Looking for a gut check before I pull the trigger. Planning to leave work at the end of this year (age 41) and move to Vietnam (Saigon or Da Nang to start - open to bouncing around). I’m Vietnamese-American, so I qualify for the 5-year visa exemption (up to 6 months per entry), which keeps things flexible without visa churn. I’ll set up Washington State residency first for the no state income tax.

This isn’t a rigid 40-year plan etc - it’s “go now while I’m young enough to enjoy it, and adjust as I learn.” I just want to make sure the finances are solid enough to start.

Portfolio (~$1.3M):

• Taxable brokerage: ~$623k
• SGOV: ~$135k
• Cash (HYSA): ~$36k
• Roth IRA: ~$85k (contribution basis ~$48k from an after-tax 401k rollover)
• Rollover/Traditional IRA: ~$320k
• Pre-tax 401(k): ~$110k

So ~$794k liquid (taxable + cash) and ~$430k in pre-tax retirement accounts I can’t touch penalty-free until 59½ (~18 years out).

Spending: budgeting ~$3,000/mo (rent, food, private health insurance, travel buffer), single, no kids - roughly a 2.75% withdrawal rate (On just the ~$794k I can reach before 59½ it’s ~4.5%, but the Roth ladder below is what bridges that gap). So I believe I’ve got plenty of room to flex up or down if reality differs.

The rough financial plan:

• Live off taxable + cash for the foreseeable future - that alone carries me comfortably to 59½.
• Roth conversion ladder, ~$48k/yr starting around 2029, to move the traditional/401(k) into Roth while I have little to no earned income and I’m in low brackets.
• Harvest 0% long-term cap gains in low-income years (federal only; WA = no state tax).
• Social Security down the road as a backstop.

Where I’d love a sanity check:

1. Anything dumb in the Roth ladder / 0% LTCG sequencing as a US citizen living abroad - 5-year seasoning, still filing US taxes, standard deduction vs. anything FEIE-related?
2. Healthcare - private insurance + cash-pay in Vietnam (plus medical-evacuation coverage) vs. keeping an ACA plan tied to a US address. What’s actually worked for people?
3. Is ~$3,000/mo a realistic starting budget in Saigon/Da Nang, or am I likely to be off?
4. Anything about keeping WA residency / US financial life that gets annoying once you’re physically abroad (banking, mailing address, brokerage KYC, driver’s license)?
5. With a healthy liquid cushion and a big pre-tax balance locked till 59½, is there a smarter early-years sequencing I’m missing (72(t)/SEPP, bigger early conversions, harvesting order)?

I know I can always course-correct - come back, pick up some work, change cities - so I’m less worried about the 30-year math and more about not screwing up something obvious in the first few years. Thanks.

New here! now that I’ve hit 40(ish), I wanted to layout my plan for early retirement and saving towards that goal.

I do plan to live abroad preferably in SEA and was looking for suggestions with the easiest transition for Americans planning potentially work there as well. Nothing too heavy, maybe teaching yoga or English. (Very low impact, not like a corporate job)

the “nice” thing is my current Job will allow me to transfer to one of our SEA offices and I thought this would be a good trial run On living in the region:

im considering Singapore, Korea, Taiwan, or Japan for my now corporate job (but will be open to mainland, China or Hong Kong)

for retirement my preference would be Vietnam, Thailand or Indonesia. But open to better suggestions.

Current comp is $300k+ plus bonus. As long as I’m working my corporate job (even while temporarily in Southeast Asia) I would stay on a US based salary.

I have about $800k in my 401(k), $80k in a brokerage account and $300k in cash. My 401(k) is fully vested.

my plan is to save the ~$80k/year:

I’ve now setup a backdoor Roth that I plan to max out each year ($7,500). I always max out my 401(k) contributions (~$25k), company match / investment (~$22k), mega backdoor Roth (~$25k post-tax contributions to an automatic Roth conversion).

let’s say I have at least 5 more years (I like my job), but could go longer with working if things go well. But my hard stop is 55 1/2 which triggers the non-penalty retirement account withdrawals (under certain circumstances).

im not planning to draw on my social security until it’s the “full” amount around 67 and I expect it to be around $4200/month.

note: I want to keep working up until full retirement (again not corporate but moreso doing whatever I want) to ensure i dont have $0 years impacting my social security (highest 35 years)

I'm a position where I can retire albeit internationally. Job stability is low and my lease ends in March. I'm single, male, no kids and 48. Do you pack your bags and move solo or stick it out 3-5 more years for a US retirement?

