How to Retire Overseas: Everything You Need to Know to Live Well (For Less) Abroad
Search in google:
It's not just Florida anymore! This definitive step-by-step guide helps anyone to find, relocate, and save on a home away from home The effects of the economic downturn on IRAs, 401(k)s, and other retirement savings plans have forced thousands of people to rethink their plans for retirement. But Kathleen Peddicord offers a cheaper option with all the benefits of a stateside retirement: living overseas. Retiring abroad has never been more accessible or appealing. In addition to a sense of adventure, the allure of an idyllic locale, and the excitement of learning a new culture, Peddicord shows readers how living in an unconventional retirement destination can cost less than a traditional home in Arizona. This prescriptive guide answers every essential question potential ex-pats have, from instructions on setting up bank accounts to tips on locating great restaurants. Peddicord has more than twenty-five years of experience helping thousands of people successfully and happily relocate to the retirement of their dreams. From remote and relatively unknown havens like Nicaragua to well-traveled areas in Italy, How to Retire Overseas is the ultimate guide to retiring abroad.
Introduction xiSection I Ten Steps You Can Take Now at Home 1Step 1 Know Yourself 1Step 2 Budget Your New Life Overseas 10Step 3 Take Out a Map 19Step 4 Research Residency Options 23Step 5 Get Good Tax Advice 27Step 6 Shop for Health Insurance 33Step 7 Learn the Local Real Estate Market (for Both Sales and Rentals) 41Step 8 Figure Out What to Do with All Your Stuff 50Step 9 Set Up a Virtual Home Office 56Step 10 Consider Part-Time Retirement Overseas 61Section II Looking for Something Specific 63Cheap Living 63Luxury Living on a Budget 73Retire to the Beach 77Escape to the Mountains 79Top Choices with School-Aged Children 82Entrepreneurs Welcome 87Best Health Care 92Great Weather 95No Language Barrier 97Part-Time Retirement Overseas 99Easy Access to Home 99Tax-Friendly Jurisdiction 101Established Expat Community 104Fully Wired Location 107Special Benefits for Foreign Retirees 109Section III The World's Fourteen Top Retirement HavensArgentina 118Belize 125Croatia 130Dominican Republic 136Ecuador 140France 146Ireland 153Italy 157Malaysia 161Mexico 168Nicaragua 173Panama 181Thailand 188Uruguay 194Section IV Settling In 201Renting, Renovating, or Building Your New Home 201Setting Up: Furnishing Your Home and Finding Household Help 213Establishing an Administrative Infrastructure: Opening Bank Accounts, Arranging Utilities, Paying Bills, and Filing Tax Returns 218Getting Around: Owning a Vehicle and Obtaining a Driver's License 224Becoming Part of Your New Community: Learning the Language and Making Friends 229How to Make the Most of Your New Life 236Section V Overcoming Challenges and Cultural Differences 239Margarita Madness 239The Language Barrier 243The Hassle Factor 245Managing Your Expectations 248The Mañana Factor 251Handling Panic 253Frequently Asked (and Not So Crazy) Questions 258Conclusion: The Two Most Valuable Things I've Learned as an American Abroad 265Appendix: Estimated Monthly Costs of Living by Country (U.S. Dollars) 271Index 277
