Retiring to Florida

[florida4sun]

Its not that they are working to pay for insurance, it is that they get insurance included with the job, this usually extends to partners for a small fee.


<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Mo Green
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
What I notice more and more in Florida is elderly people working in supermarkets, department stores and car parks. The question might be "can Florida residents afford to retire there"? It looks rather like many can't.
[/quote]

They may not always be working to pay for insurance. When we were over there at Christmas the elderly packer insisted on taking my cart to the car - you an imagine my embarassement. Healthy looking lady with tiny bent up old man pushing a heavily laden trolley.

I asked if he minded me asking how old he was and he was 85! To my question of why did he still work he said he retired at 60, was fed up with watching repeats of movies and TV programmes and was saving up to buy a boat!

Maybe, where there is clearly no upper age limit for employees, some actually enjoy getting out and meeting people and earning some extra spending money.
[/quote]

[florida4sun]

This sums it up, if we had the money to cover Alex's and Hannah's medical costs (or decent insurance) we would be there right now. In ideal world retirement wouold be summer in UK winter in florida or Italy.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by roger
I like the UK and the USA. Personally I'd rather live in Florida now whilst younger and I have the money to live here comfortably, and then retire back to the UK if not back there already.

I would not want to be spending my life savings just paying for medical bills once I retire.

Having said that, if money is no object when I retire, or the US come up with a national health type system for the retired then I might change my mind.


[/quote]

[Katys Grandad]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Mo Green
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
What I notice more and more in Florida is elderly people working in supermarkets, department stores and car parks. The question might be "can Florida residents afford to retire there"? It looks rather like many can't.
[/quote]

They may not always be working to pay for insurance. When we were over there at Christmas the elderly packer insisted on taking my cart to the car - you an imagine my embarassement. Healthy looking lady with tiny bent up old man pushing a heavily laden trolley.

I asked if he minded me asking how old he was and he was 85! To my question of why did he still work he said he retired at 60, was fed up with watching repeats of movies and TV programmes and was saving up to buy a boat!

Maybe, where there is clearly no upper age limit for employees, some actually enjoy getting out and meeting people and earning some extra spending money.
[/quote]

I'm sure he was being honest Maureen but I had the very same experience (was it Publix?) and my cart man said he couldn't afford to pay the medical bills himself. I think there are a lot of good and proud elderly people in Florida who don't like to admit they're doing it for the money.

[chrizzy100]

A few work to get out the house..but a lot more don't...

I not sure FL would be the place I'd pick in the USA to retire too...a nice place for your 50/60..but not so sure in my 70s..a condo in FL and one up the coast for summer would be nice...maybe in the Mountains of New England.....

[esprit]

If you have lived in America for the requisite period and paid into the social security system, you are entitled to medicare at an old age, obviously as someone just retiring to Florida you would not be.

There is already a retirement visa, it is called the EB5 and leads to green card, just got to raise $500,000 to invest in a designated regional centre. With the increase in home values a lot of people are just doing that and can afford to. There is the alternative of E2. To be frank, living as I do at the moment in Gods waiting room of Portugal and being totally bored sick I think that making older people who want to live in the US run a business isnt necessarily a bad thing!!
Oh and for those who can afford to do so, snowbirding on B2 and six months in and six months out does hold many attractions as having the best of both worlds.

[Mo Green]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Mo Green
[quote
They may not always be working to pay for insurance. [/quote]

Sorry worded that badly - should have been working for the insurance cover. I know they are covered by employers.

Retiring to Florida sounds wonderful - when one is fit and healthy. Alternatively, as was said earlier, snow-birding with B2 does sound very attractive.

[Robert5988]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:There is already a retirement visa, it is called the EB5 and leads to green card, just got to raise $500,000 to invest in a designated regional centre. With the increase in home values a lot of people are just doing that and can afford to. There is the alternative of E2.[/quote]

Julie,

Agreed that raising $500,000 would not be a problem for some people.

However for those 60+(with no chance of Medicare), EB5, E2, or even in the unlikely event that the USA introduced a proper 'retirement Visa' you still have to face up to the medical cost problem as outlined in the original post.

As also said above, if you have that sort of money you can stay far longer than 6 months in the year if you wish on a visitor's Visa and/or Visa Waiver.

[Ray9]

My recent stay in hospital for 21 hours came to $8000
I have no Insurance ...refused as 60 with high blood pressure ...
and taking more than one pill a day ..

[anorak]

Esprit - you mention EB5 - for those who are not familiar with it you invest half a million dollars in a project, spend about $35,000 in fees etc, the investment is often in Seattle, they pay you 5% profit share (not guaranteed) you get a green card after maybe 9 months, after a further 2 years if the scheme still meeets the criteria you get the restrictions lifted on the green card.
Thats it, you have a full green card and can come and go and live and work as you like. And your wife/husband.

But what about your half million dollars?

In theory you can now get it out of the scheme, but that I believe depends on some other punter buying your investment. As the EB5 scheme is due to end next September will there be anyone who wants to buy your investment?

WIll you ever get your money out?

Or is it a bit like buying a timeshare? And we know how hard they are to sell secondhand.



Any views or further info anyone?

[SDJ]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Mo Green
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Katys Grandad
What I notice more and more in Florida is elderly people working in supermarkets, department stores and car parks. The question might be "can Florida residents afford to retire there"? It looks rather like many can't.
[/quote]

They may not always be working to pay for insurance. When we were over there at Christmas the elderly packer insisted on taking my cart to the car - you an imagine my embarassement. Healthy looking lady with tiny bent up old man pushing a heavily laden trolley.

I asked if he minded me asking how old he was and he was 85! To my question of why did he still work he said he retired at 60, was fed up with watching repeats of movies and TV programmes and was saving up to buy a boat!

Maybe, where there is clearly no upper age limit for employees, some actually enjoy getting out and meeting people and earning some extra spending money.
[/quote]
It has been my husbands ambition for 15 years to stand as a bag checker in Publix!!! Reading the above, he is far too young[msnwink][[msnwink][msnwink]as he is only 69!!!

Seriously we are happy to come and go on our B2 Visa and feel we have the best of both worlds. Long may it continue.

Sandra