NEW YORK (AP) – Debra Taylor has been a busy year or so. Resignation process – Then she moves from Southern California to Portugal with one of her daughters.
After she decides that her next home will be outside the US, she I narrowed my choice It is based on tax burden (Spain had a tax on wealth), climate (no Costa Rica, too hot), and the ease of travel within Europe, one of the world’s favorite regions. She then toured Portugal with her relocation company Expatsi and found her new home, Aveiro. This is an impressive city on the West Coast with a lovely canal that has earned the nickname Venice in Portugal.
It’s all logistics from there. Taylor signed a year-long lease at the apartment (requirements for moving forward), hired VIV Europe, navigating documents with bureaucrats, registering for required FBI background checks, and booked for the visas in late September.
Her youngest child gave her the idea of leaving the country.
“After the current president was elected, my 18-year-old transgender daughter came to me and said, ‘I want to leave this country as soon as possible,'” Taylor recalls. “It worked for me.”
Her eldest son, 20, will be staying in the United States to complete university.
“None of this means I have to live there forever,” Taylor said. “We’ll use this as a jump-off point to do deeper dives and explore the rest of the area. We want to buy a location, but we won’t do that until we live there and spend more time in the different communities.”
According to aging and relocation experts, Taylor made the right decision.
Moved to retire
Whose people’s number I will relocate upon retirement It fluctuates based on factors such as politics, affordability of the household, and cost of living. The US Census Bureau says older people are less likely to move than the younger population, but over 3 million people moved to the United States five years of age 65 and older five years before the coronavirus pandemic.
When it comes to moving abroad, US politics is the primary reason cited by people who use Expatsi now, says Jen Barnett, the company’s co-founder.
“One drawback is that many countries are interested in the fact that retirees don’t want to retire, meaning they are wealthy English-speaking countries.
Most US retirees remain in their existing homes and areas, but those who want to age on the spot face challenges, he said aarp Vice President Rodney Harrell focuses on housing and livable communities.
Challenges include rising rents and mortgages. Cost of fixing the house, Lack of community support services such as proper healthcare, reliable utilities, and a safe environment.
“One of the biggest challenges we have is not only looking at the needs of today, but also making sure we take the future into consideration,” Harrell said. “Are we driving today? Where are our incomes? Are our spouses and myself healthy now? How can we walk around and use the steps?
All of the above matters as the US heads towards the grey bubble.
“By 2034, there will be more people over 65 years old than under 18. For the first time in US history, there will be more elderly people than children,” Harrell said.
It’s not just the weather and grandchildren
Do you want to bring the sea mountains closer to your grandchildren? Would you like to visit a university town or city that is a specific religious facility? Harrell suggests setting clear priorities when planning a relocation. And they should go well beyond their specifications.
He said taking housing costs into account is generally universal, but he sought more nuanced consideration.
“What is your neighbor like? If that’s what you want, is it an active community? Are people protecting themselves more? That social connection is really important too,” Harrell said.
aarp’s Living Index Gain neighborhoods and communities across the United States for services and amenities that impact seniors. Easily search by address, city, state, or zip code.
“Thinking about everything you might want collectively, knowing there’s no perfect place,” Harrell said. “With those in mind, you’ll have the best possible outcome. There are trade-offs everywhere.”
If you are on the list that you are close to your children or grandchildren, set clear expectations about how much you want to be involved in parenting and other things, said Elizabeth Zellinka Parsons, retirement transition planner. Also, chat with adult children before making any moves to determine how calm you are.
Casey Bowers and her husband Dave Bowers recently moved to Eliseira, northwest of Lisbon on the Silver Coast of Portugal’s beach. They love it, but it’s not all the oceans and the sun.
“We have three adult children and their partners. We have one grandchild and another,” Casey said. “We’re very close to our kids. We learn about grocery stores, get new phones. They’re just procedural, but we’re separated from our families. That’s the most difficult part.”
Boston’s retirement coach Sarah Friedel O’Connell is seeing the move like this.
Take a closer look at your lifestyle
As wealth manager, Chadharmer helped dozens of retirees relocate from Ontario, Canada to Arizona’s high deserts, from the Boston suburbs to Carolina. And he handles some “boomerang” moves after his grandson arrives.
“Start with a ‘lifestyle audit’ rather than a tax table,” he said. “I ask my clients to write the perfect Thursday in five years. Where are they walking? Who’s meeting for coffee? How long is the drive to my grandchildren?
He also recommended budgeting for hidden inflators, including higher premiums in disaster-prone areas and frequent flights to see families, taking into account obvious weather complications such as pollen levels.
Parsons, who wrote “Encore: A Guide to High Achievements to Prosperity in Retirement,” is a solid supporter of taking short-term rentals before deciding on a permanent move.
“It’s tempting to have you retired at a holiday spot, but that may not be the biggest idea,” she said.
Harmer’s Rule Rule Ruling: If 80% of your desired daily life is attainable at least 80% of the new locations per year, you are in the correct postal code.
“And below that, you’re probably following Instagram fantasy, not the reality of retirement,” he said.
