Where will you retire?

[Lisafuller]

From HtF:

They always come up with shit like that. Not one of their schemes is popular at all, like the "Elite" visa, pay up front and get everything sorted, then they change the conditions after 6 months. Total crap shoot. Best way in Thailand is enter on any visa, and convert in country to a Non- O visa by reason of "retirement", need a term deposit of 800K Thai baht and gives a visa for 12 months , multiple entries, as get a multi re entry permit. Have to do 90 day reports , online takes 5 mins. Have to initially register an address with immigration (TM30 ) one time. Don't have to be retired, as long as over 50 yrs old. Takes 30 mins at most immigration offices, but then they all read the regs different, usually up country easier. Point to note if a foreign couple it is BHT800K deposit per person. OR just enter on multi tourist visas and cross the border into Laos or Cambo when required, land crossing limited to 2 per year , no limit if flying in/out. Many ways to do it.

Everything he stated looks spot on. Besides the 90 day reporting, another pain is having to buy Thai health insurance. Regarding border runs by flying in/out, I understand the unwritten rule is no more than 6 visa exempt entries per year. But, if you get an actual tourist visa (normally 60 days, extendable another 30), that won’t get counted in your visa run tally.

Despite the hoops, Thailand remains popular because they are in a sweet spot for having one of the lowest cost -to- highest quality of life ratios anywhere in the world. Malaysia is probably the runner up in SEA, but it’s boring with less variety & natural beauty. The Philippines is the least hassle on the visa side (extend up to 3 years “per entry” as a tourist), but is also the least safe and has the least reliable internet and power grid.

What's the problem with insurance?

[Lisafuller]

I met some forum guys up in CM from the Golden Triangle Riders Forum (https://www.gt-rider.com/) - interesting meeting them as it was like meeting some of our forum people - their stories are interesting and they live good lives up there. What is true though is that there is wide range of quality of life as to where you live in Asia and TH does seem to be one of the best with MY running a second and ID, VN etc competing for third.

I'd say MY is best, then TH. I think quality of life there is closest to SG, for a third of the price. Thailand has a lot more to do, but there is the language barrier which I believe would put it in second place for many locals.

[Lisafuller]

For anyone to retire in Singapore, I think you need at least a few things. Here are a few I can think of from the top of my head…

First, family ties. I just can’t imagine anyone retiring in SG unless they have family ties. Staying close to family in retirement makes a lot of sense, regardless of whether it’s the best environment for a retiree.

Second, home ownership. Once you own a home outright, your cost of living can really become very reasonable, especially if you can forgo a car and other expensive hobbies.

Third, high tolerance. Living in SG requires a few special personality traits and a different outlook on life. Being back in the US these past few weeks has reinforced this point to me - life is just easier and less oppressive here in many meaningful and significant ways.

The first two items are pretty much settled for me. My wife and her family are Singaporean and she has no real desire to move anywhere else . Our home is fully paid for (and we didn't use CPF to pay for it) and we don't have a car or expensive hobbies (unless you count my alcohol consumption!)

The third one is a bugger - not so much any sense of 'oppression' but more like increasing frustration with general crowd behavior in Singapore. Yes, Singapore is a pretty crowded place but it seems like people go out of their way to make it feel even more crowded than it is... barging into lifts or MRTs before people can get out, stopping for family conferences at the bottom or top of escalators... or just blithely walking straight into you in shopping malls or footpaths. This more than anything else increasingly gets my goat. It's gotten to the stage where I refuse to go to shopping malls like Vivocity or Nex at the weekends. So in the future if you see a Stomp report about some siao ang moh going berserk and belting people around him in a crowded shopping mall, you'll probably guess who it is...

Totally agree, but I guess this can be said about most cities. It might seem like a petty grievance for some, but these inconveniences really add up.

[Lisafuller]

Well, I don't think I'll be retiring in Thailand. Looks like it's got to be here. I'm in the same situation as Addadude since I literally "lost the farm" 4 years ago. I have two living blood relatives in the US (Sister and her daughter) Currently I have 5 here, not counting the wife. All are Sinkies now 'cept me.

And at 75 I really don't feel like shifting again. for what? 15 years probably at the max?

With the way science and medicine are advancing, might even be 25!

[sundaymorningstaple]

Lisa, the worst thing I could do is move out of Singapore (possibly even moving IN Sg) The wife's dementia is on an every steepening downward slope. I'm more or less grounded here and at least she has the kids and g.kids for familiarity sake and a semblance of normality. Putting it bluntly, I'm between a rock and a hard place as the old saying goes.

[jalanjalan]

Having a support network (family, friends, healthcare support) is a huge reason I'd not contemplate retiring anywhere else in the region. Didn't realise how important that is til I hit my 50s.

[Lisafuller]

Lisa, the worst thing I could do is move out of Singapore (possibly even moving IN Sg) The wife's dementia is on an every steepening downward slope. I'm more or less grounded here and at least she has the kids and g.kids for familiarity sake and a semblance of normality. Putting it bluntly, I'm between a rock and a hard place as the old saying goes.

