Retire.... OUTSIDE the US!

[cfell]

Just saw this on Nightline... more of our fellow Americans retiring in Panama an other "politically stable" places... Total cost? With a paid up home (around $200k), $1200 per month.. including Green Fees, Caddy Fees, Gardener, Housekeeper, food, etc.....

~como esta?

http://www.movetopanama.com/

[nelson61]

Happier?...Live longer?...good for them!! I would look at Costa Rica too but it maybe a tad late for that place.

[MattKas]

How about Greek Islands?

[jeb316]

Pretty sure I couldn't get the wife to go for it unless there's a super Walmart nearby. I'll bet there's no ban on cuban cigars though...That alone is worth the trip.

[Metzen]

Deacon,

I also saw that bit earlier this year and it was inviting. After much searching and investigating, we finally decided on south Texas and are very happy with our decision. The weather is great, the people friendly and our monthly expenses are a lot less than those off shore.

Just call me old-fashioned, but I have a comfortable feeling in Texas. If we need sun, sand and beaches, we take a quick jaunt to South Padre Island. If we want history and charm, we take a trip to San Antonio. We can golf really cheaply and I don't have to tell you about the Hill Country riding.

Mark my words; the minute there is a problem at one of those places, the retirees will be hollering for help from Uncle Sam (yes you, the kind taxpayers) in repatriating their behinds and assets back to the old U.S. of A.! We have friends who moved to Mexico thinking it was Utopia, only to leave on a very bitter note five years later. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

This message has been brought to you by the Texas Department of Tourism!!

Ride safe,

[grifscoots]

Deacon,

I also saw that bit earlier this year and it was inviting. After much searching and investigating, we finally decided on south Texas and are very happy with our decision. The weather is great, Great if you're a frog. When the hell did we move to Seattle?

[ATFLT]

While it would be nice to live somewhere else I will be staying in Wichita-at least for my mailing address. With my house and vehicles paid for it will cost me $500-$600 a month leaving plenty to travel which I would want to do regardless of where I lived. I should be gone 3 to 6 months a year. At least Wichita is in the middle of the country so I will take a bike one direction then come home and get another and head a different direction. I am not sure when that will start. I just made it to where I qualify for retirement, so it shouldn't be too long.

[usmctpdog]

There must be something to it, I read that over 100,000 SSI checks are mailed offshore each month to Ex-Pats and that the gov't has put forth regs that say even after you leave the US you must continue to pay federal taxes for a period of 10 years. To see whats going on google a few sites - plenty of forums of folks living in other countries.

[Jim]

A customer of mine just went down there and bought a couple of condos and is going back in August to buy a couple of more. He is convinced that the ExPats are going to be headed there in droves.

Good weather, tax incentives for building, and you can actually own the property, not like many South American countries.

Should be interesting to watch over the next few years.

[PMitchell]

Look before you leap!
Check THIS (http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=1999/9/29/53204) out! :stir:

[cfell]

Look before you leap!
Check THIS (http://www.newsmax.com/articles/?a=1999/9/29/53204) out! :stir:

There is no way I'm going to leave my homeland. I may be on "welfare" or whatever it's called and my name listed among those "lost in action' ... but I aint going.

Guess I'm like those souls in Gozales.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_and_take_it

[PMitchell]

There is no way I'm going to leave my homeland. I may be on "welfare" or whatever it's called and my name listed among those "lost in action' ... but I aint going.

Guess I'm like those souls in Gozales.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Come_and_take_it

Peace be with you, Deacon.

[hallzee]

I can only speak to Mexico. My best friends in-laws went to Puerto Penasco 10 years ago, because they could "live like kings" on their retirement income. They soon found out that medical care was hard to come by, and you couldn't just head on over to Kroger's to buy whatever your heart desires...

They're back in the U.S. now.

[KMC1]

It's really funny to read about some of the immigration laws of the South American and Carribbean countries in light of the current illegal immigration / legal immigration debacle here in the U.S.
It's OK if you want to go there and spend your U.S. dollars, but God help you if you actually would like to become a citizen there or be entitled to protections under the law.... :rotf:
I'm with Cfell on this one, I'll keep my money and my family ties right cheer in the good 'ol U.S. of A.
It should be a requirement that all namby pamby liberals live in other countries a portion of their lives before they are allowed to speak about the "travesties" that are committed upon the populace in America. Just like you don't hear very much about the Liberal's next coming of Christ, AKA Hugo "I'm NOT a communist dictator" Chavez anymore, but a year ago he was the hero from the South to all the Liberal moonbats who applauded his cheap oil for Massachusetts scheme. If people actually knew what the hell they were so frivolously giving away and constantly undermining here, they may be more inclined to treat it more wisely.

[brianbeemer]

the gov't has put forth regs that say even after you leave the US you must continue to pay federal taxes for a period of 10 years.
Not quite true - Uncle Sam never lets go... :(
On the other hand, the UK government doesn't care - "you don't live here you don't pay tax"

One benefit of some countries is the free healthcare once you are over a 'certain age'. Gotta be nice.

[UltraLT]

If hillary gets elected Pres, I don't think I will wait for retirement.

