please help ... widow's porfolio

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Perhaps.

My property taxes are low and fixed by prop 13. My food is cheap because I live next to where most of it is grown. I dont pay much in state income taxes. My house has gone up 40% in value.

Not sure you can say I'd be saving a bunch by moving to a lot of other places, unless they werent very desirable to live in...

 

[Spanky]

Now that I am older and wiser, I only want them to be happy, no matter what type of job they do.

That's a great attitude. We should always encourage them to pursue their dreams or whatever that will make them happy.

The problem is now in the US ( I am from VN but I have been here for 30 years), I don't think parent have any thing to say about the kid's career.

Your viewpoint is quite different from that of most Asians. Most Asian kids still listen to their parents for career directions. Unfortunately, most Asian parents always want their kids to enter Ivy League colleges and to become doctors, lawyers, scientists, and engineers or whatever that pays well.

We both in IS, I don't know why they're interested in medicine, I think it's the high school and the crowd they hang out with.

You may be right since they may be pressured (or influenced) by their parents to become a doctor.

That's another reason for me to ER, because I'll have to help them to raise their kids.

That's nice that you are willing to do that. Your kids will appreciate it. I am grateful for my mother-in-law (also from Vietnam) who took great care of our kids while we were at work.

Spanky

 

[chris2008]

Hello,
I think it is important for you not to hand over finance to an advisor but to learn about the subject on your own till you feel comfortable.
There is a lot of good avise here, and you might also want to check out the boards at www.slnet.com or the info at www.stretcher.com.
The books "Get a life" and "retirement on a shoestring" are good reading as well.
Take care!