How good are the medical centers, hospitals and health clinics in San Miguel de Allende, and how close are they?
Ariadna Delsol - COLONIAL REAL ESTATE
People used to go to Queretaro (the next larger city to San Miguel de Allende, about an hour away by car) to get good quality health care but now more and more hospitals are opening up here in San Miguel de Allende because of the demographics. A lot of people come to San Miguel at a certain age and as you know, the older you get, the more you need doctors. They are opening a new hospital near Liverpool, which is a new shopping center in San Miguel. That is supposed to be a high-end...
People used to go to Queretaro (the next larger city to San Miguel de Allende, about an hour away by car) to get good quality health care but now more and more hospitals are opening up here in San Miguel de Allende because of the demographics. A lot of people come to San Miguel at a certain age and as you know, the older you get, the more you need doctors. They are opening a new hospital near Liverpool, which is a new shopping center in San Miguel. That is supposed to be a high-end hospital. We are yet to see it but that is the news.
There is a hospital in San Miguel de Allende called Tec 100. It used to be under different management and it used to be very bad but they have now improved everything. A lot of doctors are also moving to San Miguel so it’s definitely just a matter of time before we have very good health facilities here.
In comparison to the hospitals in the US, I feel like everybody in the US is on a schedule and you only have 5 to 10 minutes to talk to your doctor. Here in Mexico, you can spend a long time talking to your doctor and you can ask him or her any question you have. Healthcare here is more personalized. They listen more to you and they give you more time, which is sometimes better than just being hurried up at the doctor’s office during consultations. In that sense, hospitals here are better than in the US. However, still comparing with the US, the facilities over there are better compared to what have here in San Miguel.
CHOMP is a community hospital in Monterey, California and is one of the nicest hospitals that I have been to. If you go to San Luis Potosi (about two hours away by car) or to Queretaro, you will find very nice hospitals there. Hospitals in Queretaro as comparable to the high-end hospitals in the US.
We have absolutely wonderful doctors in Mexico, especially in Queretaro. Doctors are also coming more and more to San Miguel. People used to go to Queretaro for healthcare but healthcare options now expanded here in San Miguel so it is no longer limited. We have more doctors here now.
How are the roads in Granada, Nicaragua? Do I need a four-wheel drive in Granada, Nicaragua?
Esmerelda Vargas - Schuvar Tours
The roads in Granada, Nicaragua are very good. You only need a four-wheel drive if you are planning to go to the north or if you are planning to go to the beach. Otherwise, you don’t normally need a four-wheel drive. Granada has paved roads, so you could just have a regular car. It’s not really a problem. Any place you want to go, whether it’s to the ocean or to the base of the volcano or the lake or the center of town, a regular car is just fine.
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The roads in Granada, Nicaragua are very good. You only need a four-wheel drive if you are planning to go to the north or if you are planning to go to the beach. Otherwise, you don’t normally need a four-wheel drive. Granada has paved roads, so you could just have a regular car. It’s not really a problem. Any place you want to go, whether it’s to the ocean or to the base of the volcano or the lake or the center of town, a regular car is just fine.
Mombacho Volcano is very close to Granada, and you would need a four-wheel drive to go all the way up there because you will go up some trails and I am not sure if you can take just a regular car.
(Dirt road on the way to Mombacho Volcano, Nicaragua, pictured.)
How much does it cost to have a cell phone in Panama?
Suha Gomez - Palm Travel and Co.
Cellular phones in Panama are very easy to get as these are considered a necessity. Companies such as Movistar, Claro, Digicel and + Movil supply phone services and equipment for every budget. If you prefer having a pre-paid cell, the cards are sold everywhere, from the supermarket and restaurants to small stores. There are also annual contracts you get with the companies which give you some benefits, such as changing the phone every year when renewing the contract.
Cellular phones in Panama are very easy to get as these are considered a necessity. Companies such as Movistar, Claro, Digicel and + Movil supply phone services and equipment for every budget. If you prefer having a pre-paid cell, the cards are sold everywhere, from the supermarket and restaurants to small stores. There are also annual contracts you get with the companies which give you some benefits, such as changing the phone every year when renewing the contract.
