Harriet Edleson - 12 Ways to Retire on Less: Planning an Affordable Future

Harriet Edleson is an expert on baby boomer retirement strategies. A former staff writer for AARP and contributing writer for Kiplingers Retirement Report, she has written the Retiring feature for the New York Times. A graduate of Mount Holyoke College, she began her journalism career at Gannett Westchester (New York) newspapers and the Houston Chronicle. She writes for MarketWatch.com and the Washington Post Real Estate section, and lives in Bethesda, Maryland. Visit her website at https://www.howtoretireonless.com.

I would like to thank my publisher, Rowman & Littlefield, particularly my editor Suzanne Staszak-Silva, who believed in the project from the outset. She showed me how to turn knowledge, research, reporting, and insight into a book.

In addition, I wish to express gratitude to Jane Bornemeier and Phyllis Messinger, editors at the New York Times, and V. Dion Haynes, real estate editor at the Washington Post. Special thanks to friend and editor Joyce Gabriel for her time and written comments early in the process of developing the book. In addition, thank you to the Kiplinger Washington Editors.

Throughout my work life, my sources have been invaluable, as have been those who have shared their stories with me.

A note of appreciation to AARP for the time I spent there, and in particular to David C. John, senior strategic policy adviser at the AARP Public Policy Institute and deputy director of the Retirement Security Project at the Brookings Institution.

A personal thank you to Robert Cole, the voice of reason in my life.

The Vanguard Groups Retirement-Expense Worksheet, https://personal.vanguard.com/us/insights/retirement/tool/retirement-expense-worksheet

The Vanguard Groups Retirement-Income Worksheet, https://personal.vanguard.com/us/insights/retirement/tool/retirement-income-worksheet

Medicare, https://www.medicare.gov/medicare-you-handbook

Communities for people 55 years of age and older, https://www.55places.com/

Continuing-care retirement communities, https://www.caring.com/senior-living/continuing-care-retirement-communities/

Florida for Boomers, https://www.floridaforboomers.com/

National Shared Housing Resource Center, https://nationalsharedhousing.org/

ideal-LIVING, https://www.ideal-living.com/

Top Retirements, https://www.topretirements.com/

Jobs for people over 50, https://retirementjobs.com/

Career resources for seniors, https://www.workforce50.com/

Professional development, https://getfive.com/

Job-search portal, https://jobs.aarp.org/

Job-search and -training portal sponsored by the US Department of Labor, https://www.onetonline.org

Online courses, certifications, and degree programs, https://www.coursera.org

Postsecondary scholarships to colleges and universities, https://www.osherfoundation.org/

Virtual online classes, https://www.oasisnet.org/

The US Social Security Administration, https://www.ssa.gov/

AAA, https://seniordriving.aaa.com/

AARP, https://www.aarpdriversafety.org/

Community Transportation Association of America, https://ctaa.org/national-volunteer-transportation-center/

GoGo, https://gogograndparent.com/

Rides in Sight, https://www.ridesinsight.org/

Village to Village Network, https://www.vtvnetwork.org/content.aspx

Walk Score, https://www.walkscore.com/

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CARF International. Consumer Guide to Understanding Financial Performance and Reporting in Continuing Care Retirement Communities. Tucson, AZ: CARF International, 2016. Text retrieved from https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5898f6e4e6f2e17c07ec6bbf/t/5f2ac6ddc4fe64566150bb48/1596638946931/CCRC+Consumer+Guide+to+Financial+Performance+-+June+2016.pdf.

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Collinson, Catherine. Retirement through the Ages: Expectations and Preparations of American Workers. Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies report, May. Los Angeles: Transamerica Institute, 2015. https://www.transamericacenter.org/docs/default-source/resources/center-research/16th-annual/tcrs2015_sr_retirement_throughout_the_ages.pdf.

Collinson, Catherine, Patti [Vogt] Rowey, and Heidi Cho. A Precarious Existence: How Todays Retirees Are Financially Faring in Retirement. Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies report, December. Los Angeles: Transamerica Institute, 2018. https://www.transamericacenter.org/docs/default-source/retirees-survey/tcrs2018_sr_retirees_survey_financially_faring.pdf.

. Retirement Security: A Compendium of Findings about US Workers; 20th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey of Workers. Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, December 2020. https://transamericacenter.org/docs/default-source/retirement-survey-of-workers/tcrs2020_sr_20th_annual_compendium_of_workers_report.pdf.

. What Is Retirement? Three Generations Prepare for Older Age: 19th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey of Workers. Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies report, April. Los Angeles: Transamerica Institute, 2019. https://transamericacenter.org/docs/default-source/retirement-survey-of-workers/tcrs2019_sr_what_is_retirement_by_generation.pdf.