BEST RETIREMENT WEBSITES ACCORDING

TO THE RETIREMENT CAFÉ 

101 Retirement-Related Websites, Blogs, and Articles to Help You Retire Richer, Smarter, and Happier

This is a retirement directory of the 101 best retirement websites, the best retirement blogs, and the best retirement articles that provide retirement information which will help retirees retire richer, smarter, and happier.

1. US Government Retirement Website for Seniors: Official information and services from the U.S. government for the retired and soon-to-be retired including money and financial issues. 

2. US Government Website: Home page of the US Government's Official Web Portal for all government transactions, services, and information including links to Social Security and Retiree Benefits.

3. Retirement Income Calculator: Take an educated guess at how much money you will have to spend in retirement by estimating your retirement benefits at this U.S. Government website.If you currently have enough Social Security credits to qualify for benefits, you can use the Retirement Estimator for a retirement estimate based on current law and real time access to your earnings record.  The estimator provides an estimate of your retirement benefits comparable to the estimate you receive on your Social Security Statement each year, and lets you create additional "what if" retirement scenarios.

4. How to Retire Happy:  Your true nature is to retire happy, wild, and free. Never lose touch with it. You will, however, if you are not careful. The way to ensure that you have a happy retirement is to have a copy of The World's Best Retirement Book by Ernie Zelinski available at your fingertips. This webpage shows you why you should retire before you expire.

5. Retirement Quotes for Smart People: Part of the Sensational Quotes for Smart People Website which also has Funny, Inpsirational, and Motivational Quotations in the areas of Artists, Business, Cars, Creativity, Dancing, Dating, Education, Fame, Gambling, Hockey. Laughter, Life, Marriage, Opportunity, Single Life, Success, Travel, Work, and Writers.

6. Victory Lap Retirement: — Work While You Play. Play While You Work. The Joy of Financial Independence . . . At Any Age: This website/blog is an extension to Mike Drak's and Johnathan Chevrea's book Victory Lap Retirement. It is "A Retirement Book about Not Retiring".

7. 10 Great Retirement Books: US NEWS in an article about 10 Great Retirement Books by Steven Holbrook listed How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free in the Number 1 Position. "Retirement has long been seen as a time to settle down, grab a hot beverage and read a book or 10. Whether you’re already retired or preparing for it, these books are must-reads you’re looking to make the most of your golden years."

8. 6 Retirement Books You Should Read Now: In September 2014 the AARP (American Association of Retired People) posted this article on their website. How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free was in the Number 6 Position.

9. Washington Post's The Best Websites for Boomers and Retirees by Rodney Brooks: Note that The Retirement Cafe is in the top-three after NextAvenue.org and the US News World Report's On Retirement".

10. Best Personal Finance Books for 2017: It's nice to see bloggers — even financial advisors at that — mention How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free even though it was first self-published 13 years ago. Financial writer Joseph Hogue mentions several really interesting financial books that I have never heard of. I will buy at least two of them even though my finances are in great shape. I like Hogue's comment about himself: "After taking control of my finances and learning how to make money in a job I love, I found a level of financial freedom that just has to be shared."

11. Ditch The Retirement Bucket List And Honey Do List For This: A curious list is better than the bucket list. "Don’t be cliché or old fashioned, ditch the retirement bucket list and honey do list for a new and more profound curious list. A good curious retirement list will support a balanced retirement that incorporates mental and physical health, social activities, financial well-being, and spiritual growth. It will also go a long way in helping you fill your time and replace our work identity."

12. The Top 5 Regrets of The Dying: When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. A palliative nurse recorded the most common regrets of the dying and put her findings into a book called The Top Five Regrets of The Dying. This was the most common regret of all: “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” 

13  A Better Retirement Life: Health and Medical News. From USA Today, this blog features all the latest news on health and wellness.

14. NPR Planet Money for Retirement. NPR Radio's Money Blog. Keep up with the global economy with news from this blog. Categories include, Asia's Financial Crisis, Currencies, Economic Scene, Europe's Financial Crisis, Fun With Economics, Standard of Living, Understanding The Crisis, Wall Street.

15. 5 Secrets to a Happy Retirement: In a recent survey of MONEY readers, 48% retirees reported being happier in retirement than expected; only 7% were disappointed.

16. Planning to Retire Blog: By U.S. News retirement reporter Emily Brandon tells you how plan financially for retirement and how to make the best of your retirement years.

