I have moved around a lot in the past and I know I don’t want the extreme humidity of the south, having lived in Georgia and Virginia. I lived in the southwest desert and I loved no mosquitoes and low humidity, but it’s way too hot and not enough turn of seasons. 

So after a lot of soul-searching, and the need to be near family, I’ve targeted Iowa, Indiana, and Wisconsin. I would define a small town as 15,000 people or less, and I would like it to have a downtown area with some places to go to for eats. Not looking for a super liberal area. My price range is $250,000 or less.

When I do the search on the “where should I retire” tool, I always click on moderate humidity in the summer, and 10 to 25 inches of snow in the winter—-with winter temperatures around 30. 

Thanks! I appreciate your feedback.

Cyndi

Dear Cyndi,

You can have all the red counties you want, but when most of the state’s population lives in and around Chicago and they vote … well, that’s how the system works.

But you want out. That’s fine, and I’m glad you’ve discovered our tool. I’m sure you already know a spot on the water doesn’t come cheap. And it’s hard to find somewhere in Wisconsin that doesn’t get well over two feet of snow each winter. Indiana is more doable, but the tradeoff is that you’ll need to battle Chicagoland interstate traffic whenever you go see family.

As you contemplate your options, please think hard about how you’re going to build your new life. It would be a shame if you find yourself driving to a larger place for doctors, friends, group activities, even groceries. So test out your shortlist and its openness to newcomers before you commit. 

Finally, watch out for small towns (and counties) that are stagnant. Unfortunately, there are plenty. One day you’ll need to sell that house. 

Read: There is more to picking a place to retire than low taxes — avoid these 5 expensive mistakes

Here are suggestions to get you started in each of the three states.

Indiana

The area around Lafayette came up first for me when I used the retirement tool to search all three states. (It matched 100% for more balanced politics — it went narrowly blue in the 2020 presidential election — as well as median home prices below $250,000, moderate humidity and snowfall of 10 inches to 25 inches.) But Lafayette, with about 73,000 people, is too big, and smaller West Lafayette, home of Purdue University, not only is still too big but will have little in your price range. But if this area appeals, look in the rest of Tippecanoe County. 

The retirement tool also suggested the areas around Logansport (17,000 people) and Frankfort (16,000) that are more conservative but otherwise matched your criteria and are less than 4 hours from family.

But I’m going with Monticello, a town of 5,200 by Lakes Shafer and Freeman and about 3 hours to family. White County is solidly conservative, and Indiana Beach, an amusement park with, yes, a beach, is a draw for the wider area. But you can enjoy the lake without the roller coasters.

When you need more than you can find in Monticello, Greater Lafayette is 30 miles away. Brookston is about halfway to Greater Lafayette if you want a compromise, but it is far smaller and your water would be Moots Creek at the southern end of town.

An alternative could be Chesterton, which has 14,000 people and is at the eastern edge of “the Region,” as Indiana’s part of Chicagoland is called. It’s only two hours from family, in part because the drive is pretty much all interstate. Porter County went red in 2020. When you want to go to Chicago for fun, you’d have the option of picking up a South Shore train from the Dune Park station just a few miles away.

Chesterton is just south of Indiana Dunes National Park along Lake Michigan and west of other natural areas — but lake effect snow means more white stuff than in Monticello (and more than your target). And it’s pricier, albeit right now in a buyer’s market.

Here’s what’s on the market now in Monticello, using listings on Realtor.com (which like MarketWatch is owned by News Corp.); the median list price in October 2021 was $226,000. This is the market in Chesterton, where the median list price was $304,900.

Iowa

Davenport and Scott County, part of the Quad Cities, come up on the “Where to Retire” tool. It’s just across the Mississippi from Illinois and gets an average of 26 inches of snow each year, so close to what you want. It’s also a touch warmer than Wisconsin. While Davenport is too big for you (just over 100,000 people), LeClaire, on a bend in the Mississippi, might be an option.

