5 things you really need to sell if you’re a retired US boomer (if you want a low-stress life). How many do you own?

1. For a retired US boomer aiming for a low-stress retirement, selling a second car can be beneficial. Car insurance costs around $2,266 per year on average, which is an additional financial burden when the car is not used frequently. Selling the car frees up cash and reduces the stress of potential repair costs.

2. Accommodating Airbnb guests can become stressful and time-consuming for retirees. Issues such as a late-night guest lockout, air conditioner breakdowns in summer, or poor Wi-Fi can lead to unwelcome surprises. Income generated from Airbnb hosting often turns into an unpaid, on-call job with unpredictable hours, which can be taxing emotionally and financially.

3. Managing property taxes, insurance, and utility bills for an empty nest can become burdensome. Property taxes, insurance, and utility bills tend to increase as the size of the home grows, and these expenses scale with the size of the house. Downsizing an empty nest offers financial benefits, as the profit from the sale can be tax-exempt up to $250,000 for individuals or $500,000 for married couples filing jointly.

This money doesn't count against retirees when they file their taxes, providing a significant financial boost.

4. High fees on complex financial products, such as variable annuities and managed mutual funds, can significantly impact retirement savings over time. Variable annuities are insurance contracts that promise income later, often with hidden fees, while managed mutual funds are professionally run investment pools that charge yearly fees regardless of performance. During market dips in one's golden years, there is little time to recover before the funds are needed, making these fees a significant risk.

5. Holding onto a coin collection can be problematic for retirees, as standard homeowners insurance policies have limited coverage for money, coins, and precious metals. The Insurance Information Institute states that these policies typically cap payouts for such items at just $200 per loss, per incident. This leaves most collections seriously underinsured unless extra coverage is purchased.

Additionally, grading, storage, and finding a buyer who will pay a fair price for the coins can be time-consuming and difficult, creating additional stress for retirees. Offloading the collection now converts something that is difficult to insure and pass down into cash that can be used immediately.