17. This Is the Only Retirement Guide You'll Ever Need: "Six feet under as a retirement plan?" Who wants to live such a long time, given the retirement headlines? "The basic value of these types of 'pop psychology' articles is to increase overall interest in financial literacy and retirement planning. This is the first step in nudging the general public to start to open a retirement plan at work and then hopefully hire a financial planner," said Victor Ricciardi

18. AARP: Health, Travel, Baby Boomers, and Retirement Travel. AARP is a membership organization leading positive social change and delivering value to people age 50 and over through information, advocacy and service.

19: AARP The Magazine: The World's Largest Circulation Magazine for Retirees: serves the interests of people 50 and over. Editorial topics include money, health, travel, and retiree finances.

20. Alliance for Retired Americans: ARA is an activist voice for older Americans and is one of the largest organizations today representing senior citizens and their families. Created to spearhead the charge to enact a health care program for senior citizens -- Medicare. Has approximately 3 million members. 

21. Retirement Jobs and Retirement Businesses at The Real Success Resource Center: Retire to a Job You Love Instead of One You Love to Hate! Top-10 Retirement Jobs. Top-15 Cool Retirement Jobs. Retirement Jobs versus Retirement Businesses.

22. Retirement Jobs: helps retirees to identify companies most-suited to older workers. Whether you are seeking to supplement your income, a new challenge, a way to get out and meet people, or another reason, this website is your source for finding part-time retirement jobs or full-time projects that match your lifestyle.

365 REASONS WHY RETIREMENT ROCKS — AND WORK SUCKS!

Purchase The Joy of Being Retired on Amazon.com

Purchase The Joy of Being Retired on Amazon.ca

23. The Retirement Quotes Café: A Comprehensive Collection of Retirement Quotes and Retirement Sayings for Any Occasion Including a Retirement Card or a Retirement Party. Also Retirement Letters, Retirement Speeches, and Retirement Poems to help you retire happy.

24. National Institute on Aging: This U.S. government website is of special interest as it has an easily navigated presentation on diseases like Alzheimer’s, arthritis and diabetes.

25. How to Keep Earning a Paycheck in Retirement: More Americans aged 65 and older are working than at any time since the turn of the century according to 2016 Pew Research Center. There are many part-time and full time opportunities for older Americans. Figuring out what professional path to pursue is not easy, however. Robert Powell, editor of Retirement Weekly, offers some tips on how to find rewarding work later in life in this USA TODAY article.

26. Redefining the Ideal Retirement: This article by Dan Kadlec is one of the better articles about retirement (in fact, one of the top-10 out of hundreds that I have read). He missed just one really important point, however — being able to afford to drink way too much wine with your friends!

27. Wikipedia: the online encyclopedia that is the work of 6,000 volunteers and covers a huge range of subjects including retirement and finance issues.

28.  How to Avoid Choosing the Wrong Retirement Paradise: Make sure your retirement location is right for you!

29. How a Couple Managed to Retire in Their Thirties: If you want to travel extensively in retirement, you should do so while you are still able to enjoy it. Travel requires a high degree of mental and physical energy. Winnie Tseng and Jeremy Jacobson have been enjoying themselves thoroughly after taking early retirement when they were both still in their thirties. The couple has been traveling around the world, using the income derived from their investment portfolio. This July 2015 article on the EJ Insight website explains how and why Tseng and Jacobson retired so early.

30.  Health Canada: Health Canada is the Canadian Federal Government's department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances.

31. 5 Things Rich People Say Beats Having $1 Million [for Retirement: Retired millionaires reveal their most important financial milestones, and you might be surprised at their answers. Rich retirees think these five financial milestones are more important than becoming a millionaire: 1. Retiring: 55 percent; 2. Paying off home mortgage: 43 percent; 3. Having the ability to pay cash for a new car or other special purchase: 31 percent; 4. Paying for children’s education: 28 percent; 5. Reaching a certain annual income level: 20 percent. 

32. Retire by 40:  Forget about Freedom 55. That's for amateurs. It's really possible to retire by 40. The Retire By 40 blog by Joe Udo explores why it is possible to leave your day job much earlier than 65. This can be accomplished by aggressively saving and investing as soon as you start working. Many financial advisers will tell you to save 10 percent of your income for retirement. This is an OK model for some, but not for people who don't love their jobs. For this reason you should be like Joe and his wife who have been saving and investing over 50 percent of their take home income for many years now.

33. Next Avenue: Next Avenue is a website launched for PBS by Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) in St. Paul, MN. It offers news, advice, information, and stories aimed at seniors and baby boomers in the areas of Health & Well-Being, Money & Security, Work & Purpose, Living & Learning, and Caregiving.

