Planning to retire in Mexico?

Anyone living or planning to live on a fixed income has to be becoming concerned with the rising cost of living and looking for ways to cut expenses and still live a comfortable life. For many Americans (the US State Department estimates as many as 1 million), the answer is retiring in Mexico. In the article US Population in Mexico Forecast to Grow they quote the Dallas News:

“Up to 10 million Americans live abroad, according to U.S. CensusBureau figures. Because of its proximity, Mexico has drawn asignificant portion of that group. The exact number is an elusive statistic, despite the efforts of researchers - governmental as well as academic - on both sides of the border. American and Mexican developers are building condominiums, resorts and in some cases entire communities in hopes of enticing Americans south. Foreigners, regardless of their immigration status, can now own homes in their own names.”

A good website to start your research on retiring to Mexico is The People’s Guide to Mexico by Carl Franz and Lorena Havens, where they suggest to “Move To Mexico - Retire, Live, Work & Study.” Included on the site are useful pages on many topics about a decision to retire in Mexico, including:

• What will it Costs?

• Where will I Live?

• Rent/Buy/Build

• Working In Mexico

• Best of Mexico

• Puerto Vallarta, Lake Chapala, Ajijic, San Miguel de Allende, Mazatlan

• Buying Property

• Condos

• Real Estate Ads

And that’s just a sample of what you’ll find at the People’s Guide to Mexico. One section of the site to make sure to read is the reader’s stories about their adventures in Mexico. If others can enjoy their retirement in beautiful sunny Mexico, why not you?

corporations look to retain boomers

I’ve read a lot lately about how there are not enough qualified younger employees ready to replace retiring baby boomer employees. The result is corporations taking steps to retain their valued employees. Since many boomers are planning a “working retirement” the benefits could be great.

CNN Money’s Corporations woo baby boomers states “Corporate America is finally waking up to the extensive experience mature employees bring to the table and placing value on the benefits of retaining older workers.”

“More companies are looking to keep older workers by investing in training programs and flexible work schedules, and offering to hire retiring employees on a consultant basis.

“While older employees do tend to be higher paid and can incur higher health care costs, employers are realizing that there is a trade-off in losing that knowledge from the organization,” said Emmett Seaborn, a principle at Towers Perrin, an executive consulting firm.”

MSN Money in it’s article Should you work during retirement? states:
“In 1997, AARP started asking people at what age they planned to retire, and the response was mid- to late 60s. In the latest survey, almost half the respondents said they plan to work into their 70s or beyond. Although the need for money is a driving force, some people would continue to work even if they didn’t need the money, Love says.

Baby boomers — in their 50s now — will have a harder time letting go of their jobs for the leisure of retirement because their identities are tied to what they do professionally, Love says. “Their jobs mean a lot to them.” And they’ll be physically able to work longer thanks to advances in medicine and healthier lifestyles that are extending life expectancies.”

In the same article they point out the pros and cons of working in your retirement years. The pros? More money, health insurance, and possibly even increased Social Security benefits. The cons? Pension problems, IRA required minimum distributions, and more of your Social Security benefits subject to income taxes.

Retirement investing strategy guides

I’m finding many useful retirement investing strategy guides as I work to build you the best site for financial security after 50.

One of the best retirement investing tutorials is Prudential Financial’s Retirement Planning Tutorial, in which they describe a process to design your retirement with a business plan. This method is sure to be a hit with entrepreneurs and business executives strategically planning their retirement investing.

An example from the Prudential Financial retirement tutorial:

One way to convert a retirement plan into a business plan is to follow these four steps:

• Know your client. That’s you. When do you plan to retire? What do you hope to do? Will your mortgage be paid by then? Will you have children in college?
• Create a business plan. What are your fixed expenses? How much income overall will you need? How much do you expect to get from Social Security, company pensions or other retirement benefits and from your own retirement savings? Remember to factor in the effects of inflation.
• Remain focused. Monitor your savings and investments. Compare them to your plan. You’ll most likely discover any problems early in this way, when they are likely to be relatively simple to fix.
• Update your plan as necessary. Your retirement business plan should change over time as your needs change. Perhaps you will decide to travel more. The birth of a new grandchild may cause you to shift some funds to create a college fund for him or her.

