use with wheelchairs and walkers. The sidewalks are wide and barrier-free. The major thoroughfares running through the community accommodate three lanes of traffic. Golf carts are street legal. The entire community was built with the idea of making it easy for residents to age in place. If, in the future, my husband and I need assisted care, there are multiple in-home health care providers available. Residents who need assistance paying for prescription medications, utility bills or appliance repairs can request funds through a community-based, nonprofit charity. Over the past four years, the organization has paid out more than $400,000 in financial assistance to community residents. I initially questioned our decision to buy a second home before I’d retired. But my husband reminded me of our trip to Utah and now I’m glad I listened to him. Housing prices within the Arizona community have already increased 10% since we purchased our home last year. Kristine Hayes is a departmental manager at a small, liberal arts college. Her previous articles include Decisions, Decisions, Day by Day and Did It Myself. Kristine enjoys competitive pistol shooting and hanging out with her husband and their dogs. [xyz-ihs snippet="Donate"]

AS A FORMER journalism major, I’m a sucker for a good headline. I understand how difficult it is to grab a reader’s attention in ten words or less. So, when I came across a headline proclaiming that a group of Stanford researchers had determined the “best” retirement strategy, I admit I was intrigued. I clicked on a link to the study—and found not only a useful retirement planning system, but also a portal into the Stanford Center on Longevity. The Stanford Center consists of more than 150 faculty members, students and staff who conduct research and gather data on aging-related topics. Packed with original studies, research-based statistics and historical data, the website is a tremendous resource for anyone curious about how aging in America has changed over the past few decades and where it’s likely headed in the future. The Center focuses much of its research on the interaction between physical fitness, mental wellbeing and financial health. The Mentally Sharp section of the site features research on topics such as cognitive health and decision making. The Physically Fit portion focuses on subjects related to aging in place and increasing physical activity in older adults. In the Financially Secure section, readers can explore information about fraud prevention, retirement planning and the future of aging. The Center also explores several multi-generational issues. In The Milestones Project, Stanford researchers investigate why members of the millennial generation tend to delay significant life events, compared to older generations. The overall economic impact of delaying marriage and homeownership has yet to be determined, though researchers have also noted a trend toward millennials faring better at retirement planning than their older counterparts. While the website highlights several positive trends—improvements in health care and nutrition have greatly extended life expectancy over the past several decades—the forecast isn’t all rainbows and unicorns. With increasing lifespans comes the probability of having to fund a longer retirement. This, in turn, often means having to spend more years in the workforce to accumulate the necessary retirement portfolio. Research by the Stanford Center on Longevity indicates a clear connection between financial security and wellbeing, both physical and cognitive. By exploring ways to increase the health and overall wellbeing of older adults, the Center’s researchers ultimately hope to help improve the fiscal soundness of future generations. Headline worthy? Absolutely. Kristine Hayes is a departmental manager at a small, liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon. Her previous articles include Independence Day, Case Closed and My Younger Self. [xyz-ihs snippet="Donate"]