Peddicord offers a list of a number
of attractive foreign cities where a couple could retire comfortably on a Social
Security check of $1,200 a month each:
Cuenca, Ecuador; Pedasi, Panama;
Granada, Nicaragua; Chiang Mai, Thailand; and Nha Trang, Vietnam.
Katie Kuehner-Hebert is afreelance
writer based in Running Springs,
Calif. She has contributed to
American Banker, Risk & Insurance
and Human Resource Executive
magazines.
SOCIAL NE T WORKING
There are other, more personal factors to consider, as well. “Some people
moving away have not given a whole
lot of thought to their social networks,
such as showing up for their grandkids’
birthday parties,” Hearn says. “They
don’t realize how deep their roots are
— friends in their church or their country club. When they move to a foreign
country, they may have been used to
a certain level of activity, but maybe
they don’t speak the language or there
are different customs.
“Showing up in a different coun-
try can be scary and intimidating if
they are not an outgoing person who
gets out there and gets plugged in,
making connections right away,” he
explains. “Then, they huddle up in
their apartment, become lonely and
get buyers’ remorse.”
Hearn encourages people to visit the
places they are considering before they
retire and build social networks before
they move. They can join religious
organizations or social clubs, or even
find favorite hair stylists or grocers.
“They should make connections ahead
of time to make them feel like it’s home
so it won’t be a total shock to their sys-
tem,” he says.
Clients should also build into their
budget enough money to travel back to
the U.S. to see their children and grandchildren or to help to finance their relatives’ travel to visit them in their new
home, Hearn says. Finally, they should
learn to use Skype, so they can actually
see their relatives when they talk to
them — and save money, too. FP
