Will Mexico make me pay income tax on money I earn in Mexico?
Don Nelson - TaxMeLess
The 16% is IVA which is like a sales tax. The income tax rate is in excess of 30%, but you can claim it as a credit against your US tax on same income. Working for a payroll company pagadora might result in lower tax but most experts in Mexico do not believe that is correct rate.
The 16% is IVA which is like a sales tax. The income tax rate is in excess of 30%, but you can claim it as a credit against your US tax on same income. Working for a payroll company pagadora might result in lower tax but most experts in Mexico do not believe that is correct rate.
Is Portugal Safe? What is the crime rate in Portugal?
Carol Bartlett Ribeiro - Carol Bartlett Ribeiro, Property Consultant
We do have crime in Portugal, but it’s not violent crime. One of the reasons that there are so many Brazilians and so many South Africans coming to Portugal now is because Portugal is so much safer than their countries.
The crime rate has gone up in Portugal. Do you have houses burgled in Portugal? Yes, we do. But people are not violent. It’s not like in many other countries where they would probably shoot you first and steal from you...
We do have crime in Portugal, but it’s not violent crime. One of the reasons that there are so many Brazilians and so many South Africans coming to Portugal now is because Portugal is so much safer than their countries.
The crime rate has gone up in Portugal. Do you have houses burgled in Portugal? Yes, we do. But people are not violent. It’s not like in many other countries where they would probably shoot you first and steal from you afterwards. But they do have people breaking in and they have probably youngsters on scooters who rush past you and grab your handbag. But compared to many other countries, the crime rate overall is very low.
There are certain areas of Lisbon that are poor areas and in which the crime rate is quite high. Portugal has to be very careful because of its long coastline makes it a natural transit point for drugs. The influx of drugs that also comes from Morocco also causes crime. Unfortunately, gone are the days when most of the Portuguese could leave their keys in the front door and that’s absolutely fine; you can’t do that today, so you do have to be aware. But every foreigner that I know here says that when they come home late, they don’t feel intimidated and nervous like they would in other places. As far as statistics go, I know that the crime rate has gone up but its not astronomical like a lot of countries.
In England, in London, I’ve never had any incidents there but my mother’s house was burgled and totally wrecked. In Brazil, I was attacked on a Saturday coming back from the supermarket. I’ve never, fortunately, had anything like that happen here in Portugal.
A lot of people ask, “Carol, where would you like to go back to live?” To answer, I think it’s easier to say where wouldn’t you like to live and that would mainly be because of security and I don’t have that feeling at all here in Portugal. And I have to say most of my friends who are foreigners and Portuguese say the same thing. They all feel safe in Portugal.
How bad are the mosquitoes and other bugs and insects in Placencia, Belize?
Frik De Meyere
How bad are the mosquitoes and other bugs and insects in Placencia varies throughout the year. During the Dry Season, which is 6 to 8 months, there are very, very few mosquitoes in the peninsula and even fewer sand flies. The reason is because there is less “sweet water.. These bugs can’t nest in the Caribbean water; they need fresh, potable, clean water. They don’t breed in salt water or brackish water.
During the Rainy Season it can be pretty...
How bad are the mosquitoes and other bugs and insects in Placencia varies throughout the year. During the Dry Season, which is 6 to 8 months, there are very, very few mosquitoes in the peninsula and even fewer sand flies. The reason is because there is less “sweet water.. These bugs can’t nest in the Caribbean water; they need fresh, potable, clean water. They don’t breed in salt water or brackish water.
During the Rainy Season it can be pretty unbearable. There were a couple of occasions that I was literally bombarded with mosquitoes, which was disgusting. The city has a little truck that drives around spraying whatever it is that they spray, which helps. Generally speaking, it’s not that bad.
What are the things I'll be most happily surprised by when moving or retiring abroad?
Robert Adams - Retirement Wave
If you are flexible and adaptable and come with a smile on your face, you’ll discover that it’s much easier to move abroad than you expected. It’s all about how you get along with people. If you’re friendly, you’re looking for help and you make your best effort, people here in Panama are like people pretty much everywhere and they certainly will help you out. It can be a pleasant surprise. The locals can often work around the language problem and...
If you are flexible and adaptable and come with a smile on your face, you’ll discover that it’s much easier to move abroad than you expected. It’s all about how you get along with people. If you’re friendly, you’re looking for help and you make your best effort, people here in Panama are like people pretty much everywhere and they certainly will help you out. It can be a pleasant surprise. The locals can often work around the language problem and it’s usually not as bad a situation as people moving or retiring abroad expected it would be.
What people are happily surprised by when moving overseas also depends on fears they bring with them. Some of them are frightened and they think where they’re going to a society that is somehow primitive or backward and they discover very quickly that these societies are quite modern, much more so than they expect, certainly more so than let’s say 20 or 30 years ago. Many of us still have images in our head 20 or 30 years ago of what life was like overseas. It’s changed. It has changed a lot.
This is true just about everywhere where people go to retire. For example, electronics and modern communication are going be very similar. The differences will be the standard ones, like the language. There are very few societies where you feel threatened by the local people. Where this happens are not countries retirees go – North Korea, Somalia, and places like that; not the most popular places for English-speaking expats to go. Otherwise, none of these issues are a serious problem.