This town, less than 15 miles from Davenport, has been growing quickly but is still under 5,000 residents. You may know LeClaire as the home of Antique Archaeology, the store behind the “American Pickers” television show. It’s also the birthplace of Buffalo Bill. Nearby are popular winter roosting sites for bald eagles.

One other thing it’s known for: a tug of war with Port Bryon, Ill., across the river. The rope stretches from one side to the other, but, no, the losers don’t actually fall into the water.

The town will attract more day-trippers than you might expect, but that means you also get more restaurant choices. 

If LeClaire doesn’t have the small-town feel you want, look at Eldridge, with close to 7,000 people and north of Davenport. The surrounding area is more farmland than woods, though. Underscoring the agricultural focus is the grain bin downtown.

Both small towns are close to Scott County Park, with 1,280 acres and lots of trees. Scott County went blue in 2020 by a relatively small margin.

Home prices may surprise you. Here’s what’s listed for sale right now in Le Claire, where the median list price was $319,900 in October, and in Eldridge, with a median list price of $305,000.

If neither is right, keep driving toward Iowa City, which is about 2 ½ hours from family. The home of the University of Iowa ranks highly on lists of great places to live, and I’ve suggested it here. Given that it is too large based on your criteria, look for an appealing spot between it and Davenport.

Wisconsin

I’m struggling to find a place that falls under your desired snow ceiling. 

The retirement tool suggests Winnebago County (the area around Oshkosh), three hours straight north, and you’ll find a marina but also three feet of snow. (Fond du Lac to the south is smaller and may be a better fit, but 43,000 people isn’t small.) There are plenty of lakes around that area, so that might be worth exploring.

I chose to follow the route south and came to Edgerton, a town slightly larger than Monticello and mostly in Rock County (which went blue in 2020). One attraction is Lake Koshkonong, a 10,595-acre lake no more than 7 feet deep. A big bonus is that Edgerton is only about 75 minutes from your family.

Warning: average winter highs will be below freezing, and you will get three feet of snow. You’re also about a half-hour from Madison, which could drive up prices. Indeed, the median list price in October was $275,000, according to Realtor.

A more affordable option could be similarly sized Prairie du Chien, on bluffs above the Mississippi River and across the Wisconsin River from Wyalusing Hardwood Forest. But this more conservative area is 3 ½ hours away from family and gets similar weather.

Here’s what’s on the market now on both Edgerton and Prairie du Chien.

Readers, where should Cyndi retire? Leave your suggestions in the comments section below.

Usually, payers and payees have accounts at different commercial banks, and those banks have accounts at the Federal Reserve.

The payments system

Payments from households and businesses first move through their bank’s internal accounting and affiliated credit-card systems. Payee’s banks make a claim against the payer’s bank, and the Federal Reserve redistributes funds from the payer’s bank to the banks where landlords, merchants and suppliers have accounts.  

It’s mostly digital these days—even paper checks are photographed to speed things along—and really constitutes a crude, indirect digital currency. The system is multilayered, expensive and with many links, offers lots of opportunities for hacking and fraud.

Bank-sponsored credit cards charge 1.5% to 3.5% on merchants to process payments to cover theft, consumer defaults and still make a nice profit. Fees are smaller but still substantial for debit cards and other direct electronic payments, mostly owing to the absence of credit risk and regulation.

The essence of a digital currency is that everyone could have an account directly at the Federal Reserve. We could pay merchants and monthly bills directly through Fed payments systems with fewer fees.

Eliminating layers and most fees could save consumers billions of dollars and shorten payment time from days to hours—perhaps minutes. With appropriate encryption and by eliminating multiple layers of transactions, it would be more secure.

Payments system

Already the central bank is planning to roll out a FedNow Service that would permit instantaneous transfers among commercial bank accounts. All that is required is to establish a framework for ordinary individuals to establish similar accounts and the digital dollar would be with us.

