Best place to retire and not work? Live off your retirement check?

LTC Jason Bartlett — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 09:48:15 -0500

Thoughts, ideas???

Response by SSG Robert Burns made Jan 5 at 2014 10:09 AM

SSG Robert Burns — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 10:09:54 -0500

I've heard a lot of people say you can live like a king off your retirement in Panama.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2014 11:22 AM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 11:22:27 -0500

I tried to talk my wife into someday moving to Thailand or Belize but it didn't go anywhere.

I would say anywhere in a region you like that is not too far from a VA hospital or Military base with a low cost of living.

If you are looking to work after the military, that's another story.

The south and Midwest do well in my personal ranking

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 5 at 2014 6:01 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 05 Jan 2014 18:01:04 -0500

While I am a ways out from retirement, I have been thinking about this as well. The few places I have put on my list for consideration are:

-Puerto Rico: Tropical island with low cost of living, reasonable infrastructure, and a VA

-Texas: No state income tax, low cost of living, amazing opportunities to travel for short get aways

-Arkansas: I am from the NW corner which is a beautiful area but cost of living is on the rise

-Oklahoma City/Norman area: Enjoyed living there, low cost of living, able to get away to family quickly

-Colorado: I am a ski bum, when I can be....may have to have a bit of a skibum job to help support my habit due to the cost of living, but that is not a problem

-I could see Eastern TN as being a great place as well, but I have yet to visit thoroughly.

Just my list...it could change a thousand times between now and then, but I like to plan now where my retirement fund can be supplemented without being too stressful on the budget.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 11 at 2014 9:44 AM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 11 May 2014 09:44:28 -0400

Same question was in an Edmonds Mag. Top 5 are N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado. Reason, small populations make health care easy to access and lots of outdoor adventure. Taxes are low in these areas also. The only thing that might be harder to get is the second career. I don’t know what those states have going other than the oil industry in Montana with the key stone pipe line.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Dec 9 at 2014 12:40 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Tue, 09 Dec 2014 00:40:46 -0500

I'm thinking about Guam. Saipan would be cool if I didn't need medical services. It should be easy to hop to Guam and Hawaii if needed.

Response by CPT Zachary Brooks made Mar 11 at 2015 8:38 PM

CPT Zachary Brooks — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 20:38:13 -0400

Have a coworker who was living (until recently due to family illnesses) in Thailand. He managed to avoid paying taxes in the US as he was not generating a US income at the time, but retained his citizenship.

Response by CW3 Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 21 at 2015 8:54 AM

CW3 Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 21 Mar 2015 08:54:16 -0400

My wife and I have a nice house in the Philippines right on the ocean and a few other pieces of land there as well and the cost of living is wonderful for a retiree. But we have no VA hospital anywhere close and on the Island where we have our house you have to get used to no huge malls or anything like a Walmart. We also have brownouts where we lose electric from time to time for a few hours and the internet is slow, but the people are wonderful, the view is fantastic, great food and you could live comfortable on most retirements.

Response by SGT Christopher Hayden made Mar 6 at 2021 12:34 PM

SGT Christopher Hayden — Sat, 06 Mar 2021 12:34:20 -0500

Thailand. Your US money would go a long way there.