AUTHOR: DavidHLancaster on 6/10/2026 FIRST: R Quinn on 6/10 | RECENT: Mike Xavier on 6/11
Comments
We are relying on our portfolio, but also are planning on joining a nonprofit CCRC with a guarantee they will not put us out on the street if our assets are emptied. Possibility of number two. As to your side note on point two vs point one costs, with number two you have a guaranteed payout. With number one you may or may not get any financial benefit, and from what I have read the red tape is very burdensome compared to option number two. I would pick two as long as you can afford the premiums.
As I have written before we will start investigating CCRCs in 2028 when we turn 70, and most likely will get on waiting list(s). I getting tired of managing a house with air conditioning installation two years ago, topcoating the driveway with asphalt last year, this year an air/water treatment due to radon/water hardness. Last week I took on repairing/waterproof in a crack in the foundation of our soon to be ten year old house. Next month I will be ordering replacements for all of our hard wired smoke/CO detectors (should be replaced every decade). Also my wife is getting tired of keeping up the inside of the house. I figure some time in the second half of our 70s we may want to make a move. My thought is I would rather move a little too early and make social contacts and know where I’m going to be until the end. My wife was a Physical Therapist Assistant and worked in geriatrics and saw the results of not being proactive. We also watched my parents move too late into assisted living to be able to make social connections. I also want my children to be able to know that we are in a safe environment until the end so they can live their lives.
We have a little less than a 1K monthly pension that I chose with a small (compared to our portfolio balance) pension balance from one of my employers. I compared what I could get with a commercial annuity for the same amount and the payment was significantly lower. I figured that if I were to ever buy annuity this was the time. The pension was with a local hospital which included many physicians. I figured that the pension would do their due diligence when it came to choosing the insurance company. As an added bonus I only had to sign one piece of paper to complete the process.
But then some people like me really don’t have an emergency fund, we just have 1-2 years of cash (federal money market) in our portfolio and 8 years in bonds, mostly short term. We really consider all of our liquid assets as an “emergency fund”.
We had paid off our mortgage for several years before we decided to move to our retirement home. Couldn’t find anything to buy so built. We had to take out a measly 50K mortgage to build the home, then ASAP switched to HELOC.
It was hard on me to accept having a debt after finally having no mortgage. Three years later we received an inheritance from my parents and the first thing we did was pay off the loan. I was glad that we did not know we were receiving the inheritance as it resulted in us building a more basic house that we could afford at the time. The only improvement since has been upgrading to quartz countertops to replace the Formica ones, and a backsplash which I told my wife to consider a final gift from my parents.
When we build the three season porch I plan on using money in our brokerage account to pay for a large portion of the cost. If we need more will take out a HELOC to cover the balance so we don’t spike our income from a tax and IRMAA standpoint.
I have touted my faith in Vanguard for decades to my wife. Hopefully I have a couple of decades left to manage our assets. After that the compounding fees will have less of an effect. Finally, and most importantly, since my wife has shown only a passing interest (most recently) I don’t think in her eighties she would want to be making a decision on a fee only advisor in her late eighties, and in that case Vanguard and their potential 5K is fee looks like a bargain.
I was going to say the same, but I will add for someone who has no interest in managing money a Vanguard personal advisor with their low fee would be worth every penny, and you would have to assume they would continue on a similar path as to what you are doing now. My wife has been told that the first monetary move after I die is to call Vanguard and set this up.
Supposedly, that is when they aren’t in recess, which seems to be all the time. Supposedly this time off is to have time to interact with their constituents so they understand our views, but yet… Per AI: In a typical year, Congress is in session for legislative work in Washington D.C. for only about 140–160 days, meaning members spend roughly 200 or more days out of session. House Session Days (2026): Scheduled for only 114–119 days. Senate Session Days (2026): Scheduled for approximately 149–158 days. Supposedly this time off is to have time to interact with their constituents so they understand our views, but yet… For reference a full time worker with two weeks of vacation works 240 days a year, and yet our congress understands what it’s like to be an average American.
Comments
We are relying on our portfolio, but also are planning on joining a nonprofit CCRC with a guarantee they will not put us out on the street if our assets are emptied. Possibility of number two. As to your side note on point two vs point one costs, with number two you have a guaranteed payout. With number one you may or may not get any financial benefit, and from what I have read the red tape is very burdensome compared to option number two. I would pick two as long as you can afford the premiums.
