Millions of Americans are Retiring Abroad
What Are the Most popular retirement Destinations for US Citizens?
This is the second article in a series of three on Americans retiring overseas. In the first article, we considered the advantages.
Now, Lets focus on the destinations. In the last piece we will look at different ways to achieve your objectives.
RETIRE IN EUROPE – LIFESTYLE AND TRAVEL
The attractiveness of their principal locations and the ability to easily travel and enjoy many neighboring cultures, makes Europe extremely well accepted for Americans who wishes to retire abroad. Residency-by-investment (RBI) programs, such as the so-called European Golden Visa, have been especially well received.
The best destinations to retire in Europe
Portugal, Malta, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, France, Ireland, Monaco, and the United Kingdom. Montenegro has a Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) program.
Portugal, Malta and Greece
The first three above, Portugal, Malta, and Greece, have proven particularly trendy. Since its launch, more that 10,000 Portuguese Golden Visa have been granted.
All three localities have beautiful weather, historic cultures, exquisite cities, excellent restaurants, glorious beaches, extensive shopping, and many entertainment options ranging from golf to water sports.
They also share features like excellent and affordable healthcare and education. The CEO WORLD Healthcare Index rates both Portugal and Greece ahead of the United States and at a fraction of the cost; Malta is too small to be measured in the ranking but also has a good system.
Plus, each ranks highly in terms of well-developed infrastructure (gas, water, electricity, roads, and the like). Also, all have a cost of living close to half that of the United States.
In terms of physical safety, the Global Peace Index, which looks at 23 parameters, marks each of the three as far safer than America.
Lastly, all three have favorable tax regimes contributing to your wealth management goals.
Travel is often a priority for retirees. The residency grants applicants and their qualifying family members visa-free mobility within the Schengen Area for up to 6 months a year (90 days out of any 180-day period). After 5 years (Portugal and Malta) or 7 years (Greece) legal residents may also apply for permanent residency or citizenship and gain the right to live, study, work, and acquire social benefits throughout the entire EU area. Those with a Portuguese, Greek, or Maltese passport can also travel visa-free to more than 180 countries worldwide.
RETIRE IN THE CARIBBEAN – LIFESTYLE AND ESTATE PLANNING
Because of their proximity to the United States and that English is a common language in all of them, the five island states in the Caribbean are becoming an increasingly prevalent choice in people retiring from the USA. Those islands not only include Grenada , Antigua and Barbuda, but also Dominica, St. Lucia, and St. Kitts & Nevis. Each offers a Citizenship-by-Investment (CBI) program that is relatively affordable and often less expensive than Residency-by-Investment elsewhere. The residence requirement is minimal for Antigua and Barbuda, and there is no residence requirement at all for the others, so stay as much or as little as you like.
Due to geography, all of these places have excellent weather and are rarely, or in the case of Dominica, almost never bothered by hurricanes. Grenada has not been seriously affected in over two hundred years.
The lifestyle is attractive, and recreation from golf to water sports is exceptional. There are also many restaurants, shopping centers, beaches, and other scenic delights. Once more, they tick all the boxes for good healthcare, education, infrastructure, and physical safety.
From a financial management perspective, all five Caribbean states levy no taxes on foreign income and have no wealth or inheritance taxes, which appeals to many. According to websites that monitor living costs globally, apartments in the five Caribbean states and the cost of living are below half of that in the USA.
Finally, looking at travel, it is easy for friends and family to visit from the United States and vice versa. Furthermore, each of these passports gives visa-free access to over 150 countries. Of these five, the Grenadian CBI stands out as it is one of the most respected passports in the world. It should also be mentioned that Panama has a Residency-by-Investment program, but the costs are a little higher.
RETIRE IN THAILAND, SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA OR AUSTRALIA
Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia also have relevant RBI programs. Of these, Thailand’s program is of most interest to many people. Its cost of living is similar to Malaysia, and both countries have several regions to live or travel to.
Singapore is a single city and is 2.7 times more expensive than Thailand, according to mylifeelsewhere.com, a website tracking the cost of living in countries worldwide.
Thailand, in particular, also has a well-developed medical system and infrastructure, with some facilities often specially catering to foreigners. The Thailand Elite visa has been uniquely designed for hassle-free residence and is highly sought after by many foreigners.
SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE
“With so many programs and each having a long list of requirements and advantages it is a very complex subject,” points out Jean-François Harvey, Founder and Worldwide Managing Partner of Harvey Law Group (HLG). He goes on to suggest that, “To find and apply for the best program to meet your goals we strongly recommend you get professional advice.”
Immigration-related advice is reserved for lawyers In the United States, . HLG has more than 30 years’ experience in the immigration field and over 20 offices worldwide including in the United States. Unlike agents or non-authorised firms, HLG is a professional immigration law firm, and as such, has an obligation to advise you on the best options and on the programs most suited to your goals.
For more information visit, https://harveylawcorporation.com/retirement-visa-programmes/.
If you would like to discuss your plans with one of our professionals, please email us at [email protected].
