Will the US or Canada make me pay income tax on money I earn in Mexico?
Joan Silver
Canada does not make you pay income tax on money you earned in Mexico. We became non-residents when we left Canada. You pretty much cut all ties, such as memberships and credit cards. You may have a bank account in Canada but not properties and cars. Once you've done that, you do not have to pay or file for any income tax in Canada for money that you make in Mexico.
(Happy Canada Day celebrated in Ajijic, Mexico, pictured.)
Canada does not make you pay income tax on money you earned in Mexico. We became non-residents when we left Canada. You pretty much cut all ties, such as memberships and credit cards. You may have a bank account in Canada but not properties and cars. Once you've done that, you do not have to pay or file for any income tax in Canada for money that you make in Mexico.
(Happy Canada Day celebrated in Ajijic, Mexico, pictured.)
How much does it cost for a housekeeper or maid in Ambergris Caye?
Matthew Hoy - Pelican Properties
The cost to get a housekeeper or a maid in Ambergris Caye depends on how frequently you would like to have the service. If you are looking to have someone work for you weekly, a fairly average price is about US $25 for three hours’ worth of work.
Three hours is the average amount of time spent for cleaning but it could also depend on the size of the home and the amount of work that you will delegate to the housekeeper. If you are getting the...
The cost to get a housekeeper or a maid in Ambergris Caye depends on how frequently you would like to have the service. If you are looking to have someone work for you weekly, a fairly average price is about US $25 for three hours’ worth of work.
Three hours is the average amount of time spent for cleaning but it could also depend on the size of the home and the amount of work that you will delegate to the housekeeper. If you are getting the housekeeper to work for you more frequently, you can negotiate an even more cost effective way of having your house taken care of on a weekly or a monthly basis. Generally, if you would like your house taken care of more frequently, you could pay around $12.50 on a per cleaning basis and the housekeeper will come to you house at the days when you want them to come and do the cleaning. You could even arrange for two people to do the cleaning for you for the same amount.
Generally speaking if someone has a villa, the owners build a caretaker cottage and hire a housekeeper who will live on the property full time or they will have someone check in on the property on a very frequent basis. There are also a certain number of companies that handle those types of services for homeowners. Typically, the housekeeper lives in the villa for free and that is a tradeoff. So the housekeepers will not make a lot of money but they do get a free place to live. They do house cleaning, grounds cleaning, security, etc. Their compensation depends on the arrangement that they agree with the homeowner but generally, they live in the villa for free and if the owner wants to give them something in addition to that, it can happen but otherwise, it is not expected.
(Villa in a resort in Ambergris Caye, Belize, pictured.)
How much does it cost to get landline phone service in Nicaragua?
Valeria Espinoza - Gran Pacifica
The cost to get a landline phone in Nicaragua is very affordable. I pay about US $10 per month for the service at home, which is pretty much the basic connection cost, and we use it more to receive local family phone calls than really for calling out. Like Kent mentioned in a previous contribution, the mobile services and internet services are becoming very popular, providing users with more service options at very affordable prices.
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The cost to get a landline phone in Nicaragua is very affordable. I pay about US $10 per month for the service at home, which is pretty much the basic connection cost, and we use it more to receive local family phone calls than really for calling out. Like Kent mentioned in a previous contribution, the mobile services and internet services are becoming very popular, providing users with more service options at very affordable prices.
Nowadays, we prefer to have a mobile service plan, for which the cost range varies from $12 for a basic plan to $35 for a more complete plan that includes internet and minutes on your phone plan.
Landline phone service is mostly used in Nicaragua for business purposes.
How are Americans, British and Canadians in Algarve treated? How are expats in Algarve treated generally?
Luis Teixeira da Silva - Algarve Senior Living
Americans and other expats in the Algarve are treated like kings.
From the economic perspective from the time of the discovery of the New World, Portugal has always been outward facing nation. This is reflected in the way that it receives foreign people. Most people who come to or go to Portugal immediately say that they are made to feel so very welcome.
As far as how Americans in particular in the Algarve are treated,...
Americans and other expats in the Algarve are treated like kings.
From the economic perspective from the time of the discovery of the New World, Portugal has always been outward facing nation. This is reflected in the way that it receives foreign people. Most people who come to or go to Portugal immediately say that they are made to feel so very welcome.
As far as how Americans in particular in the Algarve are treated, it’s tough to tell because there are not that many residing here full-time. Generally, Americans are very interesting folk in that sense that Americans are very inquisitive. They love to understand the historical background of the region and they’re very interested in the details. So they pay attention and show interest in a lot of the traditional aspects of the country; the tiles, the road, the balconies, what happened to the river course and what it was used for in the past, whether a castle was inhabited or not—all these kinds of small details typically interest Americans. This attitude helps aid the integration because local people in particular like to talk about their little place in the world. So when they see someone with mutual interest, of course, they like to talk. The first way to break down the barrier is to engage with someone even if there is a slight language barrier.
So what you find is that Americans in particular integrate very well in the Algarve because typically Americans come with a very inquisitive mind. The Americans who travel here love Portugal and love the Algarve. They really do love it. I wouldn’t be overstating it by using the word “love.” It’s kind of a love affair that starts with a statement such as, “This is a place that I should’ve been in or I want to be in.” We often get that reaction from Americans.
(The George Pub memorializes fallen British solideris with poppies in Lisboa, Portugal)
Are there tax advantages or disadvantages if I retire, work or live abroad?