Households and businesses would not have to keep their money at banks. The same goes for the federal, state and local governments who have bank accounts to process tax collections and payments of benefits and for goods and services. That has banks sufficiently agitated enough to raise distracting questions about the legality of digital currencies.

However, the essential role of banks would not change. Folks who want to carry credit-card balances or borrow for homes, cars and run businesses would still rely on them, but banks would have to pay more interest than the paltry sums they now offer to entice us to move money from Fed wallets to accounts with them.

The Constitution authorizes the federal government to issue paper currency but it was written before Thomas Edison. If individual accounts at the Federal Reserve are illegal, then so must be banks’ accounts with the central bank and the entire banking system, because in all their essential characteristics those accounts function as money.

Individual accounts at the Federal Reserve could make the most basic financial services—accounts to receive paychecks, make ordinary payments and access to cash through ATMs everywhere—much more accessible to underserved, poorer Americans.

The Postal Service is experimenting with once again offering banking services. Local post offices could provide counter services in places where banks will not go. However, other than for accessing paper currency, few counter services will be needed—paper checks would be virtually obsolete.

Government payments

If every American had a Federal Reserve account, then distributing governments’ benefits would be much easier. Especially at times of crisis like the pandemic, stimulus checks could get out much more quickly.

International funds transfers often impose even greater costs than the credit and debit card systems but if central-bank digital currencies protocols were harmonized, the working poor could send money to relatives abroad—and the corner hardware store to foreign suppliers for imported items—at much lower cost.

China has already conducted pilot studies for a digital currency—as have several other countries. The United States risks the status of the dollar
BUXX,
-0.05%
 as the primary reserve currency if it lets China or the European Central Bank pioneer an internationally convertible, secure digital currency.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell has dragged his feet, saying it’s better to get it right than to be first. It seems they don’t read about “first mover advantage” at law school, but Vice Chairman Lael Brainard sees the economic and security benefits.

Digital dollars are an imperative not a choice. Elevating Brainard to vice chairman could accelerate progress.

Peter Morici is an economist and emeritus business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist.

More from Peter Morici

Republicans should force Biden to spend less in coming debt-ceiling showdown

Powell and Biden are rolling the dice on inflation and growth

Instead of standing up to Russia and China, Biden appeases them

What’s driving the market?

The Dow industrials have rallied over 1,100 points in the last two sessions, as investors have cheered up and hunted for bargains in the wake of selling after the new omicron variant in South Africa just after Thanksgiving.

“In theory, such strong gains are sign of instability and should be taken with caution, however the good news is that the volatility is easing, and the VIX index dropped 20% yesterday, meaning that the latest fears could slowly begin fading,” said Ipek Ozkardeskaya, senior analyst at Swissquote in a note to clients.

Read: After a brief omicron scare, the Dow is now poised for the best start to a December in 24 years. Here’s what history says happens next.

GlaxoSmithKline’s
GSK,
+0.93%

GSK,
+1.48%
assessment that its antibody treatment also appears to work against omicron, also cheered investors on Tuesday.

In the latest developments, a small study from South African scientists showed that the variant may partially evade vaccines, but vaccinations should still defend against more serious disease. Those doubly vaccinated with a previous COVID infection showed greater resistance to the variant, raising hopes that boosters may keep people safer, the study showed.

Also lifting markets lately is the perception that the Federal Reserve’s more hawkish tilt has been digested and priced in, said Ozkardeskaya, but the analyst and others remain wary.

“While the buy-everything trade will have its day in the sun for the rest of this week, some serious non-virus risk points are looming,” Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at OANDA, told clients in a note. “Friday sees US CPI [consumer price inflation] and a print at or above 7.0% is going to raise the heat at next week’s FOMC.”

Economists polled by Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal are forecasting a CPI rise of 0.7%. That data comes ahead of Wednesday’s JOLTS job openings for October, which are expected to rise to 10.6 million from 10.4 million.

What companies are in focus?

• Shares of Chinese social-media company Weibo Corp.
  WB,
  +4.69%
  fell 7.2% in their Hong Kong trading debut. U.S.-listed shares were down 2%.