Is the electricity reliable in Algarve? Are there blackouts or brownouts in Algarve?
Luis Teixeira da Silva - Algarve Senior Living
The Algarve has hardly any blackouts or brownouts. We have a very, very reliable power source. In a typical year, we will have zero blackouts or brownouts.
(Night lights at the pool and restaurant at Algarve Senior Living, Portugal, pictured.)
The Algarve has hardly any blackouts or brownouts. We have a very, very reliable power source. In a typical year, we will have zero blackouts or brownouts.
(Night lights at the pool and restaurant at Algarve Senior Living, Portugal, pictured.)
Can I see beautiful flowers, plants and trees in or around Ambergris Caye?
Allan Lima
Ambergris Caye is an island, so you will see coconut trees, hibiscus, bougainvilleas, and you may see some orchids in the gardens of different properties.
Most resorts have gardens. You will see their building, then you will see a pool, and around the pool, there will be a garden area.
Not everyone has gardens in their homes, since Ambergris Caye is a really small island. Ambergris Caye is composed of the beach, the front...
Ambergris Caye is an island, so you will see coconut trees, hibiscus, bougainvilleas, and you may see some orchids in the gardens of different properties.
Most resorts have gardens. You will see their building, then you will see a pool, and around the pool, there will be a garden area.
Not everyone has gardens in their homes, since Ambergris Caye is a really small island. Ambergris Caye is composed of the beach, the front street, the middle street, the back street and the lagoon – that’s it.
If you are a gardener, you will not be so happy in Ambergris Caye because there is just not a lot of room to make a garden and the island is very sandy.
In general, how does the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) affect me if I move overseas?
Stewart Patton - U.S. Tax Services
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.)
We had loved our six weeks in the little coastal village of La Ventana, in Baja California Sur, on the Sea of Cortez. Now, as our tour continued, we would have the opportunity to experience another little village, Lo de Marcos, in Nayarit, about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta, on the Pacific Ocean. While Baja was majestic, with mostly barren, expansive landscape, harder edges, and gorgeous contrasts, Lo de Marcos was vivid, infused and saturated with color. In Lo de...
I survived my heart attack. Some of you may have read my harrowing story on this site about my ambulance ride to Panama City (Why are you shaving my testicles?), which is why I founded The Panama Helpline.
I didn't die - so... What"s Next? Bucket list time: "I have never won a TONY - so let's go get one" I declared to my wife.
I was undeterred that I had never written a musical, I can't play an instrument, I don't...
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...
People used to go to Queretaro (the next larger city to San Miguel de Allende, about an hour away by car) to get good quality health care but now more and more hospitals are opening up here in San Miguel de Allende because of the demographics. A lot of people come to San Miguel at a certain age and as you know, the older you get, the more you need doctors. They are opening a new hospital near Liverpool, which is a new shopping center in San Miguel. That is supposed to be a high-end...
The roads in Granada, Nicaragua are very good. You only need a four-wheel drive if you are planning to go to the north or if you are planning to go to the beach. Otherwise, you don’t normally need a four-wheel drive. Granada has paved roads, so you could just have a regular car. It’s not really a problem. Any place you want to go, whether it’s to the ocean or to the base of the volcano or the lake or the center of town, a regular car is just fine. 
The Algarve has hardly any blackouts or brownouts. We have a very, very reliable power source. In a typical year, we will have zero blackouts or brownouts. 
Ambergris Caye is an island, so you will see coconut trees, hibiscus, bougainvilleas, and you may see some orchids in the gardens of different properties. 
Most resorts have gardens. You will see their building, then you will see a pool, and around the pool, there will be a garden area. .jpg)
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). 
We had loved our six weeks in the little coastal village of La Ventana, in Baja California Sur, on the Sea of Cortez. Now, as our tour continued, we would have the opportunity to experience another little village, Lo de Marcos, in Nayarit, about an hour north of Puerto Vallarta, on the Pacific Ocean. While Baja was majestic, with mostly barren, expansive landscape, harder edges, and gorgeous contrasts, Lo de Marcos was vivid, infused and saturated with color. In Lo de...
I survived my heart attack. Some of you may have read my harrowing story on this site about my ambulance ride to Panama City (