I want to add one other permutation - I have seen some ADUs specifically built for aging-in-place where the owners move into them and their family moves into the main house.
ADUs may be a relatively recent thing - but in the Seattle area (where I reside) "nearly 70% of new single-family permits in Seattle include one". On the Washington Cares fund page for "Seniors and the Housing Crisis" it is the first listed option. They are part of every West Coast state's "Growth Management Plan". TIL (things I learned) - not everyone knows what STR and ADU mean. I would think, though, that literally everyone on this forum should be familiar with ADUs and DADUs (Detached ADUs). If you are in an area where the population is growing, they enable you to get money out of your house without selling up and moving (or take out a reverse mortgage). If perhaps your children are in an area where the population is growing (because, you know, jobs) then they can provide an option for you to live near - but not exactly with - them. If you are in an area where the population is NOT growing, you're going to have a separate problem as health care options decline and health care workers disappear. You can operate the ADU as a short term rental (STR) or a long term rental (LTR), or even a medium term rental (MTR). Some municipalities are regulating or prohibiting STRs, none of them can limit LTRs. For us - the ADU will provide MTR/LTR income (STRs are not allowed on Mercer Island - yet) and become the residence for a care giver later in life as we intend to age in place.
I've been thinking of exactly this - and have a topic on the Pralana / PRC forum asking the same question. I ended up THERE because of their "retirement calculator" name but I've since discovered that it's mostly wonky financial analytics. So I come here for the discussion around retirement "strategies" - looking in particular for anything I might have missed (I'm "that close" to retiring). I did just start a business around a STR we acquired, and plan to build an ADU (they didn't even know what ADU stood for on PRC), and I love the additional perspectives here (like "How the Other Half Live") so many threads are serendipitous pleasure. The easiest thing to do might be to have a dedicated sub-forum. l
I have that card and Priority Pass - just gave up my Delta AMEX this year, but this post had me ask ChatGPT if it would be worthwhile for a trip to Portugal and Spain next year: Given how you travel:
You value logistics and flow, not lounge-hopping
You often have tight but well-planned connections
You do not build itineraries around long layovers
You already have Capital One Priority Pass, which covers:
basic comfort,
showers when needed,
coffee + quiet.
Centurion Lounges shine when:
someone frequently departs from US hubs with Centurion lounges,
(from Gemini) "No country has zero private property (everyone owns nothing), but some, like Vietnam, China, Cuba, and North Korea, severely restrict private land ownership, treating land as state/collective-owned with long-term leases, while countries with strong socialist ideologies, like Sri Lanka Medium article, aim to eliminate it for productive resources."
Thank you for this post Dennis - everything in it but your opening point resonated clearly with me. But I'm a decade behind you and maybe not feeling the losses around me as much - yet.
I view our house as an insurance policy - in particular if one (hopefully not both!) of us require "intense care". We intend to age in place but that wouldn't be feasible in that situation so moving would be necessary anyway. If we successfully age out then it goes to the kids. I have a 3 layer model - the house, other non-financial assets, and financial assets. I am projecting using 4% of the financial layer, and then as time goes by selling most of the non-financial assets (second home, undeveloped property, a <cough> boat) and adding to that. While I track the house equity from a "number go up" curiosity, I would prefer not to "need" that value.
I still maintain the "maximizing benefits" strategy is a red herring - the true goal for most people is to "not run out of money". Perhaps if you have enough other income that running out of money is not a concern - then you can pivot to maximizing benefits for personal consumption or passing on.
If you drill in a bit you see it's based on a thread on "threads" - it was the poster's brother-in-law who passed - and this was done in conjunction with his sister. Lots of reasons to keep identities private. And I believe the point is not to shame the particular hospital - I suspect their IT, processes, and accounting systems are not particularly unique.
So I found this interesting because of the current discussions about the high cost of medical care - but I have to believe there's a parallel in the finance world that this forum addresses.
Comments
I want to add one other permutation - I have seen some ADUs specifically built for aging-in-place where the owners move into them and their family moves into the main house.
Post: ADUs, STRs, and Why They Matter (Especially for Retirement Planning)
Link to comment from January 21, 2026
ADUs may be a relatively recent thing - but in the Seattle area (where I reside) "nearly 70% of new single-family permits in Seattle include one". On the Washington Cares fund page for "Seniors and the Housing Crisis" it is the first listed option. They are part of every West Coast state's "Growth Management Plan". TIL (things I learned) - not everyone knows what STR and ADU mean. I would think, though, that literally everyone on this forum should be familiar with ADUs and DADUs (Detached ADUs). If you are in an area where the population is growing, they enable you to get money out of your house without selling up and moving (or take out a reverse mortgage). If perhaps your children are in an area where the population is growing (because, you know, jobs) then they can provide an option for you to live near - but not exactly with - them. If you are in an area where the population is NOT growing, you're going to have a separate problem as health care options decline and health care workers disappear. You can operate the ADU as a short term rental (STR) or a long term rental (LTR), or even a medium term rental (MTR). Some municipalities are regulating or prohibiting STRs, none of them can limit LTRs. For us - the ADU will provide MTR/LTR income (STRs are not allowed on Mercer Island - yet) and become the residence for a care giver later in life as we intend to age in place.
Post: Retirement or Investment Content
Link to comment from January 20, 2026
I've been thinking of exactly this - and have a topic on the Pralana / PRC forum asking the same question. I ended up THERE because of their "retirement calculator" name but I've since discovered that it's mostly wonky financial analytics. So I come here for the discussion around retirement "strategies" - looking in particular for anything I might have missed (I'm "that close" to retiring). I did just start a business around a STR we acquired, and plan to build an ADU (they didn't even know what ADU stood for on PRC), and I love the additional perspectives here (like "How the Other Half Live") so many threads are serendipitous pleasure. The easiest thing to do might be to have a dedicated sub-forum. l
Post: Retirement or Investment Content
Link to comment from January 19, 2026
I have that card and Priority Pass - just gave up my Delta AMEX this year, but this post had me ask ChatGPT if it would be worthwhile for a trip to Portugal and Spain next year: Given how you travel:
- You value logistics and flow, not lounge-hopping
- You often have tight but well-planned connections
- You do not build itineraries around long layovers
- You already have Capital One Priority Pass, which covers:
- basic comfort,
- showers when needed,
- coffee + quiet.
Centurion Lounges shine when:- someone frequently departs from US hubs with Centurion lounges,
- or deliberately schedules long layovers.
That is not how you travel.Post: American Express Platinum Card Benefits Outweigh the Costs-for me
Link to comment from December 25, 2025
(from Gemini) "No country has zero private property (everyone owns nothing), but some, like Vietnam, China, Cuba, and North Korea, severely restrict private land ownership, treating land as state/collective-owned with long-term leases, while countries with strong socialist ideologies, like Sri Lanka Medium article, aim to eliminate it for productive resources."
Post: 27 Months
Link to comment from December 18, 2025
Thank you for this post Dennis - everything in it but your opening point resonated clearly with me. But I'm a decade behind you and maybe not feeling the losses around me as much - yet.
Post: What’s Really on My Mind These Days
Link to comment from December 2, 2025
I view our house as an insurance policy - in particular if one (hopefully not both!) of us require "intense care". We intend to age in place but that wouldn't be feasible in that situation so moving would be necessary anyway. If we successfully age out then it goes to the kids. I have a 3 layer model - the house, other non-financial assets, and financial assets. I am projecting using 4% of the financial layer, and then as time goes by selling most of the non-financial assets (second home, undeveloped property, a <cough> boat) and adding to that. While I track the house equity from a "number go up" curiosity, I would prefer not to "need" that value.
Post: Is the value of your home an important part of retirement plans?
Link to comment from November 25, 2025
I still maintain the "maximizing benefits" strategy is a red herring - the true goal for most people is to "not run out of money". Perhaps if you have enough other income that running out of money is not a concern - then you can pivot to maximizing benefits for personal consumption or passing on.
Post: THE REAL RETURN ON DELAYING SOCIAL SECURITY
Link to comment from November 13, 2025
If you drill in a bit you see it's based on a thread on "threads" - it was the poster's brother-in-law who passed - and this was done in conjunction with his sister. Lots of reasons to keep identities private. And I believe the point is not to shame the particular hospital - I suspect their IT, processes, and accounting systems are not particularly unique.
Post: Patient uses AI to reduce hospital bill by 83%
Link to comment from November 13, 2025
So I found this interesting because of the current discussions about the high cost of medical care - but I have to believe there's a parallel in the finance world that this forum addresses.
Post: Patient uses AI to reduce hospital bill by 83%
Link to comment from November 12, 2025