jlsronce said:
First off, I would NEVER retire here, but if I had to I would definitely retire in Capital Federal. It's an overcrowded stressful nightmare of a place filled with a lot of people who are racist and only care about themselves. I realize that is a generalization but its pretty accurate. I would go to Mendoza or Cordoba. The good thing about Mendoza (aside from awesome food and wine) is that there are very few villas, very little crime, no cortes, when you are craving that USA lifestyle its a quick flight or drive to Chile. If you don't know much about Argentina you better get crackin on some heavy duty research. For example: How do you intend to get your retirement money from your US bank account here to Argentina? I recommend keeping it there and just using an ATM card. Designate somebody you trust as a Power of Attorney in the states that can go to your bank and resolve issues for you if need be. If you transfer your money here they will turn it all into pesos which is basically throwing it away. Do you plan to rent a place or buy a place? If you are going to buy, good luck. The process here is downright moronic. Trust me, I tried to buy a place with all the money already saved in my account. I was going to do an electronic transfer directly to the bank account of the owner but he wanted a suitcase full of US dollars in cash because he didn't want to pay taxes. Not to mention dealing with Imobiliarias that are worthless and are not to be trusted. Then there is always the threat that the GoA will expropriate your stuff or retroactively apply some dumb tax on you. Yes you can come down here and adapt to the Argentine lifestyle but if you are retiring you shouldn't have to adapt. Other than lack of natural disasters, I can see little reason for you to want to live here unless you already have a bunch of family and friends that are here. Maybe you should consider Costa Rica.
Wow! TQ, please pay no attention to this post! You can expect to get along just fine here, especially since your husband is Argentine.
Re: overcrowded and stressful - only if you're in the Microcentro, where you wouldn't want to live for many reasons. Most residential barrios are comfortable and peaceful, and most of us go into the Microcentro only for unavoidable transactions.
Re: racism and self-centeredness, you're coming from the US where you've seen real racism. Most Argentines are downright egalitarian by comparison. Differences here are principally economic, rather than racial or religious; without differences of color or belief, these differences are relatively easy to accept.
Re: Mendoza and Córdoba, both are very nice cities. Depending on your personal tastes, you may prefer one or the other over the capital, or you might prefer to be in a suburban or rural setting. If you're a person who needs the cultural and social stimulation of a large metropolis, you'll probably find Buenos Aires more rewarding.
Re: Chile for a "USA lifestyle," I assume you are looking for a change in your lives. If it's a "USA lifestyle" that you crave, you'll find it more easily in the US than in Chile.
Re: access to funds, legal residents have no problems maintaining Argentine bank accounts and transferring money from your US account to your Argentine account. There are a variety of ways to do this, each with its relative advantages and disadvantages. But it's not an issue.
Re: purchasing real estate, the process can indeed seem arcane when you first experience it, but it's nothing to get upset about. Thousands of US citizens have done it without problems, and Argentine real estate continues to be a rather good investment. By custom, transactions are indeed settled in cash dollars here, typically in a secured conference room at your bank, where you ask an officer to bring your the cash, which you hand across the table to the seller. Note that current procedures make it virtually impossible for a seller to hide the transaction from tax authorities. The cash settlement is a tradition rather than a tax-avoidance scheme.
Re: expropriation or retroactive taxes, I suppose both are possibilities, however remote or unlikely. I also suppose it might be possible in the US for the value of your property to drop below the balance of your mortgage. Or for congress to eliminate the mortgage-interest deduction. Or your local community to double your real estate taxes. Life is full of risks.
Re: adaptation, that's a personal choice. If you want to make a big change in your life while you're still young enough and healthy enough to pull it off, Argentina is a good option for North Americans. If you don't want to adapt to a different lifestyle, culture, language - or you don't think you can - you're best off staying in the US.
You'll find many yanquis retired and living happily here. If you're up for the change and the challenge, you'll have no problems.
