Personal retirement report · Full sample · Prepared September 2026
Sarah and Joe: stay, or move back home?
Sarah and Joe have lived in DuPage County, outside Chicago, for 30 years. Both grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Joe's sister still lives. Their two kids and three grandchildren are staying in the Chicago suburbs.
Joe is 65 and just retired from a regional utility with a small pension. Sarah is 63 and finished her last school year as a library media specialist in June. The house is paid off, and they keep coming back to one question.
“Would moving home cost us, or would it pay for itself?”
They chose every place and plan, and entered their own numbers. This report compares them in detail. It doesn't tell them which to pick.
Stay
Stay in DuPage County, IL
Their home of 30 years, near the grandkids
compared with
Move back
Move to Allen County, IN
Fort Wayne, near Joe's sister
At a glance
Total costs in 2026, with taxes
Savings at 85, today's dollars
Net worth at 85, today's dollars
Savings at 95, today's dollars
Move to Allen County, IN: $2,600 less in 2026 than staying, with savings at 85 of $811k. Stay in DuPage County, IL: savings at 85 of $426k.
Savings in each plan, today's dollars
What they entered
Household
- Ages today
- Sarah 63, Joe 65
- Retirement savings
- $780,000
- Plan through
- Sarah's age 95
Income
- Joe's pension, no raises
- $22,000 a year
- Pension if Joe dies first
- 50% to Sarah
- Social Security at 67
- Joe $32,400 · Sarah $21,600
Homes
- DuPage home, paid off
- $420,000
- Allen County home they'd buy
- $260,000
- Insurance, their quotes
- $2,400 IL · $1,900 IN
- Upkeep
- 1% of value a year
Spending
- Everyday spending
- $54,000 a year
- Trips back to the kids, if they move
- $4,000 a year
- If one dies, spending falls to
- 70%
Health coverage, their quotes
- Sarah's marketplace plan until 65
- $14,400 IL · $13,200 IN
- Medigap G plus Part D, each
- $3,120 IL · $2,580 IN
- Out-of-pocket care, each
- $1,500 a year
Assumptions
- Investment return
- 5% a year
- Inflation · healthcare · insurance
- 2.5% · 5% · 4%
- Home value growth
- 3% a year
Figures described as their quotes are what they entered. Everyday prices are held equal across places because no reliable county-level source exists.
Year one, line by line
The first year, 2026, in every plan. Taxes depend on withdrawals and withdrawals depend on taxes, so the report solves both together.
Moves and planned changes
Stay in DuPage County, IL
Move to Allen County, IN
Savings and net worth
Savings alone can flatter a plan that turns a house into cash, or hide one that turns cash into a house or an RV. Net worth adds home and RV values.
Net worth at 85, in today's dollars: stay $893k, move back $1.1M. Home and RV values are counted at full value, before selling costs.
Social Security
Every combination of claiming ages, in every plan. Savings at Sarah's age 90, in today's dollars. The outlined cell is the combination selected in the contents panel; no combination is marked as best.
Stay in DuPage County, IL
| Joe \ Sarah | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 70 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe at 65 | $154k | $165k | $187k | $202k | $213k | $247k |
| Joe at 66 | $187k | $200k | $222k | $237k | $248k | $283k |
| Joe at 67 | $212k | $226k | $251k | $267k | $278k | $312k |
| Joe at 68 | $246k | $260k | $286k | $307k | $318k | $351k |
| Joe at 69 | $273k | $287k | $312k | $334k | $351k | $382k |
| Joe at 70 | $291k | $306k | $331k | $353k | $369k | $405k |
Move to Allen County, IN
| Joe \ Sarah | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 | 67 | 70 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe at 65 | $616k | $628k | $652k | $669k | $681k | $719k |
| Joe at 66 | $652k | $668k | $691k | $708k | $720k | $757k |
| Joe at 67 | $681k | $696k | $724k | $741k | $753k | $788k |
| Joe at 68 | $719k | $734k | $763k | $786k | $797k | $829k |
| Joe at 69 | $748k | $763k | $791k | $814k | $831k | $856k |
| Joe at 70 | $768k | $783k | $810k | $832k | $846k | $859k |
If Joe dies first
Sarah would keep the larger benefit. Joe's is $32,400 a year in today's dollars at claiming age 67, versus Sarah's own $21,600. The stress tests chapter shows Joe dying at 80.
