Pros and cons of getting married/having kids in Argentina vs USA?

[River222]

BRAVO! This is spot on target. The USA is NOT the country to retire in. Even/especially as a multi-millionare I can't think of a worst country to retire to. I can afford to live in the USA but life is much better in retirement in other countries vs. the USA. High cost of living, high tax base, piss poor food quality compared to other countries. Healthcare is HORRIBLE and expensive and the doctors just don't care. Not sure why anyone would want to retire in the USA. I'm doing the opposte as charlesfradley suggested.

The only benefit to the USA is raising kids here. I find the quality of life for raising kids is much much better than Argentina. I purposely moved back to the USA when my oldest was 3 years old. I find schools for the most part disgusting in Buenos Aires compared to the USA. We had some friends that had their kids molested in Buenos Aires top tier schools. I just find the environment mostly toxic in Argentina compared to the USA for raising kids. Kids see their parents and others with a lazy attitude and stab one another in the back type of culture. Raising them in the USA was the best thing I could have done and don't regret it for a minute. But once they are older we plan to move back to Buenos Aires.

I'm a USA citizen and I got married in Argentina. I had 2 kids that were born in Buenos Aires. My wife easily got USA permanent residency just by marrying me and then got her citizenship after 5 years of being married. Was very easy. My kids automatically got USA citizenship right when they were born and have the best of both worlds having USA passport and Argentina Passport. I applied for their social security numbers at the USA Embassy in Buenos Aires and it arrived within 2 weeks of applying. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Charlesfradley is spot on target and 100% correct. The median Social Security check per month in the USA is $1,730. You can't do jack with that in the USA. But in Argentina if you have a paid off place, you can live like a King/Queen.

To clarify, I'm 38 years old and not thinking about retiring any time soon. I'm very behind on saving for retirement(and paying into SSA) actually and am hoping to do some catch up while living in AR and earning dollars for a while. Moving to the US in a few years would be for exactly the reason you cited. To raise kids there. We'll be looking to start having kids pretty soon(she's 34) but it sounds like there's no reason to move back right away to have kids in the USA for citizenship reasons as I feared...So maybe we'll stick it out here in Argentina saving up before the kids reach schooling age.

 

[charlesfradley]

To clarify, I'm 38 years old and not thinking about retiring any time soon. I'm very behind on saving for retirement(and paying into SSA) actually and am hoping to do some catch up while living in AR and earning dollars for a while. Moving to the US in a few years would be for exactly the reason you cited. To raise kids there. We'll be looking to start having kids pretty soon(she's 34) but it sounds like there's no reason to move back right away to have kids in the USA for citizenship reasons as I feared...So maybe we'll stick it out here in Argentina saving up before the kids reach schooling age.

Sure. Like I said, I would give birth in Canada.

Here is a list of countries who grant citizenship by birth:




Canada
Capital: Ottawa



Dominica
Capital: Roseau



Grenada
Capital: Saint George's



United States
Capital: Washington, D.C.



Saint Kitts and Nevis
Capital: Basseterre



Antigua and Barbuda
Capital: Saint John's



Brazil
Capital: Brasília



Mexico
Capital: Mexico City



Argentina
Capital: Buenos Aires

Saint Lucia
Capital: Castries

Belize
Capital: Belmopan

Barbados
Capital: Bridgetown

El Salvador
Capital: San Salvador

Paraguay
Capital: Asunción

Pakistan
Capital: Islamabad

Panama
Capital: Panama City

Fiji
Capital: Suva

Honduras
Capital: Tegucigalpa

Guatemala
Capital: Guatemala City

Cuba
Capital: Havana

Guyana
Capital: Georgetown

Nicaragua
Capital: Managua

Uruguay
Capital: Montevideo

Venezuela
Capital: Caracas

 

[charlesfradley]

Sure. Like I said, I would give birth in Canada.

Here is a list of countries who grant citizenship by birth:


View attachment 9054

Canada
Capital: Ottawa

View attachment 9048

Dominica
Capital: Roseau

View attachment 9046

Grenada
Capital: Saint George's

View attachment 9051

United States
Capital: Washington, D.C.

