5 Best Countries to Retire For Singles - Find the Best Places to Retire in the World For Singles

It's never too early to plan for your retirement especially now that the value of dollars is volatile. To make the most of your hard-earned money, retirement outside your home country will go a long way. Here are some of the best countries to retire for singles:

Thailand is not only a tourist magnet but also a good place to stay for your retirement. The food is fabulous, the people are laidback and the weather is just right for your muscles and joints. Plus the beaches in Phuket are absolute charmers too.

Ecuador's main attraction is the low cost of living. If you want to make your money go a long way, this is the place to go. Visit Quito, one of UNESCO's first world heritage sites, enjoy the airline promos for retirees and the tropical climate. Ecuador makes it easy for you to have a grand time anytime.

Panama is full of adventure so for those who don't want to totally leave behind what they have back home, this is a perfect place to set your retirement home. Americans will enjoy Panama City's conveniences. But if it gets too hot, you have an option to head for the cooler mountain places. Just learn Spanish.

New Zealand welcomes retirees for six months at a time. If you want a retirement place that is relaxed, laid back and has the convenience that you've gotten used to, then New Zealand will provide you all that and more.

Belize may not ring a bell as a place for retirement but not for long. Its tropical climate is attracting a lot of retirees. Its retired person program gives perks and exemptions too hard to resist. Its beaches are best for your aching bones and muscles. And the official language is English!

Keep in mind that what you are looking for in a best place to retire may not be the same as someone else. Good thing there are sites available that help you make better choices.

Learn more about the best countries to live and spend your retirement. Who knows, you may just find that special someone you've been longing for. Best Country To Live

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Find the Best Place to Retire in the World

The word "retirement" isn't just for those over 55 anymore. With many people having the option of working from home on the internet, taking a mini-retirement to a simpler, more relaxed place like Mexico is becoming an option many can enjoy.

As top retirement spots like Arizona, California and Florida become less affordable and more crowded, you may consider relocating overseas to spend your leisure years.

Mexico, with affordable living, interesting culture, and beautiful locales, should be at the top of your list. Though you may be reluctant to make a move to a foreign country, in truth, the Mexican government is very welcoming to expatriates from all over the world and have made residency requirements as simple as possible.

If you're an older retiree, you may also be concerned about the quality of Mexico's health care system. Because many doctors have been educated and trained in the United States and abroad, you will find good medical care available. Though Medicaid and Medicare are not accepted in Mexico, the cost of care is significantly cheaper. Also, foreigners living legally in Mexico are eligible to purchase medical coverage known as IMSS, or Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. This coverage costs just hundreds of dollars per year.

Though most expatriates make their home in Baja California, there are many other excellent cities with friendly locals and active, vibrant communities. You will discover large groups of foreigners from all over the world living near Guadalajara, San Miguel de Allende, and Puerto Vallarta, for example. You may even have always dreamed of living near the beach and in Mexico, your dream can become a reality. If that's the case, check out the Riviera Nayarit, a stream of towns bordering the Pacific north of Puerto Vallarta.

Making a move to a new place is always scary and though there will be obstacles to making an overseas move, Mexico is a wonderful country to retire.

I'm ready to retire; are you? You don't have to wait until your golden years to live a slower, simpler life. Find out how you can retire in Mexico and find homes for sale at http://www.buymexicohomes.com

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Best Places to Retire Lists Need Not Be So Long

There are so many Best Places to Retire Lists, but I think I have found the key to what people are looking for in retirement places. Looking at the searches being done on my website helps a little to know what people are thinking--they are not thinking traffic, noise and pollution, for one thing. If you are not staying in your long time home for retirement or downsizing and retiring to a community nearby, what are you looking for.

The most popular requests on my site are for the places that we already know about. There isn't much unusual or surprising. Most of the searches are for communities and senior housing in Florida--not a very big surprise. Here are a couple more not-big surprises: Arizona, Southern California, and Washington state. Here are some areas of secondary interest: the Northeast, areas like Tennessee and Arkansas, presumably because known as low-cost areas. Beach and resort areas like Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and some isolated resort areas like St. George, Utah, are also popular.

If you manage a city and you want people to retire there, make it first a vacation spot. People like to retire in places they feel comfortable in; a place they can call home, and they usually find it by vacationing there first. There aren't too many real adventurers when it comes to retirement places from what I can see.