Taxes in dollars
Federal, state and local income tax for the first 15 years, side by side.
Medicare income surcharge headroom
Income that sets Medicare Part B and D surcharges, against the first threshold for married couples (dashed). A surviving spouse filing single reaches a threshold half as high.
Healthcare
Marketplace coverage before 65, then Medicare Part B at $202.90 a month in 2026 plus the Medigap and Part D quotes they entered, and out-of-pocket care.
Homes
Property tax, insurance and upkeep on every home they own, plus RV costs where they apply, in today's dollars.
County medians: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, Tables B25103 and B25077.
Hazards and hospitals
Natural hazards
Source: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025).
Hospitals
Medicare-certified acute care, critical access and rural emergency hospitals that report emergency services. VA and Department of Defense hospitals are excluded. Source: CMS Hospital General Information, released August 2026.
Family and distance
What they entered
$4,000 a year for trips back to the Chicago suburbs, about 190 miles each way. It's already in every number in this report.
What money can't show
Moving puts them about three hours from their grandkids and 15 minutes from Joe's sister. If either needs care later, it changes who is nearby to help. The report can't price that, so it names it.
Stress tests
The same comparison when things go worse than planned. Each panel changes one thing.
As planned
5% returns every year, 2.5% inflation.
A bad start in the market
−12%, +2% and −6% in the first three years, then 5%.
Higher inflation
4% inflation for 10 years, then 2.5%.
Joe dies at 80
Sarah keeps the larger Social Security benefit and any pension survivor share; spending falls to 70% and taxes are filed as single.
What would change the comparison
How much the gap in net worth at Sarah's age 85 between Move to Allen County, IN and Stay in DuPage County, IL moves when one input changes. Today's dollars.
At the inputs they entered, net worth at 85 is $207k higher with move back than with stay. Bars to the right make that number larger; bars to the left make it smaller.
What to check before deciding
- Allen County property tax. Ask the assessor what a $260,000 homestead would pay, including homestead and over-65 deductions.
- Indiana tax rates. Confirm state and county rates for the year they'd move; county tax is set by residence on January 1.
- Sarah's marketplace premium. Get quotes in both counties using expected income, with any premium tax credit applied.
- Medigap and Part D. Re-quote in both states; pricing rules differ.
- Homeowners insurance. Their quotes are a starting point; ask about roof age and deductibles.
- Everyday prices. Utilities, groceries, car insurance and services are held equal.
- Joe's pension election. Survivor numbers assume a 50% joint-and-survivor option.
- Closing and moving costs. Replace the $15,000 estimate with real quotes.
Year by year
Nominal dollars. Withdrawals are taken at the start of each year. A warning sign marks years when savings can't cover the withdrawal.
| Year | Sarah / Joe | Start savings | Social Security | Pension + rent | Withdrawal | Housing | Healthcare | Federal tax | State + local | Other spending | Home value | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 63 / 65 | $780,000 | $0 | $22,000 | $76,945 | $15,395 | $22,955 | $6,595 | $0 | $54,000 | $420,000 | |
| 2027 | 64 / 66 | $738,208 | $0 | $22,000 | $80,206 | $15,881 | $24,103 | $6,873 | $0 | $55,350 | $432,600 | |
| 2028 | 65 / 67 | $690,902 | $34,040 | $22,000 | $36,712 | $16,382 | $15,556 | $4,081 | $0 | $56,734 | $445,578 | |
