



Dreaming of that Tuscan villa? What to know before retiring abroad.
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.America’s divisive political culture and rising cost of living are fueling interest in retiring abroad. It can be a great way to cut your expenses and improve your quality of life—as long as you understand some key factors.The prospect of kicking back in a Tuscan villa or hacienda in Tulum certainly holds appeal. But many expats devote more time to imagining their lifestyle than investigating the less romantic considerations: financial management, tax planning, and healthcare.
Giving those factors short shrift can lead to costly mistakes.There’s no precise measure of how many Americans are retiring abroad. But one indicator has been heading up: The Social Security Administration paid retirement benefits to 463,480 recipients abroad as of December 2024, up more than 7% from five years earlier.More recently, there appears to growing interest in retiring abroad for financial and political reasons. According to a recent Harris Poll of more than 2,000 U.S.
adults, the top reason for considering a move abroad (49%) was a lower cost of living. The second most-cited reason (48%) was “dissatisfaction with the current political leadership.” That figure was up by six percentage points from November 2024. Among baby boomers, it was 71%.Here are some key considerations for prospective expats:Many foreign countries have visa programs that require U.S.
retirees to demonstrate income or make a local investment. Greece, which the publication International Living ranks as the most attractive retirement destination, offers a five-year renewable residence permit with a property investment of 250,000 euros ($295,000). Panama, ranked second, simply requires proof of $1,000 a month in income for singles and
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