NationStates Jolt Archive

In about three years I will retire. For several years now the wife and I have been very seriously considering retiring in Alabama where she is from. Her father and two brothers live there and she has some high school friends in the area. We would probably live within a 20 mile radius of her brothers just north of Birmingham. I have never lived there, but have visited often and like the area.

Lately, our two sons have been asking, "Why not retire in Louisiana." My oldest son lives in Natichotches, LA which is about an hour south of Shreveport. He loves it there and will probably stay there for a very very long time. Our other son, his wife, and our two grandchildren will be living in Benton, LA just about 15 minutes north of Shreveport. He is stationed at an Air Force Base near Shreveport, will retire from the military in about four years and plans to stay in the Shreveport area. His wife is from the area. My wife and I are very familiar with the Shreveport area as we were stationed there for 15 years when I was serving in the military. We still have some friends there.

So all considered, where should I retire, in Alabama or in Louisiana and why.

do you have friends who have retired who can talk to you about the ins and outs?

i wouldnt retire anywhere where there isnt a large community of retired people. you are going to need "playmates" and your kids just arent going to provide that. they work, you dont. you need friends to hang out with during the day. golf buddies, power shoppers, card players, whatever. retired people are extremely willing to take on new friends for whatever activities they enjoy.

you also have to think about whether or not your wife is going to be stuck caring for her father in his declining years. the closer you live, the more its going to be her duty as daughter to take care of everything. living in louisiana means she cant possibly devote every day of her life for years to her father.

why doesnt your wife want to retire near her grandchildren? ask her and consider her answer carefully.

do you have friends who have retired who can talk to you about the ins and outs?

i wouldnt retire anywhere where there isnt a large community of retired people. you are going to need "playmates" and your kids just arent going to provide that. they work, you dont. you need friends to hang out with during the day. golf buddies, power shoppers, card players, whatever. retired people are extremely willing to take on new friends for whatever activities they enjoy.

you also have to think about whether or not your wife is going to be stuck caring for her father in his declining years. the closer you live, the more its going to be her duty as daughter to take care of everything. living in louisiana means she cant possibly devote every day of her life for years to her father.

why doesnt your wife want to retire near her grandchildren? ask her and consider her answer carefully.

Some good points to think about. The wife probably won't end up taking care of her dad as her two brothers are living with him and one of them is retired. Also, her dad is in his late 80's and isn't in good health so he may not live until we retire in three years.

It isn't that the wife doesn't want to retire near the grandkids. My son is in the military and until just reciently did not know where he would be retiring. Now that he knows he will be staying in Louisiana we need to re-evaluate our retirement plans.

Ecuador. Your dollars will go much further there. Then you could afford to live like royalty and fly the family down on holidays.

Plus, there's not as many rednecks there.

Ecuador. Your dollars will go much further there. Then you could afford to live like royalty and fly the family down on holidays.

Plus, there's not as many rednecks there.

No thanks. It must be either Alabama or Louisiana.

In about three years I will retire. For several years now the wife and I have been very seriously considering retiring in Alabama where she is from. Her father and two brothers live there and she has some high school friends in the area. We would probably live within a 20 mile radius of her brothers just north of Birmingham. I have never lived there, but have visited often and like the area.

Lately, our two sons have been asking, "Why not retire in Louisiana." My oldest son lives in Natichotches, LA which is about an hour south of Shreveport. He loves it there and will probably stay there for a very very long time. Our other son, his wife, and our two grandchildren will be living in Benton, LA just about 15 minutes north of Shreveport. He is stationed at an Air Force Base near Shreveport, will retire from the military in about four years and plans to stay in the Shreveport area. His wife is from the area. My wife and I are very familiar with the Shreveport area as we were stationed there for 15 years when I was serving in the military. We still have some friends there.

So all considered, where should I retire, in Alabama or in Louisiana and why.

I like both choices, but I'd say Shreveport just to be closer to the grandkids.

On the other hand, the current upswing in the long term hurricane cycle has yet to peak [1] (http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg18324660.500.html) and IIRC Shreveport is closer to the coast.

Maybe settle down in a quaint French hamlet?

Tijuana.

bump

Louisiana. My grandparents live in Minden, and Natichotches has that alligator farm thing, so it's cool and stuff.

Oregon. The liberals should keep your blood pumping in a nice, healthy manner.

Anywhere but Florida--we have enough old people here as it is. :D

Of those two options, my leaning is Louisiana, but that's because I grew up there, although it was decidedly south of where you'll be living. Both choices offer you a situation where the living will be relatively inexpensive (and relatively boring, from my point of view). If hurricanes bother you, then central Louisiana is the place, but neither of them is likely to suffer extensive damage in the event of a storm. If you like to travel to larger cities, then Louisiana again, because you'll have New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas and Little Rock within easy range. Outside Birmingham I think you have fewer options--Mobile, New Orleans (if you stretch), Atlanta and maybe Tallahassee.