Can I get a good caregiver in Mexico and what is the cost of a good caregiver in Mexico?
Bruce Fraser
A caregiver is somebody who would come into your house and look after you. You can get a caregiver in Chapala and Ajijic. Getting a caregiver is an area that maybe isn't quite as good a bargain as some of the other things you would pay for here. I inquired on behalf of my mother four or five years ago about a nursing home. It was going to be close to US $2,000 a month. I thought that was pretty steep for this area when I know employees in the nursing homes aren't getting anywhere...
A caregiver is somebody who would come into your house and look after you. You can get a caregiver in Chapala and Ajijic. Getting a caregiver is an area that maybe isn't quite as good a bargain as some of the other things you would pay for here. I inquired on behalf of my mother four or five years ago about a nursing home. It was going to be close to US $2,000 a month. I thought that was pretty steep for this area when I know employees in the nursing homes aren't getting anywhere near that kind of salary.
I've also encountered a couple of private nursing contractors that seem to charge a pretty decent rate, but might be seen to be high for people who wanted to contract somebody on a full-time basis.
My mother was in a nursing home in Canada that was covered by her old age security check, which I think is a pretty reasonable price. She would have had to pay one-and-a-half times that much, if she had come down to Chapala and Ajijic.
I would think a caregiver on a private basis in your home might be in the same kind of ballpark as the cost in the US or Canada or they may even be way higher in the US or Canada than I'm thinking.
(Young woman who was once a caregiver, but now a housekeeper, Lake Chapala, Mexico, pictured.)
Northern Medical as well as a few other private clinics are available as well in Corozal Town. A medical center is being built in Chunox which will be convenient for folks near Copper Bank and Chunoz. Chetumal, Mexico is just across the border for major issues.
(Northern Medical Specialty, Copper Bank, Belize, pictured.)
Northern Medical as well as a few other private clinics are available as well in Corozal Town. A medical center is being built in Chunox which will be convenient for folks near Copper Bank and Chunoz. Chetumal, Mexico is just across the border for major issues.
(Northern Medical Specialty, Copper Bank, Belize, pictured.)
What are the holidays of the Pedasi, Azuero, Panama area?
Kelly Castro - Villa Camilla
Many of the holidays in Pedasi, Panama are similar to the holidays in the States; however they approach them in a different way. We do not see the Easter Bunny for Easter or Santa for Christmas. Well not without some protesting by many people. These holidays are kept to a more religious aspect. You can enjoy the "posadas" at Christmas where children follow the steps of Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay for the census. They also have...
Many of the holidays in Pedasi, Panama are similar to the holidays in the States; however they approach them in a different way. We do not see the Easter Bunny for Easter or Santa for Christmas. Well not without some protesting by many people. These holidays are kept to a more religious aspect. You can enjoy the "posadas" at Christmas where children follow the steps of Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay for the census. They also have reenactments of Holy Week.
Pedasi also has Panamanian celebrations, starting with Carnival. Four days before lent, Pedasi gets "crazy" with water fights in the park and floats depicting the uptown and downtown queens. Each day the queens ride out in the morning and evening with special costumes that they work on all year.
Fat Tuesday is the day where everyone wears their typical Panamanian dress. Young and old will sport their polleras and sombreros to celebrate tradition and the end of carnival for another year.
In November there are also parades to celebrate the different Independence Days and Flag Day.
The Patron Saint of Pedasi "Santa Catalina" also enjoys a festival around November 25. These small town festivals are a sight to see and enjoy as they have processions and typical food throughout the town.
What should I be most concerned about regarding retiring abroad?
Karyn Saunders
When looking for a new home abroad there are a few things to consider but the two most important are safety and the medical system. Panama boasts a very strong North American standard medical system that is affordable and reliable. As a Canadian we are not used to paying out of pocket but when my physical is $30 and my yearly mammogram is $70 we opted for only emergency medical insurance. We have lived in Panama for almost 5 years and our concern for our safety is less...
When looking for a new home abroad there are a few things to consider but the two most important are safety and the medical system. Panama boasts a very strong North American standard medical system that is affordable and reliable. As a Canadian we are not used to paying out of pocket but when my physical is $30 and my yearly mammogram is $70 we opted for only emergency medical insurance. We have lived in Panama for almost 5 years and our concern for our safety is less than it was in North America. We feel safe and of course take the normal steps of locking our doors and checking out car doors before going into the store.
How are the homes in Nicaragua different than in the US or Canada?