View attachment 9047

Saint Kitts and Nevis
Capital: Basseterre

View attachment 9053

Antigua and Barbuda
Capital: Saint John's

View attachment 9052

Brazil
Capital: Brasília

View attachment 9050

Mexico
Capital: Mexico City

View attachment 9049

Argentina
Capital: Buenos Aires

Saint Lucia
Capital: Castries

Belize
Capital: Belmopan

Barbados
Capital: Bridgetown

El Salvador
Capital: San Salvador

Paraguay
Capital: Asunción

Pakistan
Capital: Islamabad

Panama
Capital: Panama City

Fiji
Capital: Suva

Honduras
Capital: Tegucigalpa

Guatemala
Capital: Guatemala City

Cuba
Capital: Havana

Guyana
Capital: Georgetown

Nicaragua
Capital: Managua

Uruguay
Capital: Montevideo

Venezuela
Capital: Caracas

To clarify, I'm 38 years old and not thinking about retiring any time soon. I'm very behind on saving for retirement(and paying into SSA) actually and am hoping to do some catch up while living in AR and earning dollars for a while. Moving to the US in a few years would be for exactly the reason you cited. To raise kids there. We'll be looking to start having kids pretty soon(she's 34) but it sounds like there's no reason to move back right away to have kids in the USA for citizenship reasons as I feared...So maybe we'll stick it out here in Argentina saving up before the kids reach schooling age.

Wherever the birth takes place, you will need to register the births with the nearest consulates of USA and Argentina, that is a formality, but necessary to preserve rights and avoid future problems.

 

[earlyretirement]

To clarify, I'm 38 years old and not thinking about retiring any time soon. I'm very behind on saving for retirement(and paying into SSA) actually and am hoping to do some catch up while living in AR and earning dollars for a while. Moving to the US in a few years would be for exactly the reason you cited. To raise kids there. We'll be looking to start having kids pretty soon(she's 34) but it sounds like there's no reason to move back right away to have kids in the USA for citizenship reasons as I feared...So maybe we'll stick it out here in Argentina saving up before the kids reach schooling age.

If you're already 38 and you don't have much savings or haven't been paying much into SS you're kind of screwed unless you earn a shit ton in the next several years. The time to do that stuff is when you're young. 38 isn't exactly too young. I don't mean to be Debbie Downer on you. I just always like to give honest and practical advice.

Also, if you're planning on earning lots of dollars, I'm not sure I'd recommend living in Argentina to do that. Unless you can make a lot of $$$$ being a digital nomad or something. If so, then sure that's a good place to earn dollars and spend pesos. I've found Argentina to be one of the MOST DIFFICULT places to earn a lot of money.

If you're girlfriend is 34 realistically she really has to start soon. It doesn't always happen right away. A friend is dating a 36 year old and he is 54 and the funny thing was when the doctor told the girl SHE was a "geriatric pregnancy" and "high risk". The girl was shocked as she thought she was young. But the doctor clued her in. Your girlfriend already falls into that category so you better hurry up. This girlfriend of my best friend thought the risk would be on my friend as he was older but the doctor told her he already had 3 successful kids (previous marriage). It would be HER that is the issue.

Your goal should be earning as much as you can if you plan on having kids. And realistically if you don't have much/any savings you couldn't move back to the USA anyway as things are so expensive here now.

How much do you earn per year in Argentina? I do a lot of investment analysis for clients and also friends and some people are shocked when I tell them that they really can NOT afford to have kids. It's an eye opener for them. Kids are freaking expensive. Especially raising them in the USA. Lots of people think they are really young still in their late 30's but they really aren't that young.

 

[River222]

If you're already 38 and you don't have much savings or haven't been paying much into SS you're kind of screwed unless you earn a shit ton in the next several years. The time to do that stuff is when you're young. 38 isn't exactly too young. I don't mean to be Debbie Downer on you.

Also, if you're planning on early lots of dollars, I'm not sure I'd recommend living in Argentina to do that. Unless you can make a lot of $$$$ being a digital nomad or something. If so, then sure that's a good place to earn dollars and spend pesos.

If you're girlfriend is 34 realistically she really has to start soon. It doesn't always happen right away. A friend is dating a 36 year old and he is 54 and the funny thing was when the doctor told the girl she was a "geriatric pregnancy" and "high risk". The girl was shocked as she thought she was young. But the doctor clued her in. Next year your girlfriend falls into that category so you better hurry up.

Your goal should be earning as much as you can if you plan on having kids. And realistically if you don't have much/any savings you couldn't move back to the USA anyway as things are so expensive here now.

I appreciate the honesty! I definitely squandered a lot of time but I also am in a decent position to recover, I think, since I should be able to start pulling in 6ish figures(in dollars) soon while living frugally spending pesos. I appreciate the reminder on the ol biological clock as well. Both of us had sort of given up on dreams of family until we found each other and now find them revived at the last minute as it were. We don't have much time to do this right, so we're trying to make sure we make the most of the time we have and don't make the sorts of mistakes that derail our late game recovery.

