Donate to Remove ads

Got a credit card? use our Credit Card & Finance Calculators

Thanks to johnstevens77,Bhoddhisatva,scotia,Anonymous,Cornytiv34, for Donating to support the site

Where would you retire?

Holiday Ideas & Foreign Travel
JohnB
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 2497
Joined: January 15th, 2017, 9:20 am
Has thanked: 677 times
Been thanked: 997 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311803

Postby JohnB » May 24th, 2020, 5:51 pm

"Parts of world on brink of ‘sustained heat’ beyond human tolerance decades earlier than expected, researchers warn"

https://www.independent.co.uk/environme ... 06146.html

The Front Range in Colorado has an excellent climate, always sunny, never humid, but even 10 years ago the weeks of 100 degree temperatures were wearing, and my friends there say is becoming more like Arizona. The Boulder/Denver has great scenery, climate and culture, but I still wanted to come back to Britain for my friends, so retirement to me depends on my social networks,

AF62
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 3499
Joined: November 27th, 2016, 8:45 am
Has thanked: 131 times
Been thanked: 1277 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311810

Postby AF62 » May 24th, 2020, 6:06 pm

feder1 wrote:What is the 90 day rule please?


Broadly, after the end of the year you will only be able to spend 90 days in any 180 days in the EU, unless you have residency in a particular country (but then that only applies to that country) or you have a long term visa.

Now obviously a lot can happen in the next 7 months, but if it doesn't, then those who fancy spending a long winter in a warmer EU country will be out of luck.

Even those who spend a shorter period may find themselves inconvenienced. Say you spend January to March in Spain, come back to the UK and then fancy a weekend in Paris in May. Well tough, you will have to wait until July until you are allowed back into the EU again.

Lootman
The full Lemon
Posts: 18674
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:58 pm
Has thanked: 628 times
Been thanked: 6557 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311811

Postby Lootman » May 24th, 2020, 6:10 pm

JohnB wrote:The Front Range in Colorado has an excellent climate, always sunny, never humid, but even 10 years ago the weeks of 100 degree temperatures were wearing, and my friends there say is becoming more like Arizona. The Boulder/Denver has great scenery, climate and culture, but I still wanted to come back to Britain for my friends, so retirement to me depends on my social networks,

The usual way the British handle extreme heat has been in use for centuries i.e. the hill stations in various colonies.

Same goes for the US where you can choose your elevation as well as anything else. I'm surprised that Denver is getting that bad given its "mile high" elevation.

Other "high" places in hot states are Taos and Santa Fe in New Mexico. Flagstaff, Prescott and Sedona in Arizona. Lake Tahoe and the gold country of California.

Or just go further north. If Colorado really is getting too hot then how about Wyoming - another state with no state income tax? Or Montana or Idaho? And most places by the ocean are cooler as well.

San Francisco has a near perfect climate where you barely need either AC or heating. But housing costs are similar to London.

Lootman
The full Lemon
Posts: 18674
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:58 pm
Has thanked: 628 times
Been thanked: 6557 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311815

Postby Lootman » May 24th, 2020, 6:16 pm

Snorvey wrote:You'll also have to have more than 6 months left on your passport (I think it's currently 3 months for travelling to the EU)

As I understand it, several EU countries are planning long term residency options for UK citizens (Portugal, Malta, Cyprus etc). But as mentioned, only for that country.

Portugal also has favourable tax terms for new British expats. From memory you get a 10 year "holiday" from Portuguese taxes. Assuming you lose your UK tax liability you could park your assets in Gibraltar or Jersey and pay no tax anywhere, if I understand it correctly.

Malta and Cyprus too possibly but I don't know anything about them.

Lootman
The full Lemon
Posts: 18674
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:58 pm
Has thanked: 628 times
Been thanked: 6557 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311822

Postby Lootman » May 24th, 2020, 6:28 pm

Snorvey wrote:I'd like to live in the US, but it's just so damned difficult to get to live there long term.

There's always the option of the 90 day Visa and then just deciding to stay (i.e. illegally). If you have the assets to live off, don't suffer any medical mishaps and always drive under the speed limit you could probably live there for years. Decades even. In fact i read about an Irish guy, that had overstayed his Visa, set up a business (in the Boston area I think), got married and had 3 kids and they still deported him when the authorities caught up with him 20 odd years later.