| 2029 | 66 / 68 | $686,899 | $34,891 | $22,000 | $40,422 | $16,899 | $16,334 | $5,928 | $0 | $58,152 | $458,945 | |
| 2030 | 67 / 69 | $678,801 | $59,606 | $22,000 | $14,881 | $17,433 | $17,150 | $2,298 | $0 | $59,606 | $472,714 | |
| 2031 | 68 / 70 | $697,116 | $61,096 | $22,000 | $16,567 | $17,985 | $18,008 | $2,575 | $0 | $61,096 | $486,895 | |
| 2032 | 69 / 71 | $714,576 | $62,623 | $22,000 | $18,326 | $18,553 | $18,908 | $2,865 | $0 | $62,623 | $501,502 | |
| 2033 | 70 / 72 | $731,062 | $64,189 | $22,000 | $20,219 | $19,140 | $19,854 | $3,225 | $0 | $64,189 | $516,547 | |
| 2034 | 71 / 73 | $746,386 | $65,794 | $22,000 | $22,197 | $19,746 | $20,846 | $3,604 | $0 | $65,794 | $532,043 | |
| 2035 | 72 / 74 | $760,399 | $67,439 | $22,000 | $24,262 | $20,371 | $21,889 | $4,002 | $0 | $67,439 | $548,005 | |
| 2036 | 73 / 75 | $772,944 | $69,125 | $22,000 | $26,417 | $21,017 | $22,983 | $4,418 | $0 | $69,125 | $564,445 | |
| 2037 | 74 / 76 | $783,853 | $70,853 | $22,000 | $28,668 | $21,683 | $24,132 | $4,853 | $0 | $70,853 | $581,378 | |
| 2038 | 75 / 77 | $792,944 | $72,624 | $22,000 | $31,018 | $22,370 | $25,339 | $5,309 | $0 | $72,624 | $598,820 | |
| 2039 | 76 / 78 | $800,022 | $74,440 | $22,000 | $33,472 | $23,079 | $26,606 | $5,787 | $0 | $74,440 | $616,784 | |
| 2040 | 77 / 79 | $804,877 | $76,301 | $22,000 | $36,035 | $23,812 | $27,936 | $6,287 | $0 | $76,301 | $635,288 | |
| 2041 | 78 / 80 | $807,285 | $78,208 | $22,000 | $38,711 | $24,568 | $29,333 | $6,810 | $0 | $78,208 | $654,346 | |
| 2042 | 79 / 81 | $807,002 | $80,163 | $22,000 | $41,506 | $25,348 | $30,799 | $7,358 | $0 | $80,163 | $673,977 | |
| 2043 | 80 / 82 | $803,772 | $82,167 | $22,000 | $44,425 | $26,153 | $32,339 | $7,932 | $0 | $82,167 | $694,196 | |
| 2044 | 81 / 83 | $797,314 | $84,222 | $22,000 | $47,474 | $26,985 | $33,956 | $8,533 | $0 | $84,222 | $715,022 | |
| 2045 | 82 / 84 | $787,332 | $86,327 | $22,000 | $50,659 | $27,843 | $35,654 | $9,162 | $0 | $86,327 | $736,473 | |
| 2046 | 83 / 85 | $773,507 | $88,485 | $22,000 | $53,986 | $28,729 | $37,437 | $9,820 | $0 | $88,485 | $758,567 | |
| 2047 | 84 / 86 | $755,497 | $90,697 | $22,000 | $57,462 | $29,643 | $39,309 | $10,510 | $0 | $90,697 | $781,324 | |
| 2048 | 85 / 87 | $732,937 | $92,965 | $22,000 | $61,094 | $30,587 | $41,274 | $11,232 | $0 | $92,965 | $804,763 | |
| 2049 | 86 / 88 | $705,435 | $95,289 | $22,000 | $64,621 | $31,562 | $43,338 | $11,721 | $0 | $95,289 | $828,906 | |
| 2050 | 87 / 89 | $672,855 | $97,671 | $22,000 | $68,264 | $32,568 | $45,505 | $12,192 | $0 | $97,671 | $853,774 | |
| 2051 | 88 / 90 | $634,820 | $100,113 | $22,000 | $72,069 | $33,606 | $47,780 | $12,682 | $0 | $100,113 | $879,387 | |
| 2052 | 89 / 91 | $590,889 | $102,616 | $22,000 | $76,041 | $34,678 | $50,169 | $13,194 | $0 | $102,616 | $905,768 | |
| 2053 | 90 / 92 | $540,590 | $105,181 | $22,000 | $80,190 | $35,785 | $52,678 | $13,728 | $0 | $105,181 | $932,941 | |
| 2054 | 91 / 93 | $483,419 | $107,811 | $22,000 | $84,524 | $36,928 | $55,311 | $14,284 | $0 | $107,811 | $960,930 | |
| 2055 | 92 / 94 | $418,840 | $110,506 | $22,000 | $89,050 | $38,108 | $58,077 | $14,865 | $0 | $110,506 | $989,758 | |
| 2056 | 93 / 95 | $346,280 | $113,269 | $22,000 | $93,777 | $39,326 | $60,981 | $15,471 | $0 | $113,269 | $1,019,450 | |
| 2057 | 94 / 96 | $265,128 | $116,100 | $22,000 | $98,716 | $40,584 | $64,030 | $16,103 | $0 | $116,100 | $1,050,034 | |
| 2058 | 95 / 97 | $174,732 | $119,003 | $22,000 | $103,876 | $41,882 | $67,231 | $16,762 | $0 | $119,003 | $1,081,535 |
Methods and sources
How the numbers are built
- One row per year from 2026 until Sarah is 95.
