Ho, ho, ho - Merry Christmas!!! 

This week, the theme is: most popular episodes of 2019.

I went back to the most downloaded episodes of the year, which means we’re covering a wide spectrum of retirement tips over the next couple weeks to close out the year and bring you in to 2020.

But today is Christmas, so we gotta take a break so I can wish you a Merry Christmas and wish Jesus a happy birthday! 

I hope you are having a blessed day today, and my 5 year old daughter, Keegan has a special Christmas message for you. And knowing her, probably a carol or two as well.

Here she is...

---------

>>> Subscribe on iTunes: https://apple.co/2DI2LSP

>>> Subscribe on Amazon Alexa: https://amzn.to/2xRKrCs

>>> Check out our blog: https://truenorthretirementadvisors.com/blog/

----------

Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, finances, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance, wealth management, money tips, fee only financial advisor, financial planner, financial podcast, retirement podcast, financial independence podcast

This week, the theme is: most popular episodes of 2019.

I went back to the most downloaded episodes of the year, which means we’re covering a wide spectrum of retirement tips over the next couple weeks to close out the year and bring you in to 2020.

Today’s episode is the most downloaded episode of 2019 - Unload Your Debt. This is episode 162 and originally aired in March. It received more than twice as many downloads as any other episode this year. 

So without further adieu, here is 2019’s most popular and most downloaded episode of 2019...  

----------

>>> Subscribe on iTunes: https://apple.co/2DI2LSP

>>> Subscribe on Amazon Alexa: https://amzn.to/2xRKrCs

>>> Check out our blog: https://truenorthretirementadvisors.com/blog/

----------

Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, finances, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance, wealth management, money tips, fee only financial advisor, financial planner, financial podcast, retirement podcast, financial independence podcast, 

Welcome to a new week and a new theme here on the One Minute Retirement Tip! 

This week, the theme is: most popular episodes of 2019. 

I went back to the most downloaded episodes of the year, which means we’re covering a wide spectrum of retirement tips over the next couple weeks to close out the year and bring you in to 2020. I’ll be talking about:

• Why $54,000 of Cash on Hand Isn’t Too Much
• Unloading your debt
• Must Read Personal Finance Books 
• The Danger of Retiring During a Recession
• Caring for Aging Parents
• The Best Piece of Advice I Can Give You Now
• And lots more! 

So tune in over the next couple weeks for the most popular and most downloaded episodes of the year. Tomorrow, I’ll be kicking off the best of series with the most downloaded episode of the year, with over twice as many downloads as any other episode this year. 

That’s it for today, thanks for listening. My name is Ashley Micciche...and this is the One Minute Retirement Tip. 

----------

>>> Subscribe on iTunes: https://apple.co/2DI2LSP

>>> Subscribe on Amazon Alexa: https://amzn.to/2xRKrCs

>>> Check out our blog: https://truenorthretirementadvisors.com/blog/

----------

Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, finances, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance, wealth management, money tips, fee only financial advisor, financial planner, financial podcast, retirement podcast, financial independence podcast

It’s Sunday, which means...It’s recap time! 

This week, the theme was snowbirding in retirement. 

Here’s what I covered in each episode this week:

• What are you leaving behind by being a snowbird?
• The pros of snowbirding
• The cost of being a snowbird
• Renting vs. owning 
• And...the unglamorous side of snowbirding. 

Hopefully after listening to the One Minute Retirement Tip this week, you have a greater understanding of the tradeoffs with being a snowbird in retirement, and if this is an option you’ve been looking at seriously, you are clearer about whether or not snowbirding is it right for you, and how will it impact you and your financial security in retirement. 

If you missed any of these episodes or if you want to revisit any of them, you can find them on iTunes, Spotify, or Google Play by searching for the “One Minute Retirement Tip with Ashley”. 

Tomorrow, we are starting a brand new theme: The Most Popular Episodes of 2019. For the next 2 weeks, we’re taking a look back at the year by revisiting a variety of retirement nuggets with the most downloaded episodes of the year. 

That’s it for this week! Thanks for listening and I hope you have a blessed Sunday! 

My name is Ashley Micciche and this is the “One Minute Retirement Tip”.

----------

>>> Subscribe on iTunes: https://apple.co/2DI2LSP

>>> Subscribe on Amazon Alexa: https://amzn.to/2xRKrCs

>>> Check out our blog: https://truenorthretirementadvisors.com/blog/

----------

Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, finances, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance, wealth management, money tips, fee only financial advisor, financial planner, financial podcast, retirement podcast, financial independence podcast, snowbird, snowbirding, how to be a snowbird, how much does it cost to be a snowbird, pros and cons of being a snowbird, snowbird retirement planning

This week, the theme is snowbirding in retirement. Should you be a snowbird? It’s a challenging emotional, financial, and lifestyle decision about where you live in retirement, so I’m unpacking snowbirding this week. 