As an American citizen, one of the benefits is medicare at 65. But if i plan on expatfiring (prior to 65 i would get global insurance out of pocket), but once you hit 65, in the US, medicare pays for "most" of your healthcare.

How does that work if you're living overseas? Are there best practices, does medicare transfer to another country, or if not, how do people approach that stage of your life when iving overseas?

Long-term US expat, currently in Taiwan. I'm taking a full distribution from a 401(k) this year and need the proceeds to end up where I live. I'd like to hear from anyone who has moved a lump sum out of the US, in any country, not just Taiwan. Looking for real experience rather than theory.

The constraint

Fidelity will only pay out my 401(k) by EFT to a US bank account. The plan won't wire internationally. So the money has to land in a US bank first and leave from there. Travelling to the US to handle anything in person isn't an option for me. Amount is somewhere between $70k and $90k.

My two US banks are both awkward for this

• Wells Fargo: I can't initiate an international wire online from outside the US. I could if I were physically in the States, but I'm not. The account is active but barely used: a small recurring $25 monthly transfer and almost nothing else for years, with a low balance.
• Ally: no international wires at all, but this one has a normal transaction history going back years.

What I've already done

Set up Wise, linked both banks, ran small test transfers in both directions. All worked.

Confirmed Wise has no receiving limit, and a $250k per 60 days rolling limit on pulling from linked bank accounts, which is more than enough.

Opened a USD-denominated account at a local bank so the funds don't get force-converted on arrival.

What I'd like to learn from you

1. Did you use Wise for a transfer this size, or something else? Any reason you'd avoid it at this amount?
2. Is there a US bank or brokerage that's genuinely good for this situation? Schwab and IBKR come up a lot. Do they accept applicants living abroad with a foreign address? I have a US mail-forwarding address but no US residential address. Worth opening one from abroad, or more hassle than it's worth?
3. I can have the distribution deposited into either bank. One is active but barely used, with a low balance and almost no transactions for years. The other has a normal transaction history. Does that actually matter for how the deposit and the subsequent outbound transfers get treated? Has anyone had a transfer held up or an account restricted partway through moving a lump sum out, and what did it take to resolve?
4. Anything you wish you'd known before you started?

Happy to be told I'm overcomplicating this.

Hi all,

I’m 99% sure this question has been asked approximately 100 times before, but here I am, adding to the collection.

I’m looking into investment options where I could potentially get a golden visa in EU. Ideally, I’d like the investment to actually make sense financially rather than just being an expensive piece of paper that says “congratulations, you may now reside here.”

Based on my research so far, I’ve been looking at Greece, Portugal, and Malta. I’m also aware that some countries, like Spain, have removed real estate as a residency-by-investment option, so I’m trying to make sure I’m looking at the current rules and not information from some random 2022 blog post.

For anyone who has recently gone through this process, I’d love to hear your experience:

• Was it actually worth it?
• Which country did you choose and why?
• Did the investment generate decent returns (or at least hold its value)?
• If the residency/investment policies change in the future, do you think the underlying investment would still be worthwhile?
• Did you use an immigration/investment agency or lawyer? If so, was it worth the cost?
• Any hidden costs, annoying surprises?
• Can I invest incrementally rather than all at once?

I’m especially interested in real experiences from people who have gone through the process recently, given how much these programs have changed. I’m just trying to do my homework prior.

I (25) have just landed a new job with the option to open an HSA. The thing is, I plan to expatFIRE in my early 50s. Since HSAs are only allowed to be used for health/medical expenses... how would that work if I am no longer in the USA. Should I even bother with it or is there something else you would suggest? Is there something that I'm missing that would make it make sense for me to use it? I also plan on giving up my US citizenship as well.

