Checklist of things to consider when retiring to a senior independent living community in Columbus, Georgia

Posted on:
Closeup front view of a senior couple walking in a forest and having fun. They are enjoying these beautiful fall colors while stepping over dry leaves and sipping water from water bottles.

If you’re thinking about retirement, you’ve got a lot on your plate as you envision a new community to call home and how it will work into your life today and over the long term. At The Lodge, we’ve gotten to know so many retirees just like you who are wondering what kind of community awaits on the other side of retirement. By choosing your new community wisely, you’ll unlock a retirement filled with fun, new friends and many opportunities to live life to its fullest. To help you find that place, we’ve compiled this checklist of the key things to consider about retiring in Columbus, Georgia, and how to find the retirement community that’s right for you.

Checklist for retiring in Columbus, Georgia 

  1. A peachy tax environment. You’ll want your tax bill to be as lean as possible while living here. The good news is that the personal finance experts at Kiplinger say the Peach State is a “tax-friendly” home for retirees due largely to Georgia’s generous breaks on retirement income. Additionally, you don’t have to pay personal property tax while living at The Lodge. Don’t forget, there’s no inheritance, estate tax and no state taxes on Social Security income here.
  2. Warm weather for activities. Another benefit to retiring in Columbus, Georgia, is the warm weather. Instead of being stuck indoors, you can get outside for activities like bird watching, hiking, biking or strolling along the walking paths. There’s also fishing nearby for largemouth bass, rainbow trout and catfish in places like the Chattahoochee River and West Point Lake. There’s mountain biking, kayaking, zip-lining and a 15-mile RiverWalk.
  3. Tour the community. Nothing beats seeing a community firsthand to determine if it’s truly right for you. Retirement communities frequently offer tours where you can ask plenty of questions about what each place has to offer. Check out the bottom of this article on how to arrange a virtual tour of The Lodge. We’d love to have you come visit our sales office.
  4. What dining options are available? Look for a community where you can satisfy your hunger closer to home with easy access to great off-campus cuisine. You will be able to sample culinary riches in a variety of restaurant-style dining options just a short distance from your front door at The Lodge. Or stop by our annual chili cookoff featuring games, arts and crafts and lots of chili. Minutes away from The Lodge’s future campus are restaurants like Mabella’s Italian Steakhouse, Smoke Bourbon and BBQ, The Black Cow, and many more. In fact, our city has a “killer food scene,” says best-place-to-retire.com.
  5. Lifestyle-enhancing amenities. Find a community with plenty of ways to live the good life while leaving chores behind. At The Lodge, you will be able to get a mani/pedi in our on-site spa, visit our state-of-the-art fitness center, or enjoy some downtime as someone else handles the cleaning with our housekeeping service. There will also be a library, on-site chapel, game room and much more on campus.
  6. Seek a stable entry fee and ongoing costs. Find a community with an entrance fee and ongoing monthly service costs that match your budget. The Lodge’s Fee-for-Service contract means you are not paying for services unless you use them. Your monthly fee will include water and sewer, heating and air conditioning, basic cable, home maintenance, landscaping and 24-hour security. We offer traditional and 50% Refundable Entrance fee options to allow you to choose how best to preserve your funds for the future.
  7. Seek a community where you never need to move away. Look for a community that will provide the care you need during every stage of your retirement by offering a full continuum of care that offers greater support as your needs increase. The Lodge offers a range of floor plans for independent living apartments and Villas as well as assisted living, memory care, and long-term rehabilitation suites.
  8. Find a retirement community near areas to explore. Just a short distance from The Lodge is the Coca-Cola Space Science Center, the Omnisphere Planetarium, trendy Uptown Columbus, the Springer Opera House, and Market Days on Broadway, featuring fresh produce every Saturday.

Contact Us to Learn More

Are you ready to take advantage of all that Columbus, Georgia, has to offer? Get in touch with us today. Call us at 706-641-0982 to learn more and schedule a tour.

Get started on your own with a no-obligation ‘how-to’ kit for building your future from a trusted resource in retirement living. Click here to download your kit!

Blog