Life in another country: Where to retire

Image Source: escapefromamerica.com

More Americans than ever before are considering retiring overseas. Their reason: They don't have enough money to sustain their standard of living in their own country when they decide to retire. Opting to live abroad gives retirees the opportunity of improving their standard of living, if they choose the right destinations.

Here are the top two countries which are the most ideal retirement locations, as listed on Forbes.com:

Ecuador

The number of expats in Ecuador is growing. Whether in scenic valleys or in cosmopolitan areas, Ecuador supersedes notions. The country is also home to premier hospitals, clinics, and well-trained physicians. Even travel executives and practitioners, like Steven Lash of Satori World Medical and Derek McMinn of WorldMed Assist, would agree that the residents in this country can take advantage of its Social Security healthcare system for low monthly premiums. Out-of-pocket expenses for medical travel services are also a fraction of what people would pay in the States.

Image Source: internationalliving.com

Panama

Next to Ecuador, Panama is also welcoming to foreign retirees. Apart from the comfort, the beaches, and the cloud forests, the country is full of friendly people. Many foreign retirees would say that their lives have become better than they were before and that their only regret is that they didn’t go sooner. Most of them are now enjoying a slow-paced lifestyle, which retirement is all about—slowing down and reaping all the benefits the world has to offer.

Image Source: internationalliving.com

Other world beaters include:

• Costa Rica

• Uruguay

• Malta

• Malaysia

• Mexico

• Colombia

• Spain

• Thailand

This Twitter page shares updates on health care and medical travel options.

Stretching dollars abroad: Why Americans are retiring in foreign lands

Over the years, an estimated half a million Americans (and counting) have been compelled to retire abroad. While some move overseas to get the most out of their retirement funds, others relocate to live more comfortably.

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This is what Omaha, Nebraska, native Dan Prescher did. He now enjoys his retirement dream in a town in Cotacachi, Ecuador, where he and his wife thrive in a community overlooking the Andes Mountains. All year round, they eat fresh fruits and vegetables and spend time off work going to hot springs and dining in local restaurants. To top it all off, they take advantage of low-cost living and enjoy great food at reasonable prices. They don’t have a car, but they can take a bus ride on a date night for just 25 cents. They have no plans of returning to the US.

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Just like thousands of other Americans, the Preschers opt to move in a foreign land basically because of money or the lack of it. “Every now and then, [my wife and I] think it would be nice to have a place in the states, so we run the numbers,” explains Prescher. “But because of the high taxes, medical costs and insurance, we just can’t figure out a way to live as affordably as we do here. The cost of living is half of what it would be in the US.”

Image Source: jordan.medicaltourism.com

Meanwhile, medical expense is one of the most compelling reasons for retirees to migrate since healthcare costs have significantly increased without signs of dwindling. Medical travel executives and practitioners, like Steven Lash of Satori World Medical, Derek McMinn of WorldMed Assist, and Paata Ratiani of MedNet Georgia, would agree that a retiree needs an estimated $240,000 to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses, which would be too much for an average American retiree.

This Twitter page share updates about health care and medical travel matters.