You don't have to move full-time to reap the rewards of retiring overseas. Selling everything you own, packing your bags, and leaving your home, your family, and your friends to retire in a new country may seem bold, intimidating, even ridiculous. Perhaps you don't want to sell your house. Maybe you don't want to be a plane ride away from your grandchildren all year long. Some people have business or family responsibilities in the United States that would make it inconvenient to reside overseas 12 months a year.

These are all good reasons to retire overseas part-time. Another reason is improving your budget. If your retirement nest egg has taken a beating recently, your prospects for retirement living in the United States may seem grim. But if you spend half the year someplace where the cost of living is significantly reduced and rent out your U.S. home while you're away, your retirement funds could expand accordingly during the months you're stateside. Retirement could go from a source of concern to a cause for excitement.

One good strategy can be to follow the seasons. When the snow starts falling up north, head south. Combine city living with a mountain escape or small-town charm with a beachfront retreat. Soak up Continental pleasures, then withdraw to country life.

A part-time retirement abroad makes even more sense if you can rent out your place back home while you're off enjoying foreign pleasures. Find the retirement haven that complements your situation at home and buy there. If you can also rent out the foreign residence when you're away, your budget becomes a whole lot easier to manage.

One very sensible and manageable approach could be to spend half the year in the States and half the year down south, for example. This snowbird approach to retirement isn't new. Retirees from upstate New York and the Dakotas have been migrating south for decades. The difference today is that they're migrating farther south. Panama has become the new Florida, the top choice among Americans looking to escape winter back home by spending that season in far sunnier climes. Other top snowbird destinations include Mexico and Nicaragua.

Part-time retirement overseas has other practical benefits. Paul and Vicki Terhorst retired 25 years ago. However, they didn't retire to anywhere. They retired, literally, overseas. They move around the world as their wanderlust and, critically, their retirement budget dictates. When Paris was a far more affordable place to live than it is right now, they lived in Paris. When the cost of living in that city became more than their budget could bear, they moved to Buenos Aires. When inflation made Argentina too expensive, they moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where they've been living, happily, for the past eighteen months.

One more benefit to part-time retirement abroad: It means you don't have to worry about foreign residency options or visas. Remember, you must obtain a residency visa only if you intend to reside in the country permanently, which generally means more than six months a year. You'd have your work cut out for you trying to organize full-time legal residency as a retiree in Croatia, for example, or New Zealand. Both of these countries offer many advantages and appealing lifestyle options for the would-be retiree, but neither makes it easy for retirees to become full-time residents.

Kathleen Peddicord is the founder of the Live and Invest Overseas publishing group. With more than 25 years experience covering this beat, Kathleen reports daily on current opportunities for living, retiring, and investing overseas in her free e-letter. Her book, How To Retire Overseas--Everything You Need To Know To Live Well Abroad For Less, was recently released by Penguin Books.

More From US News & World Report

Read more from the original source:
Reap the Many Benefits of a Part-Time Retirement Overseas

By Joanna Robinson

PUBLISHED: 04:23 EST, 16 July 2012 | UPDATED: 11:42 EST, 16 July 2012

Pensioners are increasingly unwilling to sacrifice their quality of life in retirement in order to leave their relatives with an inheritance, a new study has claimed.

The research, from specialist insurer Just Retirement, has revealed a shift away from the traditional desire to leave significant assets to family members.

The belief in a duty to leave something for the next generation seems to be waning in those currently approaching retirement, for whom having a good quality of life takes top priority the study says. But is that really a bad thing and wouldn't any child rather their parents enjoyed retirement than scrimping to give them money? Joanna Robinson takes a look at the debate.

The good life: pensioners choose quality of life in retirement over inheritance for the next generation

The survey, which used 300 hours of interviews with more than 1,000 people, found 61 per cent of older people would not sacrifice their own lifestyle to make sure they can leave money to their family when they die.

