Preparing for the rest of our lives is quite an endeavor. It’s nice to have advice and reassurance that you’re on the right path, especially with big decisions like retirement and end-of-life planning. Thankfully the Internet has given us the ability to connect with others who have been through it and can provide the advice and insight we may have missed.
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Retirement is a new chapter and brings the opportunity to join a new community of people in real life as well as one online. There are countless forums online where people come together to share their views, experiences, and advice on retirement.
But if you don’t want to get stuck wading through the weeds to find what you need, take a look at our compiled list of most used forums relating to retirement planning and senior lifestyle.
Best Retirement Planning Forums
Whether you’re in your twenties dreaming of retirement, a few years away from your retirement date or looking for a part-time job from retirement boredom, you can find some value in the content of these retirement forums.
Each of these forums are full of real-world working people asking the tough questions, and people on the other end responding with their advice and lived experience. It can be a great way to get useful advice for your own life.
1. AARP
You may be familiar with AARP, which stands for the “American Association of Retired Persons.” This organization offers endless resources to seniors, like a retirement magazine, website, and network of forums.
Specifically, the retirement forum is broken into popular topics, with thousands of subtopics and submissions discussed by AARP members each day.
Popular topics include:
- Retirement Planning: Top tips to help you be prepared
- Social Security for couples
- What to do with RMD (Required Minimum Distribution)
You can add to the conversation if you register and sign in with an AARP account. Join in the conversation by asking questions or sharing your advice, or simply read the comments to get a handle on the topics.
2. Senior Forums
This website houses hundreds of forums over a variety of topics related to senior citizens. They have a section dedicated to retirement, with frequently updated pages discussing topics from retirement housing to retirement planning and everything in between.
These forums may have plenty of experienced folks speaking about their experiences given the thousands of people participating in the conversation.
This can be a fun forum to be a part of as you are rated as a forum member by your messages, reactions, likes, media, and albums. You can locate the newest posts by clicking on the “what’s new” tab or searching for a specific term in the search bar.
3. Cake's Life and Legacy Discussion Board
Of course, this list wouldn't be complete without Cake's very own life and legacy discussion board. Cake's discussion pages are a safe, open space to talk about all things estate planning, advance care, and legacy. From managing these important conversations with your loved ones to planning for the uncertainty of the future, our community is here for you.
Better yet, Cake's life and legacy discussion board is frequented by our own expert team and contributors, meaning you get hands-on advice from top gurus. Start a new topic on the forum today or join an existing conversation.
4. NPR: Your Money and Your Life
In 2016, National Public Radio launched a series on finance and retirement planning. Alongside the series, they started a Facebook group, Your Money and Your Life, which now has about 50,000+ members. The group discusses all things personal finance, touching on ways to plan for retirement.
You must request to be added to the Facebook page by clicking “Join Group.” There is a search bar in the group where you can search terms and phrases and find anything that has been discussed over the years. The group can operate as a soundboard for any financial questions so long as you follow the rules of the group that are laid out in the “about” section.
The special finance series is no longer running with NPR but the Facebook page is alive and well with many posts per day.
5. Early Retirement
The website name says it all. Earlyretirement.org offers forums discussing all things early retirement. Their retirement forum is consistently updated and topics include:
- Early Retirement FAQs
- Stock Picking and market strategy
- Health and Early retirement
This forum in particular provides a unique way to discuss topics and conversations. Within a topic, there are many threads, where people discuss different subtopics. This can allow you to broaden your perspectives and read more about a topic of interest or something you may want to learn more about.
A few hundred people are viewing each topic, which allows for a good chance your questions will be answered. You can read all forum messages without a membership, but to contribute, you must sign up (it is free).
6. Financial Independence / Retire Early
Reddit has an ongoing thread for those interested in the “FIRE” movement, short for “financial independence / retire early.” The thread is updated daily if not multiple times per day with prompts for Reddit users to respond to with advice or their questions.
