This natural-science museum, the world’s largest in both size and scope, bursts at the seams with massive dinosaur skeletons, cool rocks (including a 34-ton meteorite), life-size dioramas, and even a gigantic 94-foot model of a blue whale, all bound to leave your little one feeling positively wee in comparison. Family-friendly special exhibitions, hands-on stations in the Discovery Room, and superb cosmos-centric shows in the Hayden Planetarium are just some of the additional offerings guaranteed to fascinate young and old alike. www.amnh.org

The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago

Rarely does a serious art establishment “get” kids to the extent the Art Institute of Chicago does. Its impressive “adult” collection of masters like Monet, O’Keeffe, and Warhol aside, the organization also caters to children’s artistic tendencies through its Kraft Education Center. This dedicated gallery-cum-workshop space holds art classes; a “Touch Gallery” that teaches form, scale, and texture (by letting kids feel sculptures with their hands); and organizes special interactive treasure hunts that make museum-going fun. Tip: The center’s Family Room makes a good rest stop for frazzled parents, too. www.artic.edu

I have to get some things off my chest about our current political and financial state.

First, I am not an economists or politician but I have learned a lot in my years of owning my own businesses and trying to survive in difficult times.

I am sharing my thoughts with you not to promote any political party but to hopefully inspire those who normally do not vote to get registered by this Saturday and participate in our democratic process. It has been said that all it takes for evil to triumph is for good men and women to do nothing. This is not the time to “do nothing”. We must have our voices heard loud and clear!

Our Constitution starts out by saying “We the People…”. It is time that we the people started acting like we care about this country. The politicians would have us believe that the Constitution starts with “The wee people…”. Their elitists’ attitude toward us and their constant idea that they can run our lives and know better what is good for us has got to stop. There is not one straight talking politician in our government. They tell us that governing is too difficult for us to understand and that we just have to “trust” them to do what is best for us.

Now our part as the governed has also got to change. We must stop looking to Washington for cures of our ailments. We have accepted the Courts intervention into our lives by allowing them to legislate instead of interpret our laws. This is totally unconstitutional and must be stopped. The politicians are allowing it because they know that if they were to legislate the types of rulings that are coming through our courts then they would not be re-elected. So they turn their backs on the Constitution all the while trampling on our individual rights.

If the Congress was a Board of Directors in charge of a corporation and you were a stock holder would you allow them to make the kinds of decisions they are making or would you call for their resignation?

The role of politician was never intended to be a career. It was designed for service, not self-service, to the public. I know what would cure this aspect of politics but I also know that it will never happen because the ones it would affect are the ones who would have to vote for it – TERM LIMITATIONS!

Here is a truth that stands today – “The borrower is servant to the lender.” We need to have this drilled into our collective heads over and over. As I have learned over the years, you can not borrow your way out of debt. Why is it that we don’t expect the same action from the government that we have to implement in our own lives just to survive? No, we say well the government will help us through this crisis. It is high time that we woke up to the reality that WE ARE THE GOVERNMENT! The government earns no money but we have given them the power to confiscate money from our earnings. Programs that are funded by the government are paid for from our earnings. There is saying, “When you find yourself in a hole –STOP DIGGING!” Fiscal restraint is called for, not more “government funding”.

That brings me to my final thought. These bailouts are not good for America. These bailouts fly in the face of capitalism and move us closer to nationalism. I am so concerned about the issues facing our nation that I sat down this morning and read all 110 pages of the proposed “Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008.” (www.speaker.gov). The first rule of getting someone to buy into an idea is to use the fear of loss. The fear of loss is more powerful than the potential for gain. So our politicians, along with the media, have set out on a campaign to invoke fear in each American and then say that they have a plan for relieving our fear. And of course we like sheep are led to the slaughter without opening our mouths. Well it is time to open our collective mouths and speak loudly and clearly. Here are some things I found interesting in this latest 700 Billion DOLLAR bailout.

The politicians knew that this was going to be a problem over 2 years ago but chose to do nothing preemptive to avert the situation. Why? Because they saw an opportunity to grab more power for themselves at our expense if the system failed and they could use fear to get us to blindly accept their solution. No rational person believes that the politicians have our interest at heart in this bailout. They see an opportunity to grow government by trillions of dollars through this program. The name the politicians have given this program is the “Troubled Asset Relief Program” or “TARP”. I think this is a great name because, just as a tarp is used to cover-up things, the politicians are covering-up their real motives in voting for this program.

I did a little research into the “mortgage crisis” and found that only 2.75% of mortgages are in some stage of the foreclosure process. I also found that there is 10.5 TRILLION DOLLARS in mortgage debt. That means that if all properties in foreclosure are NEVER sold to anyone for any amount of money then the amount of bailout would only be 288 BILLION DOLLLARS. Why are we committing to 700 BILLION DOLLARS?

If this deal is so good for the taxpayer why not let the private sector purchase the underlying assets and benefit directly from the future gains. Why do we need a middle man? Here are exact words from the plan:

(underlining added)

Section 113 Authority, Paragraph 2

(A) “Hold the assets to maturity for resale for and until such time as the Secretary determines that the market is optimal for selling such assets, in order to maximize the value for taxpayers, and

(B) Sell such assets at a price that the Secretary determines, based on available financial analysis, will maximize return on investment for the Federal government.”

Is it just me or does it seem to you that this deal is about “holding” the assets for the taxpayer but “selling” the assets for the benefit of the Federal government. Their intention is not to return the profit to you and I as taxpayers but to use the profits to grow government. The plan gives Congress the power to increase our federal debt to $11,315,000,000,000 DOLLARS. That’s right it is TRILLION! Also in Section 113 Paragraph 3 they call for the private sector to be involved. Here are the exact words-

“Private Sector Participation – The Secretary shall encourage the private sector to participate in purchases of troubled assets, and to invest in financial institutions, consistent with the provisions of this section.”

In my humble estimation this proves that this is a power grab and not a move to benefit the taxpayer. If the private sector is going to be involved why not just let the private sector (capitalism) operate and leave the government out?

The banking and mortgage industry must bare some consequence for the loans they made. In my simple mind as a business man, if I had a mortgage holder that could not pay what they agreed to in the original loan I would look to renegotiate the loan before I would foreclose. My logic for this is that the person who is defaulting is going to have to live somewhere and pay somebody something for their housing so why not work with them and keep them in their home. But there I go being logical again. I guess it really is too complicated for me so please Mr. Government help me understand what I should do.

BOTTOM LINE – VOTE!, VOTE!, VOTE!

If you are as frustrated as I am please feel free to pass this along to everyone you know.

What if you could get all the benefits of living offshore without crossing an ocean or getting on an airplane? What if you could get in your car and drive to a secret “sunshine state?” A place with great weather, a flourishing economy, a low cost of living, and where the government pays for your health care?

I’ll let you in on a secret. This place exists. It’s warm and sunny, and the living is easy. And it’s not far away. Just put the car on cruise control and head south. It’s four-lane highway all the way.

In fact, this place is very similar to where you live now. You can do all the things you enjoy…go to the symphony, attend art openings, go fishing, play a round on a designer golf course, or volunteer in the local community. But it’s more than just familiar…

Would you believe that it could cost you half as much to live here? That there are very few taxes…and those that exist are ridiculously low? Health-care costs, too, are a pittance compared to what you’re used to. And the doctors are so committed to patient care that they’ll give you their personal cell phone number and actually encourage you to call them whenever you need to?

Living is simpler here all the way around. No one cares what you look like or what you do. And there are fewer rules. The government doesn’t meddle in your personal or financial affairs. Big brother isn’t watching and life’s little annoyances are few.

