For many, retiring to their cabin is a lifelong dream. Maybe you inherited this cabin from your parents, and you’ve kept it to pass on to your own children. Maybe you purchased this cabin, so you and your children could have a getaway all to yourselves. You expect to see your grandchildren swimming, water skiing, and learning to fish here, just as your children have done.

You’ve known all along that this beautiful setting, rich in family memories, is the place you want to spend your golden years in retirement. You’ve planned to retire with a sound financial fund, but have you planned for everything you’ll need to do before retiring to the cabin?

These 7 to-dos will help you keep costs down and enjoyment high in your retirement years at the cabin.

1. Get a Retirement Financial Assessment

When you first built your retirement plan, you probably wrote down your retirement goals. Now, you may need to modify those goals to include the impacts of retiring to the cabin. Keep these aspects in mind when you review your plan with your financial advisor:

•  The cost of living is rising everywhere, including in rural areas.
• Health care options may be more limited, depending on how far off the beaten path your cabin is.
• Taxes can have a significant effect on your financial plan, especially county lakeshore property taxes.

You can't predict exactly what these costs will be, but your financial advisor has the resources to help estimate how you should be planning for them.

2. Modify Your Cabin Now for the Future

The beautiful views, the call of loons, fishing, boating, and all the other pleasures of cabin living… You’ll want to continue to enjoy these as long as possible. With retirement comes aging, and with aging comes adjustments to how and what you can do from day to day. You might experience changes in agility and mobility, and falls might be more frequent.

Fortunately, you can modify your cabin in advance to accommodate changes that age might bring. Some modifications to consider:

•  Install more accessible storage, countertops, and entryways
• Widen doorways
• Upgrade lighting throughout
• Replace doorknobs with lever styles
• Replace the tub with a walk-in shower and add grab bars
• Add a raised toilet seat with grab bars or install a comfort-height toilet
• Purchase a bedside composting toilet
• Add a mechanical lift for easy access from a hillside cabin to the shore
• Install a wheelchair ramp

You might also need to consider changes outside the cabin:

• Will you need a different type of vehicle?
• Is your property accessible for emergencies?
• Should you replace the fishing boat with a pontoon for easier access?

Talk with a trusted local realtor or builder to give your cabin a thorough evaluation for updates you will need in to live safely and comfortably. Add these modifications to your goals for your financial plan. If you're ready to retire now, make sure you have the resources you'll need for these modifications before you make the move.

Once your modifications are in place, you may want to try seasonal living for a year or two before making a permanent move. Work out the kinks and adjust your expectations for a happier and safer retirement.

3. Plan Ahead for Cabin Maintenance in Retirement

You might have a local handyman who helps maintain your cabin during the off-season. If so, you might already get help with:

• Groundskeeping
• Maintenance
• Snow removal
• Mechanical work on any of the boats, ATVs, or other equipment
• Winterizing that same equipment

If your helper is seasonal, ask for referrals for year-round help. You may need to hire someone to help you:

• Winterize the cabin
• Mulch over the septic tank
• Plow snow and clear heavy ice from walkways
• Rake the roof after heavy snowfalls
• Fix problems with the furnace and chimney

Work with your all-season maintenance helper to customize a list of tasks for your cabin.

4. Explore Your Community

Summertime cabin living forms its own community as lake and mountain regions attract visitors from all over the globe. However, many residents are seasonal, so where can you find other residents to keep your social life active and enjoyable?

Before you move to the cabin permanently, identify local and regional social and educational opportunities, including places of worship, libraries, museums, arts organizations, outdoor recreation groups, and more. These can help keep you busy during the colder, darker months.

5. Track Down the Year-Round Shopping, Dining, and Entertainment Options

Many of your favorite summertime shopping and dining spots may be seasonal. Do you know where to go for the best wintertime breakfast, groceries, and bars and breweries?  Fortunately, many small towns have small, tight-knit communities of year-round residents. You might have to put in some extra effort to go from seasonal visitor to full-time inhabitant, but it will be worth it when you need someone to jump your car or share a hot drink by the fire.

6. Community Involvement & Preparing for Visitors

No matter where your cabin is, be sure to explore regional calendars to find activities to enrich your social life during those winters at the cabin. Local areas often have traditions and cultural opportunities all year round, from art exhibits to crafting sessions. Additionally, winter can be a great time for family and friends to come visit. Stock up on essentials and prepare indoor activities for your visitors, such as board games, movie nights, and trips to local events.

7. Travel Opportunities in Retirement

All that said, while some people purchase a cabin as their retirement home, it doesn’t mean they’ll stay all year round. A few of these retirees will still travel for at least some of the winter months. Or perhaps even hit a new winter destination each year, maintaining their cabin for the summer. This way, they can focus on travel during those colder months, all while not being tied down to a second home investment in Florida or Arizona.

Start or Review Your Retirement Plan

If you’re considering a retirement up at the cabin, reach out to one of us at Wealth Enhancement. We’re here to help you with all the tough questions—like which fishing boat will match your cabin best.

Chat with one of us by calling 1-800-492-1222 or request a free financial review meeting today.

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