Retirement Goals

Retirement goals

While Kay was still alive, she was off and at home with her medical retirement, so she did most of the research on possible destinations.  There were things we wanted in our golden years.

Legal pot 

We both grew up in a time and place where doing drugs were common.  Both of us them spent most of our working life in jobs that had drug testing. With the growing, and way past due, decriminalization and even legalization of pot, we both wanted a pot friendly place.  We both had medical conditions that would qualify us for medical pot in most states with medical, but recreation pot is faster and easier.  You also don't have to worry about moving someplace then being turned down for a medical permit if the state has recreational. This narrowed our choices to 10 states.

• Alaska
• California
• Colorado
• Maine
• Michigan
• Nevada
• Oregon
• Vermont
• Washington
• Washington D.C.

Weather

I'm from down south.  I like warm weather, even hot weather.  Kay was a winter person.  She liked cold weather.  For whatever reason, warm states seem resistant to legalization of pot, but some of those legal pot states are too cold during the winter to be attractive to me. This narrows the list down...

• California
• Colorado
• Nevada
• Oregon
• Washington

Taxes and other costs

We are far from rich.  In fact, retirement was going to be tight financially.  This means that high taxes or high costs of living rules out some places.

• California - It's a beautiful state from what I've seen.  It also has some VERY attractive benefits for residents.  Unfortunately, it also has high enough taxes and cost of living that it's doubtful we would find any place livable on what our income would be.
• Oregon - Like California, what I've seen really makes Oregon attractive, until you look at cost of living.  Once again, I'm doubt the retirement dollars would stretch far enough.
• Colorado and Washington have the same problems, not so much taxes, but with the cost of housing, BUT, a little research shows that both of these states have low cost areas.  No, we can't afford Seattle or Denver, but we can afford a few hours from there. Both also tend to be cold, except that the coastal region of WA has a cool moderated temperature. While it seldom gets hot or even very warm, it also seldom gets very cold.  The southern desert of CO is spared the sever winters of the more popular mountainous areas of the state.  While I've had my fill of deserts growing up in west Texas, I would still be close enough to the green mountains to travel there often. 
• Nevada - The areas I am familiar with tend to be expensive, but it does look like there are cheap areas.  The catch being, they are either in the mountains (cold winters) or small towns in the desert.  At our age and health, it's probably best if we stay close to hospitals.  While Kay and I traveled to Washington and Colorado, and I returned to Colorado to look around, I have never been to Nevada, so while it's on the list, it's pretty low on the list.

• Colorado
• Nevada
• Washington

Note: Other states are legalizing.  Just this week, Illinois passed recreational pot and it's expected to be signed into law next week.  Several Pro-Marijuana organizations think New Mexico will pass soon, and New Jersey and New York were expected to pass, but failed.  Most are predicting both of them will soon pass recreational. As a result this list is fluid.