retirement Outside the US More Rhetoric than Reality

[unclemick]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Median per capita income in Springfield, Missouri is listed at census.gov as $20K, and median household income is listed as $33K. Those include working people, too. For a retiree, often SS can help and there is no longer any need to save for retirement so less $ is needed IMO. And, there are many other midwestern and southern locations that are as cheap or cheaper from which to choose, if one does not prefer retiring abroad.

Shush now!



heh heh heh - my lips are sealed. Now if the Chiefs could only do better in footbal!

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by unclemick Shush now! heh heh heh - my lips are sealed. Now if the Chiefs could only do better in footbal!

Hey, there's no rule that says you can't still root for the Saints, in the privacy of your own home anyway! I think it would be great if the Saints did really well this season, despite everything.

And don't worry - - I don't think the masses will descend upon Springfield, because there is no Trader Joe's or Ikea there. Oh, the horrors.

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R And don't worry - - I don't think the masses will descend upon Springfield, because there is no Trader Joe's or Ikea there. Oh, the horrors.

But they have the largest Bass Pro Shop in existence. It's a fantastic place to spend the day!

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet But they have the largest Bass Pro Shop in existence. It's a fantastic place to spend the day!

I love it! Those who pooh-pooh it, saying they have already been to a Bass Pro shop, don't know what they are turning down. I don't even hunt or fish and I love going there. We visit every time we are in Springfield. We have a Bass Pro shop here in southeast Louisiana, but it can't hold a candle to the one in Springfield.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by youbet But they have the largest Bass Pro Shop in existence. It's a fantastic place to spend the day!

Indeed! Who needs surf clam sashimi when they have a Bass Pro Shop!

Ha

[youbet]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha Indeed! Who needs surf clam sashimi when they have a Bass Pro Shop! Ha

Emmmmmm..... walleye filets cooked over the campfire and washed down with a tumbler of Jack Daniels and lake water, hold the ice........

Which reminds me, did ya ever notice how Jack Daniels mixed about 50/50 with lake water kills those little critters swimming around in there and you can just flick 'em away with your finger? Makes it real convenient.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha Indeed! Who needs surf clam sashimi when they have a Bass Pro Shop! Ha

Different strokes for different folks, and some worldly folks have such open minds that they can appreciate an amazing assortment of things and experiences.

[haha]

Well, I know I dig when I have hear one. But anyway, bass fishing lost me when it became a competitive sport and people started spending huge amounts of money to buy those specialized boats. There is good bass fishing out in Eastern WA around Moses Lake. I haven't' been since my sons grew up, but my favorite way back then was a canoe if with them, and a float tube if alone or with another adult. As for the stores, no thanks. But I don't like hardware stores either. I am kind of allergic to gear.

Youbet, you are right, that is very good food and very good experience.

Ha

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by haha Well, I know I dig when I have hear one. But anyway, bass fishing lost me when it became a competitive sport and people started spending huge amounts of money to buy those specialized boats. There is good bass fishing out in Eastern WA around Moses Lake. I haven't' been since my sons grew up, but my favorite way back then was a canoe if with them, and a float tube if alone or with another adult. As for the stores, no thanks. But I don't like hardware stores either. I am kind of allergic to gear. Ha

Ha, I didn't mean that to be a mean dig and I'm sorry if it came off as one. The Bass Pro store in Springfield is perhaps a little different than you envision. It does have fishing, camping, and hunting gear, and boats, but also a lot of other stuff almost like a department store (which is why I like it, even though I don't fish or hunt). I have some great socks, a blanket, and more that I bought there. It also has a public aquarium, several museums, arcade games, exhibits, events, and at least one restaurant. It encompasses several buildings and it's almost like a mini town and not much like the usual sporting goods store.

[MichaelB]

Mr. Ha, that was no dig. Both you and W2R are excellent examples of the multitude of ways one can enjoy life and retirement.

[haha]

For sure. I need to just chill. I was being oversensitve.

Ha

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB Your're painting with a pretty broad brush. My experience is different - neither poor appreciation of geography nor hubris & attitude are the monopoly of any country or geographic collection of people.