34. National Seniors Council of Canada: Takes into account the views of experts, seniors, retirement organizations and groups that provide seniors programs and services, provincial/territorial advisory bodies on seniors, and other interested parties and then provides advice to the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, the Minister of Health, and the Secretary of State (Seniors).

35. Seniors Canada: Government of Canada website with Information and Services relating to the areas of Care Facilities, Finances & Pensions, Health & Wellness, Housing, Legal Matters, Retirement, Seniors Networks, Travel & Leisure, and Work & Volunteering.

36. U.S. Government Department of Veterans Affairs: Information on veterans' benefits and other resources for the 25 million American veterans alive today.

37. A Complete Beginner’s Guide to 401(k) Plans: Trent Hamm on The Simple Dollar website offers advice on why people should take advantage of the 401(k) plans offered in their workplace. "It is an incredibly useful tool," says Trent, "for saving money for retirement." In short, A 401(k) plan offers a very simple opportunity for Americans to save for their retirement. "When you’re retired, the money from your 401(k) serves as 'income' on top of your Social Security check. It can easily turn a threadbare existence into a very rich and enjoyable one."

38. Budgeting & Savings Tips For Retirees: Financial advice on the right way to change spending habits and learn why the wrong ways don't work. Budgeting is an important tool to use at any age, although to many of us it sounds like a four letter word. Practical ideas for budgeting and saving that make managing expenses easy.

39. Is Early Retirement Great? For Some, It’s Hard Work to Have Fun: "While early retirement and a life of leisure may sound like the stuff of daydreams, the reality can be jarring for people who are used to being busy — and important. There can be boredom, a sense of isolation and a lot of awkward social questions," says Joanne Kaufman in the New York Times.

40. Top 10 Ways to Prepare for Retirement: from the U.S. Department
of Labor: "Know Your Retirement Needs Because Retirement is expensive," according to this website. It goes on to state that, "Experts estimate that you will need about 70 percent of your preretirement income to maintain your standard of living."

41. Retirement Planning Strategies for All Ages: A To-Do List for retirement planning.

42. 37 Things You Will Regret When You Are Older: To this list of 37 Things You Will Regret When You Are Older I would add:                         * Not having written a book.
 * Not having handled money properly so that you have plenty for retirement.
 * Not having made a much greater difference in this world.

43. Debt Management Tips for Seniors: by Aleksandra Todorova Cites five overlooked debt-management strategies that can help retirees dig themselves out of a financial hole.

44. Retirement: A Full Time Job: The Unfettered Pursuit of Happiness After four years at a Big 8 accounting firm, and almost eighteen at a venture capital firm, Sydney Lagier is making her career-long fantasy of retiring in her 40's a reality.

45. Don't Make These Common Retirement Mistakes: Tammy Flanagan in Government Executive magazine regularly gives advice on how to prepare for life after government. In this article Tammy shares three common errors that can cost you more than just your pride after retirement. Tammy also states, "One of my all-time favorite books to prepare for the mental transition to retirement is How to Retire, Happy, Wild and Free by Ernie Zelinski."

46. CARP: Non-government Canadian organization that claims it is committed to enhancing the quality of life for all Canadians as they age. Advocates social change that will bring financial security, equitable and timely access to health care and freedom from discrimination for seniors and retirees.

47. 100 Blogs That Will Make You Smarter: An Online Universities Blog Entry By Alisa Miller. Includes popular topics for retirees such as politics, news, sports, higher education, science, and art.

48. Travel and Recreation for Seniors: Official U.S. government website includes information on the Amtrak Senior Citizens Discount, Driving and Older Adults, Parks and Recreation Pass for Seniors and Tips for Seniors Traveling Abroad.

49. Seniors Discounts: SeniorDiscounts.com is an online directory of US businesses that offer age related discounts to people 50 years of age and older. The website lists over 150,000 business locations offering discounts. Includes the contact information, discount information and other information necessary to receive each discount.

50. The School of Life: Great for retirees who live in London, The School of Life is a new social enterprise offering good ideas for everyday retirement living. Based in a small shop in Central London this private educational institution offers a variety of programs and services on how to live wisely and well.

 

51. Retirement Living TV: RLTV is the website of the American cable network dedicated to serving the needs of adults 50+ with information and entertainment that inspires and changes the perception of aging. The network addresses a variety of subjects including health, finance, travel, reality, comedy and drama.

52. Where to Retire Magazine: The website of the magazine with more than 500,000 American and Canadian readers each issue. Where to Retire magazine covers all topics related to retirement relocation. Now in its 15th year in publication, the magazine may help you discover the ideal setting for a happy and fulfilling retirement.

53. UK Government Retirement and Pensions Webpage: The Pension Tracing Service can help you find the contact details of a personal or company pension scheme that you've lost touch with.