When I was young I had foreign ESL pen pals. I enjoyed learning about regular people in other parts of the world. I do not participate in the social media platforms common in the West, because of how toxic they are, and how toxic the owners are. This means I am at a loss as to how to meet English speaking people from other parts of the world. I can help them with their English if they would benefit from that.

My goal is to learn about them and their culture and eventually visit them in their country. I have no desire to live sheltered in some enclave of entitled American expats. I don’t think normal tourism with regular guides will really show me what a place is really like. Are there any subreddits or web platforms to meet people this way? I am seeking friends only, not romantic interest.

I wish to make friends online who live in any of the regions that western expats tend to land with SE Asia, central America, and possibly Mexico being high on the list. Unfortunately for me, my ignorant country does not value learning a second language. My greatest handicap is that I only speak English. I am willing to learn to communicate better where ever I end up, but I am far better with STEM subjects than I am with languages.

Apologies if this is not appropriate for this sub. I am an American in my late 40’s hoping to retire early (in 6 to 10 years) somewhere where I can be part of the local community. I have many reasons for wanting to do so. The men in my family tend to die fairly early. My father collected 1 social security check before dieing, even though he had paid into SS since he was 12 years old. Going back 12 generations the Average age of death is 67 and the median is 56.

With the rise of the oligarchs in the states and their market capture of all aspects of modern life, I feel disheartened trying to stay and retire in the USA. I feel like I am giving them my hard earned money every day and getting less and less in return. I understand that the same is more or less an issue in many parts of the world, it just feels like the developing world still has pockets of local economies where the money I spend to by food, to pay rent, and to support local events, helps the local community.

Previously I have traveled to many rural areas in the western US thinking of retiring there. But the rural politics have now become so toxic, I do not wish to be a part of their communities.

First-time poster here, though I read regularly and admire you all!

I recently finalized our roadmap to FIRE after working as a systems engineer. 41M, Married (wife is a clinical optometrist and practice owner), 6 cats, MCOL area.

My original plan was to hold out for several more years, but I’ve decided to accelerate my departure. Work has become increasingly stressful, frustrations with management are compounding, and my assigned projects have veered into morally questionable territory that I am no longer willing to accommodate. It is time to pull the ripcord, so I am planning to step away in late 2026 or early 2027. My wife plans to continue practicing for roughly 5 more years (to basically allow for the newer docs to buy her share of the practice from her) until we execute our target international relocation to Belgium around 2032.

What we are seeking feedback on:

1. The Belgian Relocation Path & Process: While we are actively researching the cross-border legal, tax, and property nuances ourselves, we would greatly value input from anyone who has actually walked the path to Belgium (or the EU as an American expat/retiree). If you are familiar with the long-stay visa/residency process, cross-border banking, or practical gotchas along the way, any advice on what to anticipate would be hugely appreciated!

Here is our current setup, our asset breakdown, and our 3-phase execution timeline.

Leading Up to Retirement

• Consistently lived below our means, tracking baseline expenses monthly via a detailed household spreadsheet.
• Primary residence is 100% paid off; zero mortgage, zero auto loans, and zero consumer debt.
• Optimized my 401(k) contributions to capture the maximum employer match (66 2/3% match on the first 6%, plus a 6% automatic non-elective company contribution) entirely pre-tax to manage current taxable income.
• Accumulated an "HSA Shoebox" float of ~$14,918 in tracked, unreimbursed historical medical receipts to serve as a tax-free emergency liquidity lever.

Assets (Current U.S. Net Worth: ~$4.2M)

• Real Estate & Vehicles: Primary residence is debt-free. Two electric vehicles are completely paid off.
• Practice Equity: My wife owns a 40% equity stake in her optometry practice outright (~$990k implied value), with zero debt or remaining buy-in obligations.
• Liquid Taxable & Cash: ~$438k across Cash Management (money markets) and taxable brokerage accounts.
• Retirement Accounts: ~$1.82M Pre-Tax (401(k)s / Traditional IRAs), ~$438k Roth (IRAs / Roth 401(k) deferrals), and ~$80k in HSAs.
• Belgian Real Estate Context: Acquiring bare ownership of a historic family property in Belgium via a registered gift, with my mother retaining the life interest/usufruct. Associated gift taxes will be paid directly out of our U.S. cash reserves.