All those best places to retire lists need to cover those areas thoroughly because people do not want: sprawling areas where people are commuting back and forth to work and producing heavy traffic, cold weather or polluted air.

Once in awhile, there is someone who expresses what we all are thinking when it is time to retire: Like this phrase typed into the search engine: "quaint places to retire." That sums it up for a lot of us. Enjoy my Best Places to Retire List on my website.

Carol Fena, Realtor and Webmaster for http://www.bestguide-retirementcommunities.com/bestplacestoretire.html

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The Best Time to Plan for your Retirement

If you are not working to be a millionaire, you should at least work to have a comfortable retirement years. With the advancement of medical technologies, human beings are expected to live longer. When you live longer, it also means that you will need more money for your retirement.

Retirement funding is a no joke process. One must be fully aware of their retirement fund. It is too late to plan for your retirement if you have reached 50 and above. Hence, retirement planning should start as soon as one starts too have an income.

As a financial planner, I met with a lot of people that do not think that retirement is important. Most of them think that they should settle their current financial problem first, and then they will look at their retirement needs. The more you procrastinate on your retirement goals, the more difficult for you to reach your retirement goals.

Let me give you two examples;

Eugene is 42 years old who earns $40,000 annually. His current investments are worth $50,000. He plans to retire in 20 years time and expected to live until the age of 85. He also indicated that he will need 60% of his last drawn income for retirement.

Assumptions:

• Investment rate of return before retirement: 8% pa

• Investment rate of return after retirement : 5% pa

• Inflation rate : 2%

• Wage growth rate: 3%

Therefore;

• First year retirement income : $43, 346

• Resources needed to fund retirement income : $738, 318

• Projected value of current resources at retirement : $238,048

• Retirement fund shortfall : $505,207

• Annual funding required at the end of each year: $11,041

As you can see, Eugene needs additional $505,207 for his retirement and he is required to have $11, 041 yearly to accommodate his retirement shortfall.

Let’s look at another example

Mike is 32 years old who earns $40,000 annually. His current investments are worth $50,000. He plans to retire in 32 years time and expected to live until the age of 85. He also indicated that he will need 60% of his last drawn income for retirement.

Therefore;

• First year retirement income : $58,254

• Resources needed to fund retirement income : $992, 246

• Projected value of current resources at retirement : $503,132

• Retirement fund shortfall : $487, 039

• Annual funding required at the end of each year: $8,740

As you can see, Mike needs to have $8,870 yearly to make his retirement fund adequate. From both examples, you can see that the age that you plan for your retirement is very important. The later you plan for your retirement, the more money you will need yearly to fund your retirement.

Note: Calculations were made on a financial calculator.

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Is This A Bad Time To Retire? Not If You Have Rental Properties

In a recent newspaper article by Chuck Jaffe entitled Retiring when the market is down is costly if stocks provide nest egg, the question is asked by John, a participant in an investment seminar, "Is this a bad year to retire?"

Although retirement may seem like a lifetime away, it's a question that we will all one day have to consider.

In this case, the answer would be "yes" to John although he has $400,000 invested in 18 stock funds. The fact that comes barreling out at people from left field is that if you must withdraw funds from your retirement savings when the market is in the toilet and that loud sucking sound is the additional dollars flying out of your portfolio, you can ruin your nest egg.

It's ironic that people can spend their whole lives preparing for retirement only to find that when the time comes to retire, they can't do it.

Stock Picking by Luck and Accident

Investment advisor, Judy Shine says, "People assume that if they pick the right funds and stick with them forever, they'll be set to retire and they might be, but that's more by luck or accident than by design."

Granted, planning for retire is a complicated process. A lot rests on what people determine are their needs and desires. However, there is a better way to get ready for retirement.

The Rental House Option

What could John have done differently? Get born to wealthy parents? Have Warren Buffet crash into his car? Maybe something less dramatic, but requiring similar foresight and planning.

Home ownership is widely recognized as a way to generate wealth. Can you get wealthy by being a renter? Maybe, but the odds are against you. In 2004, the average renter had a net worth of $4,000, while the average home owner had a median net worth of $184,000. If owning one house is good, wouldn't owning 2 or 3 be better?

Let's imagine that John bought a house soon after he started his professional life and got married. He lived in his house for 6 to 7 years then bought a better house, as most people do. But, unlike what most people do, John kept his old house to rent out. Six or 7 years later, John does the same thing again. Now John owns 3 houses. He has tenants in two of them who pay off the mortgage and provide rental income for John.