54.  The Best (and Worst) Places in the World to Retire: Are you planning a fruitful retirement? If so, you may want to consider emigrating to another country. Mercer’s annual Global Pension Index assesses the retirement income systems of 25 countries based on 40 categories that include savings, tax support, demography, regulation and communication.

55. Suddenly Senior by Frank Kaiser: Cited as “a place for everyone who's become a senior before their time.” Frank Kaiser specializes in senior jokes as well as useful information and poignant true stories for retirees. This top-ranked website now has over 4,450 pages of humor, nostalgia, senior advocacy and useful information for seniors 50+.

56. SeniorNet: America's leading nonprofit technology educator of older adults 50+ headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. Besides teaching retirees how to use computers, SeniorNet works toward raising awareness throughout the legislative community of the need for technology access and education for the nation’s older adult population.

57. The Joy of Not Working Website: Features The World's Best Retirement Book  and The World's Second Best Retirement Book. Real life success stories about people not working, 25 reasons to retire early, and retirement quotes, letters, jokes, and poems from an author whose books have sold over 1,000,000 copies worldwide. The two retirement books mentioned above have together sold over 700,000 copies.  

58. Most Retirees Doing Very Well by Living on a Mere 66 Percent of Preretirement Income: Two major financial institutions — JPMorgan Chase & Co. and T. Rowe Price — provided studies in 2014 that most retirees are doing well with less income than they had while they were working. Both studies found that until Americans hit the latter retirement years, when health care expenses tend to scale up, they’re spending far less than 85 percent of their pre-retirement income, on average. Even the 70 percent number can look excessive.

59. The Joy of Being Retired: Besides featuring the retirement gift book The Joy of Being Retired: 365 Reasons Why Retirement Rocks — and Work Sucks!, this website also includes retirement resources such as retirement quotes, retirement poems, and snappy retirement cake sayings. Also, a collection of retirement poems to compliment and compete with the collection on The Retirement Poems Cafe by Ernie Zelinski.

60. The Fun at Work Cafe : For the  soon-to-be retired who want to have fun at work before they retire. This website has a webpage totally devoted to the soon-to-be retired.  

61. Mastering Midlife and Beyond: Why We're Flunking Retirement:Retirement today has become a “a depressing image,” according to Forbes and Mark S. Walton, a Peabody Award-Winning Journalist. Walton talks about how Horace Deets, who left his job at age 63 as Executive Director of AARP, was at one time the giant of the retirement industry but concluded that the very concept of retirement was absurd. Walton suggests that you, "Take some time off to rest and recharge between phases of your life’s work. Then, set your brain free to ponder what’s next. Let it chew on what fascinates you, what you’d really love doing and how you might go about it."

62. Most Retirees Are Doing Better Than Expected: Many baby boomers who retired within the last five years are surprisingly satisfied. Ninety percent of these recently-retired baby boomer households claim that they are "somewhat satisfied" or "very satisfied" with retirement.

63. Loneliness Can Be Hazardous To Your Health: A new research study from the University of Chicago shows that loneliness poses a significant health risk for older adults. The report looked at over 2,000 people over the age of 50 and looked at whether they were lonely or not. What they found is those who were lonely are at increased risk for all sorts of health problems. In fact, loneliness may be twice as unhealthy as obesity for older people.

64. 8 Unconventional Retirement Communities: Not anywhere that I would like to live in my retirement but some of these may appeal to other retirees.

65. Retirement Planning for Academics: This is an interesting and well-written article about retirement planning for academics. Retirement planning: it’s about more than money.

66. Retiring at 27: Ambitious, Lazy or Crazy?  Here is a guy who decided (when he was 21) to retire at 27 - and did it! He walked the talk, in other words. Some people will despise the guy, and want to take his money away, to give to the people who failed to save for retirement. But I admire him, and wish that I myself had been able to achieve what he did by the time I was 27.

67. Retirement Planning Terms on Investopedia: Refer to this webpage on Investopedia if you don't know what a financial term relating to retirement means. Incidentally, this website was started by three young men in my home town of Edmonton and was sold to Forbes about three years. These young me likely don't have to worry about the financial aspects of retirement; my guess is that they received at least $10 million form Forbes. In fact, someone told me it was much higher.

 68. Retirement E-book: The 237 Best Things Ever Said about Retirement:  Few things spice up an article, a book, a conversation, or a speech more than a great quotation. From a collection amassed over many years, this is a wonderful assortment of some of the most unpredictable, ridiculous, outrageous, humorous, motivational, and inspirational quotations about RETIREMENT.