If you’ve been listening to the tips this week, you know I’ve been raining on your snowbird parade. It’s not because I want to dissuade you from being a snowbird, but too often only the glamorous side of snowbirding and the reasons to do it are considered. I just want you to think about the pros AND the cons of this important decision, and it seems to me like not many people out there are talking about the unglamorous side of snowbirding, which is what I’m focusing on today. 

We’ve talked about the cost and renting vs. owning, but today I want to focus on a few non-financial headaches that comes with being a snowbird. Here are just a few examples: 

• Stopping and starting your newspaper, forwarding your mail
• Having someone you trust check on things back home, pick up packages and the newspaper that inevitably still comes even though you’ve called them 3 times, check your basement and pipes to make sure your house doesn’t flood. My parents came home from a month in California a few years ago, to some minor bathroom flooding that happened while they were away. 
• Stopping and starting cable and other utilities, which can be a really big hassle. Often you just end up eating the costs of paying for year-round utilities in both places which can be another cost to consider. 
• And one that almost nobody thinks about - many snowbird spots have more volatile home prices, which get slammed in recessions, and take longer to recover, which means that your 2nd home didn’t grow in value like you hoped it would. And when you die, it’s one more illiquid asset that your heirs probably don’t want to deal with or fight over what happens to it. 
• You like your doctor at home? You’ll also have to find another doctor, dentist, obgyn, etc. What a hassle trying to find someone good for all your health needs!

If the weather and sunshine are still worth all the hassle, great. But I hope the tips this week have helped you look at the pros AND cons of the snowbirding decision. 

That’s it for today. Thanks for listening. Tomorrow, we’re going to recap the week and I’m going to give you a little preview of next week’s theme. 

My name is Ashley Micciche and this is the One Minute Retirement Tip.

----------

>>> Subscribe on iTunes: https://apple.co/2DI2LSP

>>> Subscribe on Amazon Alexa: https://amzn.to/2xRKrCs

>>> Check out our blog: https://truenorthretirementadvisors.com/blog/

----------

Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, finances, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance, wealth management, money tips, fee only financial advisor, financial planner, financial podcast, retirement podcast, financial independence podcast, snowbird, snowbirding, how to be a snowbird, how much does it cost to be a snowbird, pros and cons of being a snowbird, snowbird retirement planning

This week, the theme is snowbirding in retirement. Should you be a snowbird? It’s a mess of an emotional, financial, and lifestyle decision about where you live in retirement, so I’m unpacking snowbirding this week. 

Today I’m talking about renting vs. owning in your snowbirding location of choice. 

Maybe you’ve dreamed for years about spending the winter in Scottsdale. You’ve vacationed there a few times. You love the desert, you love the sun, you love the golf. I was just in Scottsdale in November and it was perfect. 80 degrees every day. My husband and I played golf, laid by the pool, we ate at some great restaurants, and I went on a few runs in the sunshine. It was the best vacation we’ve had together in years. Everything was perfect. 

You may have been to Scottsdale or somewhere like it a few times on vacation, and you’ve got your heart set on buying a place in a particular snowbirding spot. 

But not so fast. Before you make a semi-permanent decision to buy a place, test the waters first by renting. Long-term rentals are way cheaper than owning in most cases, and you don’t have all the upkeep and maintenance, worries and headaches when you head back home in the spring. 

If you really think about it, how many winters will you be a snowbird? 15? 20? Once you reach a certain age, it just doesn’t make sense to travel each year, and a 2nd home is more headaches with your estate for your family to deal with. Not to mention that most snowbirding locales have volatile housing markets, where your 2nd home may not appreciate that much. 

So if that’s the case, why not take the opportunity to spend the winter in different places? You could spend one winter in Arizona and the next winter in Hawaii. The year after that you could winter in Florida. You really like Arizona, so you go back the following winter and spend the next 3 winters there. Then you want to try a more urban area like Austin, Texas or another beach locale like Mexico or Costa Rica. 

If you buy a place, you’re going to feel like you have to always go there, and you’ll likely be reluctant to travel elsewhere, which is fine for some people and an unintended negative drawback to their decision to handcuff themselves to a single location by choosing to buy. 

That’s it for today. Thanks for listening! My name is Ashley Micciche and this is the One Minute Retirement Tip.

----------

>>> Subscribe on iTunes: https://apple.co/2DI2LSP

>>> Subscribe on Amazon Alexa: https://amzn.to/2xRKrCs

>>> Check out our blog: https://truenorthretirementadvisors.com/blog/

----------

Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, finances, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance, wealth management, money tips, fee only financial advisor, financial planner, financial podcast, retirement podcast, financial independence podcast, snowbird, snowbirding, how to be a snowbird, how much does it cost to be a snowbird, pros and cons of being a snowbird, snowbird retirement planning

This week, the theme is snowbirding in retirement. Should you be a snowbird? It’s a mess of an emotional, financial, and lifestyle decision about where you live in retirement, so I’m unpacking snowbirding this week. 

Today, I’m talking about the cost of snowbirding. If you decide to be a snowbird, it will be one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make in retirement, so it’s not a decision you want to make lightly. 

There’s obviously the purchase price of a second home if you decide to buy in your chosen snowbird destination. I know a lot of people chose to snowbird by renting or living out of their RV, and I’ll be talking about that decision tomorrow, but for today, I’m going to assume you want to buy a place and that you’re only going to be a snowbird during the winter months.

So there’s the purchase price, but then there’s property taxes (on not one but 2 homes), travel to and from your homes, maintenance costs on both homes, owning or transporting an additional car - and if you drive, you’ll still need to factor in the wear and tear on hauling your car long distances several times a year, insurance on 2 homes, HOA fees, golf memberships, buying furniture, decorating, dishes for your new place, landscaping (both places), and the costs of opening up and shutting down every season. 

The one time and ongoing costs of maintaining two places can be substantial, and you don’t want to get blindsided, so it’s important to understand and plan for the costs ahead of time to make sure you can actually afford it and it’s worth it to you. 

That’s it for today, but before you go, would I be correct in saying that your retirement is perhaps the most important financial decision you’ll ever make? There are quite a few irreversible decisions tied to your retirement - everything from your retirement date to your social security filing decision will have major long-term consequences.

You want to get it right. Well, so do I. For the last 12 years, I’ve been helping clients just like you make the transition into retirement. If you want to talk one-on-one with me about whether or not you can retire, head on over to truenorthra.com, where you can book a 15 minute call with me, at a time that’s convenient for you. The call is confidential, free, and I promise to help guide you on whatever is weighing most on your mind right now regarding your retirement. So head on over to truenorthra.com and book a call today. 

Thanks for listening. My name is Ashley Micciche and this is the One Minute Retirement Tip.

----------

>>> Subscribe on iTunes: https://apple.co/2DI2LSP

>>> Subscribe on Amazon Alexa: https://amzn.to/2xRKrCs

>>> Check out our blog: https://truenorthretirementadvisors.com/blog/

----------

Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, finances, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance, wealth management, money tips, fee only financial advisor, financial planner, financial podcast, retirement podcast, financial independence podcast, snowbird, snowbirding, how to be a snowbird, how much does it cost to be a snowbird, pros and cons of being a snowbird, snowbird retirement planning

This week, the theme is snowbirding in retirement. 

I don’t mean to be a negative Nancy, but in my experience, too many people make rash decisions about snowbirding in retirement and they end of unfulfilled because they didn’t look at this important life decision through a variety of angles, but instead were focused just on escaping the cold, dark, wet winters of their northern state for a few months out of the year. 

So this week, I’m helping you look at the decision to be a snowbird from a variety of viewpoints to help you make a smart decision that you hopefully won’t regret. But today, is the only day that you’ll hear me really sing the praises of snowbirding. And it’s not because I’m biased towards this important retirement lifestyle decision, but because I just want to help you look at the pros and the cons…

So to keep things fair and balanced like Fox News, I’m talking about all the wonderful reasons you may want to consider being a snowbird.

Here are just a few reasons why being a snowbird is freakin awesome!

• The weather - this is a bit obvious, but you can’t beat 80 degrees and sunshine in January
• Lifestyle - golf, mah jong, lazy days by the pool or the beach. The snowbirding lifestyle is the relaxed, slower-paced retirement that so many of us yearn for after working our tails off for 30-40 years 
• Social life - A lot of popular snowbirding locales have an abundance of activities and opportunities to get to know people with similar interests, most of whom are close in age to you. My parents snowbird in the Palm Springs area, and they live in a 55+ community, where everyday there are multiple things to do. 

One of the best parts about being a snowbird, is that there are so many different options to find a location that suits your desired lifestyle - whether its hiking, playing golf, dancing, or boating, it’s not hard to find the perfect spot. The catch is whether or not you can afford that perfect spot, which is what we’ll be talking about tomorrow. 