Tanya Hartill - NicaTour Group
Beachfront properties in Nicaragua are cheaper than in the US, but they are equally beautiful. Beach communities have a laid-back lifestyle. Gran Pacifica, like most beach communities, has a golf course attached to it. There are also little shops around these communities where basic necessities can be bought, so expats won't have to drive to the nearest city to get what they need. However, for most groceries and supplies people will have to drive to the larger towns/cities
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Beachfront properties in Nicaragua are cheaper than in the US, but they are equally beautiful. Beach communities have a laid-back lifestyle. Gran Pacifica, like most beach communities, has a golf course attached to it. There are also little shops around these communities where basic necessities can be bought, so expats won't have to drive to the nearest city to get what they need. However, for most groceries and supplies people will have to drive to the larger towns/cities
There are coastal communities on the Pacific Coast of Nicaragua where you can buy properties in gated communities varying from condos to beach houses There are property developments well underway at Tamarindo Beach. Other property developments include:
Montecristo
Rancho Santana
Guacalito (which is part of Carlos Pellas’ development group)
Will Portugal make me pay income tax on money I earn in Portugal?
Luis Rodrigues - Gouveia Pereira, Costa Freitas & Associates, Law Firm, RL
A. Employment or self-employment (for activities within the official list of high added value activities)
Individuals who qualify as non-habitual residents benefit from a special flat tax rate on Portuguese-source employment and business income derived from high added value activities of 20%.
High value added activities include a wide range of scientific, artistic or technical character performed...
A. Employment or self-employment (for activities within the official list of high added value activities)
Individuals who qualify as non-habitual residents benefit from a special flat tax rate on Portuguese-source employment and business income derived from high added value activities of 20%.
High value added activities include a wide range of scientific, artistic or technical character performed in Portugal as per the list of activities published by the Portuguese Government (which includes architects, engineers and similar technicians; fine artists, actors and musicians; auditors; doctors and dentists; professors; psychologists; sole traders, technicians and similar; Investors, directors and managers), for a ten year period.
B. Other types of income
Regarding the other types of income that are received from a Portuguese source (capital investments, dividends, interests, etc.) the tax regime for the non-habitual residents will be the same as for any other Portuguese resident.
(Live band at Stevie Ray’s Blues Jazz Bar in Lagos, Portugal, pictured.)
My wife and I bought our first home in Chelem, Yucatan, Mexico in 2002. Our plans when we bought our house were to use it for our retirement, which at that time, was still years down the road. The more we visited our home, however, the more we fell in love with the Yucatan, so by the end of 2003 we moved to Mexico full-time. We worked and traveled throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, including Playa Del Carmen, Cozumel and Mahahual (in the state of Quintana Roo), and while they...
Panamá has recently invested several million dollars in their road infrastructure, making it one of the most modern systems at least in Latin America, connecting the airport to the city via a beautiful highway 20 minutes drive surrounded by the Panamá Bay.
As a matter of fact, in today´s newspaper, very important information was released that the government will invest several million dollars more between 2015-2019 to expand the ...
North and South America were divided by the sea, until the Isthmus of Panama was created three million years ago. It was the biggest and reportedly the most significant geological event in 60 million years. Prior to that date as the Earth's plates began to join, the Pearl Islands emerged from the sea. Indigenous tribes lived on many of the Pearl Islands, including Contadora, and Pre-Columbian artifacts have been found there. The biggest island in the chain is Isla del Rey where more...
A caregiver is somebody who would come into your house and look after you. You can get a caregiver in Chapala and Ajijic. Getting a caregiver is an area that maybe isn't quite as good a bargain as some of the other things you would pay for here. I inquired on behalf of my mother four or five years ago about a nursing home. It was going to be close to US $2,000 a month. I thought that was pretty steep for this area when I know employees in the nursing homes aren't getting anywhere...
Northern Medical as well as a few other private clinics are available as well in Corozal Town. A medical center is being built in Chunox which will be convenient for folks near Copper Bank and Chunoz. Chetumal, Mexico is just across the border for major issues. .jpg)
A. Employment or self-employment (for activities within the official list of high added value activities) 
My wife and I bought our first home in Chelem, Yucatan, Mexico in 2002. Our plans when we bought our house were to use it for our retirement, which at that time, was still years down the road. The more we visited our home, however, the more we fell in love with the Yucatan, so by the end of 2003 we moved to Mexico full-time. We worked and traveled throughout the Yucatan Peninsula, including Playa Del Carmen, Cozumel and Mahahual (in the state of Quintana Roo), and while they....jpg)
Panamá has recently invested several million dollars in their road infrastructure, making it one of the most modern systems at least in Latin America, connecting the airport to the city via a beautiful highway 20 minutes drive surrounded by the Panamá Bay.