One respondent said Id like to leave something to my children if theres anything left, but I wont ruin my retirement.

Another explained: Im not particularly worried as both my daughters are doing well.

One of the most interesting findings is the clear difference between generations, said Stephen Lowe, group director of external affairs and customer insight at Just Retirement.

Original post:
Should enjoying retirement be a priority over leaving an inheritance?

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Elaine Sarsynski, executive vice president of MassMutual's Retirement Services Division and chairman and CEO of MassMutual International LLC, was a featured guest on Bloomberg's "Taking Stock" radio program on July 11. Hosted by Bloomberg news anchors Pimm Fox and Courtney Donohoe, the show focused on the subject of retirement preparedness and what steps Americans can take to better prepare.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100927/NE72118-a )

Ms. Sarsynski is on a crusade to drive awareness of challenges facing Americans as they plan and save for retirement and is particularly focused on helping to bring attention to specific concerns facing women. During the interview, she discussed the findings of recent qualitative research sponsored by MassMutual Retirement Services that provided insights into what retirement plan/401(k) participants are thinking and feeling about retirement.

The research, conducted between December 5, 2011 and February 17, 2012, revealed that, while about a third of surveyed participants in retirement plans administered by MassMutual began saving at an early age, the rest of the respondents ranged in age from late teens to late fifties. Many wished they had "paid more attention" and had implemented a "more strategic plan" to achieve their retirement goals.

On the subject of health care, Ms. Sarsynski affirmed that it is, indeed, a topic of great importance to retirement plan participants. She emphasized that retirement is "not a sprint" but rather a long-term proposition that requires saving consistently throughout an individual's working life to achieve sufficient savings levels.

"This research clearly demonstrates the need for financial advisors and retirement plan providers like MassMutual to help Americans figure out what it means to have adequate replacement income in retirement and then help them devise a strategy to make it happen," says Sarsynski. "At MassMutual, we are trying to change the conversation to one that's more about monthly income and what it will take for an individual saver to reach a sufficient level to sustain them in retirement. Financial advisors have a critical role in this discussion and women often need even more help," adds Sarsynski.

MassMutual's participant website, http://www.retiresmart.com, features its RetireSmart(SM) Ready tool, designed to help individuals calculate and adjust their savings levels to help them increase the likelihood of accomplishing this goal. MassMutual also offers a PlanSmart(SM) Analysis report that helps employers offering retirement plans to evaluate this measure at the plan level.

Ms. Sarsynski quoted one participant as saying, "I started putting money away at 26, but didn't really start planning and paying attention until I was 44." She stated that this was a common theme among survey respondents.

For more information about MassMutual's retirement services, please call your retirement plan advisor or contact MassMutual at (888) 626-4911, http://www.massmutual.com/retire.

MassMutual Financial Group is a marketing name for Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) [of which Retirement Services is a division] and its affiliated companies and sales representatives. MassMutual is headquartered in Springfield, Massachusetts and its major affiliates include: Babson Capital Management LLC; Baring Asset Management Limited; Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC; The First Mercantile Trust Company; MassMutual International LLC; MML Investors Services, LLC, Member FINRA and SIPC; OppenheimerFunds, Inc.; and The MassMutual Trust Company, FSB.

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MassMutual's Elaine Sarsynski Interviewed by Bloomberg Radio on Retirement Issues Facing Americans

(MoneyWatch) Although women are fairly confident in their ability to achieve financial goals like buying a house, they tend to be less certain about ensuring they have enough money for retirement and protecting their investments from the vagaries of the market, according to a recent Prudential study.

The study also found a difference in the level of confidence between women younger than 35 and female baby-boomers. Both groups have well-defined financial goals, but younger women often identify themselves as investment beginners and are less likely to say they feel well-prepared to make wise financial decisions.