+1.

Between the H1-B visa foreigners I worked with, the Latinas I danced with & dated, the friends I made working at a company that employed about 20 Anglos and about 600 immigrant and first generation born Latinos and Latinas, the diversity of nationalities in my hang gliding club (Brazil, Mexico, Australia, England, Norway, Israel, Netherlands) and a South African couple who settled in So Cal after spending six months traveling across America in a camper van looking for where they wanted to live, most talked about the diversity of Americans and American regions. This was often in response to my questions about where they'd lived because once I decided I'd had enough of LA I wanted to know first hand info about life in other places.

[kcowan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ItDontMeanAThing ...and a South African couple who settled in So Cal after spending six months traveling across America in a camper van looking for where they wanted to live, most talked about the diversity of Americans and American regions. This was often in response to my questions about where they'd lived because once I decided I'd had enough of LA I wanted to know first hand info about life in other places.

and they don't have to be from SA. Our friends from Wisconsin bought a winter place in Arkansas, large on the golf course. After 5 years, they will probably sell it and just spend winters at their condo in PV. They find PV more suitable for them than Arkansas.

Of course, most of the expats here tend to be from northern states so they have more in common with them. Had they resettled in Arkansas while working, it might have made a difference integrating into that society.

[SpencerM]

Associating with American expats currently living overseas you quickly learn they rarely criticize the USA. Instead, regardless how they appreciate their current life, they usually quickly learn a new appreciation for many things American.

Most critical are the persons in the U.S. who do not realize how good they have it. I frequently tell those folks to get out more. In most countries when you walk by a U.S. Embassy there is a line of people waiting to apply or interview for immigrant visas. You do not see that with most other Embassies - even those open to immigration. Its good to think about what that means on a regular basis.

SM

[explanade]

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Originally Posted by MasterBlaster Per the US tax issue of Expats. You are indeed taxed on your wholewide income. But you are given credit for any foreign taxes paid. You don't have to pay full income taxes in Italy (for example) as well as the US. At most you'll just pay what you normally would in the US.

Italy has retirement visas.

If you keep most of your retirement accounts in the US and sell shares for annual spending what taxes would Italy impose beyond what you're already paying Uncle Sam?

[nun]

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Originally Posted by explanade Italy has retirement visas. If you keep most of your retirement accounts in the US and sell shares for annual spending what taxes would Italy impose beyond what you're already paying Uncle Sam?

Italian residents are taxed on their worldwide income and you will have to pay taxes in both the US and Italy and use the double taxation relief of the tax treaty so that your total tax bill is the higher of what it would be in either the US or Italy. This is the case for most countries, however, there are some retirement tax havens. For example, Thailand has a retirement visa and tax laws that allow you to bring in overseas income free of Thai tax. Thai source income is taxed though.

[explanade]

Use the double taxation relief for Italian taxes or US taxes?

If your accounts are still in US institutions, you have to pay IRS.

For Italy you have to show them you've paid US taxes and pay the difference? I thought tax evasion was one of the problems they were having.

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Quote:

Associating with American expats currently living overseas you quickly learn they rarely criticize the USA. Instead, regardless how they appreciate their current life, they usually quickly learn a new appreciation for many things American.

Depends. Working expats, for sure. There are alienated expats with big chips on their shoulders, though.

The more I am out here in ****, the more I am appreciating Springfield, MO (and I ain't even been there).

****pick a country

[kcowan]

I pay taxes on Income in Canada (16%), all I pay in Mexico is IVA (16% on purchases). But then I am oficially a snowbird. Why people try to evade taxes escapes me. They must be much richer than we are.

[NYEXPAT]

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Originally Posted by kcowan I pay taxes on Income in Canada (16%), all I pay in Mexico is IVA (16% on purchases). But then I am oficially a snowbird. Why people try to evade taxes escapes me. They must be much richer than we are.

People who evade taxes usually do so because it is "ill gotten gains". People who avoid taxes do so because they can! Then you have the group that wants to pay more. So I guess you have "Tax Evaders/Tax Avoiders & Tax Lovers" and obviously the "Muppets"!