Would you consider retiring to a different country?

[SC Maintenance]

If your asking would I move to a retirement community to live with a bunch of westerners in Mexico / Costa Rica / wherever - the answer is absolutely not.

I have a long time to go till retirement, but if your asking if i would go native in one of those places, then I am certainly considering it. Speaking the language is a requirement. I am sort of getting tired of dealing with first world problems every day that add little value to things.

 

[alarmguy]

Back in the Vietnam days, the Phillippines was my choice,, 1969. If you have $2500 coming in on social security you can live well there,,,that said, I will stay in the USA....I've been to Costa Rica, no go imho, Japan nope, China o blankety blank no....USA as messed up as it is,,,I will stay here.....IM to darn old now to be to adventurous ....amen..

Manila real estate prices now exceed much of the USA, not to say you need to ge in the center of everything, then of course much less ( I think)

 

[k1xv]

I moved 20 years ago from overcrowded New Jersey to rural Vermont. Love it here. But in the winter, I often think I should have selected Portugal.

 

[Pablo]

I moved 20 years ago from overcrowded New Jersey to rural Vermont. Love it here. But in the winter, I often think I should have selected Portugal.

It's made your hair a mess

 

[ATex7239]

Probably not. The reason is my children.

I love America, but I wouldn’t be opposed to living like a king on a beach somewhere, if I’m being honest.

 

[fdcg27]

There are so many places one might retire to.
These are also places where one might have a place to spend a part of the year.
We have family here so are not anxious to leave Ohio. We have plenty of theater here, which we like, but we also have awful weather.
OTOH, international airfare is reasonable enough to fly back to the States as desired, or to cover the cost of flying son, DIL and grandson there. Main thing is that the time in transit often sucks.
I'll join my wife in retirement in July, so we'll see.
The guy who posted above that their are few international travelers here is probably correct.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

The only place I would move to would be the U.S.

Very fond memories there as a kid vacationing with my parents.

 

[Just a civilian pilot]

I moved 20 years ago from overcrowded New Jersey to rural Vermont. Love it here. But in the winter, I often think I should have selected Portugal.

Love driving through Vermont.

 

[CKN]

There are so many places one might retire to.
These are also places where one might have a place to spend a part of the year.
We have family here so are not anxious to leave Ohio. We have plenty of theater here, which we like, but we also have awful weather.
OTOH, international airfare is reasonable enough to fly back to the States as desired, or to cover the cost of flying son, DIL and grandson there. Main thing is that the time in transit often sucks.
I'll join my wife in retirement in July, so we'll see.
The guy who posted above that their are few international travelers here is probably correct.

Ohio is beautiful. I have family that go back generations in neighboring Newport, Kentucky. The winters makes it undesirable-even worse than Utah winters-IMHO.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

I would seriously consider it, however unfortunately I have recently been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and I imagine that makes me non-eligible for most countries.

Like an earlier poster I'll probably end up in south eastern BC. The wife and I are getting tired of the city.

 

[1000MPH]

Surprised no one has mentioned Panama yet. I’m planning on moving to California or Hawaii and living on top ramen.

 

[puellarum]

Most people don't know this, but the United States is about the only country in the world that requires its citizens to pay taxes even if they don't live here (And obviously are not utilizing any services that taxes are supposedly needed to pay for). Also, if you wish to revoke your citizenship, an exorbitant tax is required to be paid to even do that.

 

[Pablo]

Surprised no one has mentioned Panama yet. I’m planning on moving to California or Hawaii and living on top ramen.

Your liver would 'splode in a month

 

[SC Maintenance]

Most people don't know this, but the United States is about the only country in the world that requires its citizens to pay taxes even if they don't live here (And obviously are not utilizing any services that taxes are supposedly needed to pay for). Also, if you wish to revoke your citizenship, an exorbitant tax is required to be paid to even do that.

This is true, however for the first - don't hold me to it, I am not a tax professional - but I think $120K you get to deduct what you pay in income taxes in the other country. So for example, you move to Italy, and make 120K a year, and pay 20K in taxes. If in the US you would have owed $21K in taxes, you now owe uncle Sam $1000.

Besides if your retired you likely don't have an income in that country, so you would pay income tax on whatever income was derived in the USA.

 

[fantastic]

Yes, Alaska for their oil check. In proper BITOG fashion.

 

[TimeFlies]

I would seriously consider it, however unfortunately I have recently been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease and I imagine that makes me non-eligible for most countries.

Like an earlier poster I'll probably end up in south eastern BC. The wife and I are getting tired of the city.

I'm thinking around Nelson, you?
Sorry your health isn't good.

 

[Sam_Julier]

I love this country too much to ever leave it.

 

[Jimmy_Russells]

I'm thinking around Nelson, you?
Sorry your health isn't good.

I’m not sure, I haven’t actually been over there for about twenty years. My wife is a big hiker and loves the Revelstoke area. I’d have to check it out.

And thanks… I’m gonna do the best I can

 

[Number_35]

Twenty years ago we lived in NZ for a year. We all loved it and would have stayed, but came back here to help my wife's aging parents.

We have deep roots here on the flat prairies, and would not move away from children and grandchildren, but if I could relocate it would be to SW Alberta/SE B.C.

Of those parts of the U.S. I've seen, northern Colorado would probably be my first choice, but I also love coastal Maine and north-central Minnesota.

As far as overseas, I loved Germany, particularly the southern parts.

 

[Tom NJ]

As I approached retirement some 17 years ago, and having already visited over 40 countries, I opened my mind to the entire world for settling down. I briefly considered Malaysia because of the warm climate and low cost of living (seemed everyone I knew had a cook and a driver), but rejected it because it was too far away, I didn't speak the language, and the culture was too foreign for me.

I seriously considered Ireland after a dozen vacations there, and was attracted to the beautiful scenery and friendly English speaking people. I even looked at some land, but rejected Ireland because of the cool wet climate, high taxes, and liberal government.

Finally I decided that the good ol' USA had the greatest freedoms and best standard of living - the question was where? I eliminated the top third of the country because it was too cold for me, and the bottom third because it was too hot, humid, and buggy. Next I dropped the entire center of the country because it was too flat and had weather extremes, and then nixed the west coast because of the cost of living, taxes, and politics. That left the mid-Atlantic.

Finally I settled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia. Bought a house on a ridge a few miles outside a small, eclectic, one stoplight mountain town (Floyd) with some incredible views. Here I have moderate weather with four seasons, and the friendliest people I have ever met (I came from NJ). Established my large vegetable garden and installed a heated in-ground pool with a large patio and pavilion, and at 73 am happy as a clam. Even bought a cemetery plot here!

This is from my front porch.