And did I mention the food? With hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland and ranchland you can be certain it’s world-class. Internationally renowned chefs come here to study the cuisine and adapt the exotic fresh ingredients for their own acclaimed restaurants in Paris, New York, Brussels, Tokyo… Beer brewing and wine making is a fine art, and the special spirits distilled here are famous the world over.

You’ve probably already been to this place, but you just didn’t know how easy it might be to live here. I mentioned the farmland and ranchland. These are bordered by some of the most beautiful mountains you’ve ever seen. So picturesque you’ve seen them in hundreds of movies…you probably just didn’t know what you were looking at.

In these mountains, the weather is about the same day after day…perfect spring-like temperatures. And no, although it’s at the same latitude, it’s not Hawaii. (You can’t drive to Hawaii, you know.)

You’ll also find some of the world’s most glamorous cities and most beautiful beaches here. You can shop ‘til you drop, or you can string a hammock between a couple of palm trees, and do absolutely nothing….in between dips in the warm, refreshing ocean waters, of course.

This place really is paradise and you’re not going to believe how easy it is to live here…

OK… where is this place already?!!
Mexico has it all, including some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

You’ve probably figured it out by now… I’m talking about our neighbor to the south. Our secret sunshine state…

Warm, sunny Mexico!

More Americans and Canadians who have retired abroad have chosen Mexico…over every other country in the world!

That says a lot. And for the second year in a row, Mexico has grabbed the top spot in International Living’s Global Retirement Index. Statistics don’t lie. Mexico is the most livable country on the plant for the retiree who wants to live a champagne-and-caviar lifestyle on a beer-and-baloney budget.

That comes as no surprise to the estimated one million-plus Americans and Canadians who are already enjoying the good life in Mexico. Here you can have all the comforts you are used to north of the border: cable TV, high-speed Internet, and modern home appliances. And if you prefer, when you move to Mexico you can even bring all your favorite things with you without paying import taxes.

Even International Living’s publisher lives here!

IL Publisher Dan Prescher and his wife, Suzan Haskins (IL’s Latin America Editorial Director) have traveled extensively all over the globe. They’ve enjoyed living in Ecuador, Panama, Nicaragua…but they’ve now chosen to make their home in Mexico…in Merida in the state of Yucatan.

“Seven years ago, we decided we weren’t going to take it any more and left the wind, rain, snow, and sleet of Midwestern winters behind. We’ve never regretted doing that, despite the fact that making a life in a foreign world has its own set of hurdles,” says Dan.
Merida offers a perfect combination of urban sophistication and genteel Old Mexico.

“Here in Merida, the streets are clean. The stores are well stocked. Cafés and restaurants abound. At night in the city parks, bands play free concerts under the stars. Dinner can be had at a local café for $5. It’s safe to walk home after midnight.

“A visit to the doctor’s office costs $30, and the doctor takes medical histories himself. The doctor provides a personal phone number and says to call immediately with any questions or concerns…and means it.

“Just about everything necessary for a quiet, happy life is within walking distance or a $2 taxi ride away, and there are taxis on every corner, all the time.

“This may sound like life in a typical U.S. town in the 1950s, but this is our home… whenever we’re away, we can’t wait to get back home to Mexico.”

Obviously, Dan and Suzan are happy in Mexico…

Besides Mexico’s great weather, low prices and rich culture, this country’s biggest draw is its proximity to the U.S. This allows you much more flexibility when making your retirement move. And because of great cellular coverage and widely available high-speed Internet, Mexico is also appealing to an increasing number of professionals and businesspeople who semi-retire to Mexico, continuing to work from a beach with a laptop. Mexico’s health care system is very good, and often excellent, with many doctors and dentists trained in the U.S. or Europe.
– MSN Moneycentral, February 2008

My story may not be that different from your own.

My name is Glynna Prentice. I live in Mexico, too.

Right now, I want to tell you about a special report that Dan, Suzan, and I have put together for International Living readers like you who want to know more about what it’s like to live in Mexico. (And why you should join us here, of course.)

I want to send you this report for FREE.

Called Live the Good Life in America’s Secret Sunshine State for Less Than $20,000/Year, this report reveals the real reasons that IL publisher Dan Prescher, his wife Suzan, and I live in Mexico. Obviously, as the title of this report suggests, our reasons have to do with the low cost of living here.

In it, you’ll find an actual budget that outlines what things cost here in Mexico. You can spend far more than $21,500 per year, of course. And we know people who are getting by on far less. But can you live here on a Social Security income? Yes, you can, and in this report, we offer the facts to back that up.

You’ll also learn why Dan and Suzan relocated to Mexico after a year in Ecuador. And why they returned to Mexico after spending time in both Panama and Nicaragua. Find out why Suzan says “Panama is great at self promotion….but Mexico’s retiree program is every bit as good and it’s far easier to get a residency visa in Mexico.”

I’ll tell you more about how you can get your FREE special report, Live the Good Life in America’s Secret Sunshine State for Less Than $20,000/Year, in just a moment. But first, I’d like to tell you why I’ve personally chosen Mexico and why this country has become the world’s most popular retirement destination.

“For 600 bucks a month, retirees in Mexico can live in a three-bedroom home, with a gardener. For a cool thousand… well, you won’t believe it…”
- AARP Magazine

Of course I haven’t always lived here in Mexico. Not so long ago, I had a “normal” life…like yours perhaps.

Until 2006, I lived in New York City—in Manhattan. Yes, I was doing the whole corporate thing. I had a decent job, great friends, and an apartment that I loved…what many people would consider a great life. But it came at a high price. New York is expensive, and costs kept going up—faster than my salary did. Health care premiums were rising, too, but coverage wasn’t getting any better. And what about saving for retirement? I sure couldn’t afford to retire in New York. And though I could look for another job, it promised to be more of the same…with even longer work hours. Even less time to enjoy life and to travel. The more I considered my future, the more I believed that I needed a big change.
Campeche is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a great place to live.

A few years ago I began visiting Mexico. I’d heard wonderful things about it. And the more I saw of Mexico, the better I liked it. Was I looking for culture and history? There’s plenty of it here. Friendly people? The friendliest. Beautiful scenery, arts and crafts, great food, good medical care…Mexico has it all. And after every trip, I was amazed at how affordable everything was.

Two years ago I sold my apartment in New York and bought a colonial house that I’m restoring in the historical seaside town of Campeche.

For me, it’s been the right decision. My cost of living has dropped dramatically, while my quality of life has risen. I can shop at U.S.-style stores like Sam’s Club and Office Depot, or buy products for even less in the local markets. My house is five minutes from a lovely esplanade on the Gulf of Mexico, where I can jog or bike every morning and evening.

On weekends I can visit friends at the beach and lounge the afternoon away in a hammock while I sip juice from a cold green coconut. Or I can jump in a car and have lunch at a restored hacienda half an hour from town. If I drive a bit farther, I can be in the jungle, visiting an eco-reserve or clambering through the ruins of an entire Mayan city.

And my family? They love the fact that I’m close by in Mexico. They visit regularly, and with the right flight connections, I can fly home to them in four hours. And if I want to, I can drive. Yes, Mexico really is the “secret sunshine state.”

In the end, this big change wasn’t so hard to make. It just takes some planning. My job now is to show you how you can do it, too.

“Yes, foreigners can legally own property in Mexico… And property taxes are almost ridiculously low.”

Owning your retirement dream home in Mexico is not the high-risk proposition you might think. As a foreign homeowner in Mexico, you are granted the same rights as nationals when it comes to protecting your investment.

