How does FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report) affect me if I move to Mexico?
Don Nelson - TaxMeLess
Whether you live in Mexico or not, you must file form 114 (on line) if your combined highest balances in foreign bank or financial accounts is $10,000 or more at any moment during the calendar year. Failure to file this form reporting certain factual information on the accounts can result is a $10,000 penalty.
(Bank in Nogales, Mexico, pictured.)
Whether you live in Mexico or not, you must file form 114 (on line) if your combined highest balances in foreign bank or financial accounts is $10,000 or more at any moment during the calendar year. Failure to file this form reporting certain factual information on the accounts can result is a $10,000 penalty.
How are the roads in Portugal? Do I need a four-wheel drive in Portugal?
Duncan MacGregor - Duncan MacGregor Accounting
The main highways in Portugal are very good and you pay for them because they have tolls. The secondary roads and the country roads are not as good and that’s where you will definitely need a 4 x 4. Generally, you can drive on regularly paved roads around Lisbon. It’s only when you get to the villages that the roads may be unpaved.
(The single track dirt road to the lighthouse of Ponta dos Rosais, Portugal, pictured.)
The main highways in Portugal are very good and you pay for them because they have tolls. The secondary roads and the country roads are not as good and that’s where you will definitely need a 4 x 4. Generally, you can drive on regularly paved roads around Lisbon. It’s only when you get to the villages that the roads may be unpaved.
(The single track dirt road to the lighthouse of Ponta dos Rosais, Portugal, pictured.)
What should I be most concerned about regarding retiring abroad?
Tom Zachystal - IAM
There are a number of financial planning issues people face that are unique to retiring abroad as compared to retiring in your home country:
If your retirement savings are held in your home country they may be denominated in a different currency from that in which you will spend. This can lead to considerable currency risk. As an example, consider that the Euro has strengthened by 30% vs. the USD over the last decade or so.
Inflation rates are generally higher in developing countries...
There are a number of financial planning issues people face that are unique to retiring abroad as compared to retiring in your home country:
If your retirement savings are held in your home country they may be denominated in a different currency from that in which you will spend. This can lead to considerable currency risk. As an example, consider that the Euro has strengthened by 30% vs. the USD over the last decade or so.
Inflation rates are generally higher in developing countries than developed countries. So if you plan your retirement expenses using a 2.5% or 3% inflation rate but move to, say, Mexico, where inflation is typically around 5%+, your savings may not support your lifestyle throughout retirement.
You may not be able to keep the bank or retirement accounts you now have in your home country once you are no longer a resident. This is especially an issue for Americans moving abroad since many US financial firms no longer will deal with non-US residents.
Can I buy furniture in Cayo, Belize, including San Ignacio and Belmopan?
John M. Burgos - Belize Tourism Industry Association
We have an excellent Mennonite community in Cayo that provides a lot of good furniture made of high quality wood, including mahogany, ziricote, and bullet tree, all of which are high density, high quality that are going to last a hundred years. Ziricote is like mahogany. It is very beautiful, and it lasts. It’s known to last generations.
The furniture you buy can be custom-made and you can purchase ready-made. In comparison to the US, the cost of...
We have an excellent Mennonite community in Cayo that provides a lot of good furniture made of high quality wood, including mahogany, ziricote, and bullet tree, all of which are high density, high quality that are going to last a hundred years. Ziricote is like mahogany. It is very beautiful, and it lasts. It’s known to last generations.
The furniture you buy can be custom-made and you can purchase ready-made. In comparison to the US, the cost of custom-made furniture in Cayo would be one-third the cost. So if you buy a piece of furniture like a sofa set that’s going to cost US $3,000, here it’s going to cost about US $1,000 or less in Cayo.
(Mennonite furniture found in the home of Jet Metier, pictured.)
How are the roads in Nicaragua? Do I need a four wheel drive in Nicaragua?
Brett DeGreen - Century Twenty One Gold Coast Realty Nicaragua
I have had the pleasure of exploring a lot of Nicaragua by car and I am always pleasantly surprised by the quality of the roads. The quality of the paved roads in Nicaragua are very good, and there is a lot of work being done to expand the road network.
In many rural areas the Nicaraguan government has invested in constructing paver brick roads. These roads are very durable and easily repairable, so they are very well maintained.
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I have had the pleasure of exploring a lot of Nicaragua by car and I am always pleasantly surprised by the quality of the roads. The quality of the paved roads in Nicaragua are very good, and there is a lot of work being done to expand the road network.
In many rural areas the Nicaraguan government has invested in constructing paver brick roads. These roads are very durable and easily repairable, so they are very well maintained.
Most populated areas are accessible with standard vehicles, but there are still a lot of attractions that are in areas where a high clearance vehicle would be recommended. However, you will often see the cabbies driving their small economy cars down the very rough rural roads!
Most beach access roads are not paved, and during the rainy season (May-November) they can be difficult to navigate. This photo is one of the many secret places you can find off the beaten path in the Madriz region of Northern Nicaragua.
How are the stores and shops in the Panama City, Panama area of Marbella? How's the shopping in the Panama City, Panama area of Marbella?
EPA! Espanol Spokesperson - EPA Espanol en Panama
Yes, there is one big shopping mall in Marbella, Panama City, Panama, called Multicentro, which has 4 levels with restaurants, stores, etc. Also, you can find small commercial centers, stores and boutiques on the ground floor of many buildings.
Yes, there is one big shopping mall in Marbella, Panama City, Panama, called Multicentro, which has 4 levels with restaurants, stores, etc. Also, you can find small commercial centers, stores and boutiques on the ground floor of many buildings.
My husband is 73 and he was on several medications over the last few years in America. We have been in Panama only 10 months and he has cut his medications in half. He feels better, has more energy and feels less stressed. We attribute our good health to foods, climate, and less stressful lifestyle here. He has lost over 12 pounds, walks often and enjoys our life here.
We were paying almost $700 per month additional to Medicare for supplemental...
The sun comes up in the east (even though it still seems like the south to me after all this time). The same bright sunshine that warms America warms my day here in Boquete. Night time brings bright stars and often a huge moon. No matter what phase it is in, it shines beautifully in the dark velvet skies. The same moon shines on my family and friends in America, too.
Our adventure here in Panama has been a good one. This month we get our Panamanian ID...