This forum is for anyone who is or is interested in “FIRE.” It’s 700,000+ members discuss all topics related to financial independence and retirement, including:
- Ways to make extra income
- Social Security
- Roth IRAs
- The economy
There are some rules for the forum and referrals to other similar Reddit threads in its FAQ.
7. New Retirement
This website stands apart from others because of its expert advice. New Retirement is a website full of helpful tools for retirement planning, but their forum is especially helpful with dozens of questions answered by experts across the country.
Though not as casual and personable, the confidence in answers and sources linked by the experts make this a reputable forum for retirement advice.
Best Lifestyle and Senior Citizens Forums
Forums and online groups can foster a sense of community for senior citizens looking at new lifestyle choices. Aging can be a tough thing to accept, especially when someone loses the ability to do things they used to love, or their living arrangements change.
These particular online sites post news, spread awareness of relevant topics, give the opportunity to discuss like interests and introduce new activities and fun hobbies to try. In this sense, senior citizens can feel a sense of unity and may meet new friends, talk about things they love with people who share those interests and in the comfort of their home.
8. Ideas, Tips & Answers from AARP
The AARP website makes both of our lists since its network of forums spans from financial advice about retirement to lifestyle and other topics. Under the umbrella of “Ideas, Tips & Answers” discussions relate to:
- Caregiving
- Entertainment
- Health
- Home & Family
- Money
- Travel
- Technology
In all discussion forums, AARP expects participants to follow the guidelines to ensure there is a respectful, safe conversation. Seniors can browse the dozens of forum options AARP has to find topics they are interested in and join in the conversation.
9. Seniors Only Club
Seniors only club is an online community of seniors ages 50+ with plenty to chat about. There is a forum for anything under the sun. Type or tap away about your favorite hobbies, family dynamics, or healthcare. The website is easy to use, and you can see who is online at any given time.
Forum administrators require you to sign up with a first and last name, although it doesn’t have to be your real name. Read more about the rules and reviews of the forum here.
10. Best Life For Seniors
This Facebook group, created in 2018 has rounded up over 20,000 members. Its main objective is to be the place to come for senior discounts anywhere and everywhere across the country.
From hotel discounts to restaurant discounts, check this Facebook page before footing the bill. As with other Facebook groups mentioned above, it’s a private group that requires a request to join.
11. Seniors only - Active, Online group 50+
Join this Facebook group if you are 50 years of age or older and looking for an online community to share all things related to senior lifestyle. The group description states it is a place to share deals and discounts, post humorous things, discuss fun ideas and activities, inspire each other, and more.
By using Facebook instead of a website forum, it can be easier to confirm identity and build genuine friendships. It can be easier to translate a friendship made within a Facebook group into your Facebook through a friend request, whereas a website forum may not have private messaging.
This seniors-only Facebook group has 2,300+ members, and you will need to request to join.
12. Senior Chatters
Chatting with strangers might sound scary or intimidating, and Senior Chatters knows it is not easy to take the leap. Their forums are safe, private and meant to foster real friendships within the confines of this website.
You can join free and get familiar with their many features, from private chats and messaging to blogs and music rooms. You are bound to find like-minded people among the 7,900+ registered members worldwide.
13. Senior Citizens Forum
This Facebook group is different in that it allows anyone to join. Instead of being strictly 50+, anyone with a vested interest in senior citizen-related topics may join and contribute to the group. It is a public group, so anyone can see what is posted and can comment and share.
The Facebook group has under 500 members but is updated daily and discusses an array of topics from light-hearted jokes to healthcare and medication questions.
Fostering a Community Online
The 20th century has given us the ability to build a community in a new way. We have even more ways to reach out, learn, share, understand and ask advice. Online there are ways to connect with people across the country and be influenced to live our lives differently.
The list of forums about retirement and senior citizen lifestyle above are among many of them out there. Using this list can help you find perhaps the community you are looking for without having to give up too much of your time, and may help you find the answer to whatever question you might have. They can get you or your loved one on the right track to getting the answers or friends, or whatever you’re seeking.