• Stock in Stitch Fix
  SFIX,
  +4.61%
  slumped 23% in premarket trading after the company, which sells clothing through subscriptions and more, issued disappointing guidance.

It was one of several he presented on the strength of the U.S. economy — surging rent, and the percentage saying now is a good time to find a quality job were others — and how low interest rates are when adjusted for inflation.

Gundlach told investors that the surge in debt means that the rise in borrowing costs will start to weigh on economic growth, saying trouble could emerge when short-term rates surpass 1%, according to Bloomberg News. The flattening of the yield curve reflects this concern, he added.

The yield on 2-year Treasury
TMUBMUSD02Y,
0.687%
was 0.69%.

We mean those who tune into what the steering is telling them, who notice how the front end responds to changes of direction, and revel in the engine’s effortless power delivery. Yet they still want luxury, technology, and something relatively spacious.

There are a few great alternatives providing luxury, tech, and space, but the BMW 5 Series has that special driver appeal as well. How old is the current generation of 5 Series? This seventh generation debuted for the 2017 model year, but received a mid-cycle refreshment for 2021.

This year is special in the history of the 5 Series. It marks the introduction of the 2022 M5 CS — the fastest, most powerful production car BMW has ever built. It’s a limited edition, only available for this model year.

Along similar lines, there was an M3 CSL nearly two decades ago. It quickly became a collector’s car. However, even the least powerful new 5 Series is a special car.

2022 BMW 5 Series pricing

The 2022 5 Series lineup starts with the 530i, whose Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price is $54,200 plus a destination charge. The 530e plug-in hybrid is priced from $55,550.

It’s virtually $60k for the 2022 540i, almost $77k for the M550i xDrive, and precisely $103,500 for the M5 — with an extra $38,500 required for the 2022 M5 CS. Adding all-wheel drive to those models that are eligible costs $2,300.

Taking an M550i xDrive and going lavish with options can ramp the price up to around $94k. No BMW 5 Series is a bargain.

That said, it keeps company with some equally expensive contenders. The Audi A6 starts at close to $56k and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is about $55k. If this is all a bit too heady, consider the Genesis G80 for around $48k.

Before buying, it’s always a smart call to check out the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to find out what others in your area paid for their new 5 Series. Resale values are expected to be above average for the class.

Driving the 2022 BMW 5 Series

Finding the ideal driving position is easy enough, even with the standard 16-way power-adjustable front seats. These chairs are comfortable as well, it’s just that the optional 20-way multi-contour versions are awesome.

Outward vision is good, but we’re always happy to have blind-spot monitoring on board. Everything feels upscale and positive. And we haven’t even pressed the Engine Start button yet.

When that does happen in the 530i, it soon becomes apparent that the 248 horsepower 4-cylinder is muscular enough to please a lot of buyers. The chassis feels well balanced, and the way it reconciles agility with luxury is a master class in suspension tuning.

As we climb the power ladder, the thrills accelerate and accumulate. There’s something like a $25k price difference between the M550i xDrive and the proper M5, but no difference in torque (the force that creates thrust) and only 77 horsepower. It’s a superb machine.

Then again, the 600-horsepower M5 is really something. How fast is the 2022 M5? It will blast from standstill to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds, which is just this side of unreal. This year, there’s a new ultimate 5 Series, the 2022 M5 CS. It performs that same dash in 2.9 seconds and is 230 pounds lighter than the M5 Competition version.

Interior comfort

Spacious, especially up front, with adequate headroom in the rear, the interior of the 2022 5 Series is well up to the levels required of a luxury car. The standard perforated simulated leather upholstery feels durable and not at all plasticky. And the quality of materials only improves from this point.

The dashboard, which can be covered with synthetic or real leather, houses the twin 12.3-inch screens displaying driver information and infotainment system menus. The latter has reduced the need for a bunch of buttons, but requires a little time spent on familiarization.