Within the “restricted zone” (50 km from the coast or border), foreigners own real estate in a trust called a fideicomiso, administered by a Mexico government-approved bank. There is no risk to owning property this war. You can get title insurance and have all the rights and responsibilities for that property as anyone else…local or foreigner might.

In the interior of the country (past that 50 km mark) you will own direct deed title to any property you might buy.

And with mortgage financing services now available to expats in this country, buying your home in Mexico just got a lot easier.

Discover the “secret sunshine state”…and my new home

If you’ve ever dreamed of retiring overseas in first-class style, stretching your retirement savings by up to 50%, wish to remain near friends and family, and wouldn’t mind some fresh adventure and excitement in your life…

… then you owe it to yourself to seriously consider your fascinating, booming neighbor next door… warm, sunny Mexico.

That may come as a surprise to you, for these days most people think of Mexico as a place to go on vacation, get a tan, sip ice-cold piña coladas, check out a few cultural and historical sights, and squeeze in some bargain shopping before returning home.

But for a select few forward-thinking pioneers, today’s Mexico offers much more than that… and it’s something that I’d like to let you know about right away.

You’ll have all the details in the FREE Report I promised you, called Live the Good Life in America’s Secret Sunshine State for Less Than $20,000/Year. If you’re thinking about moving to a new country – for whatever reason — you’ll learn why Mexico should be at the top of your list. Forget about Panama, Ecuador, Uruguay, and all the rest…

Here’s what’s going on:

As of 2008, over ONE MILLION Americans and Canadians have made Mexico THEIR NEW HOME… making it the most popular overseas retirement destination on the planet.

Americans… Canadians… seeking a better, healthier life in… Mexico? Hasn’t it always been “the other way around?”

Well… you’d be surprised. Yes, Mexicans still migrate north these days to live and work, but with Mexico’s bright future, economic outlook and burgeoning middle class, that’s actually started to reverse… as more and more Mexicans now opt to remain in Mexico. And many who’ve spent their working lives in the U.S. are opting to retire to…(where else?)…Mexico.

Things are going so well in Mexico, in fact, that it’s spawned a sort of “reverse migration”… a record number of Americans and Canadians are crossing the border into Mexico in search of a better, cheaper, more adventure-filled retirement lifestyle.

Here are just a few reasons why Mexico is so alluring to foreign retirees:

Health Care in Mexico is Top-Notch and Inexpensive*

With doctors’ visits and common medical procedures costing perhaps a fourth of what they do in the U.S., many expats just pay out of pocket. How’s that for a bargain?

* An office visit with a doctor—specialists included—costs $25-$40. (And at about the same cost, doctors in Mexico still make house calls!)
* Lab tests cost about a third of what they cost in the U.S and an overnight stay in a private hospital room costs about $35-$50.
* A dental cleaning costs $25-$40.

* These prices were verified recently for a special Mexico Insider issue on health care. In it, we tell all about health care in Mexico, including how to qualify for the government-sanctioned health care program, where to buy private health insurance (at 70% less than it costs in the U.S., how to find the best hospitals, etc. etc.

A Lower Cost Of Living. Just a few dollars can fill your shopping bag to the brim with fresh fruits and vegetables from a weekly market… Spend about $10 for lunch or dinner for two, including appetizers and beverages…(Dan and Suzan and I can tell you where) $130,000 or less can get you a three-bedroom home sitting on a quarter-acre lot right on one of the most tranquil beaches in Mexico. (In the special report I promised, we’ll tell you exactly where to find them!) And property taxes are also remarkably low in Mexico—rarely more than $200 per year. Think how far you could stretch your retirement savings…

You already know about the scenery and the warm weather. But did you know that besides tropical beaches, Mexico has mountain forests where the temperatures are spring-like year-round? If you love the outdoors, Mexico has just about everything you can dream of: white-sand beaches bordered by turquoise waters and dramatic red-rock cliffs, towering snow-capped mountain peaks, sun-baked deserts, lush green valleys, tropical islands, inland forests, natural parks, modern cities, resort areas, colonial towns, and so, so much more. Photographer, hikers, boaters and nature lovers will be spoiled for choice.

(And while everyone else is back in the U.S. and Canada braving sub-zero winter temperatures while counting the months until springtime, in most places in Mexico, you can get away with wearing shorts and a T-shirt and taking an afternoon nap in a hammock under a palm tree almost every day of the year.)

Save even more money with Mexico’s Retiree Benefits Program

If you’ve considered retiring to Mexico, you now have another good reason—foreigners who hold a valid residence visa for Mexico can now take part in a special benefits program.

The program, for adults aged 60 and over, offers discounts on a wide range of services. These include discounts on health-related services (hospitals, doctors’ visits, lab tests, medical devices, pharmacies, and dental work); cultural activities like theater tickets and entrance fees to museums and archaeological sites; travel-related costs, including airline tickets, buses, car rentals and purchase, and hotel accommodation. Discounts can range up to 50% off the full price of the good or service.

A Fascinating Culture and History. Mexico boasts one of the richest cultural heritages on the planet. (Aztec and Mayan archeological sites like Chichen Itza are just the beginning…) In Mexico you’ll discover moonlit fiestas… strolling mariachi bands… stunning colonial architecture… weddings on horseback… and many other cultural treasures. You’ll never run out of new things to see, do and experience.

A Stable Political and Economic Climate… and a Promising Future. Mexico has evolved into a stable, multiparty democracy… and its economy is growing nicely. According to a recent report by the Mexico Economy Department, foreign direct investment in Mexico soared 21% in 2007 to US$23.2 billion, the second largest increase in its history. Tourism is booming these days, too. So if you’re an entrepreneur, or if you’ve ever dreamed of starting your own business and generating a second source of income, you’ll see a lot of possibilities—especially in the tourism sector. Imagine the U.S. 50 years ago… and all the promise it brought. That’s how it feels in Mexico today.

English is widely spoken in most Mexican retirement havens. For example, in the popular retirement haven of San Miguel de Allende, you’ll find about 8,000 full-time American and Canadian retirees. In nearby Lake Chapala, you’ll find 20,000 or more. And in resort (and retirement) destinations like Puerto Vallarta and Cancun, many visitors and residents come from English-speaking countries. When you’ve got so many English speakers in one area, you can count on running across plenty of English-language menus, road signs, newspapers, and English-speaking locals.

Foreigners can legally buy and sell property. The Mexican legal system protects the rights of foreign property owners. You can enjoy owning the kinds of property that might be priced out of your budget in the U.S.—including beachfront property. (Mexico’s Foreign Investment Act, allowing foreigners to own beachfront property, was passed in 1994 with the North America Free Trade Agreement.) And as I mentioned before, property taxes are almost ridiculously low.

It’s SUPER EASY to get a visa in Mexico. Easier than any other country in Latin America, in fact… even easier than Panama! This is a huge, huge plus… that you can live legally in Mexico with a minimum of red tape. You can live here for six months at a time on nothing more than a tourist visa! Requirements for a full-time residence visa are easily met…just show proof of income of $1,000 per month, and half that for dependents. And your monthly income requirement is further reduced by 50% if you own property here! You can easily renew this visa for as long as you wish. The ease of obtaining a residence visa is such a time and hassle-saver that it’s probably one of the biggest reasons so many Americans now call Mexico home.