Right, I just meant that living to 100 is probably not all that crazy with the way things are advancing.

I can only imagine how disorienting it would be for her to move all the way to a huge, unfamiliar town.

[Lisafuller]

Having a support network (family, friends, healthcare support) is a huge reason I'd not contemplate retiring anywhere else in the region. Didn't realise how important that is til I hit my 50s.

Yeah, once you establish your roots, it's very difficult to leave.

[Lisafuller]

My conclusion, here is that most of the people who plan to retire outside of SG are choosing to do so for financial reasons, while those who plan to stay have already established very strong social circles and routines.

For me personally, I'm not quite at the point of retirement yet, so I can't say for certain what I plan to do, but for now I do think that we may settle up north in the US. We plan to leave next year when my daughter goes to college as she's on a gap year right now. The schools she's applying to are all on the east coast and up north, so that gives us a rough idea of where we might end up. For now, it's between Mass, New Hampshire, and Vermont. If anyone has lived in any of these States and has any advice to offer that would be much appreciated.

[NYY1]

My conclusion, here is that most of the people who plan to retire outside of SG are choosing to do so for financial reasons, while those who plan to stay have already established very strong social circles and routines.

For me personally, I'm not quite at the point of retirement yet, so I can't say for certain what I plan to do, but for now I do think that we may settle up north in the US. We plan to leave next year when my daughter goes to college as she's on a gap year right now. The schools she's applying to are all on the east coast and up north, so that gives us a rough idea of where we might end up. For now, it's between Mass, New Hampshire, and Vermont. If anyone has lived in any of these States and has any advice to offer that would be much appreciated.

Good luck! Time flies, I guess she still has 3/4 of a year until school will actually start next fall. But need to get everything out the door and then wait again.

[PNGMK]

My conclusion, here is that most of the people who plan to retire outside of SG are choosing to do so for financial reasons, while those who plan to stay have already established very strong social circles and routines.

For me personally, I'm not quite at the point of retirement yet, so I can't say for certain what I plan to do, but for now I do think that we may settle up north in the US. We plan to leave next year when my daughter goes to college as she's on a gap year right now. The schools she's applying to are all on the east coast and up north, so that gives us a rough idea of where we might end up. For now, it's between Mass, New Hampshire, and Vermont. If anyone has lived in any of these States and has any advice to offer that would be much appreciated.

Those are all nice states but can be cold.

[Lisafuller]

My conclusion, here is that most of the people who plan to retire outside of SG are choosing to do so for financial reasons, while those who plan to stay have already established very strong social circles and routines.

For me personally, I'm not quite at the point of retirement yet, so I can't say for certain what I plan to do, but for now I do think that we may settle up north in the US. We plan to leave next year when my daughter goes to college as she's on a gap year right now. The schools she's applying to are all on the east coast and up north, so that gives us a rough idea of where we might end up. For now, it's between Mass, New Hampshire, and Vermont. If anyone has lived in any of these States and has any advice to offer that would be much appreciated.

Good luck! Time flies, I guess she still has 3/4 of a year until school will actually start next fall. But need to get everything out the door and then wait again.

Yup, can't believe it's almost November! Though technically, she only has around two months before applications are due.

[Lisafuller]

My conclusion, here is that most of the people who plan to retire outside of SG are choosing to do so for financial reasons, while those who plan to stay have already established very strong social circles and routines.

For me personally, I'm not quite at the point of retirement yet, so I can't say for certain what I plan to do, but for now I do think that we may settle up north in the US. We plan to leave next year when my daughter goes to college as she's on a gap year right now. The schools she's applying to are all on the east coast and up north, so that gives us a rough idea of where we might end up. For now, it's between Mass, New Hampshire, and Vermont. If anyone has lived in any of these States and has any advice to offer that would be much appreciated.

Those are all nice states but can be cold.

That's something we're a little concerned about, I'm good with the cold, but my husband is especially sensitive to the cold as he grew up in Florida and then lived in singapore for the rest of his adult life. We are considering having a second home in Miami to go to when it gets too cold/just to have somewhere to stay while visiting family but we're not sure if that would be an economical option.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Lisa, I hear you on your husbands plight. I'm from MD and grew up with bloody cold winters but at the age of 17 I went to Louisiana and from there to VN. After getting back I worked in PA and DC for 9 years before returning to Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico until I came to Singapore in 82. Been in the tropics ever since. In fact I always plan my trips home to coincide with late spring to early fall. Don't like cold weather.

[Lisafuller]

Lisa, I hear you on your husbands plight. I'm from MD and grew up with bloody cold winters but at the age of 17 I went to Louisiana and from there to VN. After getting back I worked in PA and DC for 9 years before returning to Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico until I came to Singapore in 82. Been in the tropics ever since. In fact I always plan my trips home to coincide with late spring to early fall. Don't like cold weather.

He's a little different, has basically lived in the tropics all his life (Miami winters aren't really winters at all), so he's gotten REALLY used to sweating it out. Winters in the North will be a big change for all of us, but I'm sure we'll be able to get used to it (or else we can just stay indoors till spring)