Anyone lucky enough to climb into the M5 CS will notice that the driver can only scare three passengers with car’s rapid acceleration, since there are just two bucket seats in the back. The best seat in that particular house is behind the wheel anyway.

Trunk space of 14 cubic feet is great for the class. The plug-in hybrid’s batteries reduce that to a still usable 10 cubic feet, and it retains the split/folding rear seats.

Exterior styling

A few recent BMW models, like the 4 Series and X7, have shown the company growing more daring with grille sizes, made to look even bigger when LED technology allows thinner headlights to go on either side. That’s not the 5 Series.

No doubt such a conservative approach appeals to the kind of person who would buy a 5 Series. Attracting attention can be overrated.

The bigger the engine, the more aerodynamic additions are attached to the body and the more colorful the brake calipers. Most paint choices are still on the subdued end of the spectrum, though. Even the ultrafast M5 CS comes with a gray metallic finish or a Frozen Deep Green metallic.

Also see: 2021 Jaguar XF is stylish in its own way, and it drives beautifully

Favorite features

Live Cockpit Pro
That’s what BMW calls its twin-screen arrangement. For the driver, there’s a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. For the infotainment system, a 12.3-inch touchscreen. It’s the high-resolution highlight of the 5 Series’ human-machine interface.

Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system
It’s a hefty $3,400 option and only available in the M550i xDrive, but this glorious-sounding system might well be enough to sway a potential M5 buyer with discerning ears toward this model instead.

Standard features

At its 530i entry level, the 2022 5 Series comes with 18-inch alloy wheels, full adaptive LED headlights with automatic high beams, rain-sensing wipers, moonroof, keyless entry/ignition, 12.3-inch digital driver information display, 16-way power-adjustable sport front seats, perforated simulated leather upholstery, dual-zone automatic climate control, ambient cabin lighting, self-dimming rearview and driver’s-side mirrors, and 40/20/40 split/folding rear seats.

Safety and driver-assistance features include forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, front/rear parking sensors, lane-departure warning, and Active Blind Spot Detection.

The infotainment system is based around a 12.3-inch touchscreen and features Apple
AAPL,
+3.54%
CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration, navigation, satellite radio, voice control, two USB ports, plus a 205-watt/10-speaker audio system.

You might like: The 2022 Audi A6 serves up driving performance with a roomy, elegant interior

Plug-in hybrid drivetrain, dedicated instrumentation, audible warning for pedestrians when running silently, and 19-inch alloy wheels aside, the 530e has a similar equipment inventory. The 540i is also more or less the same, except for the 6-cylinder engine.

The M550i xDrive piles on the plushness to complement its extra power, with real leather upholstery as standard, heated/20-way power-adjustable/multi-contour front seats, powered trunk lid, and a Harman Kardon surround-sound system. Other enhancements include M Sport differential/brakes/aerodynamic package, adaptive M suspension, sport-tuned transmission, and a rear spoiler.

As well as the extras included with the M550i xDrive, the high-performance M5 has nicer leather upholstery, quad-zone automatic climate control, remote start, heated steering wheel, head-up display, Wi-Fi, and gesture control for the infotainment system.

Factory options

In the comparatively humbler models of the 2022 5 Series range, things like real leather upholstery, massaging/multi-contour front seats, gesture control, head-up display, and larger alloy wheels are available as options. An M Sport package is another extra, even for the 530e/530 xDrive plug-in hybrids. It brings variable-ratio sport steering, M Sport suspension/aerodynamic additions/M steering wheel, and M-design 19-inch alloy wheels.

The 540i/540i xDrive qualifies for a Dynamic Handling package that includes an adaptive suspension, active roll stabilization, and rear-wheel steering. The M550i xDrive has an adaptive M suspension in its Dynamic Handling package. A Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system is also offered with the M550i xDrive.

The M5 is eligible for soft-closing doors and the M5 Competition package, which nudges up the horsepower, while adding stiffer engine mounts, M Sport exhaust system, firmer sport suspension, 20-inch alloy wheels, plus a Track setting to the selectable driving modes.

