Best Retirement Havens--Forbes

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

best-retirement-havens: Personal Finance News from Yahoo! Finance

Huh

They list Canada. Canada won't let you just walk in and retire here. You can only stay, what, 6 months?, on a tourist visa. (Somewhat longer on a terrorist visa.)

Ed in Cowtown, Alberta.

[harley]

It's not that hard. There are numerous ways to emigrate to Canadia, including this one from How to Emigrate to Canada / Travis' Column: Hot Off the Presses

Quote:

you can come in as a business immigrant. Business immigrants can pledge to start a small business, usually with an investment of $300,000 or more -- because we can always use another Tim Horton's -- or they can just hand the government $400,000 to "invest" for them -- wink wink nudge nudge, in exchange for a business immigrant visa. They'll give the money back to you, sans interest, five years form now.

If you are holding the $400K in a money market at today's rate of .18%, it would only end up costing you $3,612.98 after the 5 years. Y'all are a little too easy, up there.

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Yeah, it is that hard. Especially for Americans. Particularly for Americans. They are really hard-ass on us. The only people it is harder for is Brits.

Don't get your immigration advice from 'The Stranger' [famous Seattle underground newspaper that is older than I am, and I am older than dirt].

The best way I know is get in on a NAFTA category (IF you can find a job up here) and apply for permanent residency when you can.

[billman]

I was just reading this article and one of the persons interviewed has a lobby group for americans abroad. They are supporting the "Working American Competitiveness Act" which basically will eliminate taxation for Americans working abroad as long as that income is not coming from the USA. Seems logical as most other developed countries folow this. Here is a link for all you expats on the board on how to email your local representative.

ACA American Citizens Abroad - Getting your tax gripes to Washington

I don't know how much of a chance it has passing, but at least you can hope.

Billman

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

billman,

It used to be that way, but Teddy Kennedy took that away from us in the Tax Reform Act of 1974 (if I remember the year correctly).

America seldom retracts a tax.

[harley]

I'm not going (or staying) anywhere where I have to w*rk. If I can't bribe my way in, forget it.

[Kroeran]

at lunch today talked with a fellow Canadian selling his house in Canada and building in San Miguel, Mexico.

I think he said no income tax on foreign income, $400/yr prop tax on $800k house, American quality private hospital care at half the cost, english speaking locals, excellent 12 month climate, very educated and wealthy ex-pat population as well as bohemians.

Personally I would be happier with this model if I was renting, so that I could walk away if some sort of awkwardness were to come up of any kind...owning a house could trap you.

[Kroeran]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley It's not that hard. There are numerous ways to emigrate to Canadia, including this one from How to Emigrate to Canada / Travis' Column: Hot Off the Presses If you are holding the $400K in a money market at today's rate of .18%, it would only end up costing you $3,612.98 after the 5 years. Y'all are a little too easy, up there.

I was just taking to someone in the business immigrant business game up in Canada, and they told me the federal program had slowed down to the point of being unusable, however, some provinces were offering effective business immigrant programs, which might work for someone uninsurable or with very high health insurance costs.

If I was doing this, I would buy a nice cottage on a lake, near a hospital but far from jobs, then go to Florida/Arizona for the winters.(6 months less a day)