- Each year: costs, then the withdrawal needed after Social Security, pensions and rent, then taxes on that withdrawal, solved together.
- Federal tax uses 2026 brackets and standard deductions indexed to inflation, the additional deduction at 65, and the $6,000 senior deduction through 2028.
- Taxable Social Security uses the federal provisional-income formula; claiming adjustments follow the SSA formula for full retirement age 67.
- Medicare income surcharges use income from two years earlier.
- Property tax is home value times the effective rate shown; RVs lose value at the rate they entered.
- A survivor keeps the larger Social Security benefit, the pension survivor share, 70% of spending, and files single.
Sources
- IRS: 2026 tax brackets, standard deduction, additional deduction at 65 and senior deduction.
- CMS: 2026 Medicare Part B premium and income-related adjustments.
- Social Security Administration: benefit adjustment formula.
- State revenue departments, for the state rules in chapter 7.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019–2023 5-year estimates, Tables B25103 and B25077.
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025).
- CMS Hospital General Information, released August 2026.
Every tax parameter, its source and whether it's verified (36 of 39 verified, config 2026.2)
| Parameter | Status | Official source |
|---|---|---|
| federal · brackets joint | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.irs.gov |
| federal · brackets single | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.irs.gov |
| federal · standard deduction joint | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.irs.gov |
| federal · standard deduction single | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.irs.gov |
| federal · additional 65married | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.irs.gov |
| federal · additional 65single | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.irs.gov |
| federal · senior deduction | Verified 2026-09-16 | uscode.house.gov |
| federal · social security taxation | Verified 2026-09-16 | uscode.house.gov |
| social security · claiming | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.ssa.gov |
| medicare · part bmonthly | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.cms.gov |
| medicare · irmaa | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.cms.gov |
| medicare · lookback years | Verified 2026-09-16 | secure.ssa.gov |
| il · retirement income exempt | Verified 2026-09-16 | tax.illinois.gov |
| in · rate | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.in.gov |
| in · exemption per person | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.in.gov |
| in · exemption 65 | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.in.gov |
| in · allen county rate | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.in.gov |
| mn · brackets joint | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.revenue.state.mn.us |
| mn · brackets single | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.revenue.state.mn.us |
| mn · standard deduction joint | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.revenue.state.mn.us |
| mn · standard deduction single | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.revenue.state.mn.us |
| mn · additional 65married | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.revenue.state.mn.us |
| mn · additional 65single | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.revenue.state.mn.us |
| mn · social security subtraction | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.revenue.state.mn.us |
| oh · base tax | Verified 2026-09-16 | codes.ohio.gov |
| oh · flat rate | Verified 2026-09-16 | codes.ohio.gov |
| oh · zero bracket top | Verified 2026-09-16 | codes.ohio.gov |
| fl · no income tax | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.flsenate.gov |
| tx · no income tax | Verified 2026-09-16 | statutes.capitol.texas.gov |
| il sales tax | Verified 2026-09-16 | tax.illinois.gov |
| il estate exclusion | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.ilga.gov |
| in sales tax | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.in.gov |
| in homestead cap | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.in.gov |
| mn estate exclusion | Verified 2026-09-16 | www.revisor.mn.gov |
| tx motor vehicle tax | Verified 2026-09-16 | statutes.capitol.texas.gov |
| oh municipal retirement exempt | Verified 2026-09-16 | codes.ohio.gov |
| oh rv sales tax at county rate | Sample | tax.ohio.gov |
| mn non homestead lake | Sample | www.revenue.state.mn.us |
| mn non homestead condo | Sample | www.revenue.state.mn.us |
This report compares the places and plans Sarah and Joe entered. It doesn't recommend a place, a plan, a claiming age or an investment, and it isn't financial, tax or legal advice. The household is fictional.
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