Post: How do you prepare for the long term care cost as retiree?
Link to comment from June 21, 2026
As I have written before we will start investigating CCRCs in 2028 when we turn 70, and most likely will get on waiting list(s). I getting tired of managing a house with air conditioning installation two years ago, topcoating the driveway with asphalt last year, this year an air/water treatment due to radon/water hardness. Last week I took on repairing/waterproof in a crack in the foundation of our soon to be ten year old house. Next month I will be ordering replacements for all of our hard wired smoke/CO detectors (should be replaced every decade). Also my wife is getting tired of keeping up the inside of the house. I figure some time in the second half of our 70s we may want to make a move. My thought is I would rather move a little too early and make social contacts and know where I’m going to be until the end. My wife was a Physical Therapist Assistant and worked in geriatrics and saw the results of not being proactive. We also watched my parents move too late into assisted living to be able to make social connections. I also want my children to be able to know that we are in a safe environment until the end so they can live their lives.
Post: Close to Everything I Need
Link to comment from June 20, 2026
We have a little less than a 1K monthly pension that I chose with a small (compared to our portfolio balance) pension balance from one of my employers. I compared what I could get with a commercial annuity for the same amount and the payment was significantly lower. I figured that if I were to ever buy annuity this was the time. The pension was with a local hospital which included many physicians. I figured that the pension would do their due diligence when it came to choosing the insurance company. As an added bonus I only had to sign one piece of paper to complete the process.
Post: What’s in your portfolio ?
Link to comment from June 20, 2026
But then some people like me really don’t have an emergency fund, we just have 1-2 years of cash (federal money market) in our portfolio and 8 years in bonds, mostly short term. We really consider all of our liquid assets as an “emergency fund”.
Post: Leverage
Link to comment from June 19, 2026
We had paid off our mortgage for several years before we decided to move to our retirement home. Couldn’t find anything to buy so built. We had to take out a measly 50K mortgage to build the home, then ASAP switched to HELOC. It was hard on me to accept having a debt after finally having no mortgage. Three years later we received an inheritance from my parents and the first thing we did was pay off the loan. I was glad that we did not know we were receiving the inheritance as it resulted in us building a more basic house that we could afford at the time. The only improvement since has been upgrading to quartz countertops to replace the Formica ones, and a backsplash which I told my wife to consider a final gift from my parents. When we build the three season porch I plan on using money in our brokerage account to pay for a large portion of the cost. If we need more will take out a HELOC to cover the balance so we don’t spike our income from a tax and IRMAA standpoint.
Post: Leverage
Link to comment from June 19, 2026
The problem is Americans crave immediate, not delayed gratification, thus spending is more fun than saving.
Post: How financially illiterate are Americans?
Link to comment from June 19, 2026
I have touted my faith in Vanguard for decades to my wife. Hopefully I have a couple of decades left to manage our assets. After that the compounding fees will have less of an effect. Finally, and most importantly, since my wife has shown only a passing interest (most recently) I don’t think in her eighties she would want to be making a decision on a fee only advisor in her late eighties, and in that case Vanguard and their potential 5K is fee looks like a bargain.
Post: What’s in your portfolio ?
Link to comment from June 16, 2026
Dan, The last sentence in your post describes us to a T.
Post: HD Reader’s Demographics
Link to comment from June 16, 2026
I was going to say the same, but I will add for someone who has no interest in managing money a Vanguard personal advisor with their low fee would be worth every penny, and you would have to assume they would continue on a similar path as to what you are doing now. My wife has been told that the first monetary move after I die is to call Vanguard and set this up.
Post: What’s in your portfolio ?
Link to comment from June 16, 2026
Supposedly, that is when they aren’t in recess, which seems to be all the time. Supposedly this time off is to have time to interact with their constituents so they understand our views, but yet… Per AI: In a typical year, Congress is in session for legislative work in Washington D.C. for only about 140–160 days, meaning members spend roughly 200 or more days out of session. House Session Days (2026): Scheduled for only 114–119 days. Senate Session Days (2026): Scheduled for approximately 149–158 days. Supposedly this time off is to have time to interact with their constituents so they understand our views, but yet… For reference a full time worker with two weeks of vacation works 240 days a year, and yet our congress understands what it’s like to be an average American.
Post: Fixing Social Security is not that hard, here’s how
Link to comment from June 16, 2026