The 627-horsepower 2022 M5 CS supplements those additions with an Active M differential, carbon-ceramic brakes (an $8,500 option in the regular M5), M carbon front bucket seats (heated), two rear bucket seats, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) roof/hood/aerodynamic additions, and ceramic controls.

All versions of the 2022 5 Series have the option of the Driving Assistance Professional package with more driver aids. And a couple of models can be ordered with a Parking Assistance package — see the Safety Technology section below for more details.

Engine and transmission

The 530i and 530i xDrive variants of the 2022 X5 use a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 248 horsepower. An 8-speed automatic transmission directs that to the rear wheels (RWD) in the 530i or all four (AWD) in the 530i xDrive.

The 530e/530e xDrive plug-in hybrid variants also have a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, but this is paired with an electric motor (running off a lithium-ion battery) to create a total of 288 horsepower.
Same transmission, same RWD/AWD formula.

The EPA calculates miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) figures for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. In combined driving (a mix of city and highway cycles) and with the 21 miles of electric-only range factored in, the 530e can achieve 64 MPGe. When working as a regular hybrid, it returns 26 mpg.

Read: Your complete guide to MPGe, the electric equivalent of miles per gallon

There’s a different kind of hybrid system in the 540i/540i xDrive. It’s a 48-volt mild-hybrid setup that energizes and smooths the engine stop/restart function that saves fuel while idling. It also helps the engine under acceleration and light loads alike.

The combustion engine itself is a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 developing 335 horsepower. See above regarding transmissions and driven wheels.

The M550i xDrive has a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 generating 523 horsepower, going to all four wheels through an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Also on MarketWatch: These are the top 3 places to invest in real estate today

Another twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 endows the M5 with 600 horsepower, 617 in the M5 Competition, or 627 in the new-for-2022 M5 CS. These high-performance variants have M-tuned 8-speed automatic transmissions and M all-wheel-drive systems.

All models of the 2022 5 Series require premium gasoline. Most of these EPA fuel economy figures below are from 2021, but we don’t anticipate any changes for 2022.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (530i/530i xDrive)
248 horsepower @ 5,200-6,500 rpm
258 lb-ft of torque @ 1,450-4,800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/33 mpg (RWD), 23/32 mpg (AWD)

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 + electric motor (530e/530e xDrive)
288 total horsepower
310 lb-ft total torque
EPA combined fuel economy: 64 MPGe/26 mpg (RWD), 62 MPGe/25 mpg (AWD)
Electric-only range: 21 miles (RWD), 19 miles (AWD)

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (540i/540i xDrive)
335 horsepower @ 5,500-6,500 rpm
332 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-5,200 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/32 mpg (RWD), 22/29 mpg (AWD)

4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (M550i xDrive)
523 horsepower @ 5,500-6,000 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-4,600 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/25 mpg

4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (M5)
600 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-5,690 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/21 mpg

4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (M5 Competition)
617 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-5,860 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/21 mpg

4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (M5 CS)
627 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
553 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-5,950 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 15/21 mpg

This story originally ran on KBB.com. 

This can have significant repercussions for our retirements. Some of us will have our working lives cut short by ill health, reducing how much money we can save for our futures. Others will face big bills for medical and nursing home care. Then there is the emotional toll of struggling with poor health rather than traveling, visiting the grandkids and engaging in all the other activities we’d planned for our golden years.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be this way. Many of the biggest risk factors for poor health are within our power to modify, prevent or control, says R. Dale Hall, managing director of the Society of Actuaries Research Institute, which provides research on managing risks. But as with retirement saving, the earlier we get started, the better.

Learn the 5 health span risk factors

The institute commissioned Vitality, a company that partners with insurers and employers to promote healthier living, to conduct a study that identified five lifestyle risk factors with the largest impact on health span: tobacco use, obesity, high blood sugar, poor diet and high blood pressure.

