I had an e-mail from a 30-something reader in Edmonton the other day in which she talked about selling a house and renting instead. "Phew. Relief," was her comment on the financial flexibility she and her partner gained.
A Halifax retiree I wrote about a couple of weeks ago said his wife felt the same way about selling their house and moving to a rental apartment. "She finds the simplicity of living in the apartment so much more gratifying than the constant worry of maintaining the house, a good part of which we weren't living in."
Now let's hear another take on the benefits of renting, specifically for retirees. It's an article produced for a U.S. financial services company called MassMutual that thoroughly reviews the benefits of renting. American retirees seem to be similar to Canadians – most want to remain in their homes. Still, the article concludes, "renting offers the opportunity for increased cash flow, greater flexibility, more accessible accommodations, and a simpler lifestyle."
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A visit to dating hell
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Use this age for your retirement planning
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For the whiskey drinkers out there
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OK, the "laundroid" won't be cheap at an estimated $1,940 (U.S.) when it comes to market next spring. But think of the time savings in having it fold laundry for you.
Today's featured financial tool
Travellers will find timeanddate.com to be a useful little website – it's a resource on time zones, calendars, the weather and more.
Ask Rob
The question: "Can you explain how is seems that bond ETFs can come up with a higher return than most common bonds?"
My reply: "There's no magic to bond ETFs. If you gauge future returns by the weighted average portfolio yield to maturity (find this on the fund profiles that ETF companies offer on their websites) and subtract fees, you'll find much more realistic numbers. Don't judge by the yield figures found in stock quotes. It's more of a backward view than an indication of what's to come."
Do you have a question for me? Send it my way. Questions and answers are edited for length.
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