That’s it for today. Thanks for listening. My name is Ashley Micciche and this is the One Minute Retirement Tip. 

---------

>>> Subscribe on iTunes: https://apple.co/2DI2LSP

>>> Subscribe on Amazon Alexa: https://amzn.to/2xRKrCs

>>> Check out our blog: https://truenorthretirementadvisors.com/blog/

----------

Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, finances, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance, wealth management, money tips, fee only financial advisor, financial planner, financial podcast, retirement podcast, financial independence podcast, snowbird, snowbirding, how to be a snowbird, how much does it cost to be a snowbird, pros and cons of being a snowbird, snowbird retirement planning

This week, the theme is snowbirding in retirement. 

Each day this week, I’m sharing with you some things to consider if you’re planning on being a snowbird in retirement, and today I want to get right to the heart of the matter by asking you one simple and very important question: What are you leaving behind by becoming a snowbird? 

I live in Oregon, and about ½ of my clients live here in the pacific NW. I have quite a few clients who now live in places like CA, AZ, FL, TX - either part-time or full-time, and the reasons for snowbirding are varied but really it’s about the weather. It rains a lot here in Oregon in the wintertime, and I’ve been living here for 34 years. I’m pretty sick of the rain, cold, and darkness in the winter. I would love nothing more than to spend 3-4 months out of the year in the warmth and sunshine in the southern part of the U.S.

It’s very easy to get lured into the sun down south, but it’s really important to also ask yourself: What am I giving up? What am I leaving behind? How will it impact your relationships with friends and family? You have a community of neighbors, church, family, friends, here. And when you’re gone for several months every year, how will that impact those relationships? 

My parents are snowbirds, and my mom doesn’t see her grandkids for 4-5 months out of the year? So it’s important to think about not just what you’re gaining by snowbirding in the winter, but the tradeoffs as well and what you’re giving up, especially with those core relationships in your life, because it will be difficult to maintain the same bond when you’re away every year for months at a time and it will also be challenging to establish new, deep friendships in your snowbirding locales. 

That’s it for today. Before you go, though, if you haven’t already left a review in Amazon or iTunes for the One Minute Retirement Tip, can I ask a favor of you to go do that right now? It just takes a minute and it helps to spread the word, and helps other people find this podcast.

Thanks for listening. My name is Ashley Micciche and this is the One Minute Retirement Tip. 

----------

>>> Subscribe on iTunes: https://apple.co/2DI2LSP

>>> Subscribe on Amazon Alexa: https://amzn.to/2xRKrCs

>>> Check out our blog: https://truenorthretirementadvisors.com/blog/

----------

Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, finances, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance, wealth management, money tips, fee only financial advisor, financial planner, financial podcast, retirement podcast, financial independence podcast, snowbird, snowbirding, how to be a snowbird, how much does it cost to be a snowbird, pros and cons of being a snowbird, snowbird retirement planning

Welcome to a new week and a new theme here on the One Minute Retirement Tip! 

This week, the theme is snowbirding in retirement. 

Should you be a snowbird? Is that a good financial decision? Does it make more sense to rent or buy? What are the pros and cons? For many of my clients, snowbirding or moving permanently to a warmer climate is often a very emotionally-driven decision. And for good reason. We’re talking about where you’re going to live in retirement! 

But it’s really important when contemplating the snowbird decision that you look at it from a variety of angles, which is exactly what we’ll do this week. 

So this week, I’m going to break down this snowbirding issue to help you make a smart decisions about where you decide to live in retirement. Now is the perfect time to be thinking about this issue, because winter arrives this week. It’s dark, it’s cold, and you’re dreaming about playing mah jong down in the southern california desert right now, aren’t you?

Not so fast, listen to this week’s tips before you make any rash, irreversible decisions about where you decide to winter in retirement. 

That’s it for today, thanks for listening. My name is Ashley Micciche...and this is the One Minute Retirement Tip. 

----------

>>> Subscribe on iTunes: https://apple.co/2DI2LSP

>>> Subscribe on Amazon Alexa: https://amzn.to/2xRKrCs

>>> Check out our blog: https://truenorthretirementadvisors.com/blog/

----------

Tags: retirement, investing, money, finance, finances, financial planning, retirement planning, saving money, personal finance, wealth management, money tips, fee only financial advisor, financial planner, financial podcast, retirement podcast, financial independence podcast, snowbird, snowbirding, how to be a snowbird, how much does it cost to be a snowbird, pros and cons of being a snowbird, snowbird retirement planning