Read: These simple (and tasty) diets help reduce your blood pressure and heart disease

The researchers also highlighted ways to modify those risks, including quitting smoking, engaging in physical activity, eating a healthy diet and taking medications as prescribed.

Read: The best reason of all to postpone retirement

The study relied on data from the Global Burden of Disease, a resource maintained by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation that tracks the prevalence of diseases and risk factors worldwide, along with the relative harm they cause. The GBD shows average remaining life expectancy at age 65 in the U.S. rose from 17.6 years in 1990 to 19.6 years in 2019, a two-year gain. Healthy life expectancy, on the other hand, rose less than one year, from 12.2 years to 13.1 years.

That echoes similar statistics from the World Health Organization, which found that U.S. life expectancy at age 60 rose nearly 8% between 2000 and 2019, but healthy life expectancy rose less than 5%.

Related: Seniors who are obese run higher cancer risks

Recognize the other barriers to healthier living

The GBD has some limitations: It doesn’t track the impact of well-established prevention strategies such as immunizations and screenings, or account for risk factors such as stress, depression, lack of sleep, loneliness and lack of purpose, the Vitality researchers said.

It’s also important to acknowledge that there can be huge systemic barriers to healthier living. If you live in an area with limited access to fresh fruits and vegetables, it’s harder to eat well. If you live in crowded housing in an unsafe neighborhood, getting enough exercise can be tough. If you must choose between buying medication and food, you’re unlikely to fill the prescription your doctor wrote for you — assuming you can afford to visit a doctor. The more money you have, the better access you have to the key health interventions that help people live a longer life in good health.

Even when we have enough money, our behavioral biases can get in the way — particularly our tendency to value present gratification over future gain.

“I’d honestly rather sit on the couch and eat the bag of crisps rather than go for the run,” says Tanya Little, Vitality’s chief growth officer. “And yet future me would thank me for going for the run now.”

Identify one area for change

Similarly, we may choose inaction over action if we’re asked to change too much, Little says. Instead, Vitality’s programs identify one change that would have the biggest impact based on each person’s health and lifestyle profile.

“This idea of an endless list is totally overwhelming and demotivating,” Little says. “Whereas if I say to you, ‘If you just did this one thing’ … you are much more likely to do it.”

You might like: Beat the blues this holiday season by keeping in touch with older family and friends all year

Once people make progress on a single goal, they’re often inspired to change others, Little says. People who get more exercise often start to eat healthier, for example.

Healthy habits don’t make us immune to illness and disability, of course. But minding our health improves the odds we’ll have many more years to enjoy.

If you’d like to see what Vitality recommends for you, as well as its estimate of your life and health spans, you can visit the company’s calculator.

More From NerdWallet

Liz Weston writes for NerdWallet. Email: lweston@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @lizweston.

Workplace consultant Lindsay Pollak writes that she’s “hearing from employees and leaders at all levels across all industries about how they’re experiencing higher burnout, anxiety and depression, as well as how employers are receiving more and more requests from employees for mental health breaks.” Pollak thinks mental health in the workplace will be the HR headline for 2022.

And in a recent McKinsey & Co. look at trends for 2022, one CEO said “Prioritizing work-life balance across all industries including those that have typically been hostile or predatory to their workforce will impact the economy in fundamental ways.”

For some, work/life balance is a fantasy

Of course, for many low-level and essential workers who labor at more than one job and rarely have the luxury of working from home, achieving work/life balance is a near impossible feat. Low pay remains the top driver of workplace stress, followed by long hours and a lack of advancement opportunities, according to the latest American Psychological Association well-being survey.

Yet for some, the pandemic has improved their work/life balance. A recent survey of 1,010 U.S. employees from the invoicing company Skynova found that a whopping 83% of people believe they currently have a positive work/life balance.

“We were surprised to learn that this percentage is as high as it is,” said Jennifer Graham, a web developer at Skynova. “But many companies have implemented new policies to help combat resignations and employee turnover. These new incentives have contributed to the work-life balance we see in our study.”

