Best Places In The World To Retire

When one speaks of the dress code in the Lake Chapala / Ajijic area, one has to make several distinctions:
 
Mexican vs. expat.  The local Mexicans take great pride in their appearance and their clothing, a trait which extends to maids and gardeners.  They almost always have very clean, well ironed clothes in very good condition, usually significantly superior to the typical expat man’s clothing (more on that below).  Mexicans from Guadalajara who are visiting...

When one speaks of the dress code in the Lake Chapala / Ajijic area, one has to make several distinctions:
 
Mexican vs. expat.  The local Mexicans take great pride in their appearance and their clothing, a trait which extends to maids and gardeners.  They almost always have very clean, well ironed clothes in very good condition, usually significantly superior to the typical expat man’s clothing (more on that below).  Mexicans from Guadalajara who are visiting are even better dressed, with women many times wearing flashy, somewhat seductive clothing, usually with high heels.  (And this is just normal, walking around.)
 
Expat women.  Expat women (especially those from the US or Europe) are generally tastefully and very well dressed, with clothing usually purchased during trips "back home."  They wear nice and not overdone jewelry and their hair and nails are generally impeccable.  With the low beauty parlor and nail salon prices here, why not?
 
Expat men.  Expat men can sort of be slobs (like I have been accused of being, and not without justification), wearing shorts, tee-shirts, sandals, etc. Other expat men can be better dressed, but are usually significantly outshined by their wives.
 

The weather here in the Lake Chapala / Ajijic area is usually so very nice that you can wear almost whatever you want without looking too out of place; even a jacket or sweater, almost any time of year.

 

Moving to Mexico?  Check out Best Mexico Movers.

It is not mandatory to hire an attorney to buy a house in Portugal.  However, and especially if you are a foreigner, it is strongly advisable to hire a lawyer to represent you and make sure that you signed the right contract, that you are buying the right property, and that the property does not have any liens, encumbrances or charges registered on it.
 
The role of the lawyer in the process of acquiring a property is to do a due diligence on the legal documentation of the...

It is not mandatory to hire an attorney to buy a house in Portugal.  However, and especially if you are a foreigner, it is strongly advisable to hire a lawyer to represent you and make sure that you signed the right contract, that you are buying the right property, and that the property does not have any liens, encumbrances or charges registered on it.
 
The role of the lawyer in the process of acquiring a property is to do a due diligence on the legal documentation of the property, assist in the negotiation of the promissory contract of purchase and sale (typically in Portugal the buyer and seller sign a promissory agreement first and complete on the acquisition within 30 to 60 days) and at the end organize and represent you in the signature of the public deed of purchase and sale that is usually done before a notary and with the registration of the acquisition at the land registry office.
 
Please note that all documentation together with the public deed of purchase and sale will have to be done in Portuguese.  Therefore, if you do not speak Portuguese it will be complicated to assure that all your rights are being taken care of.
 
Finally please also note that Portuguese lawyers registered at the bar association in Portugal will have professional liability insurance which assures the payment of compensation to clients that are wrongly advised.

 

(Tiled house  in Alcochete, Portugal, pictured.)

Yes, Americans who live abroad are still required to file a U.S. tax return, even if there's no tax due.  In fact, filing an annual U.S. tax return is actually MORE important once you live abroad.  Here's why:

 

You may be familiar with the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (the "FEIE")--that's the rule that allows Americans living abroad to make up to about $100,000 from working without paying any U.S. income tax.  Some people think that...

Yes, Americans who live abroad are still required to file a U.S. tax return, even if there's no tax due.  In fact, filing an annual U.S. tax return is actually MORE important once you live abroad.  Here's why:

 

You may be familiar with the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (the "FEIE")--that's the rule that allows Americans living abroad to make up to about $100,000 from working without paying any U.S. income tax.  Some people think that it's not important to file a return if their income is below the FEIE cap.  

 

However, the FEIE can ONLY be claimed on a filed tax return.  So, if  you were to fail to file a U.S. tax return and the IRS were to audit you, you would lose the ability to claim the FEIE.  You couldn't tell the IRS at that point that your income was below the FEIE cap each year.  You'd have to pay U.S. tax on amounts that you would have been able to earn tax-free if you'd only filed a return.  So, failing to file a return could cause you to lose the golden opportunity provided by the FEIE.

 

For Americans who are behind on U.S. tax returns, the IRS has several amnesty programs that will allow you to catch up easily without having to pay any penalties.  Talk to an experienced tax attorney to determine which amnesty program is right for you.

 

(Pictured: hotel Bora Bora)

Yes, you can get a mortgage on property in Belize.  Most banks in the States will not loan to an out-of-country real estate purchase, but there are a few in the region that will finance properties in Lain America.  One of the most well known and trusted banks in Belize is Caye International Bank, Ltd.  In addition, some larger developers offer financing.

Yes, you can get a mortgage on property in Belize.  Most banks in the States will not loan to an out-of-country real estate purchase, but there are a few in the region that will finance properties in Lain America.  One of the most well known and trusted banks in Belize is Caye International Bank, Ltd.  In addition, some larger developers offer financing.