This apparent gap confidence gap also reflects a knowledge and experience gap. That may be due in part to the the economic crisis, which has heightened women's recognition of the need to develop a financial plan that will meet long-term financial goals. It's also long been the case that women typically lag men in accumulating retirement savings.

One reason that's a concern -- women live longer in retirement. For example, if a man and women were each targeting retirement income of $5,000 per month, and the woman was expected to live five years longer in retirement, then she would need to have saved about $120,000 more by the beginning of her retirement. For the average woman, this can translate to an additional savings requirement of two to three percentage points per year over an entire working life, compared to what men must sock away.

Clearly, then, it is important to for women to run the numbers and estimate how much they need to save for their retirement. But what can they do to boost their confidence about being prepared for the future? There are several strategies that, if taken collectively, can help.

Go for retirement benefits

When seeking employment, look forcompanies that offer benefits tailored to women, such as paid-parental leave and retirement savings programs. This combination of benefits can help reduce the impact on retirement savings when taking extended leave. Also look for employers who offer retirement plans that include generous employer-matching contributions.

Contribute to a spousal IRA

A common challenge for women who leave a career is that they do not have earnings and therefore do not participate in an employer-provided retirement program, such as a 401(k) plan. As long as their working spouse is earning an income, the non-earning spouse should consider opening and contributing to aSpousal IRA, where their income earning spouses can contribute up to $5,000 per year ($6,000 if 50 or older). Spousal IRAs allow non-earning spouses to continue to accumulate retirement savings in their own retirement accounts, which provides additional individual retirement security in the event of divorce.

Inventory your retirement benefits

Original post:
Retirement confidence boosters for women

Early retirement is a financially sound choice for only 30 percent of 62-year-olds, according to a new analysis conducted by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. But that doesn't mean older workers will need to work indefinitely.

Researchers reviewed income and expected expenses to calculate when households would be able to retire between the ages of 50 and 90. The study found that while not everyone will be ready to retire at 66 or younger, an overwhelming majority will be ready for retirement by age 70.

While the news isn't good for those wishing to retire early, the percent of those financially ready to retire goes up steadily with age.

At age 62, the earliest a senior can begin collecting Social Security benefits, only three in 10 workers will have enough income to maintain their pre-retirement standard of living. Even among high-income households, only 38 percent will be prepared to retire at this age. Of workers able to retire early, 60 percent have a defined benefit plan, such as a traditional pension.

However, by age 66, which is considered the full retirement age by Social Security, the number jumps to just more than half of all households. At age 70, researchers calculate 85 percent of workers will be able to comfortably retire.

According to the report, the findings point to the significance of Social Security benefits as a substantial source of income for retirees. Under current policies, Social Security benefits can be increased for each year an individual delays retirement, up to age 70.

The Boston College researchers completed their analysis by adjusting the National Retirement Risk Index. This index calculates the number of households who are at risk for being unable to maintain their pre-retirement standard of living once they stop working.

The National Retirement Risk Index indicates 51 percent of American households are considered at risk. However, the numbers are calculated based upon individuals retiring at age 65. The Boston College analysis used a variation of the index to determine how much longer most households would have to work before being financially ready for retirement.

According to the findings, Americans can rest assured that working into one's 80s or 90s is not a financial necessity for most people. Instead, for those unable to retire at age 65, most will be able to stop working in less than seven years:

Only 2.8 percent of those sampled would not be able to retire by age 90.

Continued here:
Is 70 the new magic number for retirement?

Last fall, Florida Office of Financial Regulation Commissioner Tom Grady praised an investigator in the agency's Pensacola office who helped crack a $3million mortgage fraud scheme.

"Thanks to (her) leadership,'' Grady said, "the OFR is doing its part to put bad guys behind bars.''

Even as he touted that success, Grady was paving the way to close the Pensacola office and three others half of OFR's regional offices.

The closings, which took effect this month, were part of Grady's mission to slash costs at the state agency that oversees mortgage brokers, banks and securities firms. The moves come even as a new report shows Florida continues to lead the nation in mortgage fraud.

