How Much Do You think You Need to Retire? What Age Will You/Spouse Retire? General Retirement Issues (Part 2)

I got my tdap at my doctors office and there was no charge.

Where we live 2 cleanings would be more like $550. Plus annual x-rays is another $200. That alone exceeds the costs before any possible need for filings, crowns, root canals, etc.

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Wow. For $265, my longtime dentist has a plan that includes two cleanings and unlimited X-rays, as well as 20% off her cash prices for dental work. It’s been great! We always had great dental insurance, and we had been worried when we lost it at retirement. Fortunately, this plan has been very helpful.

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That’s great. Wish it was like that in my area. We get charged $275 per visit not including x-rays. No package deals.

Dentists seem to do so many x-rays nowadays. On a regular cycle alternating between - full mouth, bitewings only, and a panorama. I say no most of the time. Since I have good teeth, I feel the x-rays are not needed as often as they want.

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In retirement we are self-pay for dentist. He gives 5% discount for cash, wish it were more. In the almost 4 years since retirement I’ve only needed cleanings and x-rays (once a year). But I know from getting crowns many years ago when I did have coverage that it’s only partial coverage, max $2000/yr. I do have HSA funds available if needed.

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We have a similar ā€˜Dental Savings Plan’ with our dentist. For each of us annual is $325 and receive a list of services including the 2 preventive cleanings and exams per year, unlimited X-Rays as needed including one full mouth x-ray as needed, 1 emergency exam/year if needed, and 15% off any other treatment including cosmetic procedures. More if you need periodontal program ($450 - $550, with individualized plan created).

Smart for dentists to offer this kind of plan. This has been going well for us for 2 years now.

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The dentists and eye doctors in our area came up with helpful deals when a major employer in our area stopped offering retiree dental and eye insurance. It’s been a really good thing!

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We are under contract for our Florida condo. Fingers crossed all goes through. We didn’t get as much as we had hoped for, but we still have a significant non-taxable capital gain. We are already in our new place back in our flyover state.

Assuming we close, our champagne problem will be deciding where to put our money! Anyone want to weigh in with some ideas? We are currently overly heavy in equities and in pre-tax retirement accounts.

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I’d suggest a cabin in Maine. :wink:

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That would be lovely, I’m sure! However, we don’t want two places.

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Just grab some good CDs while the rates are still high 5%.

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Or if you live in a state with income tax, consider Treasuries. Depending on your tax rates, the TEY may be higher for Treasuries than CDs. While the longer duration CD rates are higher, you have to tick down quite a bit to find a non-callable CD.

I should add that I am looking at brokered CDs and not at bank CDs.

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High paying money market while you’re trying to figure it out is my vote.

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My credit union currently has High Yield Savings (4.59% $15k minimum). I suspect the rate will decrease in a few months, but if your bank has similar seems a decent way to park money and earn interest without locking into a CD term.

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My parent is a federal retiree. I don’t know if what my parents did makes sense, but one parent (with fewer health issues thus far) went on Medicare and the other (with health issues and established relationships with doctors) relies on the federal employee health insurance.

When the Medicare parent’s primary doctor retired, that parent was able to get a new doctor at the other parent’s primary clinic only because that parent was an established patient (otherwise they didn’t accept Medicare patients). So that was an advantage.

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Interesting. In theory my husband and I could do this. He has 1 year to decide - I have 3.

My dad was career Air Force and died at 59 and mom lived another 38 years, never remarrying and was able to use TriCare and Medicare and never paid a dime for medical services, and she had her fair share later in life. It was so easy for us kids to navigate her medical expenses.

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Just went with my mother to update her trust. She has decided to skip a generation and leave her assets to my two children and my niece. That was a pleasant surprise and takes a little pressure of my husband and I in planning!

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