Is the expat party coming to an end?

[Caribbean Cool]

Can you elaborate?

Compra $975,00

Venta $995,00

4,19%

Actualizado: 07.12.2023 13:12

Elaborated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[TonyTigre]

You can get over that $3,000 amount if you include the following benefits:

SNAP (food stamp) benefit $291

Additional SSI benefit of up to $914

Medicaid (basically everything is covered for free including drugs if you can't afford. They will even pay you to go get preventative care in the form of a prepaid debit card for each activity you checkoff...)

Free phone and internet access with LifeLine and ACP

Senior discounts for various things including public transit, museums, stores, etc...

Some government programs help with energy cost especially in the winter

Some Medicaid insurance plans even include a monthly credit of around $200 that can be used to pay for healthy food, OTC, and utilities.

 

[Redpossum]

In my case, I made a conscious decision to come to Argentina at age 47 so I could stop working in a job that paid well but that I hated. Had I stayed, I would have worked, probably until last year, and I'm sure that I'd now be very comfortably retired in the US (if I didn't die first from stress).

But having had the experience of being able to stop working for a paycheck at 47 and having all those extra years to do what I wanted to do, I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I came here at 50-something because I was no longer able to get a job in the USA, and was in danger of losing my house for unpaid property taxes. Argentina has been good for me. Not always good to me, but good for me.

 

[QuilmesSlo]

Some Medicaid insurance plans even include a monthly credit of around $200 that can be used to pay for healthy food, OTC, and utilities.

It's a veritable garden of eden for seniors. I am joking, I don't think you can achieve a dignified life in the US at these levels.

 

[Ruta Otto]

You couldn't live in your home state on USD $3,000 if you owned your own home?

Unless you're in your seventies and lived in the same house for 3 decades or got lucky in the housing market sweepstakes, who in the USA actually owns their own home? The vast majority of "homeowners" have a mortgage. Add to that taxes and insurance, which are much, much higher than in Argentina relative to dollar earners. For $3k you might be able to rent a studio apartment but then there's the car, insurance (auto and health), utilities and yes, almost forgot, food.

 

[sergio]

Unless you're in your seventies and lived in the same house for 3 decades or got lucky in the housing market sweepstakes, who in the USA actually owns their own home? The vast majority of "homeowners" have a mortgage. Add to that taxes and insurance, which are much, much higher than in Argentina relative to dollar earners. For $3k you might be able to rent a studio apartment but then there's the car, insurance (auto and health), utilities and yes, almost forgot, food.

Many retired Americans have paid off their homes. Many leave substantial legacies to their children in large part because their homes values have soared. Few Americans live in apartments. Most live in houses however one room (studio / bedsit) flats do not cost $3,000. Maybe in NYC (Manhattan) or San Francisco but elsewhere this simply isn't true. Yes, taxes and insurance are higher in the US though there are property tax freeze schemes in the US for low income people.

 

[sergio]

i know of people (elderly couple) living on less than 3k a month outside of NY, car payments included. They have subsidized housing but are still very tight. they would be in a much better position if they moved to a place like Argentina.

That's questionable. If 65+ they are covered by Medicare. Despite what someone here keeps saying, Medicare is comprehensive. There are now Medicare Advantage plans that do not have any supplemental costs, that even give people quarterly credits for OTC products. If they are really low income, there is Medicaid which is totally free. If they come to Argentina it is debatable that they would be accepted into ANY private scheme - someone here said the Italian Hospital. Possibly. That would be an additional cost. They'd have to rent which would likely be more than they are paying in the US if they are living in subsidised housing. If they have the cash they could buy a property -- how much? USD $100,000 to USD $200,000? Then they would have to deal with the uncertainties of economic policy in Argentina. Prices fluctuate from low to high. It's unpredictable. Living in a strange country without a good network is a daunting task for someone 65+. Things can go wrong and you're on your own.

 

[Ries]

Many retired Americans have paid off their homes. Many leave substantial legacies to their children in large part because their homes values have soared. Few Americans live in apartments. Most live in houses however one room (studio / bedsit) flats do not cost $3,000. Maybe in NYC (Manhattan) or San Francisco but elsewhere this simply isn't true. Yes, taxes and insurance are higher in the US though there are property tax freeze schemes in the US for low income people.

You have obviously not lived in the USA in the last few years. One room flats DO cost 2000 to 3000 dollars in cities all over the USA.
39 million people in the US live in apartments. Thats equal to half the population of the UK.
Both my adult children live in apartments, one in NYC. My NY son just moved in Oct, and the cheapest bedsits were $2500. Most were much more.
I live in a rural area, a farming community, Average home price is well over $500,000. The national average is $412,000 right now. This is roughly double the average home price in the UK, and we dont have "council flats". 18% of the UK population lives in "social housing". Under 1% of US population lives in public housing.
You just have no idea of the actual cost of living in the US, much less insurance, health care, utilities, transportation, food, etc.

 

[Spfly731]

I live in Southern California, i own my property, but I do have HOA, property taxes and insurance that I pay yearly. My car is paid off, but I pay insurance on that too. I watch every cent I spend and spend about $2.500 a month.

 

[Ries]

That's questionable. If 65+ they are covered by Medicare. Despite what someone here keeps saying, Medicare is comprehensive. There are now Medicare Advantage plans that do not have any supplemental costs, that even give people quarterly credits for OTC products. If they are really low income, there is Medicaid which is totally free. If they come to Argentina it is debatable that they would be accepted into ANY private scheme - someone here said the Italian Hospital. Possibly. That would be an additional cost. They'd have to rent which would likely be more than they are paying in the US if they are living in subsidised housing. If they have the cash they could buy a property -- how much? USD $100,000 to USD $200,000? Then they would have to deal with the uncertainties of economic policy in Argentina. Prices fluctuate from low to high. It's unpredictable. Living in a strange country without a good network is a daunting task for someone 65+. Things can go wrong and you're on your own.

I have been on Medicare for 3 years now. It is not "comprehensive". Many doctors and clinics dont take it, there are often extra out of pocket costs, and there is an additional monthly charge for necessary "additions". Wait times for some things can be long.
I have almost 200 dollars deducted by the government from my SS payment every month for Medicare part B alone.
You are reading stuff online that paints a rosy picture, but I assure you that the reality of Medicare is not what you are reading. Medicaid is only applicable to people who earn less than $19,000 a year.
A huge percentage of the homeless in the USA are actually on both Medicare and SS, and they still cant afford houses.