“… in an age where dreams and fantasies are no longer the exclusive preserve of the young, hundreds of thousands of older Americans are retiring and moving south to the warmer climes of Mexico. There, on fixed incomes that would allow many of them only a poor-to-modest retirement in the States, they can afford plush houses, maids, gardeners and a lifestyle somewhat akin to that of the colonial administrators of a bygone era.” - The Independent, London

It’s right next door! It’s so close that you can easily drive here! At International Living, we write about many promising retirement destinations all over the world. Places like Panama… Argentina… Croatia… New Zealand… France… and many more. And all of these places offer many benefits to the would-be expat retiree. But many of them require flying for several, if not many hours to get to. If you’d like to remain close the U.S. while enjoying an expat lifestyle, these destinations may not be for you.

But just think… in Mexico, you can live in a place with an exciting, exotic culture and storied history… yet still be close enough to fly (flights depart to Mexico almost every hour… from almost every major American airport) or even drive home to visit your family and friends often and get all those “American” products you don’t want to give up (although with more than a million Americans and Canadians already here…as well as U.S. chains like Wal-Mart and Costco… it’s easy to find just about every modern amenity or product you’d ever want)…

There’s one more thing that I’d be remiss for not mentioning… and that’s the legendary friendliness of the Mexican people. You’d be amazed how welcoming the Mexicans are to visitors. All it takes is a simple smile and “Hello!” or “Hola!” and you’re well on your way. People are relaxed, friendly, and will take time to chat with you when they meet you… whether it’s in a major metropolitan area or on the cobblestone streets of a small village. Neighbors will actually watch out for you. Their concerns are real concerns: family, friends, the latest crop, and the day’s catch. The weighty and often abstract cares of modern life that we’re used to seem far, far away. You’ll make friends with locals and expats alike quite easily.

Yes, people come first in Mexico. You can enjoy free cultural events every night of the week in many Mexican cities and towns and get free Wi-Fi in a rapidly increasing number of parks and major community congregation places.

Plus, it’s a “hands-off” society. Back home, it can seem as though “they” are always watching you. The possibility of getting sued or having your assets seized is a constant threat. Not so in Mexico. It’s a much more hands-off, litigation-free, laid-back society, without a lot of government intervention. Let’s just say that “Big Brother” doesn’t live in Mexico.

I’ve already told you about Mexico’s excellent, affordable health care. Many foreigners come to Mexico simply for dental care and elective surgery because it’s so affordable (And the medical professionals here know what they’re doing, too, since many of them are educated and trained in the U.S. an Europe. And as a foreign resident, you can even take advantage of a government-backed health insurance plan that costs just 79 cents a day! Yes… you’ll save a bundle on first-rate health care.

In a minute I’ll tell you more about how to get the special report we’ve prepared that gives you all the details about this program and more.

It sure seems as if Mexico has got it all for adventure-seeking, budget-minded retirees.

But is Mexico “perfect?”

Not quite.

Like every other country, including the U.S. and Canada, Mexico has its share of problems.

But we know for a fact that Mexico hosts dozens of safe retirement havens that are the perfect choice for anyone seeking an affordable, first-class retirement close to the U.S.

“The economy is growing steadily, and poverty rates are declining significantly. Crime is down, public health and education levels are improving, and Mexico’s democracy is more robust than at any time in its history.” - USA Today, February 2008

These days, Mexico is better than ever…. in every way.

But here’s the thing.

Before you decide to retire or move to Mexico, you’ll want to consider a few key points.

Right off the bat… you’ll want to know which part of Mexico would be ideal for you and your tastes.

What’s your “dream” lifestyle?
Want to lounge on the beach all day?

* Lounging on the beach all day… without a care in the world?
* Opening your own B&B, souvenir shop, or fishing charter in an up-and-coming tourist destination?
* Giving back to the community and making a difference?
* Writing the book that’s always been inside you?
* Learning a new language—like Spanish?
* Starting your own profitable import/export business?

And then… what’s your ideal location?
Want to live in the mountains with perfect Spring-like weather year round?

* A colonial village?
* The beach?
* The mountains?
* A farm… an orchard… or a vineyard?
* A thriving metropolis?

You see… here’s where the challenge starts.

Finding an ideal place to live and retire in Mexico can be an overwhelming task…

… without the right help and resources, that is.

That’s because Mexico is a big country… and there are so many places to discover, consider, and compare, it would take you many, many months, if not years… and thousands and thousands and thousands of your hard-earned dollars to do it all yourself.

Mexico comprises:

* Nearly TWO MILLION SQUARE MILES of land!
* Almost 5,800 miles of coastline on the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts!
* Over a half-dozen completely different environments, climates, and landscapes to choose from: beaches, deserts, rainforests, mountains, farmlands, valleys, and more!
* And thousands and thousands of villages, towns, cities, and major metropolitan areas in between!

So when you’ve got so much to explore… so much to discover… so much to consider… the following questions will likely pop into your head:

* How will I know what part of Mexico would be best for me financially, and with my lifestyle preferences?
* Who do I need to meet first?
* Where can I get trustworthy, updated information on what’s happening in Mexico RIGHT NOW… and WHAT WILL BE HAPPENING in Mexico in the upcoming weeks and months…
* And how can I do all this without spending incredible amounts of time, money, and energy?

To find the best opportunities in such a huge country like Mexico… we’ve learned through years of trial and error that it definitely pays to have a crew of experts “on the ground” working on your behalf…

… Mexico experts actively searching out all those opportunities out there for you—discovering the next up-and-coming beach towns… meeting influential contacts in real estate, business, government, and entertainment…

… and then organizing all this late-breaking information in such a way that you’ll be able to find out exactly what’s best for you in Mexico quickly, cheaply, and easily.

And that is exactly what I and my crackerjack team of scouts in Mexico (including Dan and Suzan) do for a living.

Full-time.

I’d like to present you with an opportunity to get your hands on all of our latest discoveries… and find your own perfect home-away-from-home in Mexico… starting right now.

Over one million expats are already living the good life in Mexico

As you learned earlier in this report, over one million Americans and Canadians now call Mexico home and are keeping busy with fulfilling projects…

And now you can, too… especially when you’re privy to insider opportunities found in every issue of Mexico Insider.

In Mexico Insider, you’ll have access to our contacts, friends, insights, and personal advice.

Mexico is big. And we cover it all—coast to coast and border to border. Because Mexico Insider is an online publication and published monthly (and with regular e-mail blasts whenever we uncover something extremely timely) the information that you receive is always up to date. You have access to everything we discover… the bargains… the best locations… the overlooked jewels… the lifestyles… and yes… the pitfalls and unvarnished truths, too.

The smart way to discover Mexico’s best opportunities

Mexico Insider is the ultimate resource for anyone who is serious about living, retiring, or starting a business in Mexico.

Here’s what we do.

While you’re still at home, pondering a move to retire in Mexico, we’re down here, on the ground, scouring Mexico in search of hot new opportunities.

My team of on-the-ground scouts does all the hard work for you.

And you can rest assured that you’ll find the best place for you…

… without spending enormous amounts of time, energy, and money in the process.

Whether you’re looking to simply travel to Mexico on your own scouting mission, buy a vacation home in Mexico to live in part-time, retire in Mexico full time, or even start a new business in Mexico, Mexico Insider provides you with all the updated information you need.

The comprehensive and well-researched information you receive in Mexico Insider would cost you weeks of your time—and thousands of dollars—to uncover on your own.

YOURS FREE, with our compliments: With Mexico Insider, you’ll discover Mexico’s best opportunities—from the comfort of your home. And when you subscribe, I’ll send you the free report I’ve promised, Live the Good Life in America’s Secret Sunshine State for Less Than $20,000/Year.

Mexico Insider is the most up-to-date, comprehensive resource of its kind…

… and it’s simply not available anywhere else—at any price.

Heard enough?

