Whisper9999
Recycles dryer sheets
- Joined
- Jul 5, 2004
- Messages
- 173
I asked a question a few months ago about retiring, or semi-retiring, in France and got GREAT responses. But I wonder if I am being realistic as I don't know French yet but am pretty good with Spanish. Well, and my wife is a native Spanish speaker as well!
Anyway, here is my understand of retiring in France:
1. You must pay about 40% of your income in "social taxes".
2. You have to pay about 19% for VAT (but the cost is usually hidden to the consumer).
3. You get generally very good medical care with no underwriting and minimal copays if you intend to live in France year round.
4. Anyone can get into the French system that will live their year round but you must work ahead and find which system/branch of government - can't remember the name for it- that you will be under.
My question is this:
Can you say 1-4 about retiring in Spain as well? Are the taxes, social contributions, quality of medical care, etc. roughly the same there?
I know the Dutch and some other Europeans love to vacation in Spain, so I have the idea it's a very warm and hospitable country in general. But is that way toward retirees and do quite a few Americans retire there?
Anyway, here is my understand of retiring in France:
1. You must pay about 40% of your income in "social taxes".
2. You have to pay about 19% for VAT (but the cost is usually hidden to the consumer).
3. You get generally very good medical care with no underwriting and minimal copays if you intend to live in France year round.
4. Anyone can get into the French system that will live their year round but you must work ahead and find which system/branch of government - can't remember the name for it- that you will be under.
My question is this:
Can you say 1-4 about retiring in Spain as well? Are the taxes, social contributions, quality of medical care, etc. roughly the same there?
I know the Dutch and some other Europeans love to vacation in Spain, so I have the idea it's a very warm and hospitable country in general. But is that way toward retirees and do quite a few Americans retire there?