Picking a high quality retirement community where you are active, engaged, and healthy is a very important decision and can be a lot of work. Here’s what to consider as you are looking for a retirement community:
Financials – How Much Money is Needed for Iowa’s Retirement Communities?
Different communities have different payment options. You may have to buy in upfront, or you may at least have an option to pay upfront for a lower monthly fee.
Most retirement communities will ask for a copy of your financials – Your Social Security statement, investment accounts, pension information, and more. But you should also consider what payment option is best for you, and what expense is feasible for your retirement plan.
Our guide, which you can get by entering your name and email above, mentions how different retirement communities around Cedar Rapids charge, so you know what to expect. We can help our clients not only find the community best for them, but also ensure your retirement savings are managed in a way to support you through your time at the community.
Policies and Activities – What’s Going on That You Would Enjoy?
The retirement communities in our area offer their residents a ton of daily activities and options for entertainment. From arts and crafts to cooking classes to whiskey tasting, be sure to ask for a calendar of events going on in the community to help you evaluate the best place for you.
Different communities have different polices as well. Be sure to find the community that offers what you are looking for. Some are pet friendly if you are planning to bring along a dog or cat. Others have onsite guest suites if you plan on having family for friends stay with you. Some provide transportation, while others will depend on you having your own car.
Health Care – Do You Need a Continuing Care Community?
Health care is perhaps the most important issue for retirees. Retirement communities can help by offering a wide variety of care that is able to suit your needs throughout your retirement.
Many communities start in independent living. Over time, they may offer in-home health care or assisted living as you need more help with day to day tasks. If needed, some communities also offer rehabilitation, memory care, or skilled nursing care for times when you need the most help.
Finding a community that offers all levels of care under one location can save retirees time, hassle, and money. These communities are often called continuing care communities, and we believe these types of communities can offer great value to their residents.
Besides simply offering all levels of care, we find that some continuing care communities offer some higher cost services, such as skilled nursing care, for a lower price for long term residents. This allows retirees to know their health care expenses later in life will be easier to manage.
Deciding on a Retirement Community
Choosing the right retirement community is a difficult decision. If you or a loved one are evaluating continuing care communities in Iowa, let us help. Whether you are wanting to make sure the expenses are affordable based on your retirement assets, or you need to determine the most tax-efficient way to pay for your retirement community, we are here to help.
Matt Hylland is a financial planner and partner at Arnold & Mote Wealth Management, where he helps individuals and families make informed decisions around retirement planning, investment management, tax planning, and comprehensive financial strategy. As a flat-fee, fiduciary advisor, Matt focuses on providing objective guidance designed around each client’s goals and long-term financial needs.
Before transitioning into financial planning, Matt worked as a materials scientist for the Department of Defense, bringing a problem-solving mindset and analytical approach to his work with clients. He has been featured or quoted in nationally recognized financial publications, including The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, and Kiplinger, for his insights on personal finance and investing.
Years of experience: 10
Specializations: retirement decisions, tax-efficient strategies, investment choices, and the complex financial decisions that come with major life transitions.