Follow this link and become a subscriber to Mexico Insider now.

Why Mexico Insider is your ultimate guide to
“La Vida Buena” (the Good Life) in Mexico

Here’s how Mexico Insider works:

Once a month, we’ll deliver directly to your e-mail in-box the most current, most valuable, most actionable information available on Mexico’s hottest opportunities.

Just imagine… sooner than you think, you could find yourself the proud owner of your own beachfront home on the Caribbean coast or a magnificent town home in Mexico’s Colonial heartland.

Or you could be running your very own B&B… starting your own import-export business… or opening your own beachside bistro.

The possibilities are virtually endless in such a large, diverse country like Mexico.

And we’ll keep you up-to-date on the latest opportunities.

Here are just a handful of the opportunities we revealed to subscribers to Mexico Insider in the past several months:

* The “un-Cabo” beach town of Baja California. Although this beach town has only 12,000 residents at the moment, it’s one of Southern Baja’s fastest-growing cities… and it’s poised for a big future. With its laid-back style, wealth of nature-focused recreation (from whale-watching and sailing to golfing and desert hiking)—and its inexpensive real estate, which costs pennies on the dollar compared to pricey, overcrowded Cabo San Lucas, it’s a dream come true for the would-be expat/entrepreneur… especially when you consider that a THREE BILLION DOLLAR project is underway, which will include nine villages, 6,000 residences, shops, restaurants, and recreational facilities over a 15-year period. Find out how to get in now while prices are still very low…
* Three ways to structure your Mexican property purchase… four questions to ask about each… and five things you should do before you sign anything…
* A beautiful beach-side village that’s attracted more than its fair share of pretty people and movers-and-shakers—complete with a vibrant, artistic expat community that supports several good restaurants, an art gallery, a language school, and other amenities not often found in a town this small (only 3,000 residents!) Here you can have the laid-back, do-it-mañana lifestyle while still enjoying many of the amenities of the fast-paced world you’ve left behind.
* Where to go to find the products you need should you decide to live “off the grid.” Alternative energy packages are available in Mexico…and they make sense anywhere in the world. We tell you how to save money on energy costs in Mexico…it’s easier than you think!
* How to manage your Mexican property… Maybe you’re not ready to move to Mexico full time, but you want to invest in the sizzling hot real estate market here. We tell you how to pick a rental management company, what kind of services they provide and how much you might expect to pay for those services…as well as how much you might expect to earn.
* You can’t get out of filing taxes by moving to Mexico—the U.S. government taxes your worldwide income. But there are some great deductions and exclusions that can reduce (or even zero out) the taxes you owe. Get an in-depth—and timely—explanation of expatriate tax obligations. Pay attention to this one, folks—it could save you a bundle in taxes and penalties.
* A glittering beach resort that has it all—beautiful beaches, lush mountains, fabulous restaurants and nightlife, and a wealth of accommodation and real estate at all price ranges. We alerted Mexico Insider subscribers to some exclusive purchase incentives we snagged from one of this area’s premier real estate agencies. These ranged from discounts off the purchase price of a house or condo to fixtures upgrades to free airline tickets—and this is a place where property prices have appreciated nearly 80% in the last five years!
* A beautiful island off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula that has miles of lovely beach. It also has extraordinary food (seafood and otherwise) and a laid-back “no shirt, no shoes, no problem” style. The main attraction here is those long miles of empty beach… as well as its resident whale sharks—the largest fish in the world. (Don’t worry—they’re plankton eaters. Think of them as giant puppy-dogs.) This area has just privatized a large portion of its lands, which are now for sale. And due to its proximity to tourist hotspot Cancun—and to rumors that large-scale developments are in its future—buying property on the island may be an excellent investment. (And no, it’s not Cozumel or Isla Mujeres!)
* How to get U.S. Social Security in Mexico… how to work in Mexico… how to get your vehicle and personal belongings across the border… how to choose an attorney… how to get a mortgage…

… and many, many other details you simply couldn’t find anywhere else without spending an enormous amount of time, money, and energy.

This is our beat. It’s what we do. And now, you can get in on all of our latest intelligence and discoveries…

Save $395… and even more!

I invite you to get onboard now as a subscriber to Mexico Insider.

Here’s what I’m prepared to offer you:

FREE REPORT: Live the Good Life in America’s Secret Sunshine State for Less Than $20,000/Year

In this report, you’ll discover:

* Dan Prescher’s and Suzan Haskins’ rationale for living in Mexico. Suzan compares and contrasts Mexico to other countries they’ve lived in: Ecuador, Panama and Nicaragua. And Dan explains why, for him, living in Mexico is so easy.
* The top 10 places in Mexico deserving your attention now. From beach towns to mountain villages and everything in between.
* The up-and-coming locations where your investment dollars can go far. (Our contacts in Mexico share their on-the-ground intelligence…)
* What effect the U.S. recession is having on Mexico – and particularly on real estate values. (They say that when the U.S. sneezes, Mexico catches a cold. You may be surprised, though, at Mexico’s current healthy resilience.)
* How to determine the value of a property in markets where there are no comparables. We even provide a rule of thumb for when and how much you should offer below the asking price.
* The four places we’re investing ourselves and why…
* Plus, we give you the nitty gritty on living in Mexico: the truth about resident visas, second citizenship, health insurance plans, shipping your car and household goods…
* … and much, much more.

Because Mexico Insider is a totally online-only publication (allowing us to keep costs lower and get the information to you faster), you can access your free report, Live the Good Life in America’s Secret Sunshine State for Less Than $20,000/Year, immediately after subscribing to Mexico Insider.

Simply log onto the website with your new username and password (we’ll e-mail these to you after you subscribe) and you can download your free report within seconds.

By the way, not only will you have immediate access to the report Live the Good Life in America’s Secret Sunshine State for Less Than $20,000/Year, but you’ll also have immediate access to the Mexico Insider Archives, the White Paper Archives, and more that I’m going to tell you about in a moment…

Subscribe to Mexico Insider and you’ll immediately be on your way to your dream destination in Mexico… not as a tourist this time, but as a resident whose investment could pay off in many more ways than you ever expected. We know it can… we live here and we see it every day.

And even if you decide to cancel your subscription to Mexico Insider, which I highly doubt you will if you have any interest in Mexico at all, you can still keep all of these valuable reports.

No questions asked.

Subscribe to Mexico Insider now.

You’ll Also Receive Five Additional FREE Reports - a $300 Value!

That’s right. I’ll also throw in an additional five reports—a $300 value—that I guarantee will help you make your dreams of living or retiring in Mexico a reality.

FREE REPORT #1: Mexico’s Five Places to Buy Beachfront Under $100K Beachfront living is priced well outside the reach of most people in the U.S. today. But we’ve found gorgeous beaches in locations that we love starting as low as $30,000 USD. We’ve identified our Top Five locations where you can enjoy Mexican beachfront living—and ten examples of properties you can buy for under $100,000. You can’t find anything like this in the U.S. for anywhere near the price.

FREE REPORT #2: Guide to Buying Property in Mexico This is our guide to everything you need to know before you scoop up one of these South of the Border bargains. We share our experience in the Mexican property market and tell you how to proceed step-by-step. What to look for and what to avoid. This one publication could save you a bundle… and a load of heartaches and disappointments.

