Personal retirement report · Full sample · Prepared September 2026
Dave and Carol: keep the house, or hit the road?
Dave and Carol live in Summit County, Ohio, near Akron. Dave, 64, just left a machine shop supervisor job; Carol, 62, is retiring from a hospital billing office. They've rented an RV for two winters in the Rio Grande Valley and loved it.
Now they're weighing three plans. Stay home. Keep the house and buy a used RV for winters until Carol is 76. Or sell the house, go full-time with Texas as their legal home, replace the RV at 72, and settle into a condo back in Summit County at 80.
“Is the RV life a way to save money, or an expensive hobby?”
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 home
Stay home in Summit County, OH
No RV
compared with
Winter RV
Keep the house, winter RV in Hidalgo County, TX
November through March in Hidalgo County, Texas
compared with
Full-time RV
Sell the house, full-time RV
Texas domicile until settling back in Ohio at 80
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
Keep the house, winter RV in Hidalgo County, TX: $12,300 more in 2026 than staying home, with savings at 85 of zero (gone by 84). Sell the house, full-time RV: $10,100 more in 2026 than staying home, with savings at 85 of zero (gone by 84). Stay home in Summit County, OH: savings at 85 of $383k.
Savings in each plan, today's dollars
What they entered
Household
- Ages today
- Carol 62, Dave 64
- Retirement savings
- $820,000
- Plan through
- Carol's age 95
Income
- Social Security at 67
- Dave $28,800 · Carol $19,200
- Pensions
- None
House and RVs
- House, paid off
- $240,000
- Used winter RV
- $85,000, loses 8% a year
- Full-time RV / replacement at 72
- $140,000 / $90,000, lose 9% a year
- Condo at 80, in today's dollars
- $180,000 plus $8,000 closing
Spending
- Everyday spending at home
- $44,000 a year
- Everyday spending on the road
- $40,000 a year
- Winter RV: sites, storage, insurance, upkeep, fuel
- $10,500 a year
- Full-time RV: sites, insurance, upkeep, fuel, mail
- $19,950 a year
Health coverage, their quotes
- Marketplace plan until 65, each
- $12,000 OH · $13,200 TX
- Medigap G plus Part D, each
- $2,400 OH · $2,900 TX
- 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 home in Summit County, OH
Keep the house, winter RV in Hidalgo County, TX
Sell the house, full-time RV
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 home $652k, winter rv $268k, full-time rv $201k. Home and RV values are counted at full value, before selling costs.
Social Security
Every combination of claiming ages, in every plan. Savings at Carol'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 home in Summit County, OH
| Dave \ Carol | 62 | 65 | 67 | 70 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dave at 64 | $95k | $139k | $165k | $195k |
| Dave at 65 | $134k | $181k | $206k | $232k |
| Dave at 67 | $191k | $241k | $265k | $288k |
| Dave at 70 | $255k | $297k | $320k | $340k |
Keep the house, winter RV in Hidalgo County, TX
| Dave \ Carol | 62 | 65 | 67 | 70 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dave at 64 | by 82 | by 82 | by 82 | by 82 |
| Dave at 65 | by 82 | by 83 | by 83 | by 83 |
| Dave at 67 | by 83 | by 84 | by 84 | by 84 |
| Dave at 70 | by 84 | by 84 | by 85 | by 85 |
Sell the house, full-time RV
| Dave \ Carol | 62 | 65 | 67 | 70 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dave at 64 | by 82 | by 83 | by 83 | by 82 |
| Dave at 65 | by 83 | by 83 | by 83 | by 83 |
| Dave at 67 | by 83 | by 84 | by 84 | by 84 |
| Dave at 70 | by 84 | by 85 | by 86 | by 86 |
If Dave dies first
Carol would keep the larger benefit. Dave's is $28,800 a year in today's dollars at claiming age 67, versus Carol's own $19,200. The stress tests chapter shows Dave dying at 80.
Taxes in dollars
Federal, state and local income tax for the first 15 years, side by side.
Values marked Sample haven't been verified against an official source for 2026 yet. They are placeholders for this sample, not published rates.
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 and RVs
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.
Life on the road
An RV is a vehicle, not a house. It loses value every year, and full-time travel changes health coverage, taxes and where mail goes.
Health coverage on the road
A marketplace plan bought with a Texas address usually has a Texas network, so routine care in Ohio or elsewhere may be out of network. At 65, Original Medicare with a Medigap plan works nationwide; most Medicare Advantage plans don't.
Texas domicile
Many full-time RVers use a mail service in Polk County. That makes it their county for voter registration, jury duty and vehicle registration, even if they rarely visit.
Coming off the road
Their plan at 80
Sell the RV and buy a $180,000 condo, in today's dollars, back in Summit County. In 2044 that's about $306,438 at 3% home price growth, plus closing costs. Property tax, insurance and upkeep start again, and Ohio becomes their tax home.
Why it matters
Full-time plans often end sooner than expected because of health. The stress tests show what happens if Dave dies at 80, and the chapter after that shows how much the condo price moves the comparison.
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%.
Dave dies at 80
Carol 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 Carol's age 85 between Sell the house, full-time RV and Stay home in Summit County, OH moves when one input changes. Today's dollars.
At the inputs they entered, net worth at 85 is $450k lower with full-time rv than with stay home. Bars to the right make that number larger; bars to the left make it smaller.
What to check before deciding
- RV depreciation. Ask a dealer for trade-in values at 5 and 10 years for the exact model.
- Health coverage on the road. Compare marketplace networks with a Texas address; plan Medigap at 65.
- Hurricane and hail. Hidalgo County's hurricane and hail ratings are very high; know the resort's evacuation plan and your hail coverage.
- Texas domicile rules. Check voter registration, driver's license and jury service rules for mail-service addresses.
- RV insurance. Full-timer coverage differs from recreational policies; get quotes for both.
- Condo prices later. Re-price the plan to settle down every few years.
- Storage and site availability. Popular winter resorts fill early; confirm long-term site rates.
- RV sales tax. Neither plan prices sales tax on the RV purchases; get the amount from the dealer and the state.
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 | Carol / Dave | Start savings | Social Security | Pension + rent | Withdrawal | Housing | Healthcare | Federal tax | State + local | Other spending | Home value | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 62 / 64 | $820,000 | $0 | $0 | $86,512 | $7,496 | $27,000 | $6,021 | $1,995 | $44,000 | $240,000 | |
| 2027 | 63 / 65 | $770,162 | $0 | $0 | $79,619 | $7,735 | $20,827 | $4,162 | $1,796 | $45,100 | $247,200 | |
| 2028 | 64 / 66 | $725,070 | $0 | $0 | $82,304 | $7,981 | $21,868 | $4,368 | $1,860 | $46,228 | $254,616 | |
| 2029 | 65 / 67 | $674,904 | $31,014 | $0 | $42,175 | $8,236 | $14,667 | $2,157 | $746 | $47,383 | $262,254 | |
| 2030 | 66 / 68 | $664,366 | $31,790 | $0 | $43,867 | $8,499 | $15,400 | $2,408 | $782 | $48,568 | $270,122 | |
| 2031 | 67 / 69 | $651,524 | $54,308 | $0 | $20,415 | $8,770 | $16,170 | $0 | $0 | $49,782 | $278,226 | |
| 2032 | 68 / 70 | $662,665 | $55,665 | $0 | $21,390 | $9,050 | $16,978 | $0 | $0 | $51,027 | $286,573 | |
| 2033 | 69 / 71 | $673,339 | $57,057 | $0 | $22,412 | $9,340 | $17,827 | $0 | $0 | $52,302 | $295,170 | |
| 2034 | 70 / 72 | $683,473 | $58,483 | $0 | $23,483 | $9,638 | $18,719 | $0 | $0 | $53,610 | $304,025 | |
| 2035 | 71 / 73 | $692,989 | $59,945 | $0 | $24,606 | $9,947 | $19,655 | $0 | $0 | $54,950 | $313,146 | |
| 2036 | 72 / 74 | $701,802 | $61,444 | $0 | $25,782 | $10,265 | $20,637 | $0 | $0 | $56,324 | $322,540 | |
| 2037 | 73 / 75 | $709,822 | $62,980 | $0 | $27,014 | $10,594 | $21,669 | $0 | $0 | $57,732 | $332,216 | |
| 2038 | 74 / 76 | $716,947 | $64,555 | $0 | $28,387 | $10,933 | $22,753 | $81 | $0 | $59,175 | $342,183 | |
| 2039 | 75 / 77 | $722,989 | $66,169 | $0 | $29,985 | $11,283 | $23,890 | $326 | $0 | $60,654 | $352,448 | |
| 2040 | 76 / 78 | $727,653 | $67,823 | $0 | $31,662 | $11,645 | $25,085 | $584 | $0 | $62,171 | $363,022 | |
| 2041 | 77 / 79 | $730,791 | $69,518 | $0 | $33,421 | $12,019 | $26,339 | $856 | $0 | $63,725 | $373,912 | |
| 2042 | 78 / 80 | $732,239 | $71,256 | $0 | $35,265 | $12,404 | $27,656 | $1,142 | $0 | $65,318 | $385,130 | |
| 2043 | 79 / 81 | $731,823 | $73,038 | $0 | $37,200 | $12,803 | $29,039 | $1,444 | $0 | $66,951 | $396,683 | |
| 2044 | 80 / 82 | $729,354 | $74,864 | $0 | $39,229 | $13,214 | $30,491 | $1,762 | $0 | $68,625 | $408,584 | |
| 2045 | 81 / 83 | $724,632 | $76,735 | $0 | $41,357 | $13,639 | $32,015 | $2,097 | $0 | $70,341 | $420,841 | |
| 2046 | 82 / 84 | $717,439 | $78,654 | $0 | $44,311 | $14,078 | $33,616 | $2,583 | $589 | $72,099 | $433,467 | |
| 2047 | 83 / 85 | $706,784 | $80,620 | $0 | $46,714 | $14,531 | $35,297 | $2,966 | $639 | $73,902 | $446,471 | |
| 2048 | 84 / 86 | $693,073 | $82,635 | $0 | $49,235 | $14,998 | $37,062 | $3,369 | $692 | $75,749 | $459,865 | |
| 2049 | 85 / 87 | $676,030 | $84,701 | $0 | $51,880 | $15,482 | $38,915 | $3,793 | $748 | $77,643 | $473,661 | |
| 2050 | 86 / 88 | $655,358 | $86,819 | $0 | $54,654 | $15,981 | $40,861 | $4,240 | $808 | $79,584 | $487,871 | |
| 2051 | 87 / 89 | $630,739 | $88,989 | $0 | $57,594 | $16,496 | $42,904 | $4,739 | $871 | $81,574 | $502,507 | |
| 2052 | 88 / 90 | $601,803 | $91,214 | $0 | $60,748 | $17,028 | $45,049 | $5,332 | $940 | $83,613 | $517,582 | |
| 2053 | 89 / 91 | $568,107 | $93,494 | $0 | $64,058 | $17,578 | $47,301 | $5,957 | $1,013 | $85,703 | $533,109 | |
| 2054 | 90 / 92 | $529,252 | $95,832 | $0 | $67,532 | $18,145 | $49,666 | $6,616 | $1,090 | $87,846 | $549,103 | |
| 2055 | 91 / 93 | $484,806 | $98,228 | $0 | $71,177 | $18,732 | $52,150 | $7,310 | $1,171 | $90,042 | $565,576 | |
| 2056 | 92 / 94 | $434,311 | $100,683 | $0 | $75,002 | $19,337 | $54,757 | $8,041 | $1,256 | $92,293 | $582,543 | |
| 2057 | 93 / 95 | $377,275 | $103,200 | $0 | $79,016 | $19,963 | $57,495 | $8,811 | $1,347 | $94,600 | $600,019 | |
| 2058 | 94 / 96 | $313,172 | $105,780 | $0 | $83,228 | $20,609 | $60,370 | $9,622 | $1,442 | $96,965 | $618,020 | |
| 2059 | 95 / 97 | $241,441 | $108,425 | $0 | $87,648 | $21,276 | $63,388 | $10,476 | $1,542 | $99,389 | $636,560 |
Methods and sources
How the numbers are built
- One row per year from 2026 until Carol 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 Dave and Carol 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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