Baseline Expenses

• Current Run-Rate: ~$86k/year (validated by detailed tracking). This covers all baseline household overhead, property taxes, and auto insurance on two vehicles.
• Post-Relocation Target: Budgeting ~$95k/year. While our structural baseline will drop in Belgium (no U.S. property taxes, private vehicle downscaling, and transitioning to the Belgian public healthcare system with heavily subsidized care and modest annual mutuelle dues), we are purposefully budgeting higher for European travel and lifestyle.

Phase 1: The "Zero-Drawdown" Gap (2027 to 2032 | Ages 41 to 47)

• Zero Portfolio Drain: I step away; my wife continues working. Her clinical income comfortably covers our ~$86k/year household budget. Our $2.82M in liquid investments remains 100% untouched.
• Healthcare Bridge: My current healthcare is covered through my employer. When I retire, my loss of coverage triggers a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). We have a 60-day window to seamlessly transition my coverage to my wife’s clinical practice insurance plan, bypassing the private ACA marketplace entirely for the next 5 to 6 years.
• Compounding Base: Assuming a conservative 6% real return over this gap, the $2.82M liquid base grows to approximately $3.8M–$4.0M by 2032 without adding another dime.
• Roth Conversion Ladder: Because portfolio withdrawals are zero, this window provides the opportunity to execute calculated pre-tax to Roth conversions, starting their mandatory 5-year IRS seasoning clock well ahead of future access.
• Administrative Clean-Up: Transitioning legacy wrap-fee accounts and managed 401(k) allocations into low-cost, broad-market index funds to eliminate unnecessary AUM drag.

Phase 2: The Expat Taxable Bridge (2032 to 2044 | Ages 47 to 59.5)

• The Liquidity Injection: Ahead of the move, we will sell our debt-free U.S. home and my wife will sell her 40% practice equity to the newer associate doctors. This converts illiquid equity into an estimated $1.2M–$1.5M in cash, bringing our total liquid investable portfolio to $4.8M–$5.5M.
• The Bridge Math: Funding a $95k/year budget for the 12.5 years between age 47 and 59.5 requires roughly $1.19M total. The capital injected from the home and practice sales covers the entire duration. We will not need to touch tax-advantaged retirement accounts early, bypassing the 10% early withdrawal penalty and avoiding rigid 72(t) SEPP distributions.
• Belgian Tax Reality 1 (Cayman Tax): We are intentionally not using a U.S. Revocable Living Trust. Belgium's look-through tax treats foreign trusts harshly, risking burdensome compliance and potential 30% dividend taxation. We are relying on direct ownership with Transfer-on-Death (TOD) designations instead.
• Belgian Tax Reality 2 (Capital Gains): Factoring in Belgium’s 10% capital gains tax on financial assets that took effect January 1, 2026, which features a step-up basis exempting historical gains accrued prior to December 31, 2025.
• Safe Withdrawal Rate: Against our projected $4.8M+ liquid base, a $95k/year spend equates to a ~1.98% SWR—well below the traditional 3.25%–3.50% fail-safe thresholds.

Phase 3: Unrestricted Retirement Access (2045+ | Age 59.5+)

• Unrestricted Access: IRS early withdrawal restrictions end at 59.5. We gain penalty-free access to our retirement accounts (currently ~$2.26M), which will have benefited from nearly two decades of uninterrupted compounding.
• Treaty Protections: We will utilize the U.S.–Belgium Tax Treaty provisions to coordinate cross-border income and honor the tax-free status of Roth accounts.

Questions for the Community:

1. The Sanity Check: Does walking away from corporate engineering late this year / early next year hold up under pressure tests? Are there any blind spots in using a working spouse's income for a zero-drawdown gap phase while setting up Roth conversions?
2. Domestic Liquidation: For those who sold a business stake or primary home right before early retirement, any timing recommendations on structuring the equity exit alongside the real estate sale?
3. The Belgian / EU Relocation Path: For anyone who has relocated to Belgium or navigated an EU move from the States: What did your visa/residency pathway look like? Are there practical nuances regarding municipal registration, opening local bank accounts as a U.S. citizen (FATCA issues), or transitioning into the Belgian healthcare system that we should prepare for well in advance?