Reason for optimism

Clearly, work/life balance during the pandemic has varied widely, depending upon the job, personal circumstances and a host of other factors. To quote Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”

Also see: If your employer really wants to hire the best workers, here are 4 proven paths to success

Yet despite the ongoing challenges, as a coach who specializes in helping people with second-act careers and reinvention, I think there’s reason for optimism moving forward.

More companies have embraced flexibility due to the pandemic. And with employers desperate to fill job vacancies and retain workers — a record 4.4 million Americans quit their jobs in September — you’ll likely have stronger negotiating power for better work/life balance than you’ve had in quite some time.

Three steps to improve work/life balance in 2022

So, whether you’re looking to switch jobs or make your current position or entrepreneurial endeavor less stressful, here are three steps to help improve your work/life balance next year:

1. Define your work/life priorities. While you’ll never achieve the perfect balance, the first step is to get clear about your list of wants and needs. This list will differ for everyone, so make sure it reflects your priorities.

Typically, there’s a range of components that influence work/life balance. Among the factors referenced in the Skynova study: securing a flexible schedule, having more time for family and hobbies, not having to work overtime, being able to take breaks during the workday and having the ability to take sufficient vacation time without being made to feel guilty for taking it.

As you reflect on your priorities, you might notice that they’ve changed as you’ve aged.

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In the Skynova survey, 67% of boomers rated having time with family as the most crucial aspect of a healthy work/life balance, as opposed to 61% of Gen Xers and 59% of millennials. But when it came to the ability to take vacation time, only 48% of boomers rated that as important, versus 58% of Gen Xers and 56% of millennials.

So, ask yourself what’s most important to you now: Do I need to work from home full time? Do I want more vacation time? Would I be happier if I could take time for exercise during the workday? Only after you acknowledge your specific drivers, can you be clear about the best solutions.

2. Focus on what you control. It’s easy to blame your employer or demanding clients for your work/life challenges. But, in reality, you may have more control over your work/life balance than you realize.

Do you really need to respond to work emails at night or spend time working on a holiday? Over time, those behaviors can become self-destructive habits. And yet, according to a survey from the global staffing company Robert Half, 68% of professionals who transitioned to a remote setup during the pandemic said they work on the weekend.

“A quick fix for greater work/life ease is to account for how you spend your time, zero in on priorities and cut out the fluff,” says Wilton, Conn.-based career adviser and founder of The 4 Jobs Club, Kathryn Sollmann (the four jobs to nurture, Sollman says, are careers, children, aging parents and households).

“Our to-do lists tend to be filled with tasks that might be nice to do in a perfect world, but don’t fit our imperfect lives,” notes Sollmann. “It’s better to focus on two or three achievable things within your control.”

3. Before moving on, explore ways to improve your current situation. Given the hot job market, it’s understandable if you’re ready to go find a new job or launch a business. But first, you might want to try improving your current situation.

And here, you may be in the driver’s seat. Right now, many employers are looking for ways to retain their staff. A recent LinkedIn study found that the U.S. job promotion rate is on the rise, trending 9% higher than the same period last year.

You also might be surprised by other benefits your employer might offer if you ask about better work/life balance.

One new study from the human resources trade group SHRM found that 42% of organizations it surveyed have implemented new or additional remote work or flexibility options to reduce turnover.

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So, think about which components of your job you’d like to see changed and go have a talk with your manager. Then, if your employer refuses to budge, 2022 just might be your moment to jump on the Great Resignation bandwagon.

Nancy Collamer, M.S., is a semiretirement coach, speaker and author of “Second-Act Careers: 50+ Ways to Profit From Your Passions During Semi-Retirement.” You can now download her free workbook, “25 Ways to Help You Identify Your Ideal Second Act” on her website at MyLifestyleCareer.com (and you’ll also receive her free bimonthly newsletter).

This article is reprinted by permission from NextAvenue.org, © 2021 Twin Cities Public Television, Inc. All rights reserved.

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