Tabitha Paddock - Greenback Expat Tax Services
One of the biggest tax advantages of living abroad is enjoying lower tax rates (depending on where you retire obviously) found in some outside countries. However, as a US citizen or Greencard holder, you are required to report your worldwide income to the US every year. Even if you are no longer living or working in the US. This often means two tax returns, and twice as much taken in tax... Right? Wrong!
Fortunately, the US has certain exclusions and credits in place to...
One of the biggest tax advantages of living abroad is enjoying lower tax rates (depending on where you retire obviously) found in some outside countries. However, as a US citizen or Greencard holder, you are required to report your worldwide income to the US every year. Even if you are no longer living or working in the US. This often means two tax returns, and twice as much taken in tax... Right? Wrong!
Fortunately, the US has certain exclusions and credits in place to limit this dual taxation. These credits can go a long way to limit (or even eliminate) any tax liability in the US. The biggest credit is the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, this allows you to exclude over 95K of income from being taxed in the USA. If your earned income falls under this limit, you will not owe the US any tax (even if you won't owe anything you still have to file).
If you properly use the available credits and exclusions, you can actually enjoy the low tax rates of certain countries!
How are the restaurants in the Panama City, Panama area of Casco Viejo?
Maria Suarez
There are a lot of options for food in Casco Viejo. If you want a casual dinner or lunch, you can find places where they serve Panamanian food. You can also find fusion and international food. You can find Peruvian food here.
We also have several steak houses such as Grapes Restaurant. Grapes is my favorite restaurant in Casco Viejo because they serve great steaks, risotto, arepas, which is a Venezuelan dish, and they also serve other international foods. They also serve Salmon...
There are a lot of options for food in Casco Viejo. If you want a casual dinner or lunch, you can find places where they serve Panamanian food. You can also find fusion and international food. You can find Peruvian food here.
We also have several steak houses such as Grapes Restaurant. Grapes is my favorite restaurant in Casco Viejo because they serve great steaks, risotto, arepas, which is a Venezuelan dish, and they also serve other international foods. They also serve Salmon tartare and lamb chops. Grapes has a big menu you of international dishes. If you are into kosher food, they also offer that, so you will definitely enjoy eating there. Their dishes range from US $15 to $25. I definitely recommend Grapes Restaurant.
Pips is another good restaurant in Casco Viejo and it is one of those less expensive restaurants in the area that I have been to. For lunch, I recommend Tantalo and they have a nice roof bar, too. A meal in Tantalo costs about $7.50.
We also have street food in Casco Viejo, although they are not sold in food carts but they are very cheap. They sell food in small stores and the food is in small disposable food containers similar to a Tupperware. Rice with chicken or pork, lentils, and fried plantains cost around $4 there.
(Tantalo rooftop bar, Casco Viejo, Panama, pictured.)
Given that our planned drive from Puebla to Orizaba was only a little more than three hours, that our combination Puebla hotel / restaurant / fraccionamiento was so pleasant, and that the restaurant had an all you can eat Mexican buffet breakfast, we saw no compelling reason to refuse the beautifully arranged food we found so temptingly arranged before us. Even in this upscale restaurant with impeccable service and sophisticated ambiance, they allowed us to dine...
Editor’s note: Mike Cobb is the CEO of ECI Development, which, among other developments overseas, created Gran Pacifica, a master planned community being built on 2,500 acres along more than 3 miles of beachfront due west of Managua, Nicaragua. In this story, Mike tells us how his business partner, Joel Nagel, and the Pittsburgh Rotary Club, brought others together to launch several health clinics that today bring much-needed primary care to the people of Nicaragua. The most...
Presented with permission from Bob Adams of Retirement Wave
In the last eight and a half years, I’ve received thousands of emails from people all over the world interested in visiting and living in Panama. I’ve met with over 400 of you when you’ve come down and I’ve had the time available when you’ve contacted me and we got together to chat.
There are certain things that come up frequently. One of the most...
Canada does not make you pay income tax on money you earned in Mexico. We became non-residents when we left Canada. You pretty much cut all ties, such as memberships and credit cards. You may have a bank account in Canada but not properties and cars. Once you've done that, you do not have to pay or file for any income tax in Canada for money that you make in Mexico. 
The cost to get a housekeeper or a maid in Ambergris Caye depends on how frequently you would like to have the service. If you are looking to have someone work for you weekly, a fairly average price is about US $25 for three hours’ worth of work. 
Americans and other expats in the Algarve are treated like kings. 
One of the biggest tax advantages of living abroad is enjoying lower tax rates (depending on where you retire obviously) found in some outside countries. However, as a US citizen or Greencard holder, you are required to report your worldwide income to the US every year. Even if you are no longer living or working in the US. This often means two tax returns, and twice as much taken in tax... Right? Wrong!
There are a lot of options for food in Casco Viejo. If you want a casual dinner or lunch, you can find places where they serve Panamanian food. You can also find fusion and international food. You can find Peruvian food here..jpg)
Given that our planned drive from Puebla to Orizaba was only a little more than three hours, that our combination Puebla hotel / restaurant / fraccionamiento was so pleasant, and that the restaurant had an all you can eat Mexican buffet breakfast, we saw no compelling reason to refuse the beautifully arranged food we found so temptingly arranged before us. Even in this upscale restaurant with impeccable service and sophisticated ambiance, they allowed us to dine...
Editor’s note: Mike Cobb is the CEO of ECI Development, which, among other developments overseas, created Gran Pacifica, a master planned community being built on 2,500 acres along more than 3 miles of beachfront due west of Managua, Nicaragua. In this story, Mike tells us how his business partner, Joel Nagel, and the Pittsburgh Rotary Club, brought others together to launch several health clinics that today bring much-needed primary care to the people of Nicaragua. The most...