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A Low-Cost Retirement Spot in Asia
Tweet Share on Facebook May 21, 2012 Comment (5)The Thai city of Chiang Mai has long lured expats from the West. As many as 40,000 foreigners currently call Chiang Mai home, at least part of the year. The primary draw is the cost of living and medical care. Both are a global bargain. In addition, Chiang Mai boasts a more temperate climate than much of the rest of this country, as well as modern infrastructure and an abundance of Western amenities.
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Volunteer Options in Retirement
Tweet Share on Facebook May 18, 2012 Comment (1)Many retirees are interested in donating their time to help out a worthwhile cause. With time available to focus on things they are interested in, volunteering is a natural fit for many retirees. Ideally, some of the skills learned while active members of the working world can be transferable to new efforts.
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The Venture Capital Myth
Tweet Share on Facebook May 17, 2012 CommentMany investors believe they are deprived of high returns generated by venture capital funds. They read about the success of Groupon, LinkedIn, Facebook, and others with envy because most individual investors don’t have access to these funds. Historically, the biggest investors in these funds have been university endowments like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and Duke.
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Retirement is a Transition Opportunity
Tweet Share on Facebook May 17, 2012 Comment (2)Retirement has a ring of finality to it, but this doesn’t need to be so. There are many careers in which retirement only means a transition out of that particular career and into something else. For example, the average retirement age of an NFL player is 30 and most elite gymnasts are retired by 19. To these athletes, retirement is just another phase of life.
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Things Retirees Will Never Say
Tweet Share on Facebook May 16, 2012 CommentWith so much attention focused on the need for a gigantic nest egg for retirement, it's natural to feel jittery about leaving your job. Add in the warnings about Social Security’s projected deficit, and you might feel downright scared about your chances for even a modest retirement.
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Why the Wealthy Are Healthy
Tweet Share on Facebook May 15, 2012 CommentSeveral years ago Carnegie Mellon psychologist Sheldon Cohen performed an experiment to try to predict people's susceptibility to disease. First, he asked his subjects one question about their childhood. Then he squirted a cold virus into their noses and waited a few days to see who got sick, and who didn't.
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How to Retire in the French Countryside on a Budget
Tweet Share on Facebook May 15, 2012 Comment (2)One corner of France is so tucked away that even the French find it hard to place on a map. The Béarn region has a long and colorful history, from Roman times to the Renaissance to the days of Belle Époque and then Art Deco. This lovely region is often overlooked by foreigners, even though the locals are very welcoming of newcomers.
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6 Reasons to Make E-Books Part of Your Retirement
Tweet Share on Facebook May 11, 2012 Comment (2)As an avid reader, there is nothing I like more than the arrival of a new book. Whether it is the latest edition from a favorite author or an experiment with someone new, I can hardly wait to shuffle through the paper pages that contain guaranteed entertainment and breathe in that new-book smell I have come to know so well. The minute I open to chapter one I know a new adventure is about to begin.
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5 Recurring Expenses to Reduce in Retirement
Tweet Share on Facebook May 10, 2012 Comment (13)As you approach retirement, it is important to sit down and work out your retirement budget. Once you leave full-time employment, your income will inevitably go down. If you are not prepared, it can be a difficult transition. Many of us take recurring expenses for granted when we have a steady paycheck. But with more time than income, it is prudent to re-examine these monthly bills.
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Investor Confidence in UBS May be Misplaced
Tweet Share on Facebook May 10, 2012 CommentSwitzerland’s biggest bank, UBS AG, received some very good news last week. It attracted $12 billion in new assets from wealthy clients in the first quarter of 2012. This impressive influx of funds beat analysts’ estimates and sent the stock soaring. It was up 5.5 percent on May 2, 2012.