I would not recommend illegal residence in the US. Although as an older white guy (I presume) you are highly unlikely to be stopped and checked by police, the downside of getting caught isn't just deportation. It is being held in a federal immigration facility whilst your case is determined.

I know a Russian guy in California who spent 18 months in a federal facility in Arizona pending resolution of his case. He was eventually allowed to stay because he could afford a good lawyer. But as a non-citizen you would not enjoy all the constitutional protections that US nationals have. It would be a miserable bus ride to a miserable place, and when you get there the other guests probably won't speak English.

Don't do it.

Dod101
The full Lemon
Posts: 16629
Joined: October 10th, 2017, 11:33 am
Has thanked: 4343 times
Been thanked: 7534 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311832

Postby Dod101 » May 24th, 2020, 6:40 pm

Lootman wrote:San Francisco has a near perfect climate where you barely need either AC or heating. But housing costs are similar to London.


I agree on the climate but two things. I was once stopped by the police when out walking on a Sunday morning in a quiet neighbourhood. They could not understand why I would walk.

The other thing is the threat of a earthquake.

Dod

GrahamPlatt
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 2059
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 9:40 am
Has thanked: 1032 times
Been thanked: 822 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311836

Postby GrahamPlatt » May 24th, 2020, 6:41 pm

feder1 wrote:What is the 90 day rule please?

It’s a bit of a minefield & can depend on interpretation, as the Schengen treaty itself is a little ambiguous.
However, the Americans have been dealing with it since inception, so here’s the best explanation I’ve come across
https://wanderlustcrew.com/can-i-stay-i ... n-90-days/

Dod101
The full Lemon
Posts: 16629
Joined: October 10th, 2017, 11:33 am
Has thanked: 4343 times
Been thanked: 7534 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311837

Postby Dod101 » May 24th, 2020, 6:46 pm

Should have added, as for Thailand as long as you keep away from Bangkok, certainly pre Covid 19, the pollution in the city was appalling.

I have two friends who spend a lot of time there. One is a highly respectable Scottish guy with a Scottish wife there as well. Both play golf and enjoy the lifestyle. The other, a chap on his own, lives there as well but I suspect is more into the local 'culture'.

I am not sure that the unrelenting heat would suit me nowadays.

Dod

AF62
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 3499
Joined: November 27th, 2016, 8:45 am
Has thanked: 131 times
Been thanked: 1277 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311847

Postby AF62 » May 24th, 2020, 7:09 pm

Lootman wrote:Portugal also has favourable tax terms for new British expats. From memory you get a 10 year "holiday" from Portuguese taxes. Assuming you lose your UK tax liability you could park your assets in Gibraltar or Jersey and pay no tax anywhere, if I understand it correctly.

Malta and Cyprus too possibly but I don't know anything about them.


Cyprus is handy if you receive a government pension (army, civil service, police, etc.) as it is one of the few countries where a resident can opt to not have the government pension taxed in the UK but taxed in Cyprus (at a far better rate), and of course being in the EU then a UK national could easily move there.

https://www.blevinsfranks.com/news/arti ... l-benefits

Government pensions are unlike other pensions and are always taxed in the UK unless there is an agreement in place, and the trouble is most require you to be both a national and resident for that to happen, and for those where just residency is sufficient then they are places you may not want to retire to (Albania, Tunisia, etc.) or it could be difficult to do so without a lot of jumping through hoops (Australia, Canada, etc.).

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... l_2018.pdf

GrahamPlatt
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 2059
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 9:40 am
Has thanked: 1032 times
Been thanked: 822 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311872

Postby GrahamPlatt » May 24th, 2020, 8:32 pm

The Portuguese 10 year tax break ended 31st March this year.

Mike88
Lemon Slice
Posts: 969
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 6:17 pm
Has thanked: 112 times
Been thanked: 271 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311891

Postby Mike88 » May 24th, 2020, 9:53 pm

Dod101 wrote:
Lootman wrote:San Francisco has a near perfect climate where you barely need either AC or heating. But housing costs are similar to London.