FREE REPORT #3: MeXico: ‘X’ Marks The Spot—The Top Ten Places To Live, Work, Retire, or Invest in Mexico Our in-country scouts have traveled all over Mexico… and continue to search the country for the best opportunities. For every place we visit we make a detailed rating based on 11 criteria on a 10-point scale:

* Weather And Climate
* Cultural Activities
* Health Care
* Other Activities
* Overall Attractiveness
* Communication Infrastructure
* Housing Availability
* Daily Living Costs
* Housing Costs
* Accessibility To An Airport
* Ease Of Doing Business (rated separately)

The approach is comprehensive. We total the first ten criteria into a composite score that allows us to pick our Top Ten from all of the available choices. (We rate ‘Ease of Doing Business’ separately, because that’s not of interest to everyone.)

An easy way to compare and contrast your favorite places in Mexico: Once you become a Mexico Insider subscriber, you’ll find our complete Mexico Ratings Guide—rating and ranking over a dozen locations in Mexico. I don’t know anywhere else you can find this type of valuable information which can save you thousands of dollars when researching your own Mexico lifestyle or investment haven.

FREE REPORT #4: Moving to Mexico: Now What? Dan Prescher, Suzan Haskins and I have already made the move! There are nine things we wish someone had given us a straightforward explanation about… before we plunged in. It’s all in this informative report. You’ll arrive in Mexico ready to take advantage of all the opportunity Mexico offers. Don’t think about moving to Mexico without reading this one.

FREE REPORT #5: Mexico Predictions Report: Where to Buy Now Which place in Mexico has International Living selected as “the” place to put your money? It’s far off the tourist track but it’s less than an hour from a major international airport. This is the “real Mexico”—peacefully quaint fishing villages with no gigantic hotels and no hustle or bustle whatsoever; rather a place where you can buy a beachfront lot for less than $50,000. And with the low cost of labor in Mexico, you can build your luxury dream home by the sea, including the lot and a swimming pool, for less than $200,000. Or buy an existing beachfront condo or home—a nice one at that—for less than $70,000. You’ll need to act fast, though, as prices here are rising quickly. As a local realtor said recently, “There is electricity all up and down the coast, and cell phone and landline service, too…and you’re only 45 minutes from a major metropolitan area and an international airport. But prices here are half what they are not far away at the Costa Maya…buying here is a no-brainer.”

If you’re serious about Mexico, these detailed Special Reports are critical to your success. They’re the most complete and comprehensive data available for anyone serious about buying property in and moving to Mexico. If you’re thinking about an investment in real estate in this country in the foreseeable future… even if it’s years away… you’ll want to read them. That way you can set realistic goals for achieving your dream… and even if you should discover that Mexico is not for you—you’ll find that this is the cheapest and easiest way to figure it out.

If that were the whole deal, it would already be an incredible offer for anyone serious about moving to Mexico. But we promised you even more… and here it is:

You’ll also receive a voucher good for $100 off our Mexico conferences. In the months to come, you’ll be able to use your $100 discount voucher toward any event on our Mexico calendar during the term of your membership. (Please note: we do offer some low-priced ’special invitation’ tours where everyone basically pays their own expenses. There’s no discount on these, because of the low price.)

And, as a member of Mexico Insider, you will be invited to run four FREE classified ads on our website and in our monthly e-letter. You can use your free ads to advertise a property you have to rent or to sell, look for a travel partner or search for your ideal property. You can use it almost anyway that you choose. This is a $135 value that’s yours FREE as a Subscriber.

Subscribe to Mexico Insider now.

Your FREE White Papers on Mexico’s hottest opportunities

You’ll also receive our frequent White Papers absolutely FREE. These are private alerts highlighting particular opportunities, markets, or issues throughout Mexico. We’ve recently covered topics like “How to Own Property in your IRA,” “The Truth About Taxes,” “Why You Need a Mexican Will” and ”Mortgage Financing South of the Border.” (All these are available to you in the Members Only Mexico Insider archives, by the way.) This year, we plan to cover topics like…

* Working in Mexico—The Ins and Outs
* Building In Mexico from the Ground Up
* Why You Might Want to Become a Mexican Citizen
* And more hot-off-the-presses White Papers you can use to help make your dreams of living in Mexico come true as soon as possible…

These White Papers are available on our web site to Mexico Insider members only. If these were to be offered to other IL readers or sold on Amazon, they would easily go for about $30 each… so let’s call this a $120 value. Plus there’s at least another $150 worth of valuable reports waiting for you in our archives. So, make that a $270 value!

OK. What’s the bottom line?

Add all this up, and you can see that, as a charter member of Mexico Insider, you are easily receiving almost $805 in FREE bonuses and services.

But the best part of this deal is not the FREE bonuses. It’s all that you will receive with your monthly subscription to Mexico Insider.

Every month, delivered to your e-mail in-box, you’ll find the best values in property from all over Mexico. Whether you’re looking for a hacienda in the country, a villa by the sea, a colonial home in the city, or a ranch in the mountains, we’re going to have it covered for you.

There are so many options in Mexico…

Have you dreamed of owning your own bed-and-breakfast overlooking the crashing Pacific surf? Opening a little restaurant in the mountains? Running a dive shop in the Caribbean? We search them out, from multi-million-dollar estates to little fixer-uppers. And once you decide where and how you want to live, we’ll help guide you through the process.

If you have dreams of trading your routine for ‘Mexico time,’ how much would you pay for all the valuable services and information above? $600 a year? We think it would be well worth it at that price.

And we’ll be honest… now that we’ve been publishing Mexico Insider for five years, there is an encyclopedia of information available in the archives on our website. As we’ve done more traveling and more research in Mexico…and added to our content… we’ve raised our prices accordingly. And we’ll continue to do so as we add to our content and expand our website even further.

But if you act now, you can lock in the price of your Mexico Insider subscription for just over $12 a month… about the price of a couple of tacos or margaritas at your favorite Mexican restaurant in the U.S. For $149 a year, you’ll get all the services and benefits we’ve described, including 12 opportunity-packed and informative issues of Mexico Insider. But for one week only –this week–you can try Mexico Insider for 30 days for just one dollar…a single buck…one measly greenback…a solitary George Washington!

And when you think about it, the information and benefits you’ll enjoy as a member could save you as much as 100 times that amount when you purchase your first Mexico property.

In fact, one trip to Mexico to do a small amount of research on one property would easily cost you more than $1,500.

Mexico Insider is a publication that you just cannot afford to be without if you want to reduce your health care costs and your overall cost of living while boosting your quality of living. If you want to be the first to learn about dream-worthy retirement properties… the latest developments you can buy into at discount prices to maximize your return… the top business opportunities… and all of the privacy and tax incentives that make Mexico the best offshore haven in the world right now, you need Mexico Insider.

You can sign up here.

Let us help you make your dreams come true. Sign up below so we can send you your FREE reports and start your service immediately.

Don’t miss out on this valuable offer. I urge you to subscribe today.

Your new friend in Mexico,

Glynna Prentice for Mexico Insider

Subscribe to Mexico Insider now.

P.S. Remember, when you sign up for Mexico Insider, you will automatically receive your FREE Special Report, Live the Good Life in America’s Secret Sunshine State for Less Than $20,000/Year which will give you the insider line as to why Mexico is the #1 expat retirement destination. AND of course you can cancel your subscription to Mexico Insider at any time you wish—and get a pro-rated refund, and keep this special report. It’s our way of saying “Gracias” for giving Mexico Insider a test drive.

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If your retirement seems just around the corner, join the crowd. But watch for these missteps that can trip up even well-considered retirement plans. Article By Liz Pulliam Weston

As baby boomers near their retirement years they’re discovering what previous retirees have been complaining about for years.

There’s lots of information on how to plan for retirement, but not nearly enough on how to plan retirement itself.