A Different Answer

Fast forward a few years and John again asks the question "Is it a bad year to retire?". This time he may get a different answer.

John has 3 houses "free and clear" with mortgages paid off. He's got a good chunk of money coming in each month in rent, and he makes no payments on his residence.

Unlike stocks, he doesn't have to remove money from his savings or from his investments. His house steadily increases in value when he retires, while he continues to collect rent, which also is constantly increasing in the long-term. With rents providing perhaps 40-50% of his income, if he collects a pension and starts taking social security payments, he is set to retire with barely a change in lifestyle.

In reality, having rental properties is like getting a retirement pension before you retire.

And, John has the option to sell a house to fill up his checking account or to help out one of the kids. He will still have a steady cash-flow from the remaining rental house. If he wanted to cash out and sell both properties, or all three and move into a smaller place, he would be sitting on a small fortune.

No matter how you slice it, John has greatly increased his chances for a successful segue way into his golden years.

Terry Sprouse is author of the book "Fix 'em Up, Rent 'em Out: How to Start Your Own House Fix-Up and Rental Business in Your Spare Time."

Terry's blogs:
http://www.fixemup.org
http://www.squidoo.com/fixerupper

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One of the Best Ways to Retire Early - Live Full Time in an RV

If you have never considered RV life to be one of the best ways to retire early... think again. A lot of people do it, they enjoy the lifestyle, and it can be a very frugal way of retirement living. We RVed for 6 years for 6 to 22 month stretches at a time.

Now it is not frugal if you have to have an RV like Jeff Gordon lives in when he competes in NASCAR. You can spend over a million dollars on an RV. You can see the same scenery in a motor home or travel trailer costing $15,000 or less. Somewhere in between those 2 extremes is one of the best ways to retire early.

Full time RV does entail some sacrifice however. Due to storage limitations there is no room for your riding lawnmower or snow blower. Unless you like Ice fishing you won't need a winter wardrobe either. It seems most full time Rvers gravitate to warmer climes. Why?...because they can.

When your home has a steering wheel in the living room you are not bound to any one spot. It is always warm somewhere...picking your climate is one of the real pluses of RVing.

Don't like the neighbors, loud parties, barking dogs...that can be a problem if your home doesn't move. No problem in an RV, unhook and move.

Of course the more you travel the more you will spend on fuel and short stays at RV parks. A long term stay, a month, is much cheaper than the nightly rate. This will be you after a while. You will travel like crazy when you first have an RV...as you become exposed to more locations you find favorites and stay longer in specific places. You will also be spending less.

The larger the RV park the more varied the activities, and the more likely for you to find someone else with your particular interests. You want privacy you can dry camp (no utilities) or stay at smaller parks. It is your choice with full time RV living...flexibility is the key.

So if you have a bit of wanderlust and like having location options...full time Rving can be one of the best ways to retire early. It sure beats continuing to work.

Gary Pierce is the webmaster of http://www.frugal-retirement-living.com he retired early at 49, still retired at 63. He has experience in lifestyles that are both fulfilling and frugal. It is 2009 and many are wondering if they can ever retire. Don't give up until you check out this website. Enjoy.

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How Will I Know For Sure That It's Time to Retire?

A newspaper journalist asked me to contribute to an article he was writing on retirement. Since I am a retirement coach I had all kinds of information to offer him, but that is not what he wanted. It came down to answering his one question, "How will I know for sure that it is time to retire?" My response was short and simple, "You won't."

The decision to retire isn't much different from many other important, life-changing decisions we make. For instance, rarely do we know for sure that a specific career choice is the absolute best one to make. Very few parents say they knew for sure when it was time to have children. Important decisions require some risks and being willing to step into the unknown. Instead of knowing for sure, we can look for signs that retirement is on the horizon, and we can prepare ourselves for this decision.

Since knowing for sure was important to people who were considering retirement, I decided to ask people who were retired what they thought of the question. The first person I asked had struggled with the question herself for several years before retiring at 65 years of age. Her decision to retire was based primarily on her elderly mother's failing health, more so than being confident that this was the right time to retire. Knowing the struggle she had faced with the decision to retire, I was very surprised at her answer. She said, "When you start asking the question, then it is time to retire." Looking back she believes she spent too much time trying to feel like it was the right time rather than making a decision.