I agree on the climate but two things. I was once stopped by the police when out walking on a Sunday morning in a quiet neighbourhood. They could not understand why I would walk.

The other thing is the threat of a earthquake.

Dod


Another freezing place. Mark Twain is attributed as saying "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco".

Lootman
The full Lemon
Posts: 18674
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:58 pm
Has thanked: 628 times
Been thanked: 6557 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311896

Postby Lootman » May 24th, 2020, 9:59 pm

Mike88 wrote:
Dod101 wrote:
Lootman wrote:San Francisco has a near perfect climate where you barely need either AC or heating. But housing costs are similar to London.

I agree on the climate but two things. I was once stopped by the police when out walking on a Sunday morning in a quiet neighbourhood. They could not understand why I would walk.

The other thing is the threat of a earthquake.

Another freezing place. Mark Twain is attributed as saying "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco".

That's the summer fog. Some call it "natural air conditioning" :D

Regarding earthquake risk you have that anywhere in the west coast. In other parts of the US you get tornadoes or hurricanes. But these are very low probability events. San Francisco has had two significant earthquakes in the last 120 years - 1906 and 1989. It's not something that would bother me especially as it means the building codes are much more stringent.

California wildfires would bother me more, for the air pollution. They are getting worse.

BrummieDave
Lemon Slice
Posts: 818
Joined: November 6th, 2016, 7:29 pm
Has thanked: 200 times
Been thanked: 378 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311937

Postby BrummieDave » May 25th, 2020, 7:35 am

Haven't we already effectively done this thread before, albeit under the guise of "If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?" https://lemonfool.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=21865

I think I weighed in with Wanaka (NZ), or Sonoma CA (USA), Sedona AZ (USA), Santa Barbara CA (USA). I am still hoping to visit St George UT (USA) in September, a town growing in popularity with retirees, but who knows if that will happen.

Mike88
Lemon Slice
Posts: 969
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 6:17 pm
Has thanked: 112 times
Been thanked: 271 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311939

Postby Mike88 » May 25th, 2020, 8:22 am

BrummieDave wrote:Haven't we already effectively done this thread before, albeit under the guise of "If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?" https://lemonfool.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=21865

I think I weighed in with Wanaka (NZ), or Sonoma CA (USA), Sedona AZ (USA), Santa Barbara CA (USA). I am still hoping to visit St George UT (USA) in September, a town growing in popularity with retirees, but who knows if that will happen.


I seem to be dismissing suggestions on here. But Santa Barbara? That place is rammed full of drunks, living rough on the streets, many of them ex servicemen. Some of these people are extremely aggressive openly hassling you for booze money. In fact much of the West coast suffers from the same problem. But Santa Barbara is the worst, rivalling places such as Santa Monica (LA) and Santiago. Not a nice place in my view.

BrummieDave
Lemon Slice
Posts: 818
Joined: November 6th, 2016, 7:29 pm
Has thanked: 200 times
Been thanked: 378 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311960

Postby BrummieDave » May 25th, 2020, 9:25 am

Mike88 wrote:
BrummieDave wrote:Haven't we already effectively done this thread before, albeit under the guise of "If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?" https://lemonfool.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=21865

I think I weighed in with Wanaka (NZ), or Sonoma CA (USA), Sedona AZ (USA), Santa Barbara CA (USA). I am still hoping to visit St George UT (USA) in September, a town growing in popularity with retirees, but who knows if that will happen.


I seem to be dismissing suggestions on here. But Santa Barbara? That place is rammed full of drunks, living rough on the streets, many of them ex servicemen. Some of these people are extremely aggressive openly hassling you for booze money. In fact much of the West coast suffers from the same problem. But Santa Barbara is the worst, rivalling places such as Santa Monica (LA) and Santiago. Not a nice place in my view.


I wouldn't suggest anyone retires to beachside of the 101 or lower State Street, but Upper East towards Mission, or out to Montecito is much more genteel and has lots to offer IMHO, inc. weather, outdoor activities, arts, restaurants, and decent community spirit.

