Future part time home for us in TV - we are self employed and may need to continue
 

We are about 70, healthy, active and live in South Florida in a nice area. We will keep that home.

My husband is self employed as a CPA and I am a mortgage broker. We have employees but need to continue the self employment for our income. Plus, the employees aren't ready knowledge wise or financially wise to take it over.

I am trying to get my husband to understand he could work remotely. We would be entertaining TV for the social activities including golf. It is hard to pull him away from work and there is always one more phone call to make or one more thing to get done.

However, I know we are getting older and I have 3 questions -

(1) We do not look as old as we are. Most of our friends think we are under 62 are their comments are "Well, you don't even qualify for SS yet....etc" We are not vain. Are we too old to fit in at TV? We are not the sit around and watch TV type.

(2) If we go out to eat, we like a bit more upscale. Not chain unless it's Cheesecake Factory or Capital Grille. Any good places around? (We'd rather eat at home and go out for special times).

(3) Is it possible to get business for our self employment businesses or are people turned off talking about work?

We are planning to come up this summer and rent for a month with our most adorable Sheltie (soon to be joined by a Collie puppy).

Also, when he is actually pulled away from his work, he's fine.

Thanks for any help.

Have you been reading TOTV since 2008 when you joined?

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Not too old.

There are a couple bit upscale.

Possible, not highly probable.

Finding a CPA in or near TV that is taking on new clients isn’t easy. We waited 2 years to find a CPA taking new clients, we were comfortable with.
Chain Tax business and online is very popular for many who have simple tax returns.

Paid advertising could draw a fair amount of new clients. Especially because one of the popular CPA’s is retiring after 2026 tax season.

If it's hard to pull him away from work, he's not going to change.

There's lots of golf in Boca and surrounding towns. There are tons of activities in and around Boca.

You are in a "Senior Mecca" in Florida already. In addition, you're already in an affluent area of the state. That means a smorgasboard of potential customers right at your doorstep.

Maybe stay put, and consider a month vacation rental at the Villages after tax season ends.

For what it’s worth take the advice someone gave me. It’s easier to do activities between 60-70 than it is between 70-80 and 80-90 and so on. Your window is limited so stop dragging your feet and retire already. It sounds like the husband will be at the desk when the reaper comes. Sorry, blunt but true.

For restaurants, search this site for several that are outside of The Villages. In Leesburg, there is Prime 3 and McCrackens Irish Pub. Depending on where you live and what you want, Ocala to the north and other places to the south have good, independent restaurants.

Good advise, you never know what tomorrow will bring. Enjoy life now.

I'll add traffic is less insane and it is far safer here relative to south FL.

Hard to beat the range of restaurants in South FL. For some food diversity outside the bubble, Orlando, Tampa/Wesley Chapel and even Ocala and Leesburg have finer scratch prepared food restaurants within 30-45 min.

Exactly my thoughts. Life's too short.
Retire healthy and active like we did and enjoy all The Villages has to offer.
There's so much fun to be had here. Who has time for work? lol

Besides, there's no point in being the richest person in the cemetery.

Rental for 1 month
 

Initially, that is what I'm trying to do. Just get some variety and fun to our life.

We are not Jewish so some of the areas around us we would not fit into as a 55 plus even though others say it is not like that, I know it is cliquey (not sure if that is spelled right).

Unfortunately, we have no grandchildren. One daughter is married but no plans for children and now 40. Son has a girlfriend and a future with her but she's only 32 so she has time.

I'm just trying to show my husband some different ideas.

We've never been able to vacation much but if we get away, it's for a weekend only.

Here's an example:
We went to Captiva a few times. So, whenever, I would mention getting away, it was always "Let's go back to Captiva!"

So, one time I said, Let's try another place and picked Clearwater. He loved where we stayed and enjoyed it. So, the next time, it was "Let's go back to Clearwater!"

Creature of habit. Only child. Grew up with Hialeah, FL - born in Miami. Very quiet life with his parents. They were very frugal. He was not allowed to do much. No many social opportunities but he loves being with people. He is just shy. (I am from a larger family).

He knows I'm doing all this by the way.

Just figured out how to reply
 

Initially, back in 2008, I looked at TV for my FIL. He was widowed, loved people and I felt if we got him out of his comfort zone, he would blossom. He was mid 80's but active. Rode a bike 10-20 miles a day still.

Well, we had a place set up, ready to go 2009. Easter Sunday he was on his bike near downtown Hollywood, FL, hit a pothole and over he went. Thank God no traffic and a truck driver stopped and helped him. He had broken his hip. There went the trip.

But always kept TV in my mind. I've had a realtor send me listings. Not sure where to go but I'd like to be more in the middle of things.

What area should we look into to rent a place for a month? Also, we would have a small pet?

Good to know.
 

Thank you for that info. Do you have the CPA's info? Maybe my husband could have a chat with him.

Forget TV for the moment, time for some intl travel or week long vacations.

Try a week cruise, not to Bahamas, maybe Alaska, maybe Northeastern Canada
Tour Iceland,
Go back to HI and revisit other islands.

Not going on more than weekend vacations is your own choice in the past.
You want to change, start with a week vacation, but start now. .

There are people who do love their jobs, gives them purpose and stability and comfort. It has some to do with characteristics you mentioned, but most likely just inherited personality characteristics. I know another couple like you. . struggle to go on many vacations. . .

Tough position by being nice, I would personally use the nuclear option, starting with the tactical nuke: going by yourself with girlfriends or relatives. . . Seriously you don't know how much time you have left. I have known and talked with presidents of large companies who got let go, and who still wanted to work, and two years later were dead.

My dad loved his work, forced to retire at 78, went legally blind several years later, and couldn't do what he loved to do for fun without someone else getting him there. .

I have a college roommate, who owns his own company. . can't sell it, been in the family for two generations, gets work vacations traveling around the world, but still works 6+ days a week, can't let go. .

Have another friend who retired early, but doesn't have desire to do many activities, other than work, as well. . somewhat bored, lives in Boca Raton as well, as well as I have worked there on and off for three decades. . . but he can do what he wants to do anytime.

sorry to hear about your work only life. . sounds very stable and after 50 years, pretty much the same day after day. .
you are rolling dice on having many vacations left before you can't. .
good luck to that!