The stakes are perilously high. Errors made in the years surrounding retirement can haunt you for life. You can end up with less money, or less retirement, than you’d planned. Or you can face big tax bills that could have been avoided had you known better.

Here, according to retirement income experts, are some of the most common mistakes and how to avoid them:

Underestimating your life expectancy
Financial planners used to routinely create retirement plans that stopped at age 85, because the chances seemed pretty good their clients would be dead by then. (The average life expectancy at age 65 is 10.3 years for men, 12.4 years for women.)

But averages don’t tell the tale. You may be in better health than the average Joe or Jane, take better care of yourself or have better genes. Even if you don’t, your spouse might; Fidelity Investments has found that the chances of one member of a couple living past 90 are about 50%.

So now more planners are using 90 or 95 as the projected age of death, and you might want to project even longer: MSN Money’s Life Expectancy Calculator can help.

By the way, the longer you live, the more you’ll benefit from delaying the start of your Social Security checks. Although you can start receiving checks as early as age 62, the amount of your checks increases the longer you wait, up until age 70. An analysis by T. Rowe Price financial planner Christine Fahlund found that if you expect to live until at least 80, you’d be better off waiting until after age 65 to start drawing benefits.

Assuming you’ll be able to work as long as you want The baby boomers are famous for proclaiming that they’ll work past retirement age; an AARP study last year found 79% predicted they would continue working at least part of the time during their retirement years.

How they’ll actually feel once they’re in their 60s and 70s, though, is an open question. Right now, the typical retirement age is 62, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, and 40% of retirees say they left the workplace earlier than they’d planned, often because of illness, disability or layoffs.

In fact, 42% of women over 65 and 38% of men in the same age group have disabilities, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Only 12% of people over 65 are still in the work force (16.9% of men, 8.9% of women).

Many people find that even without chronic health problems, their energy begins declining in their late 60s and 70s, although a few are able to work into their 80s or even 90s.

So if you’re counting on part-time work to supplement your retirement income, don’t count on it for long. You may be the exception, but it’s smart to plan as if your working years won’t continue indefinitely.

Failing to factor in health-care costs
I’ve heard from folks who didn’t bother to check health-care premiums until after they took early retirement — and then were stunned by the four-figure monthly premiums they were asked to pay.

Employers increasingly are eliminating retiree health coverage, and you can’t get Medicare coverage until you’re 65. Even then, there are plenty of costs the government program doesn’t cover. Fidelity projects the average couple will need nearly $200,000 at regular retirement age just to pay for out-of-pocket medical costs for the rest of their lives.

Long-term care costs can be particularly devastating. A 65-year-old man faces a 27% chance of needing long-term care, said actuarial expert Christopher Raham, while the same age woman has a 32% chance.

“Together, a couple has a 50% chance of having a long-term care ‘event’,” said Raham, a senior actuarial adviser for Ernst & Young in Atlanta and head of the company’s retirement income innovation team. “And the average cost is about $150,000.”

Buying long-term care insurance in your 50s or 60s can help you cover the expense if you can’t “self insure” by building up a sufficient nest egg.

If you plan to retire before you qualify for Medicare, make sure you investigate your private health insurance options and have enough income to pay the premiums. If you don’t, you might want to delay retirement a few more years until you do.

Locking in poor returns
There are a number of ways retirees can do this, but two of the most common are certificates of deposit and immediate annuities.

CDs typically offer interest rates that aren’t much higher than the rate of inflation. Add in taxes, and you’re often losing purchasing power. While CDs can be a part of your investment strategy in retirement, most retirees will need the long-term growth offered by stocks and stock mutual funds. The proportion of your portfolio that should be in stocks depends on your age, your risk tolerance and your growth needs, but many planners say the minimum for most people should be 50%.

Immediate annuities offer a similar pitfall. They’re great in concept — a way to lock in a lifetime stream of income in return for a lump-sum payment to an insurance company. The problem is that the payments you get typically reflect the prevailing interest rates at the time you purchase the annuity. If you buy an immediate annuity now, you could be locking in rates that are still near record lows, which is why leading financial planner Ross Levin of Accredited Investors, Inc. doesn’t currently recommend them for his clients.

If the concept of an immediate annuity intrigues you, you have some choices, Raham said. You could wait a few years to see if you can get a better rate and a higher payout. Or you could “dollar-cost average” by splitting your annuity money into slices, and using each slice to buy an annuity each year for the next few years.

Tapping tax-deferred accounts too soon, or too late
You’re allowed to start tapping regular IRAs and 401(k)s at age 59 1/2 without penalty, but distributions aren’t required from these accounts until the year after you turn 70 1/2. (Roth IRAs have no mandatory distribution requirements.) The conventional advice is that you should avoid taking withdrawals from your tax-deferred retirement plans for as long as possible so that your savings can continue to grow.

This is still good advice for the vast majority of folks who are in danger of outliving their nest eggs, said Jonathan Guyton, a financial planner in Edina, Minn. But more affluent couples could face a problem. If they delay taking retirement distributions and one spouse dies, the other will likely face much higher taxes than had the withdrawals been started earlier.

Guyton uses the example of a couple, aged 80, who has an annual income of $30,000 plus $600,000 in an IRA earning 7% annually. The minimum distributions required by law would total $454,000 over the next 10 years. With a joint tax return, those distributions are taxed at 15%, for a total bill of $68,000.

If one spouse dies, however, the same minimum distributions will be required but the surviving spouse won’t be able to take advantage of joint filing tax brackets or exemptions. That means the spouse will be pushed into the 25% bracket and pay a total of $114,000 in taxes, or 68% more.

This couple could have reduced and spread out the tax bill by starting distributions earlier, Guyton said.

Knowing whether you should delay or speed up tapping into your funds is a tricky proposition, which is why you might want to hire a CPA or savvy financial planner to help with the calculations and projections.

Withdrawing too much — or too little
Are you confused about how much you can take out of your nest egg without running out of cash? The bad news: you’re not alone.

What constitutes a “sustainable” or “safe” withdrawal rate is the object of a lot of controversy in the financial-planning world these days. Many planners are persuaded by the research of CFP Bill Bengen, who has shown that a 3% to 4% withdrawal rate is safest.

But Wisconsin planner Ty Bernicke argues that such low withdrawal rates may unnecessarily delay or impoverish retirements. Bernicke believes spending declines as people age, which means retirees could safely withdraw more from their accounts initially and naturally cut back as they get older.

If you’re the belt-and-suspenders type, you might go for a low initial withdrawal rate to ensure your money lasts as long as you do. If you’re more of a risk-taker, you could opt for a higher payout rate with the understanding that you may need to cut back your spending sharply later.

Failing to get a second opinion
You’re a confirmed do-it-yourselfer who built a sizable retirement fund by the dint of your own sweat and investment savvy. Or you’ve been with the same adviser decades, and have been pretty happy with the results. Or you simply haven’t thought about planning for retirement income; your whole focus has been on investing.

Whatever your situation, you could benefit from a thoughtful, independent review of your retirement plan.

Today’s distribution rules and strategies for retirement accounts are mind-numbingly complex. It’s easy to make a mistake, but often tough to fix those errors. Do-it-yourselfers often “don’t know what they don’t know,” Raham said.

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Furthermore, most of today’s financial advisors have been focused on helping folks accumulate income for retirement, and may not be up to date on the best ways to tap that income, said CPA Ed Slott, author of “The Retirement Savings Time Bomb…and How to Defuse It.”

