Kendal at Oberlin Blog

With holiday and end-of-year celebrations you might have missed the tax news out of Washington in late December. President Donald Trump signed the SECURE Act that made changes to how we save money for retirement and how we use money in retirement, mostly starting in 2020.

We all use calculators for simple tasks, such as balancing a checkbook or figuring out a restaurant tip.  But wouldn’t it be great to have a tool to help answer a major money question, such as “Can I afford to move to a life plan community like Kendal at Oberlin?”

Good news – now you can.

You’ve made the decision to move to a continuing care retirement community, a “CCRC,” but with 2,000 life plan communities in the United States how do you find one that is right for you now and in the future? 

Sure, location, cost and amenities are major factors to consider, but so is the financial stability of the life plan community.

We start the new year with resolutions and goals, an updated bucket list, travel plans and a list of books to read and movies to see. But as January flows into February, the snail mail and email from employers, banks, investment firms and the like remind us of another project at hand. 

Sure, Tax Day is still weeks away, but ‘tis the season to get papers in order, meet with a financial adviser and start whittling away on the IRS return, or hire someone to do it.

Fill an auditorium with Baby Boomers, ask them to talk about aging issues, and one of the top concerns you’ll hear is finding the right place to call home.  

Boomers like choice, and when it comes to housing, they have lots of options:

When it comes to giving a gift to the young people in your life, a lot depends on the age, activity level and personality of your grandchild or “grand friend.” Some children like big boxes; others, thin envelopes, while other boys and girls enjoy gifts that don’t come in a package.

It’s easy to get caught up in the holiday surge of attending concerts, shopping, cooking and planning outings with family and friends.  So much to do, all before the new year begins.

Housing is one of the biggest decisions we face as we age, and like any big decision, it is packed full of questions.

• What type of housing can I afford?
• What climate, community and geographic location do I desire?
• What, if any, supports do I need now, and what might I need to access in the future?

Donating to charity is a year-round activity. But like gift-giving, Americans ramp up their charitable giving big time at the end of the year, starting with Giving Tuesday on November 28.

Kathy’s father joked about dying. The few times he was serious, he told his family he wanted life-saving measures, but only if he was likely to be mentally fit and able to care for himself. Nothing was in writing.