In which country should I retire?

[Pigeonnest]

Where can one retire at 35, with 1.3 million in savings, and close to $7k/month in disability income until age 65?.

Due to severe disabiity, I need a country with good wheelchair access. I feel confined where I live, as getting out of my home involves a lot of planning due to poor infrastructure.

Since I needing a live-in caregiver/helper to assist me throughout the day, the US is out of the question, as it is very expensive.

[NYEXPAT]

What language/languages do you speak? The income is way more then you would need in South America where parts of many cities have the infrastructure. I have a friend who is wheelchair bound and if you live in a walkable district it does not look to be to bad. Live in help or "cama afuera" where they come every day is reasonable as well as nurses or nurse assistants. Newer highrises have a lift outside the building but I think you would have to modify the doors in your apartment. Many of the oceanfront parks have exercise equipment that with help you could access and as it is 98% flat you could tool around easily. Downsides are there are no handicapped taxis/buses and it is a long slog if you wish to access the Metro to other parts of the city.

[dallas27]

I'd look at mexico or retirement area in central america. Lots of english, close to us, dollar will go far, and in the expat us areas, supposedly goid medical infra.


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[ItDontMeanAThing]

The biggest hurdle will be a long term visa. You're too young for any retirement visa I've heard of.

[Totoro]

PRA: Philippine Retirement Authority

Philippines has a special visa for you. "SRRV Human Touch".

English no issue, there is a culture of caretaking there. Go live in a nice city.

Given the cost of living there you'll have plenty left over for luxuries.

[kramer]

It seems like on your income, it might be possible to make a go of it in the USA? Is cost the only reason for not choosing to live in the USA? The US is very wheelchair friendly.

To answer the visa question, that is certainly important to research in advance. I have lived in four countries: Mexico, Colombia, Thailand, and the Philippines. In Colombia, at your age you could qualify for a long term visa by buying a residence worth $200,000 or more. In Thailand, you can now buy a 5 year visa for 500,000 baht (about $15,000 using the new Thai Elite program) and then after you are 50 you can qualify for their regular, inexpensive retirement visa. In the Philippines, you can qualify for a Smile SRRV visa by depositing $20,000 in a special account and paying a one time fee of $1400 (I have this exact visa). Mexico changed their laws a couple of years ago and I am not sure about the latest there but you could probably swing it.

However, I would not call any of these place wheelchair friendly. Malaysia might be a place to consider, you meet their age requirement for the My Second Home program there.

[kramer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Totoro PRA: Philippine Retirement Authority Philippines has a special visa for you. "SRRV Human Touch". English no issue, there is a culture of caretaking there. Go live in a nice city. Given the cost of living there you'll have plenty left over for luxuries.

I live in the Philippines. As an example, I have been helping take care of my English neighbor who, unfortunately, has gone senile. He is living just fine on a bit over $2,000 per month. He can afford a caregiver, no problem, although we have not yet hired one. It is easy to get a good, full time caregiver for $250 per month. Another neighbor is hopefully going to get a power of attorney to handle his finances. We all just had a neighborhood dinner at the senile guy's place this evening.

But one must keep in mind that the quality of medical care is not high here, especially outside of the three to five top tier hospitals in Manila. And, if you are not mentally competent, you need someone smart and trustworthy to oversee your affairs. This is absolutely not a wheelchair friendly place.

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer In Thailand, you can now buy a 5 year visa for 500,000 baht (about $15,000 using the new Thai Elite program) and then after you are 50 you can qualify for their regular, inexpensive retirement visa.

The Thai Elite program ended in fiasco over failure to deliver benefits. It was widely seen as a scam. The TOT (state tourism authority) relaunched it in June of last year. One year later, they'd sold 41 memberships. A fool and his money are soon parted?

Even if it was legit, membership only qualifies one for special visa privliges. All decisions about visas rest with the the Thai Immigration Bureau, the policies of which can change with each new government.

[kramer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ItDontMeanAThing The Thai Elite program ended in fiasco over failure to deliver benefits. It was widely seen as a scam. The TOT (state tourism authority) relaunched it in June of last year. One year later, they'd sold 41 memberships. A fool and his money are soon parted? Even if it was legit, membership only qualifies one for special visa privliges. All decisions about visas rest with the the Thai Immigration Bureau, the policies of which can change with each new government.

Actually, if you read through the latest thread(s) about this on Thai Visa, it seems like a decent deal for those under 50 (for those willing to pay that much) and completely legitimate. Even the visas under the old program were honored, apparently it was the extra benefits (country club stuff) that was not completely honored and thankfully that is no longer a primary part of the program. Here is a pretty good thread that includes a lot of posts from visa holders who are very happy:

Thailand Elite easy access 500k THB card - Thai visas, residency and work permits - Thailand Forum

Thailand Elite PE visa, how fast you get it... - Thai visas, residency and work permits - Thailand Forum

If you read the latest thread, apparently this is quickly getting more popular.

I don't keep up with the latest on Thailand visas, however.

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kramer If you read the latest thread, apparently this is quickly getting more popular.

Thaivisa.com has a history of pranksters starting bogus threads that strike a nerve and then run for dozens of pages before people start asking if there is any other source for this info. But the second link has photos of a visa and entry stamp that appear to be real. Will wonders never cease.

Looks attractive for someone under 50 who could afford it, and could absorb the loss if the next government ends the program before the five paid for years are up.

[kramer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ItDontMeanAThing Thaivisa.com has a history of pranksters starting bogus threads that strike a nerve and then run for dozens of pages before people start asking if there is any other source for this info. But the second link has photos of a visa and entry stamp that appear to be real. Will wonders never cease. Looks attractive for someone under 50 who could afford it, and could absorb the loss if the next government ends the program before the five paid for years are up.

Thanks. I didn't know about the history of prankster-ism on Thai Visa forums. Yeah, the first thread also has photos of folks' visas. It's just that the thread is so long it is basically a novel (33 pages of posts or something like that).

I only know some details about this visa option because a friend asked me to look into it for him briefly.

I do have the long term Philippines visa (SRRV) and I can personally vouch that the OP could get it. And, as Totoro mentioned his post, the OP actually qualifies for a better version of the SRRV visa than me, requiring only a $10,000 deposit instead of the $20,000 that was required of me (since I am under 50 with no pension).

Based on what I read in the original post, I don't fully understand why he/she would want to leave the USA. But understanding those reasons are important for any subsequent recommendations.

There used to be a foreigner in my town who zipped around on one of those electronic wheelchairs. He was well-liked but I don't know what happened to him as I have not seen him in some time.

[papadad111]

No place in the world is as wheel chair friendly as usa. Disabilities acts just don't exist elsewhere. Especially in lower cost parts of the world.

With your current disability check / income and your nest egg/ nut, invested over the long haul, I would seriously look at lower cost places inside the USA. Midwest. Southwest or Deep South - money goes far. People are friendly. Can hire reasonable priced home healthcare help

Been all over the world - philippines not the place nor is Thailand not Colombia nor Peru. Not equipped to take care of their fully able bodied populous let alone some foreign dude on wheels ... Sad reality ...

Make sure what ever you do, check new places out for at least 3-6 months.