Other retirement investment topics discussed in detail include 401(k)s, Traditional IRAs, Spousal IRA, Roth IRA, Rollover IRAs, Planning for an Early Retirement, Early IRA Distribution and Taxes, and more. Setting aside some time to read through the Prudential Financial retirement tutorial could pay for itself over and over again.

Reaching financial goals starts with a plan

Planning for retirement is a daunting task, but according to the article on MSN Money Put a price tag on your dreams, “Placing a dollar figure on where you want to end up is the first step toward getting there.”

Psychologist Lois Frankel, author of Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich, says “all of us have a pretty good shot at achieving our financial goals if we take the time to figure them out, construct a plan to make them happen and then work that plan. Figuring out our target numbers should be part of that planning.” She defines “the number” as “the amount of money that would allow you to live your life the way you want to without worrying about not having enough.”

There are lots of tools available to help you develop your finacial goal strategy. SmartMoney.com offers Retirement Worksheets to help you chart your path to financial security in your retirement. These worksheets make the task more easy, but they caution it is still work:

“Be forewarned: These worksheets will take some time to complete. But when you’re done, you’ll have a dependable estimate of 1) How much annual retirement income you’ll need. 2) How much you can count on from your pension and Social Security benefits. 3) What your total nest egg must be, and 4) How much you need to put away this year to begin to reach that goal.“

Last-Minute Retirement Planning

Not really last minute, but if you haven’t started to prepare for retirement there is no time like the present.

Helping you to make the most of your retirement planning, Smartmoney.com in the article Last-Minute Retirement Planning “Whatever the reason, many baby boomers are just now waking up to the fact that they are underfunded for retirement. Some 58% of Americans age 55 and older have saved less than $100,000, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute’s latest Retirement Confidence Survey. Only 19% have saved $250,000 or more.

If you’re fiftysomething and underfunded, it’s time to take bold action.”

In addition to maximizing your savings through Roth IRAs, 401 (k), and other investments, there are also other ways to make the most of your retirement. In the article Retirement Planning is More Than Money and Investments the author discusses other important retirement planning considerations, such as how you want to spend your retirement, and where you want to spend it.

As more baby boomers retires they find they are not living the typical retirement of the past. Continuing to work part time, or volunteering with community organizations, to starting new businesses, the options in modern retirement seem endless. In the article Retirement isn’t just a date — it’s a new life, the author discusses how many early retirees find they have time to do whatever they want. After a period of time to relax from the stress and strain of working life the people who retire early find they approach their new lifestyle with vigor.

Retire in style in Mexico

CNN Money reports that more Americans are retiring in Mexico, and as new retirement and resort destinations become available the numbers will grow. According to the US State Dept. over 1 million Americans live in Mexico today, five times the number only 10 years ago.

The enticements to retire in Mexico vary, from good prices on premium real estate, to the low cost of living, to the comforts of American life becoming increasingly available. “Mexico is a foreign setting with a familiar accent,” Bruce Greenberg, an appraiser/market consultant for Mexican real estate, who cites Mexico’s proximity and hospitality as two big draws for Americans.
“There are four major waterfront corridors where Americans live in Mexico, according to Greenberg: southern Baja, from Cabo San Lucas to La Paz; Puerto Vallarta, from San Blas to Manzanillo; Sonora, on the northern arm of the Sea of Cortez, from San Felipe to Puerto Penasco; and the Cancun to Tulum area.”

Retirement planning in your 50s

When it comes to maximizing your retirement funds nothing beats the advice of a knowledgeable accountant. The various ways you can prepare your finances for your retirement with Roth IRAs, 401(k)s, and other investments seems like a maze. In this article CPA Don Taylor gives some excellent advice to a 56 year old who is getting serious about investing towards his retirement.

Click now to learn more about Retirement planning in your 50s.

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