Lanark
Lemon Quarter
Posts: 1321
Joined: March 27th, 2017, 11:41 am
Has thanked: 595 times
Been thanked: 582 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#311972

Postby Lanark » May 25th, 2020, 10:05 am

Charlottesquare wrote:Well we were considering a partial retirement to our house in Sweden, I say partial as we would have likely still kept a flat in Edinburgh and only spent part of the year over there. Whilst it is still a possible if we just do a complete permanent move there (subject to getting leave to reside there) the complication/cost for us of longer term health insurance coverage post Brexit and next January have rather taken the shine out of the plan.

We bought the property fifteen years ago as a holiday house and have visited it 2-4 times a year since then, usually two weeks at Easter, three weeks summer, possibly a week in October and a week at Christmas.

Whilst I will see how travel develops in Europe before making any definite plans, I think there is a pretty strong chance we will sell it and buy something rural up here in Scotland, instead.

For anyone thinking of running two households, I recommend really thinking about the travel time and costs.

I have two friends with parents that have a second home:
One is in northern France, it takes them about 12 hours to travel there and so they only visit about once per year. There have been years when the only visitors have been the children using it. When they do visit they spend a lot of time just cleaning the place.
The other family have a cheap second home about 90 minutes away (I think it cost them about £30K back in the 90's),when they were still working they used it every other weekend, since retiring they alternate between the two houses. Right now they are isolating in the cottage full time.

So the second family are getting vastly more use from their cottage, even though it is half the size of the French house. Location matters.

Lootman
The full Lemon
Posts: 18674
Joined: November 4th, 2016, 3:58 pm
Has thanked: 628 times
Been thanked: 6557 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#312061

Postby Lootman » May 25th, 2020, 2:15 pm

BrummieDave wrote: I am still hoping to visit St George UT (USA) in September, a town growing in popularity with retirees, but who knows if that will happen.

I have been there a couple of times. It's a great little town with a "proper" downtown area, and has good weather.

From there you can head north to the Zion and Bryce national parks. Or head east to the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

It is popular with retirees as you say. And a fair number of mormons. Only problem is that it doesn't have a proper airport, just a regional one. You need to drive to Las Vegas, a couple of hours south of there.

BrummieDave
Lemon Slice
Posts: 818
Joined: November 6th, 2016, 7:29 pm
Has thanked: 200 times
Been thanked: 378 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#312099

Postby BrummieDave » May 25th, 2020, 5:32 pm

Lootman wrote:
BrummieDave wrote: I am still hoping to visit St George UT (USA) in September, a town growing in popularity with retirees, but who knows if that will happen.

I have been there a couple of times. It's a great little town with a "proper" downtown area, and has good weather.

From there you can head north to the Zion and Bryce national parks. Or head east to the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

It is popular with retirees as you say. And a fair number of mormons. Only problem is that it doesn't have a proper airport, just a regional one. You need to drive to Las Vegas, a couple of hours south of there.


Yes, all that's in hand. We're flying into Vegas, car to St George then hiking Zion, Bryce and Grand Staircase Escalante, with lodgings booked accordingly, then back to St George, and home via Vegas. Booked for mid-September so who knows!

tea42
Lemon Slice
Posts: 440
Joined: March 9th, 2017, 8:28 am
Has thanked: 77 times
Been thanked: 169 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#312103

Postby tea42 » May 25th, 2020, 5:46 pm

In the 16 years since my wife and I retired we travelled from our home a taxi ride from Heathrow and an hour by bus and rail to Central London. We enjoyed the museums galleries and theatres in London and made dozens of trips by air all over the world. Locating to another country with a different language it might not be so easy to have so much fun. I am very glad we did it as we did because my wife now has dementia and is in a Care Home and I am buried in the West Country missing my life in the South East.

Mark
Posts: 21
Joined: November 5th, 2016, 9:33 am
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 8 times

Re: Where would you retire?

#312367

Postby Mark » May 26th, 2020, 3:26 pm

There has been some comments about how nice Provence is, which I would wholeheartedly agree with.

I have travelled to a number of nice places in the area, but given its size I would be very interested to hear views on what the most pleasant villages/towns in Provence would be to retire to, or to have a holiday home.

Thanks


Mark


Return to “Airport Lounge”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests