IF a person leaves the US

[OwnedByFerrets]

and goes to live somewhere else and that person is close to retirement, does the person forfeit their SS and retirement monies?

[King Coal]

1. What did your little ferret tell you?

No, you still get the money.

[NotGivingUp]

2. nope...not as far as i know....

and i hope i'm write because hubby is close to retiring, and i really get the urge for moving out of this country lately.

[cbayer]

3. I think only if that person forfeited their citizenship for some reason. nt.

[Eurobabe]

13. I believe that is correct, if you renounce US citizenship

you give it all up.

[Hamlette]

4. not the cash but medicare is not recognized in other countries so you forfeit medical

[China_cat]

5. But in the vast majority of other countries

you'd have better medical than you'd get under medicare anyway.

[Hamlette]

7. if you can afford it

95% of all the health care costs you will incur in your life you will incur in your last two years of life. If you think it is expensive now, think about what it will cost then.

Although care is cheaper elsewhere it is still expensive. It's why I don't consider moving.

[China_cat]

8. Oh dear, you've never been to another country, have you?

At least not and needed a doctor.

You'll pay more in taxes, sure. But when you walk into an ER you'll get seen immediately and walk out with your meds and without a bill. Or if you need to make an appointment, what insurance you have won't be the determining factor in how long you wait for one. And yes, you'll get the same treatment even if you aren't a citizen.

The US has the most expensive health care in the world and is accessible to the smallest proportion of residents.

[Hamlette]

9. Is that true? You can retire and get free medical care?

I thought you had to work in that country and pay taxes in that country. Otherwise you have to have insurance or pay yourself. If you're retired you don't pay income taxes in that country.

At least, that's how I understand it.

I'd love to know of a country that would let me retire there and give me free medical care without paying taxes.


Oh, and I'm not really as big a hick as you think I am. Been to Europe about 15 times, parents lived in Scotland for years, sis lived all over the world, very dear friend has lived in Paris for 15 years, spent my summers in Europe for about six years, when I was in law school and after, been to Mexico yearly for the last 20 years years, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, China, Japan and almost every country in Europe. Went to Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia, and Slovenia last year, headed to Portugal this year...and of course, Mexico. So, yes dear, I have been to "another country" probably about 40 of them.

[China_cat]

11. Holland is one. But yes, you would have to pay taxes.

However, even without insurance, the medical care there is not anywhere near as expensive as here. Just before going to the Euro, an office visit for someone without insurance and not on the government health cost 15 guilders on average, maybe a little more in the bigger cities. Let's forget about the exchange rate for the moment and just figure it as the basic currency unit. How long ago would it be here before you could see a doctor for $15? Hell, how long ago would it be in this country that you could get basic meds for $15.

Doctor visit, no waiting time, sample meds, prescription, full instructions...about 45 minutes of the doctor's time...for that piddling bit of money? Here it's make an appointment (in 3 weeks time if you can get one at all) wait 3 to 6 hours in the waiting room, see the PA, the doc comes in and gives you (maybe) 2 minutes of time, writes a script and ushers you to the pay station where, if you have your insurance card, it costs you $150 and if you don't it costs you more.

Why don't we go back? Because 2 years out of work cost us everything we had saved just for that day. Then I got sick with no insurance. If I'd been there when I got sick, I wouldn't be hit with an almost $600 bill every month for the meds I need and we wouldn't be having to keep our fingers crossed that neither of us needs a hospital because if it comes to that, we'll be out on the street.

[Hamlette]

17. Everything I read about Holland is, that 15 guilders is subsidized by the government

I just don't see how a doctor could afford to give a patient 45 minutes of his/her time for $15 and live in Holland. It simply must be subsidized. The way I see it, I pay taxes into Medicare my whole life. I would not want to allow anyone from anywhere in the world to come here and get free medical care paid for by my taxes. If any country gave free health care to non-nationals who wanted to retire there...or even gave subsidized health care to those retirees...that country could not afford it as everyone in the world would want to go there.

Which was my original question: what country can I retire to and get free health care? If I'm retired, I wouldn't be paying taxes.

From surfing around the net, there are many sites talking about retiring to foreign countries and each site advises you obtain insurance as you won't get free health care.

I've heard many stories of ppl who needed emergency medical care while traveling. They received it and said it was good care. But even the US gives free emergency medical care to ppl who are not here legally.

Don't get me wrong. There is no doubt the European health care system is much better than ours. In fact, the health care system in Thailand is better than ours. That was NEVER my point. My point is, the European health care system is NOT available to me for free. Not now, not when I retire. I know of no country that would allow you to retire there and give you free care. (I'm near enough to retirement age that I've actually looked into this.)

[Eurobabe]

14. Here in Germany you can get govt. healthcare

BUT you have to have a visa to live here and those are not easy to get. I am really not sure what happens if you just move here and then have a sickness, if you have to pay out of pocket or what?

Unless you marry a German, then the visa to live and work here comes gratis. :) Health insurance is not tied to employers, but employers do kick in part of your premium costs. You can go with any insurance you want, socialized or private.

It is my understanding that if we stay in Germany and I am an American citizen when I retire (bwahhaha!! there won't be SS then anyhow unless we fix the broken system) I can claim benefits while living here.

[mnhtnbb]

6. You can still come back to US for medical treatment and use Medicare.

US citizens who wish to retire to other countries are encouraged (by ex-pat groups) to keep a U.S.
address. If you can't afford to keep two residences, get a relative to agree to let you use their address.

You want to keep a U.S. bank account and have your SS check deposited there. Withdraw funds either by wire transfer a couple times a year, or use a debit card.

[Hamlette]

10. that's my understanding too.

you can come back for medical care but if you have significant medical needs it could get expensive flying back and forth

I've had a few friends retire on Mexico over the years. As they got older they moved back in large part because of free medicare here.

[Eurobabe]

12. No, not the money

but you can't use medical services except in the US.

Sorry, had to edit after pausing for a sec to think.

[WritersBlock]

15. No. I still get statements from the Social Security Administration showing my projected benefits

...upon reaching retirement age.

That's assuming our all-knowing MBA leaders haven't "fixed" Social Security out of existence by then.

[KharmaTrain]

16. As Long As You Remain A Taxypaying Citizen...

If you don't renounce your American citizenship and continue to file with the IRS, your benefits should remain valid no matter where you live. Pensions depend on the issuer...but I can't see how residency or citizenship would have any bearing on that.

Some countries offer dual citizenship...I knew some elderly who moved to Israel where they maintained their US citizenship and continued to collect SSI.