Grady, now back in the private sector, defended the office closures. He insisted resources devoted to financial investigations actually increased while he cut back in areas already handled by other agencies.

In his six months running OFR, the Naples millionaire and friend of Gov. Rick Scott proved a study in contrasts a fiscal conservative who embraced Scott's cost-cutting ethos yet a liberal spender who:

Charged the state more than $800 to go to Atlanta for a two-day banking conference, but skipped the second day when he left for a week's vacation in Utah.

Spent more than $6,000 on in-state travel, including $296 for a night at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota and $240 for a night at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay.

Sought reimbursement for more than $10,000 worth of office furniture, including a $2,482 leather sofa and a $563 floor lamp.

It was a pattern that continued in March when Grady, 54, became interim president of Citizens Property Insurance, charged with drastically shrinking the state-run company. At Citizens, Grady spent more than $10,000 on travel in just two months before losing the permanent job to a Maryland insurance executive, the Tampa Bay Times detailed in a recent story.

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Florida's former financial regulation commissioner was liberal personal spender

Every week I get many e-mails from readers asking me for specific fitness advice. While I am not an expert, one of my goals has been to bring the experts to you to answer your questions. And while the questions I get are very wide-ranging in topic, the number one thing people want to know is how to find a personal trainer.

Since I have never hired a personal trainer, I asked Dr. Adam Naylor, who leads Telos Sport Psychology Consulting and is a clinical assistant professor in Boston Universitys School of Education. He has a decade and a half worth of experiences working with professional and amateur athletes, and has hired and worked with many trainers through the years.

Here's my Q&A with him on what you need to know when looking for a trainer:

Q. What qualifications should you look for in a trainer? What certifications are important?

A. For certifications the National Strength and Conditioning Association (www.nsca-lift.org) and the American College of Sports Medicine (www.acsm.org) are good places to start. For academic degrees, Athletic Training, Exercise Science, and Physical Therapy are strong knowledge bases for personal training. If someone is looking to improve athletic performance Id seek out a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and/or a certified Athletic Trainer. For general fitness, an ACSM certified professional and/or Physical Therapist should have credible wisdom to share.

Certifications are important because they show some level of professional competence and curiosity. While they do not tell how well someone coaches, there are a fair marker of aptitude and professionalism.

Q. How do you know what kind of person will work well with your personality?

A. By talking to her/him a bit, hearing how your goals resonate with the personal trainer, and by trying a class or session on for size. Having the same personality of you is not always the best for you, as it could lead to an unbalanced approach to exercise and training. A great trainer supports your strengths and complements your areas for development.

Q. Should you interview your prospective trainer? If so,what should you ask them?

A. You should absolutely interview a prospective personal coach. For two reasons: 1. It is an investment of time and money. Investments are most lucrative when we research them a bit, 2. For confidence and commitment. If questions are answered, they do not linger in the back of your head, allowing you to get fully engaged in the workouts ahead of you.

The rest is here:
How to find a personal trainer

SAN MATEO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Keynote Systems (KEYN) subsidiary, Keynote DeviceAnywhere, the global leader in mobile application lifecycle management (mALM), has announced that the Variable Annuity Life Insurance Company or VALIC has selected Keynote DeviceAnywheres Test Center Enterprise (TCE) Interactive to enhance and provide ongoing technological support for the VALIC Mobile app.

VALIC engaged Keynote DeviceAnywhere to build an on-premise environment to host dedicated iOS devices behind the companys own firewall for optimum security and reliability. Through Keynote DeviceAnywheres TCE Interactive, VALIC is assuring the quality of the VALIC Mobile app to prevent and address potential issues that may cause downtime, ensuring that customers have access to their financial investment information anytime, anywhere.

