Best Places In The World To Retire

Bocas Town is a small, lively island town located on Isla Colon, the main island in Bocas del Toro.  Although there are problems with petty theft the town does not generally have acts of violence.  It is very rare for somebody to be attacked or robbed with weapons but it is common for electronics and bicycles to disappear if you turn your back on them, especially at the local beaches where juveniles will wait patiently in the jungle for groups of people to go into the water and...

Bocas Town is a small, lively island town located on Isla Colon, the main island in Bocas del Toro.  Although there are problems with petty theft the town does not generally have acts of violence.  It is very rare for somebody to be attacked or robbed with weapons but it is common for electronics and bicycles to disappear if you turn your back on them, especially at the local beaches where juveniles will wait patiently in the jungle for groups of people to go into the water and leave their possessions behind on the beach. 

 

 

Yes, you can get a good caregiver in Portugal. But the way to do it in Portugal is not to just put an advert and wait for people to knock on your door and expect someone who is brilliant. You have to to have references like any other country in the world. Even in America, if you want a babysitter, you want references. You want someone who knows that person and that’s exactly the same here in Portugal.
 
In Portugal there’s no difficulty in finding in people because...

Yes, you can get a good caregiver in Portugal. But the way to do it in Portugal is not to just put an advert and wait for people to knock on your door and expect someone who is brilliant. You have to to have references like any other country in the world. Even in America, if you want a babysitter, you want references. You want someone who knows that person and that’s exactly the same here in Portugal.
 
In Portugal there’s no difficulty in finding in people because the unemployment rate in Portugal at the moment is 18%. So a lot of people, the unemployed, when they cannot find jobs, they apply for either taking care of children or elder people, so it’s actually quite easy to find that sort of help. You get people who would really take care, bathe the elder people, cook them a proper meal, all of this. But if the elder gets sick or has a stroke or something, they would not be prepared to help them medically. They would have to call 112, which is our version of 911. 
 
You can hire more sophisticated help such as nurses, but then the price increases a lot. You can have an average healthcare worker with no medical experience full-time working for you for €700 to €800 (US $780 to $890) a month. A live- in person would cost around $1,000 a month.  If it’s a person with medical expertise and a degree, it will cost you triple.
 

 

(Portuguese women at work, pictured.)

There's quite a bit of misinformation and fear surrounding FATCA, but the bottom line is that it's not a big deal at all (assuming that you are OK with being 100% honest and open when it comes to complying with your U.S. federal income tax responsibilities).

 

If all you do is move your residence overseas, then FATCA will have no effect on you whatsoever.  You could live your whole life overseas and never say or read "FATCA" ever again.  Some...

There's quite a bit of misinformation and fear surrounding FATCA, but the bottom line is that it's not a big deal at all (assuming that you are OK with being 100% honest and open when it comes to complying with your U.S. federal income tax responsibilities).

 

If all you do is move your residence overseas, then FATCA will have no effect on you whatsoever.  You could live your whole life overseas and never say or read "FATCA" ever again.  Some people seem to think that FATCA requires 30% withholding on all international wire transfers or all amounts paid to persons who live overseas, but that is not the case at all.  FATCA withholding only applies in very limited circumstances generally related to U.S. banks and brokers paying interest or dividends to non-U.S. persons.

 

Now, if you also move some assets overseas with you, or otherwise invest in non-U.S. assets (e.g., by forming a non-U.S. corporation, or opening non-U.S. bank accounts), then FATCA will be something you'll need to think about.  However, it still won't negatively affect your life (as long as the assumption in the first sentence of my answer holds true).

 

FATCA is mainly an information-gathering tool for the IRS, and it has two parts.  

 

First, FATCA requires some additional disclosure on your U.S. tax return--this is IRS Form 8938.  So, you'll need to add a few extra pages to your return to tell the IRS about your non-U.S. bank accounts or interests in non-U.S. entities.  No big deal (assuming you have your U.S. tax return prepared by someone knowledgeable in this area).

 

Second, FATCA essentially requires non-U.S. banks and brokers to provide information about their U.S. account holders.  (I say "essentially requires" because FATCA subjects them to a punitive withholding regime if they don't comply.)  So, when you open a non-U.S. financial account, you'll have some extra paperwork to fill out.  Then, if you invest through fancy offshore structures, you'll need to make sure it is structured in a way that makes FATCA compliance easy (you'll need a tax attorney on board).  Again, FATCA should not ultimately have a negative impact on your life.

 

So, no need to worry about FATCA--just enjoy your new life abroad!

 

(Lake Nicaragua  and the island volcano Ometepe, Nicaragua, pictured.)

Both kayaking and rafting are very popular activities in Belize. In the western part of Belize, you can go kayaking, which is a really fun experience. There's canoeing as well, which is popular. Canoeing is definitely one of the most popular activities at our property at the Hill Bank Field Station, which is located on the Rio Bravo. There's a lagoon that borders the Hill Bank Field Station.

 

In Belize, you can go kayaking on the river and in the ocean as...

Both kayaking and rafting are very popular activities in Belize. In the western part of Belize, you can go kayaking, which is a really fun experience. There's canoeing as well, which is popular. Canoeing is definitely one of the most popular activities at our property at the Hill Bank Field Station, which is located on the Rio Bravo. There's a lagoon that borders the Hill Bank Field Station.

 

In Belize, you can go kayaking on the river and in the ocean as well. It just really depends your preference and where you're staying but you can definitely go for hours and hours kayaking in Belize. Kayaking is one of the most popular activities there.

 

There are a couple resorts in San Pedro (on Ambergris Caye) that offer kayaking. And the resorts that are located out in the other atolls such as Glover's Reef offer kayaking as well. These are all within the barrier reef. Kayaking is not recommended outside the barrier reef because it gets too deep and it is much calmer inside the barrier reef.

 

There are a lot of mangrove areas where you can go canoeing or kayaking around Belize, too. Belize is a kayaker’s paradise.

 

(Arial view of Ambergris Caye, pictured.)