What would my neighbors be like in Boquete, Panama?
Harry Hunt - ownboquete
One of the best things about Panama that I have noticed is that when I sit by the front door of my favorite breakfast place in Boquete (that is the Sugar and Spice, by the way), I sit out on the patio and every person (and I mean every person) who approaches the front door, if I say “Buena dias”, they all look me in the eye and say “Buena dias” or “Buena dias, como estas” in return. These are total strangers who I have never met and if I have my...
One of the best things about Panama that I have noticed is that when I sit by the front door of my favorite breakfast place in Boquete (that is the Sugar and Spice, by the way), I sit out on the patio and every person (and I mean every person) who approaches the front door, if I say “Buena dias”, they all look me in the eye and say “Buena dias” or “Buena dias, como estas” in return. These are total strangers who I have never met and if I have my food and am eating or about to they also say “Buen provencio.”
Now I am not saying that we are not friendly in stormy New England, but if I were to try that at my favorite place in Orleans, Massachusetts I am sure I would be greeted with suspicious looks and eventually someone would call 911 and say there's a weirdo outside The Hole in One talking to strangers. (And since they have the best donuts in town it would be no time at all before a hungry policeman would show up to investigate.)
This is one of the differences in culture that I truly enjoy down here. The Panamanian people are trained to be polite from a young age and it is a Pavlovian reflex, that even people who may not love gringos completely at least mumble a soft “Buenas” before escaping into the store to buy their delicious gringo bread.
It is the start of festival time and I am happy to see the usual social gatherings that the local people love to have. It is not uncommon to see 10 or more people sitting at several tables pulled together, talking and laughing at each other’s jokes and stories and really enjoying each other’s company. This is the invasion of friends and family that occurs every summer as they call it, although it is beginning to get chilly up north. I know because I have just seen my first Canadian snowbird, newly arrived from Saskatchewan, where it is snowing, he was happy to inform me.
Our weather by the way is becoming nicer and dryer and our rainy season is soon to be a thing of the past and blue skies and warm weather will prevail. Maybe that is all there is to the allure of this place. I am always asking my fellow inmates of this enormous outdoor asylum, what it is that has so seduced us about our new home. And maybe it is just the beautiful scenery, nice weather and friendly people. Maybe that's all you need.
In Nicaragua, the doctors are good because we have a lot of medical schools scattered around the country. In addition, many of the doctors in Nicaragua studied abroad. Numerous doctors moved back from the US during the ‘90s so there are no issues with the language because they speak English, which I think is very important when dealing with the doctors.
In general, there is no problem with the doctors in Nicaragua getting the right diagnosis. However, there are...
In Nicaragua, the doctors are good because we have a lot of medical schools scattered around the country. In addition, many of the doctors in Nicaragua studied abroad. Numerous doctors moved back from the US during the ‘90s so there are no issues with the language because they speak English, which I think is very important when dealing with the doctors.
In general, there is no problem with the doctors in Nicaragua getting the right diagnosis. However, there are types of surgeries that are not readily available in Nicaragua just because the equipment is not here. To give you an example, my brother, about 3 years ago, was diagnosed here in Nicaragua with aneurysm in his aorta. We brought him to the US for a delicate surgery that could not be done here. When we got to the US, we went to the Cleveland clinic. The American doctors examined my brother and came up with exactly the same diagnosis and treatment plan as did the doctors here in Nicaragua.
What this means is that most of the doctors in Nicaragua are capable of coming up with the correct diagnosis and doing these delicate procedures because many of them performed the same procedures before while they were working in the US. What our Nicaraguan doctors don’t have in Nicaragua is the right equipment and facilities in order to do these procedures here.
After a year and a half of reading over 4,700 answers and 200 stories posted by the expat experts who contribute to Best Places, I've learned a thing or two.
Below is an article I was asked to write for Next Avenue, a website whose media partners include PBS, Huffington Post, etc., and run by very talented and accomplished public television people and journalists.
This article represents the distilled wisdom of...
Presented with permission from Bob Adams, of Retirement Wave.
Are Americans leaving Panama?
From time to time, I have received messages from various RW Members over the last six years asking, "Why are expats leaving Panama?" or they ask, "Why are Americans leaving Panama?" Some get a little colorful and say that American retirees are "fleeing" Panama! The same thing happens once in awhile when I meet Members face-to-face here in Panama. I ask them, why do you ask? They...
When Bente and Jorgen (Arne's sister and her husband) arrived from Denmark we took a short tour of Panama City, it was a wonderful tour in a nice, clean, large van with and an English speaking Panamanian. Traffic and tall buildings are both a wonder and an assault on the senses at the same time. Beauty and poverty live side by side. Old, very old buildings look as if they are disintegrating as they sit in the shadows of elegant hotels and sky scrapers....
We do have crime in Portugal, but it’s not violent crime. One of the reasons that there are so many Brazilians and so many South Africans coming to Portugal now is because Portugal is so much safer than their countries. 
After a year and a half of reading over 4,700 answers and 200 stories posted by the expat experts who contribute to Best Places, I've learned a thing or two. 
