To travel or not is right up there with when to claim Social Security, if a Roth conversion is desirable or the amount of retirement income needed – many answers and personal choices.
I will admit travel can be a hassle, mainly the getting there and back if flying is involved and while trying to get through customs. Because of an incompetent desk agent we missed being stranded in Istanbul by seconds. Leaving Moscow was a nightmare as we were intentionally ignored while Russians were put ahead of us,

Health care costs, taxes, or general inflation?

This is a major financial decision for retirees. 25% of retirees over 60 still have their savings in a 401k plan, 5 years after retirement.
There are advantages for each option.
IRA

More investment options. Easy to implement complex investment strategies
Consolidation of multiple 401K accounts into one IRA simplifies finances.

401K

Costs and fees are normally lower.
Better protection against law suits, creditors and bankruptcy.

There are many more pros and cons for each. Much will depend on individual situation.

We live in a hyper-partisan world, and I’m not just talking about politics and cultural issues. Even among financial questions, I’m constantly surprised by what turns out to be controversial.
There are the obvious choices that affect retirees, such as when to claim Social Security and whether to annuitize part of a nest egg. These decisions involve significant dollars, so maybe it’s no great surprise that folks get hot and bothered.
But it isn’t just fairly straightforward financial issues that get fiercely debated.

A recent comment in the Forum got me thinking about the inherent value of certain fixed income instruments. The commenter said they did not include their traditional pension or Social Security retirement benefit in their balance sheet when calculating net worth. This makes sense since neither of these is easily convertible to cash.
But pensions and SS clearly have significant value, and in many cases are the largest asset a retiree owns. I think it’s useful to get a feel for these amounts.

I RECENTLY READ AN article by Anna D. Banks, an executive coach and human behavior consultant, who talks about the importance of cultivating friendships in retirement. She discusses embracing new activities, volunteering, reconnecting with old friends, using technology, attending social events, and being open-minded about forming friendships with people from other backgrounds.
All this got me thinking about HumbleDollar.
The Breakfast Club is a coming-of-age movie from 1985—a movie,

If you are retired or expect to be in the near future, what is your primary concern (planning issue) income or spending?

‘Once retired, managing spending may be easier than trying to adjust income, but many people see expenses as the main issue.
‘’What is your opinion?

Yesterday I read a recent blog post on a retirement planning site. The headline read “ Can You Live Happily in Retirement With Just 66% of Your Work Income? (Yes! Most Do)“
As you can image, that caught my eye. I went to the source of the survey at T Rowe Price. Here is what the survey said in part. 
“Living on less: Nearly three years into retirement, retirees report living on 66% of their pre-retirement income on average.

An earlier discussion on Forum nearly exhausted the debate on the percentage of pre-retirement income needed in retirement. I rarely win the argument, but I press on. 
First, my argument is not replacing income, but base salary. For me base salary was around 60% of total compensation. 
Second, being able to live on say, 50% replacement is easier the higher starting Income. After all, 50% of $300,000 a year is still a hefty amount. 50% of $80,000 working income not so much. 

We have all heard of the 4% rule. We know the S&P index has return an average annual return of  10.26% since 1957. Even considering inflation and sequence of returns, how is it possible to run out of retirement funds sticking to the 4% strategy and using cash during downturns. In fact, isn’t more likely assets will grow?

It’s easy for someone like me with a pension and Social Security as income to harp on the need for a steady income stream in retirement. The thought of coming up with a withdrawal strategy from investments combined with the possibility- even unlikely – of  running out of money scares me no end. The complexity of strategies I read about is just as disturbing. I doubt I could do it.
On the other hand, quite unintentionally I have built an income stream with two dividend paying stocks and a few bond funds.

VICKY AND I took a 2-week road trip through North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina. We spent the Easter weekend with 3 of her siblings and numerous nieces and nephews and their families. From there we drove to Savannah for 4 days of southern charm, beautiful architecture, and great food. After Savannah we drove to Kiawah Island for the wedding of one of my best friend’s daughter.
Meeting fellow retirees, and hearing their stories is always fascinating.

JEFF, DAVE, JERRY, Glenn, John, the ElderBeerMen, and then Jeff again. Experts say a robust social network is crucial to a happy retirement. My life’s journey has revolved around a handful of friends who begin and end with the same good dude. 
I was a 15-year-old kid who didn’t like school, and I had the grades to prove it. I did, however, have two burning desires. I couldn’t wait to turn 16 so that,

On our drive back from our stay in South Dakota, I was feeling pretty good about myself. We didn’t get lost and the trip was going according to plan. Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse monument, Wildlife Loop road, Spearfish Canyon scenic byway and Needles Highway were lots of fun.
I admit, after watching an online video of Needles Highway, I had my doubts that I could drive our rental car, a Toyota Camry, through the Needles Eye Tunnel.

When to claim Social Security retirement benefits is one of the most popular topics on HumbleDollar. It can also be a somewhat controversial topic among retirees. I’ve met many people who are firmly convinced that they made the right decision, despite any facts to the contrary.
I think much of the emotion around the topic comes from the fact that it forces us to contemplate our mortality. The popular concept of “breaking even” is all about getting our money back before we die.