It can be well worth seeking out an objective expert to review your retirement plans. Some sources to try include the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, which represents fee-only planners; the American Institute of Certified Public Accounts for a referral to a CPA with a specialty in personal finance; or the Garrett Planning Network, which represents planners who charge by the hour. Make sure your adviser has experience counseling retirees and has stayed up to date with the latest changes in tax law regarding retirement plans.

Liz Pulliam Weston’s column appears every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions in the Your Money message board.

Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems
and then campaign against them.

Have you ever wondered why, if both the Democrats and the
Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?

Have you ever wondered why, if all the politicians are against
inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?

You and I don’t propose a federal budget. The President does.

You and I don’t have the Constitutional authority to vote on
appropriations, the House of Representatives does.

You and I don’t write the tax code, Congress does.

You and I don’t set fiscal policy, Congress does.

You and I don’t control monetary policy, the Federal Reserve Bank
does.

100 Senators, 435 Congressmen, one President, and 9 Supreme
Court Justices - 545 human beings out of the 300 million are
directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the
domestic problems that plague this country.

I excluded the members of the Federal Reserve Board because that
problem was created by the Congress. In 1913, Congress delegated
its Constitutional duty to provide a sound currency to a federally
chartered, but private, central bank.

I excluded all the special interests and lobbyists for a sound
reason. They have no legal authority. They have no ability to
coerce a senator, a congressman, or a president to do one cotton-
picking thing. I don’t care if they offer a politician $1 million
dollars in cash. The politician has the power to accept or reject
it. No matter what the lobbyist promises, it is the legislator’s
responsibility to determine how he votes.

Those 545 human beings spend much of their energy convincing
you that what they did is not their fault. They cooperate in this
common con regardless of party. What separates a politician from
a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal
human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and
criticized the President for creating deficits. The President can
only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.

The Constitution, which is the supreme law of the land, gives sole
responsibility to the House of Representatives for originating and
approving appropriations and taxes. Who is the speaker of the
House? She is the leader of the majority party. She and fellow
House members, not the president, can approve any budget
they want. If the president vetoes it, they can pass it, over his
veto if they agree to.

It seems inconceivable to me that a nation of 300 million can not
replace 545 people who stand convicted — by present facts — of
incompetence and irresponsibility. I can’t think of a single
domestic problem that is not traceable directly to those 545
people. When you fully grasp the plain truth that 545 people
exercise the power of the federal government, then it must
follow that what exists is what they want to exist.

If the tax code is unfair, it’s because they want it unfair.

If the budget is in the red, it’s because they want it in the red.

If the Army & Marines are in IRAQ , it’s because they want them
in IRAQ .

If they do not receive social security but are on an elite
retirement plan not available to the people, it’s because they want
it that way.

There are no insoluble government problems.

Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom
they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose
gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give
the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power.
Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there
exists disembodied mystical forces like ‘the economy,’ ‘inflation,’
or ‘politics’ that prevent them from doing what they take an oath
to do.

Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible. They, and
they alone, have the power.

They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who
are their bosses, provided the voters have the gumption to manage
their own employees.We should vote all of them out of office and
clean up their mess!

Charlie Reese is a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel
Newspaper.

What you do with this article now that you have read it is up to
you, though you appear to have several choices.
1. You can send this to everyone in your address book, and hope
they do something about it.
2. You can agree to vote against everyone that is currently inoffice, knowing that the process will take several years.
3. You can decide to run for office yourself and agree to do the
job properly.
4. Lastly, you can sit back and do nothing.

YOU DECIDE, BUT AT LEAST SEND IT TO EVERYONE IN YOUR
ADDRESS BOOK. MAYBE SOMEONE IN THERE WILL DO
SOMTHING ABOUT IT!

Remember if each person sends to a minimum of 10 people, and each
one repeats this action, this e-mail will be received by millions
very quickly. That’s the power the INTERNET has. But everyone who
receives this MUST SEND TO 10 MINIMUM (or more) in their address book!

Otherwise YOU are as much a part of the problem as the 545. Just
don’t complain about it as it continues. At least, print this out to re-read in
November.

Charlie Reese, a former columnist of the Orlando Sentinel Newspaper.

The little banner above is just one of thousands of examples. If you have a computer you can make money just turning it on. How simple is that.

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What makes the Internet so great is that you instantly have access to a worldwide distribution channel. The opportunities are endless.

One of the easiest ways to create internet income is to sell information. Are you an expert at anything? Chances are you have experiences from your pre-retirement career or hobbies that make you knowledgeable in that area.

Let’s say in your business career you sold cars. I bet you know a lot about the car buying process that people would love to know. Then take that knowledge and develop a website or blog and give people information of value that they will pay you for.

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I could write a book on this topic. As a child I was often sick with ear infections and sore throats. But my parents knew little if anything about allergies.

I knew I was in trouble when I took a summer job during my college years as a grounds keeper on a local golf course in my home town. What a mistake. After two days of cutting grass and weeds, putting down fertilizer and other chemicals I could not breath. Thank God they transfered me to work in the club house.

From that time forward, every Spring I suffered terrible symptoms as soon as the trees began to bloom or the grass began to grow. Finally about five years later I could not take it any more.

It was so bad I could not sleep, my eyes and throat would itch 24/7 and I was miserable with little relief until Fall. Fortunately rag weed was not a problem for me so Fall was not too bad. After the first frost I was fine.

We moved to Connecticut and my allergies became worse. Finally I went to an allergy specialist. I was tested an found out I was not only allergic to growing things with pollen, but add tomatoes, mold, cats and the list went on.

From about age 25 to sometime in my 50’s I took allergy shots which I eventually learned to give to myself with my doctor’s approval and would take prescription medications to minimize the misery.

When things would really get to bad, my allergist gave me a shot or cortizone to get me through about 30 days at a time. The side effect was weight gain but I did not care. This went on for 30 or more years.

Each time we would move to a different part of the country it seemed to trigger something new and they would adjust my injections.

The good news is that as I became older, I seemed to outgrow my allergies. This year I had a couple bad weeks in early spring. Things bloomed earlier in SC and it was very dry. Typically a rain would add some relief. So, as I grow older, life is much easier now in the allergy department.

If you suffer from allergies, go to a specialist and get help. Need special supplies such as air purifies and a broad range of products for allergy suffers be sure to check out the banner link above to review the products offered by this fine advertiser, Achoo Allergy and Air Products.

Here are a few tips on how to buy a used and new-car. Let’s take a look a a few things that you need to know before you buy. How do you get the best price and how to you avoid common mistakes.

These are some of the things you want to know about the car you are getting ready to buy:

* How many previous owners?
* Was ever in an accident?
* What if any problems has this car experienced?
* Did previous owners keep up with the warranty?

One of my favorite tips is to bring along a friend who really knows cars to help you with the process.

Many people swear by CARFAX reports to get the history on a car. They do give you a lot of great information that can help you avoid pain later on.

A used car’s mileage affects its selling price. The more miles the car has driven the lower the cost of the car. Because high mileage can decrease the selling price, there are dishonest people that will change the odometer reading on a used car. Although it is a crime to change an odometer reading, people still try to do it.

Buying new eliminates buying a potential lemon, but the minute you drive off the lot the value of the car goes down. But some people prefer that feeling of owning and driving a brand new car. So what ever turns your crank, there are plenty of choices.

As the market moves to smaller more gas efficient cars, there are some amazing deals out there right now as dealers try to change their inventory mix. Since this is a buyers market, take your time and don’t be too anxious to buy the first car you see. Dealers are hungry to sell you so make that work to your advantage.

For me, I like to buy a slightly used car, two years at the most, with low miles and one that checks out to be in great shape. I have my favorite manufactures so I stick with the ones that have proven in the past to make quality vehicles.