Retirement Dreams Realized
With the help of Jonathan Tait, CFP, CPFA, of Signature Wealth Strategies, Kevin and Virginia Binnie are living the good life in Magnolia Greens.
Retirement dreams often involve moving to a warm climate to spend your golden years. For retirees Kevin and Virginia Binnie, that’s just what they did. For the couple, Leland has been the antidote to the harsh winters of New Jersey and New York, where they lived and worked for most of their lives.
The Bevins moved to the Magnolia Greens community in April of 2018, after closing the chapter on long careers in banking. Both worked in Manhattan, where Virginia spent 28 years with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Kevin worked for JP Morgan, Citibank and Chase Manhattan, to name a few. In 2009 Virginia retired and “waited 10 more years before Kevin finally retired.”
Looking for warm weather and lower taxes, the Binnies headed for the North Carolina coast.
“After only two years, this feels like home,” Virginia says. “We would never even contemplate leaving the area. We have everything at our fingertips.”
Though Magnolia Greens was one of the first golf course communities to be developed in Leland, the Binnies have not yet headed the beckoning call of golf. But they have no trouble filling their schedules. As you can imagine, many days are spent on the beach under a big umbrella with lots of books in hand or walking the shore and enjoying the sun. It is Virginia’s favorite pastime. Kevin is also a self-proclaimed gym rat who spent every day working out until the COVID-19 pandemic forced gyms to temporarily close their doors.
Their Magnolia Greens community is where they love spending time. They have great neighbors and are part of the social committee in which Virginia helps coordinate several annual events. They are active with tennis, swimming and pickleball, a sport they had never heard of until moving to here. “We’re also part of the Rotary Club,” Kevin says. “They do a lot of great things for the community.”
Kevin and Virginia became involved with the Rotary Club after a suggestion from their Certified Financial Planner, Jon Tait, whom they sought out as they moved to Leland.
Like many retirees who saved and invested throughout their working lives, the Binnies wanted to make sure that their financial portfolio was where it needed to be. “This time it’s different because we aren’t working anymore,” Virginia says. “Before, we knew we had time to make up any losses, but now that we are retired, we do get concerned. Jon has talked us off the cliff a few times lately!”
For now, the Binnies feel comfortable where they are, financially and personally. They enjoy their new home, their neighbors, their friends and their family. They have two sons who are busy with their own careers right now; one is an accountant with Northwestern Mutual and one is a special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration. “Neither are married yet, so it might be a while before we see grandchildren,” says Virginia with a laugh.
