The cost of retirement can vary dramatically depending on where you live and what choices you make before you retire.
Ideally, you want to have enough social security and investments to maintain your current lifestyle.
While investment advisers routinely say $1 million in investments will ensure a happy retirement, this is not necessarily true. In high-tax states with high cost of living, a big retirement pot is probably essential. But, in lower tax states with lower cost of living, retirees might need about a fourth of that amount.
The key question is how you prepare before retirement.

• Run the numbers. Check with Social Security for an estimate of retirement income. But, remember your Medicare and taxes will be deducted from social security, so that number will be lower. For other income, you will be paying cash for taxes. Look at all your expenses. Medicare plus supplements and prescriptions could run more than you think. For example, some prescriptions could cost $100-$300 per month, even with a prescription plan.
• Get out of debt. The best strategy is to be out of debt before retirement. Aim for zero credit balances.
• Pay off the mortgage. In some cases, holding a mortgage might be financially wise, depending on how much your investments are making as opposed to the interest rate on your mortgage. But good general advice is to pay off the mortgage before retirement.
• Transportation. Plan to have a late model car that is paid off before retirement. A car payment soaks up retirement funds.
• Emergency fund. Build one with at least 3 to 6 months of expenses. Emergencies won’t stop just because you are retired, and you won’t have money coming in. You must avoid credit card debt.
• Long-term care insurance. Plan early to buy long-term care insurance when prices will be lower.

“What am I going to do with all this time?”

That’s a question retirees often ask themselves these days. The trend of retired Americans or those close to it is to keep working. Some need income; others use it for travel and leisure activities, hobbies, or purely for the personal fulfillment of work and staying involved with others.

In March of this year, the second annual Small Business Survey revealed 65% of more than 5,000 Americans polled said they envision opening a business when they retire.

These results are not surprising, according to Dr. Luke Pittaway, Professor of Entrepreneurship at Ohio University. People are living longer, he says, and more than ever before are choosing to start a business to stay active.

According to The Balance Small Business, any service that consumers and companies will pay for can be turned into a business. Among them are accounting, bookkeeping, handyman, landscaping, pet care, and more.

Freelance writing is more popular than ever with blogging, writing for businesses large and small, e-books, and memoirs, among others. Self-publishing is fast and affordable these days.

Nearly any hobby can be turned into a business too. How about gardening? Baking? Photography? A musical instrument?

Contact your former employers to offer your services. Access your network to find potential clients.

Starting a home-based business enables the retiree to profit from decades of experience in his or her profession. Selling one’s skills through a service-based home business is one of the fastest and least expensive ways to start making money at home. At or near the top of the possibilities are consulting and coaching. Both can be performed at home and enhanced by online tools.

According to Forbes, today’s mortgage rates — at about 3.75 percent — will stay low in 2020. At the same time, market watchers expect home prices to continue to escalate due to low inventory and high demand.
Without more listings on the market, competition will increase early in the year. Entry-level home prices will rise higher than incomes. Low-interest rates and the lack of starter homes will continue to raise prices.
Housing inventory will remain soft through most of the year. As one real estate agent remarked, “You can’t buy what’s not for sale.”
According to the National Association of Home Builders, new construction in late 2019 reached a 20-month high. Even so, months may be needed before building can sustain demand.
Realtor.com reveals Millennials constituted almost half — 46 percent — of mortgage originations in September 2019, up from 43 percent in 2018. At the same time, Baby Boomer and Gen X mortgage activity faded.
If today’s older adults (born between 1931 and 1959) behaved like previous generations, more than 1.6 million homes would have been on the market in 2019.
But Boomers are staying in their homes, not downsizing as did previous generations. One factor: Older people are working longer. Another factor is that young people are staying at home longer. In 2016, 16.1 percent of senior households had younger generations living with them, up from 14.4 percent in 2005, according to Trulia and Census figures.
As for homeowners, should they sell in 2020? According to the Federal Reserve, household equity in real estate has more than doubled since its shortage in 2012. Mortgage equity is at an all-time high
Homeowners with the flexibility to move in the next few years may be assuming that when they’re ready, the market will be as inviting as it is today. This is not necessarily true, and some vital housing-market drivers suggest 2020 could be a sweet spot for selling a home.
Mortgage interest rates are low. Potential buyers track them carefully. That’s a pleasant tailwind for buyers interested in a homeowners’ property,
Has the time come to book their profits and move on?
Only the homeowner knows.

Get up, get out, and get happy. Experts say that even if you have to fake it, you’ll soon be merry — or at least a little happier.
People can have a good reason to be wistful or even blue at the holidays. Family members are not always near, or physical conditions can limit activities.
Strange that just when we can’t remember where we put the car keys, memories from 30 years ago are accessible in every detail. It’s great to remember the good times, but to be happy today we need to stay in the present.
According to happiness guru Gretchen Rubin, the key is to actively plan for holidays and make new memories. Here are some ideas:

• Consider some things you have loved: Songs, gift-giving, family. Start asking around early for churches that have carols and holiday activities. If you need a ride, ask at the church office.
• Find out who needs a gift and give it!
• Gather your own ‘family’ of neighbors and friends for a pitch-in dinner. It doesn’t have to be on Dec. 25.
  The bottom line: Make a plan and get out of the house.
  Do ask others about their plans; people often love to share holidays.
  Be grateful for the holiday you make for yourself. Don’t compare this holiday to happier times in the past and try not to compare this holiday to the one you imagined it would be. Create something for yourself and enjoy it, whether it is a modest decoration and dinner with a friend, or an all-out bash.

From November to January, we have a pleasant, and sometimes hectic, list of things to do and people to see. It’s a bit of a roller coaster, but I hope you all manage to enjoy the ride.
And, I hope you do it with safety in mind. Shorter days, perhaps bad weather and slippery roads can all get in the way of our rush to finish our holiday plans. Patience, my friends. Let’s all see the new year in with health and happiness.
It seems such a short time ago that we were talking about our plans for 2019. Now, we are in the last phase of the year and rushing to the finish line. The year’s not quite over, however, so the work done between today and New Year’s Day will count and count a lot. Thank you for all your good humor and good work.
We can all be thankful for the many blessings of our work, homes, and holidays.
So to all: Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year!

For those caught up in the buying frenzy of the holidays, Christmas Eve could find them with a handful of change in their pockets and little else.
Of course, every year you think you’ll avoid the rush by accumulating gifts throughout the year. That would be smart, but it doesn’t do much good in November and December and the shopping list looms.
A survey by The Wall Street Journal shows that more of us are controlling credit card debt by adopting new traditions that reduce the loot under the tree.
Women do most of the Christmas shopping, says Eileen Fischer of York University in Canada, who studies consumer behavior. They give gifts to reinforce relationships with spouses, kids, in-laws, co-workers, friends and helpers.
Here is some classic advice on keeping your holidays affordable:

1. If you have a multitude of relatives to buy for, talk with them about exchanging cards this year. They will be happy to do it in most cases.
2. Decide in advance how much you will spend on gifts.
3. Give gift certificates to teens. They keep you within your specific amount, and teens enjoy shopping.
4. Skip the stocking stuffers.
5. Shop with a specific list, especially online where easy clicks add up to big money.
6. Don’t buy for yourself at the same time. Stick to the project.
7. Financial advisor Jane Bryant Quinn says: Add up your consumer debt and write the number at the top of your shopping list or computer.
8. An advantage of buying less: Less time spent opening gifts. It can drag on and on for a large group.
   The holidays are more joyful when you know you can pay the bills as they arrive in January.