Best Place to Retire??

[PrimroseHill]

NI is hopeless. Unless you are one of the lucky one that has a final salary pension scheme. Today's defined contribution pension is worthless

[JR8]

NI is hopeless. Unless you are one of the lucky one that has a final salary pension scheme. Today's defined contribution pension is worthless

Different beasts.

'Defined Contributions' would be a private pension scheme. FSS went the way of the fairies back in the 80/90s.

NI (National Insurance), would be the tax we are/were all forced to pay on the promise of a state pension, that 99% of us will never get.

[Vaucluse]

There's no work for your kids in NZ - they'll end up becoming Aussies.

Of course there is work in NZ . . . and our kids are Aussies, but the trouble and strife is a Kiwi and refuses to live in Oz.

A list of some friends' jobs in NZ:

VP of an IT company that exports mainly to the US
Director of Personal Banking
Queen's Counsel
Solicitor (my wife's ex colleagues)
GM of a hotel
GM of a resort
Prosthetic manufacturing company owner

. . . and lots of others who are professionals and not


There are lots of jobs in NZ . . . but you're right, if you're greedy or want to be a bouncer then Oz is the go

[Max Headroom]

It's Gunner Lofty

Didn't really get the rest.

Apols!

Gunner Lofty, I meant to say that if you start working on this new gig the day you retire, then you'll probably find it hard going, given the inertia of a start-up, building a clientele, word-of-mouth, experience etc.

The idea is to sideline while still doing your regular work, so your post-retirement activity gains traction whilst you still have your full-on job and income.

The day you pack in your job, you hit the ground running.

It doesn't have to be an IT or internet-related company eh.

[JR8]

Totally agree.

I segued into property (landlording/development) in just this way.

It was running my own start-up business, in parallel with my ongoing career. Buffer and insulation, BUT by God 80-100hr weeks (even 120) were the norm for quite a while.

My idea there was (for me) radical chancing, whilst based upon the insurance of, something of a stable career and income...

[PNGMK]

There's no work for your kids in NZ - they'll end up becoming Aussies.

Of course there is work in NZ . . . and our kids are Aussies, but the trouble and strife is a Kiwi and refuses to live in Oz.

A list of some friends' jobs in NZ:

VP of an IT company that exports mainly to the US
Director of Personal Banking
Queen's Counsel
Solicitor (my wife's ex colleagues)
GM of a hotel
GM of a resort
Prosthetic manufacturing company owner

. . . and lots of others who are professionals and not


There are lots of jobs in NZ . . . but you're right, if you're greedy or want to be a bouncer then Oz is the go

Good for them - and good to hear there are some brights spots in what has been a pretty bad economy for the last 50 years.

[Vaucluse]

There's no work for your kids in NZ - they'll end up becoming Aussies.

Of course there is work in NZ . . . and our kids are Aussies, but the trouble and strife is a Kiwi and refuses to live in Oz.

A list of some friends' jobs in NZ:

VP of an IT company that exports mainly to the US
Director of Personal Banking
Queen's Counsel
Solicitor (my wife's ex colleagues)
GM of a hotel
GM of a resort
Prosthetic manufacturing company owner

. . . and lots of others who are professionals and not


There are lots of jobs in NZ . . . but you're right, if you're greedy or want to be a bouncer then Oz is the go

Good for them - and good to hear there are some brights spots in what has been a pretty bad economy for the last 50 years.

Why is it a matter of 'Good for them'? These are normal jobs for educated people, just like there are many jobs for carpenters, nurses, bricklayers, electricians etc . . . It is a fully functioning economy - a smaller sized economy, granted, but a fully functioning economy.

I would also argue with your comment re. the last 50 years . . . and as I am an economist by degree (not that I've ever used it . . . ), here are some graphs and stats that may interest you:
















So, you'll see that not only is GDP quite healthy on its own but also in comparison to Oz and the US, but also exports are both covering more markets and are more varied.

Sure, you want to earn more dollars then go to Oz, even more then go to the UK, even more then Germany, even more then the USA, even more then Japan.

Stability, safety, good education, excellent health care system etc etc . . .

[PNGMK]

Dude, I have nothing against NZ - it's a great retirement place but NOT the place to have a world class career in - that's all I'm alluding to. Anyone with a world class talent leaves NZ it seems.

It will be interesting to see how it fares now that the Aussie govt has finally cut off the dole for all the NZ bludgers in Australia - are they going back to NZ? That will kick up unemployment for sure.

I like the NZ approach though - they are far less dependent on their govt and much more get up and go than Aussies.

[x9200]

Not everybody thinks about world class career. In that respect Singapore is also not the right country.

[earthfriendly]

Would be great if they build a public transit to Singapore.

They took my suggestion to build a high speed rail between KL and SG . One more reason to consider retiring in KL.

http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/si ... ity-centre

[Primrose Hill]

Hmmmm HS rail between KL & SG This has disaster written all over it
California's HS rail?
UK HS1?
And now the debacle of HS2?
I do love KL, I have a soft spot for KL but this..... leaves a lot to be desired

[Barnsley]

Hmmmm HS rail between KL & SG This has disaster written all over it
California's HS rail?
UK HS1?
And now the debacle of HS2?
I do love KL, I have a soft spot for KL but this..... leaves a lot to be desired

It depends which vested interests get the upper hand.

Some places in the US would be ideal for High speed rail , however I am figuring the airlines wouldnt be best pleased as they would then have some competition to take them on.

The airlines that fly between Singapore and KL probably not be best pleased .... especially if the train has a station at the Airport "in KL"

Short haul flights between major cities in Europe are reasonably cheap as folks have the option to get a high speed train instead.

[Mi Amigo]

Just rediscovered this thread. A lot of interesting discussion here and in the originally referenced article and its source. Of course it's difficult (maybe silly) to apply an objective categorisation ('Best Places to Retire') to a subject that in the end is much more subjective.

As for me, I'm sticking with no. 5 on the list (Spain). Not that I'm ever going to 'retire' though; the 'R' word is banned in our home. If we'd wanted to stay in Asia, Malaysia would definitely have been a strong candidate though.

[zzm9980]

It depends which vested interests get the upper hand.

Some places in the US would be ideal for High speed rail , however I am figuring the airlines wouldnt be best pleased as they would then have some competition to take them on.

California's HS rail will be killed by rich NIMBYs in the affluent communities of the SF Bay area such as Palo Alto, Menlo Park, San Mateo, etc... These are the same ones that killed BART (regional subway system that covers about half the region) due to fears of the crime it would bring.

[PNGMK]

After a week in Perth I'd love to say I'd consider retiring there but ... sadly no.

The reasons are well known.