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8 Tips to Set Up a Snowbird Lifestyle

By U.S. News & World Report

Each year, many people migrate from colder regions of the United States and Canada to sunny locations in Florida, Arizona and other sunbelt states. To these snowbirds, seasonal migration offers the best of both worlds — an opportunity to maintain ties to family, friends and familiar places, while also enjoying a change of scenery and an escape from cold, wintery weather. While there are many advantages to being a snowbird, there are also challenges and additional expenses to consider before you start packing.

[See: Best Places for Snowbirds to Retire.]

Cost. Your winter location can be a smaller house, a condo or even a mobile home. In addition to the cost of buying a second home, you need to budget for the cost of appliances, dishes and furniture. You’ll need to insure both homes, and insurance rates may increase considerably for a home that you leave empty for extended periods of time.

You can rent a home or apartment for several months. This affords you the opportunity to spend your winter in a different place each year. If you buy or rent, don’t forget to budget for travel costs, especially if you might fly back home occasionally for a special occasion or emergency. If you plan to fly to your sunny destination, you’ll probably need to rent a car.

You can own a recreational vehicle, which makes it easier to transport your clothing, pets and other possessions. You will also have the freedom to stay in different places, and you can use your RV for other travel throughout the year. RVs run the gamut from half-million-dollar mansions on wheels to small travel trailers. If you opt for a travel trailer, you will need a vehicle that is muscular enough to tow it. There’s also the cost of a campsite or a space rented in an RV park.

Taxes. You may pay more in taxes. If you own your snowbird home, you will need to pay property taxes in both places. Depending on how much time you reside in your new state, you may end up paying income taxes in two states. States have different rules on residency and on estate and inheritance taxes. If you don’t plan to return home before April 15, you’ll need to bring all your income tax paperwork with you and hope you haven’t forgotten anything.

[See: 10 Low-Tax Places to Retire.]

Mail. You can use e-mail and auto-pay for most of your communication and bill-paying needs, but there will still be a few items you will receive via traditional mail. There are several options for forwarding mail, including USPS forwarding, third-party mail forwarding services and having a neighbor or relative forward mail to you in batches. None of these are perfect. The best option for you depends upon whether you will be staying at the same destination or moving from place to place. Some RV parks will not accept mail intended for temporary visitors, in which case you will need to use a post office general delivery address.

Utilities. You may not want to pay for cable, internet and phone service during the months you don’t live in your primary residence or your snowbird residence, but stopping and starting service can be tricky.

Home maintenance. If you can find someone you trust to housesit for you or at least stop by and check on your house regularly, you can avoid some problems, but there are others you will still need to consider. If you live in an area that gets very cold in winter, you need to keep your heat on at a reduced temperature to keep your pipes from freezing and bursting, or hire a plumber to drain all your pipes and turn the water off at the source. Unplug every appliance you can, which may mean emptying your refrigerator and freezer. If your community or your home owners’ association requires you to shovel snow, you’ll have to arrange for someone to do that. Similarly, you may need to arrange for people to mow grass, maintain pool chemicals, water plants and control weeds.

Pets. You can probably take your dogs or cats with you, although that may limit the selection of places you can rent. If you have other pets such as birds, fish, or turtles, you will need to have someone visit your home often or find people who are willing to take them and provide foster care while you’re gone.

Newspapers. You should discontinue your newspaper delivery while you’re gone, but you will need to ask a neighbor to remove those unwanted flyers and free community papers that get tossed onto your driveway whether you want them or not.

Medical care. If you are over 65 and on Medicare, you should be able to obtain medical care wherever you go within the United States. If you use private health insurance, you will need to research whether there are doctors and hospitals at your destination that will be covered by your health care network. You’ll need to take your full medical records with you, including prescriptions you take, or see if your primary physician will share your medical records with a doctor at your snowbird destination. Think about how you will obtain prescription refills, especially if you use a mail-order pharmacy that ships three-month supplies automatically.

[See: 10 Retirement Hot Spots in the U.S.]

There’s nothing on this list that isn’t do-able, especially in today’s electronically connected world. Many people migrate seasonally and have done so for many years. But enjoying a successful snowbird lifestyle is much more involved than simply going on a long vacation.

Dave Hughes is the founder of Retire Fabulously.

More from U.S. News

How to Tell If You Should Move in Retirement

10 Ways to Reduce Your Housing Costs in Retirement

10 Financial Perks of Getting Older

8 Tips to Set Up a Snowbird Lifestyle originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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