Another retiree said there were little signs that at first he didn't notice. Primarily beginning to feel obsolete at work. When you start feeling like you don't want to learn the new program or you do not have the interest or enthusiasm to adapt to new changes, then it may be time to move into the next stage of your life.

In all cases, the people I spoke with said once they made the decision to retire, then they felt free. The agony comes from being undecided. If you are struggling with the question of when to retire, realize that you may never know for sure, but once you make the decision you will be feel free to move forward with your life.

To request Patrice's 10 Tips to Creating a Meaningful Retirement send an email to: giftstogoals@aol.com

Patrice Jenkins is a frequent speaker and workshop leader on career and retirement transitions. To learn more about her work go to: http://whatwillidoallday.com or http://barbarasher.com/boards/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20616

Copyright 2008. Patrice Jenkins. All Rights Reserved.Copyright 2008.

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How to Know When It's Time to Retire From Your Current Career

When you talk about retiring, do you say you plan to retire in five years? Have you been saying you plan to retire in five years for five (or more) years? You're not alone. Many of my friends and the people I meet as I travel around the country are all "retiring in five years" -- and they have been for years. I'm not sure why five years seems to be the magic years-from-retirement number, but I'm certain that one of the primary reasons for keeping retirement a moving target is the not knowing when it's the right time to say goodbye to your career.

Retirement is not about retiring from life. It's about retiring the part or parts of your life that no longer fit. It's time to retire your current work life when:

1. You've outgrown it. When you began your career, I'll bet you couldn't wait to get out of bed in the morning and get to work. Your job stretched you and helped you grow. You learned new skills, overcame challenges, and gained confidence. But, when was the last time you were truly excited about your work? I have a theory that the first 10 years of a career are about being challenged and gaining mastery, and the second 10 years are a slow slide into boredom. Not to say that there isn't always more you can learn or more you can master, but tell the truth. If the challenge is gone, and you've grown far beyond the confines of the job, it's time to find a better fit.

2. You're too comfortable. Okay, you've got a nice job, the money and benefits are good, and you move through each day with no heavy lifting. It's been so long since you've experienced the outer limits of your comfort zone that you're basically phoning it in each day. Just how comfortable is that comfort zone you're zoning out in? If it feels like you're flat lining, it's not comfort you're experiencing, but a slow death every day, and it's definitely time to head for the door.

3. You're burnt out. Have you been a high-powered professional or in one of the care-giving professions for two or more decades? There's a good chance you're just plain running on empty. especially if you love your job. When was the last time you felt filled to overflowing ­ refreshed, recharged and ready for a new adventure? If you're too fried to care, it's time to fill up your tank and drive out of town.

4. You're downsized. Congratulations! The Universe has given you a great big push out the door into the wonderful world of possibility. Instead of heading for the nearest Sun City, or worse yet, diving right back into the same job in a different place, take a deep breath and be honest with yourself. Haven't you been ready for a big change for a long time, but were afraid to take the leap? Sure it's scary, but did you know that physiologically you experience fear and excitement exactly the same way in your body? So, choose to be excited about this opportunity, and decide that it's time to breathe life into that long dormant dream of yours. Go for it!

5. Your IGS is telling you it's time. Your IGS is your Internal Guidance System. It's like the GPS in your car, only better. It's solid gold and it will never, ever steer you in the wrong direction. It's that hunch, small voice, intuition, gut feel, or deep inner knowing you've been ignoring. You know -- the one you've been ignoring that's letting you know you just can't keep doing what you're doing. It doesn't matter what you call it. What matters is that you begin to listen to it, and learn to trust it. So often I meet women who can't define why it's time to move on, they just know it is. And, you wouldn't believe how many clients have come to me over the years to create a 12-18 month exit strategy from their current work, only to be downsized within two to six months. That's the IGS working!

Remember that retiring from you current work life is not a death sentence, but at last, the freedom to live. So trust your IGS, and take Agnes Gooch's advice from Auntie Mame, and "live, live, live!"

Copyright (c) 2008 Lin Schreiber

Certified Retirement Coach Lin Schreiber, author of The ABC's of Revolutionizing Retirement, helps self-reliant women reinvent themselves in the next stage of life, formerly known as "retirement." To claim your free Revolutionize Retirement Starter Kit, visit her site at RevolutionizeRetirement.com

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