TCE Interactive provides organizations with a robust, cloud-based tool for manually testing any mobile app or website, addressing the challenges of device and platform diversity while optimizing manual testing efforts. TCE Interactive enables access to real smart devices connected to live networks not simulated or emulated devices so that businesses can develop and test internal- and external-facing mobile apps and websites. Click here for more information about TCE Interactive.

Mobile is becoming the preferred channel for financial institutions to empower customers to perform transactions and track their financial progress; however, with large sums of money and customers at stake, these organizations must ensure that their mobile apps function faultlessly or else they risk losing money or worse, drive customers to competitors, said Faraz Syed, President, Keynote DeviceAnywhere. By leveraging TCE Interactive, organizations like VALIC are ensuring the consistent quality of their mobile apps by testing them on any device, platform or OS to recognize and address latent issues before they affect customers.

The VALIC Mobile app allows customers to have a holistic view of their investment progress and manage fund portfolios, helping them plan and track their assets. They can leverage the app to view their portfolio summary; plan summary; transaction history; fund inquiry; personal performance; access the savings gap analysis tool; search for financial advisor contact information; receive market updates, and more.

About Keynote DeviceAnywhere

Keynote DeviceAnywhere, a subsidiary of Keynote Systems, Inc. (KEYN), provides the industrys only true enterprise-class, cloud-based platform for testing and monitoring the functionality, usability, performance and availability of mobile applications and websites. The companys suite of mobile application lifecycle management (mALM) solutions assures the quality of enterprise mobile applications and services, helping to extend businesses and brands to the mobile channel. To learn more about Keynote DeviceAnywhere and to sign up for a free trial, visitwww.keynotedeviceanywhere.com.

Interested in our perspective on trends and issues in the mobile marketplace? Visit our blog, and follow us on Twitter.

About Keynote Systems

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VALIC Assures Quality and Performance of Mobile App Offering through Keynote DeviceAnywhere

KENT BLECHYNDEN/Fairfax NZ

SIGNING ON: 'My performances open up a new avenue to show the creative side of sign language,' says burlesque dancer Jepha Krieg.

Her undergarments are bejewelled, her routines are cheeky, but it is what Jepha Krieg does with her hands that sets her aside from other burlesque dancers.

Sign language is a pivotal communication tool for the hearing-impaired and for the 22-year-old Wellingtonian who incorporates it into burlesque, the language is another way to express her creativity.

By taking sign language a step further, she is not only making her mark in the Wellington burlesque community, but she also believes she is the country's first signing burlesque artist.

"Sign language is so expressive and is perfect for performance," says Krieg, whose first show involved signing to Katy Perry's song Peacock, and Born to Handjive by Johnny Otis.

"That was perfect, as deaf people are born to handjive," she says.

Signing is an official New Zealand language and, for Krieg, it is more than just a communication tool.

"My performances open up a new avenue to show the creative side of sign language. It's not just a novelty, or a way for handicapped people to talk."

Through her performances, Krieg hopes to make both the comedy of burlesque and the songs she uses more accessible to the deaf, and to expose sign language to people who would not otherwise experience it.

Link:
Adding a personal touch to burlesque

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel was delighted with his performance in the Champions League final.

The Nigeria international is proud to begin the new season as a European champion.

"I was very delighted with how the game went for me personally but overall it was a collective team performance and everyone helped me to play well," he told chelseafc.com.

"The whole team worked very hard, we knew we had almost touched it the last time we were in the final and this time we were so determined not to let it go. The performance was just amazing from everyone in the team, even the guys on the bench. The support that they gave to the players just kept lifting you up as you played extra time. It was something we all did well as a team to achieve.

"People still talk about that night everywhere we go but for us now we have done it and we want to build on it.

"We won't relax, we want to keep building and keep winning trophies. We have lost some players and hopefully the guys who come in will bring even more than the guys who have left, but the guys who have left did really well for this team and they will always be remembered."

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Chelsea midfielder Obi Mikel proud of his personal Champions League final