Northern Kentucky is a great place to call it a career

When it comes to aging in place or retiring, Northern Kentucky offers a lot of advantages. It has a favorable tax system that exempts social security income, although other forms of retirement income such as pensions and retirement distributions form 401(k)s and IRAs are only exempt up to $31,110 per person.

Kentucky’s sales tax of 6% falls below the U.S. national average and there are no taxes at the local level since counties collect their own income taxes. Other items such as prescription drugs, prosthetic medicine and most groceries are also exempted from sales taxes.

The average property tax rate in Kentucky is well below the national average and because property values are lower, it makes retiring to your own home all that much more attractive. Seniors above 65 occupying their own homes may also be eligible for a homestead exemption.

But there are other reasons Northern Kentucky is an attractive place to call it a career.

In addition to our lower cost of housing, whether you rent or own, the cost of living here is more affordable. And our state has plenty to do outside, from the Kentucky Derby in May to visiting the Red River Gorge, Daniel Boone National Forest or Mammoth Cave National Park in summer.

But most of all, Northern Kentucky is home. There’s nothing that can replace that.

With all those positives, it’s hard to see why anyone would retire away from Northern Kentucky. But there are other things to consider. The good news is that they are mostly all positive.

Being close to the Greater Cincinnati and Tristate area, there are world-class health care facilities within easy reach. Northern Kentucky is also home to some of the best skilled nursing facilities in the country, offering both long-term and short-term care.

“As people get older, obviously having retirement facilities that offer skilled care or assisted living becomes increasingly important,” says Julie Price, community relations director of Rosedale Green and its extended campus Emerald Terrace.

Rosedale Green has built a solid reputation as Northern Kentucky’s not-for-profit senior care leader.

“We have been a staple in the Northern Kentucky community for over 50 years offering long-term care as well as assisted living,” adds Price. “And for two years in a row, U.S. News and World Report has named our Emerald Trace campus facility as one of our nation’s top short-term skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers.”

There’s also a personal side to its service and care.

“I get calls daily from people who know Rosedale Green because they have had a family member, or someone they know, who have stayed with us,” says Price. “People know who we are and what we do. They know us because many times they have personally known someone we have helped in the past.”

That kind of legacy breeds a sense of familiarity that gives seniors a sense of place and security.

There are other organizations across Northern Kentucky that, like Rosedale Green, have been servicing our area for decades and are well known in the community.

“Northern Kentucky has so much to offer individuals who want to age in place or retire,” says Price. “Our area offers all kinds of levels of support, whether seniors want to live at home independently or come to a facility that offers a greater level of extended care.”