Ultra LT

[RonKMiller]

It's really funny to read about some of the immigration laws of the South American and Carribbean countries in light of the current illegal immigration / legal immigration debacle here in the U.S.
It's OK if you want to go there and spend your U.S. dollars, but God help you if you actually would like to become a citizen there or be entitled to protections under the law.... :rotf:
I'm with Cfell on this one, I'll keep my money and my family ties right cheer in the good 'ol U.S. of A.
It should be a requirement that all namby pamby liberals live in other countries a portion of their lives before they are allowed to speak about the "travesties" that are committed upon the populace in America. Just like you don't hear very much about the Liberal's next coming of Christ, AKA Hugo "I'm NOT a communist dictator" Chavez anymore, but a year ago he was the hero from the South to all the Liberal moonbats who applauded his cheap oil for Massachusetts scheme. If people actually knew what the hell they were so frivolously giving away and constantly undermining here, they may be more inclined to treat it more wisely.

I'm one of those moonbats - most of the time - but these two clowns are
best of friends. Would I mind if both of them were (ahem) offed? Not at all!

Now I understand Hugo is going to be suppying Iran with gasoline. They are of course awash in oil but don't have any refining capacity. Hugo does. Perfect.

A marriage made in...... HELL:

(BTW, I just bought ocean frontage in Nicaragua - surfs UP!)

[PMitchell]

Not quite true - Uncle Sam never lets go... :(
On the other hand, the UK government doesn't care - "you don't live here you don't pay tax"

One benefit of some countries is the free healthcare once you are over a 'certain age'. Gotta be nice.

Are you sure?
I interviewed for a position in our UK operation a few years ago and had a tax analysis done by Deloitte & Touche's London office. The overall tax rate was going to be around 60%. The company was going to provide Health Insurance because the "free" health care had wait lists for surgeries and even normal office visits. I would still have to pay US taxes as well (albeit at a lower rate than if I worked in the USA)

I would be taxed (license fees) for each television, petrol at that time was the equivalent of $4.50 a gallon (now it's over $6). London was considering an entry tax for vehicles (now in effect) for the downtown areas.

Real estate . . . I would enjoy 1/2 the space for twice the cost.

I could not accept the offer based on economic issues, but would have enjoyed the UK scene and my colleagues could even understand my "American Accent"!

[KMC1]

I'm one of those moonbats - most of the time - but these two clowns are
best of friends. Would I mind if both of them were (ahem) offed? Not at all!

Now I understand Hugo is going to be suppying Iran with gasoline. They are of course awash in oil but don't have any refining capacity. Hugo does. Perfect.

A marriage made in...... HELL:

(BTW, I just bought ocean frontage in Nicaragua - surfs UP!)

It'll work out well, Iran will get the gasoline, and Venezuela will get the bomb.... everyone's happy! :rolleyes:

[RonKMiller]

It'll work out well, Iran will get the gasoline, and Venezuela will get the bomb.... everyone's happy! :rolleyes:


LOL!

....and we get: ALL the politcal refugees! POIFECT! ;)

[meese]

Not quite true - Uncle Sam never lets go... :(
On the other hand, the UK government doesn't care - "you don't live here you don't pay tax"Nope. I lived in Wales for almost 4 years. There are lots of complicated rules, but the bottom line is that the longer you're in the UK, the more tax you'll pay. If you're there less than 6 months, no problem. If you're there longer, then you will pay UK tax. More than a year, and the rate goes up, etc. We still had to file US and CA tax forms, but we got credit on what we paid to the UK so it ended up mostly a paperwork exercise. Note that we still got hit with 17% VAT on almost everything we bought, and my "free" company fuel was considered income, so I ended up paying 40% tax on that making it more expensive than US fuel (at the time).

One benefit of some countries is the free healthcare once you are over a 'certain age'. Gotta be nice.And it's usually worth exactly what you paid for it. Very long waits, overworked and underpaid doctors and staff, no preventative measures to speak of, and quite often it was simply "there's nothing we can really do, so stay home until you get better." And dentistry there is even worse.

We really enjoyed our time in the UK, but finances and health-care were two of the main reasons we returned to the US. And weather. :(

[grifscoots]

If hillary gets elected Pres, I don't think I will wait for retirement.

Ultra LTAt least Steven Baldwin will quit threatening to leave. Man, what a moron!

Uhhhh, can I come with you?

[KMC1]

It'll work out well, Iran will get the gasoline, and Venezuela will get the bomb.... everyone's happy! :rolleyes:

Oi!
It looks like maybe I was a little too prescient with this post.... maybe we better stop joking around about this stuff......

http://influencepeddler.blogspot.com/2007/06/chavez-tired-of-being-ignored-threatens.html

[cfell]

Chavez who?

Hope springs eternal...

[RonKMiller]

But wait - There's MORE! :histerica

"Chavez is heading to Russia in the next few days, to discuss the purchase of five kilo-class submarines, and possibly four more advanced amur-class subs."

Right. Putin is going to sell this bi-polar moron subs. Uh huh. I'm sure we won't have any problem with that!

From Banana Republic leader (well, kinda...) to oil powerbroker to nuke sub commander. He's a world class demagogue any way you slice it.

Interesting though how they've recently had massive riots in Venezuela after Chavez would not renew the opposition's TV station license - while at the same time Iranian's are pissed and rioting as well since they're rationing gasoline.

That's why I'm glad I picked Nicaragua for my eventual destination. Ortega's BACK: He swears he is a changed man - as he cozies up to Iran for $$ to pay off their IMF debts and Chavez for oil and free generators for electricity - at the same time kissing Condi's ass.

He's a player and survivor - and a LOT smarter than most people give him credit for.

It just gets curiouser and curiouser... :cool: