By Jan Culinane
Should you consider moving when you retire? According to a 20 recent Pulte survey, more than half of boomers plan to pick up stakes when they retire. Will you be one of them?
1. Do you have a significant other?
a. Yes
b. No
2. How is your physical health?
a. Never felt better
b. More good days than bad
c. Physician on speed-dial
3. How is your financial health?
a. Rolling in dough
b. Enough (even though I would like more)
c. Thank heaven for Social Security!
4. Is the climate in your current location:
a. Something you’d love to flee
b. Tolerable
c. Idea
5. To what extent does your children’s location influence where you live?
a. Not an issue
b. Could play a role
c. Would be a priority in choosing a location
6. What is the level of social support in your current location?
a. Low/None
b. Medium
c. High
7. What is the level of involvement in your current community?
a. Low/None
b. Medium
c. High
8. When making a decision, you usually:
a. Carefully weigh alternatives
b. Do your homework, but also trust your instincts
c. Rely on your “gut” or intuition
9. What is your history of moving to new areas?
a. Story of my life
b. A few times
c. Born and raised in current area
10. Which of these most closely describes your attitude?
a. New relationships are the spice of life
b. “Make new friends, but keep the old”
c. Old Friends are the best friends
11. Which of the following phrases most closely describes you?
a. Extroverted
b. Combination extroverted/introverted
c. Introverted
12. I am:
a. Not responsible for aging parents
b. Not fully responsible for aging parents
c. Responsible for aging parents
13. I:
a. Am not into babysitting or have no grandkids
b. Love every minute with them, but…
c. Crazy about them – they are a high priority
14. I tend to:
a. Enjoy travel to new locations
b. Return to favorite spots
c. Be a homebody
15. How do you feel about change?
a. Ready and willing
b. Generally accepting
c. Dread it
16. Outside interests:
a. Many and varied
b. Some
c. Hardly any
Scoring:
Give yourself:
1 point for each a,
2 points for each b, and
3 points for each c.
16 – 29 points: Start packing. You have the characteristics that make you a good candidate for relocation.
30 – 38 points: Think about moving carefully. You’re on the bubble.
39 — 47 points: Probably better stay put! Your characteristics and feelings about your relationships and community could make relocating difficult. <<
Jan Cullinane is the co-author of The New Retirement: The Ultimate Guide to the Rest of Your Life (Rodale, 2004).
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