 

[charlesfradley]

If you're already 38 and you don't have much savings or haven't been paying much into SS you're kind of screwed unless you earn a shit ton in the next several years. The time to do that stuff is when you're young. 38 isn't exactly too young. I don't mean to be Debbie Downer on you. I just always like to give honest and practical advice.

Also, if you're planning on earning lots of dollars, I'm not sure I'd recommend living in Argentina to do that. Unless you can make a lot of $$$$ being a digital nomad or something. If so, then sure that's a good place to earn dollars and spend pesos. I've found Argentina to be one of the MOST DIFFICULT places to earn a lot of money.

If you're girlfriend is 34 realistically she really has to start soon. It doesn't always happen right away. A friend is dating a 36 year old and he is 54 and the funny thing was when the doctor told the girl SHE was a "geriatric pregnancy" and "high risk". The girl was shocked as she thought she was young. But the doctor clued her in. Your girlfriend already falls into that category so you better hurry up. This girlfriend of my best friend thought the risk would be on my friend as he was older but the doctor told her he already had 3 successful kids (previous marriage). It would be HER that is the issue.

Your goal should be earning as much as you can if you plan on having kids. And realistically if you don't have much/any savings you couldn't move back to the USA anyway as things are so expensive here now.

Yes, as for financial advice..... if you are on the payroll of a USA company, ask them to withhold social security taxes from your paycheck, if they are not doing that already. To maximize your USA social security you need to work on USA payrolls (and pay the social security payroll taxes) for at least 35 years. If your USA employer refuses to do that, then file your USA taxes as self-employed and pay the self employment taxes....alas that it is more expensive (double) the cost of employee payroll taxes. Then you can retire at age 62, or if you postpone retirement until 70 then the retirement benefit will increase 8% for each year past 62 that you defer.

 

[earlyretirement]

I appreciate the honesty! I definitely squandered a lot of time but I also am in a decent position to recover, I think, since I should be able to start pulling in 6ish figures(in dollars) soon while living frugally spending pesos. I appreciate the reminder on the ol biological clock as well. Both of us had sort of given up on dreams of family until we found each other and now find them revived at the last minute as it were. We don't have much time to do this right, so we're trying to make sure we make the most of the time we have and don't make the sorts of mistakes that derail our late game recovery.

No problem at all. I do this all the time with my friends and they always thank me. That's awesome that you can recover! If you're making 6 figure income for the next many decades until you retire, you'll have time. Just remember that you have to be paying into SSA for 30+ years. Save, save, save. Invest into income generating assets. Don't waste money.

That's amazing that you found your one true love. She still has time so just plan and make a good game plan. Argentina is a great place to live if you can earn US dollars. If you're earning 6 figure income and spending pesos you'll be in good shape. But make sure you're paying into SSA.

 

[River222]

Yes, as for financial advice..... if you are on the payroll of a USA company, ask them to withhold social security taxes from your paycheck, if they are not doing that already. To maximize your USA social security you need to work on USA payrolls (and pay the social security payroll taxes) for at least 35 years. If your USA employer refuses to do that, then file your USA taxes as self-employed and pay the self employment taxes....alas that it is more expensive (double) the cost of employee payroll taxes.

I'm going to be getting my licence to practice as a therapist in the states very soon and will be working remotely with the hopes of building up a private practice. So I will have to be paying those self-employment taxes at some point unfortunately.

 

[earlyretirement]

Yes, as for financial advice..... if you are on the payroll of a USA company, ask them to withhold social security taxes from your paycheck, if they are not doing that already. To maximize your USA social security you need to work on USA payrolls (and pay the social security payroll taxes) for at least 35 years. If your USA employer refuses to do that, then file your USA taxes as self-employed and pay the self employment taxes....alas that it is more expensive (double) the cost of employee payroll taxes. Then you can retire at age 62, or if you postpone retirement until 70 then the retirement benefit will increase 8% for each year past 62 that you defer.

Just saw this. Yep, I just commented about paying into SSA for 35 years. People sometimes don't know this and automatically think they will quality for Medicare and SSA benefits without barely paying in. And lots of ex-pats aren't paying the self-employment taxes.

 

[River222]

Just saw this. Yep, I just commented about paying into SSA for 35 years. People sometimes don't know this and automatically think they will quality for Medicare and SSA benefits without barely paying in. And lots of ex-pats aren't paying the self-employment taxes.

I've been paying in for quite a few years, it's just that the amounts have been low. I think SSA depends on the 10 highest earning/paying in years correct? So as long as I get in those high paying in years it won't eventually matter that I payed in little the other years(as long as I payed in) correct?