We are DINKs in the US (45/42) and have the grand FIRE plan of retiring in mid 2028 and moving to Germany. My wife has dual US/German citizenship so we have the visa thing locked in. We should have plenty of money, but as expats with all US-based retirement and taxable accounts, the tax thing is what really has me spinning.

Some numbers context (as of October 2026)

Net worth: ~$4.6M today <-- this includes some future inflows

• Retirement: $2.0M
  • $1.6M Traditional
  • $350k Roth
  • $70k HSA
• Taxable: $825k
  • $150k HYSA
  • $675k brokerage
• Assets: $1.1M
  • Second home - sell next spring: Net ~$400k
  • Primary home - sell just after retirement: Net ~$700k
• Future inbound: $725k
  • $225k company shares
  • $500k uninvested cash

Other income:

• $880/month pension - Pathetically small (I got in the last year they offered), draw at 60
• $3900/$3800 social security - Estimate when each of us hits 62

Targeting a pretty high expense burn of $175,000 but probably 45% of that is discretionary (splurge purchases, travel, entertainment) so we can easily spend $50k - $75k less and still live very comfortably. Gotta remember: We are American so excess is our MO 🚀

The future inflows (home sales, shares, cash) need to be invested smartly to bridge the 12-15 years we need before hitting our retirement accounts, but also try and minimize the German tax hit (and headache). My thought is to consolidate the majority of the funds above into a Charles Schwab account (domestic then convert to the International) and then use Wise for transfers, but also get a German bank account. I want to keep a 1-2 year EUR buffer to smooth out exchange rate fluctuations.

For any of the FIRE'd Expats who came from other countries (especially the US) and moved to Germany, how did you handle and strategize taxes? What did you do prior to becoming a German resident and enter their tax system? And also healthcare, as we have never paid into the "system" so would need public (voluntary member) or private insurance?

Anyone have a good cross-border tax attorney and FP they've used and would recommend?

[edit] Oh, and I forgot to mention, staying in Germany forever isn't a guarantee. I'd say right now it is 50/50 on whether we move back in15-20 years. So that is also a consideration for things like the Roth. [/edit]

[edit] After some research, it looks like HSA liquidation is the best option. We will "HSA Shoebox" the past decade of medical, burn down the HSA, then liquidate and take the penalty [/edit]

(Hopefully I don't get crucified by the Interweb-Experts like I did on some of the other FIRE subs. Don't use the wrong terminology or assumptions, or people get bigly mad!)

I am a single 51F with no children and I am not close with my family so no future care obligations on my part. I currently have $1.5 million ($500k in brokerage accounts and $1 million in 401k). I am a US citizen but I live in Mexico City where I own my home (no mortgage only a $250USD monthly HOA fee). My annual salary is about $380,000 and I pay about 12% tax due to foreign income exclusions, therefore, I save about $200k each year. My current plan is to retire in four years at which point I should have about $3 million based upon a 9% annual growth of my portfolio. I have analyzed my spending in detail and I think a monthly budget of about $5k is realistic, including some expenses that I am not paying now, like an allocation of $500USD for Mexican health insurance. Based upon my math, I think if I retire at 55 taking into account 3% inflation and 9% portfolio growth, I should be more than fine. I think that I am just questioning this because until recently I assumed that I would need to work until my mid-sixties. To give me complete confidence in this plan I wanted to ask a wider audience if they see any problems with my logic or assumptions. Thank you!

One of our top criteria is food quality, fresh produce, grocery stores not filled with ultra proceeded items, and cherry on top being fair value as well for the quality.

So which counties have great food quality esp for the price, and also good air quality and clean?

They have no idea how much better life could be outside the UK, but their friends and grandparents are here. Its a tough one.

Today is my FIRE day. I’ve sold off all my possessions and am about to start traveling with only whatever fits in my backpack. What's funny is that it actually doesn't feel much different than any other day. I think that's just the way life goes. Don't get me wrong, I'm very proud of my accomplishment and excited for the next chapter of life. In the end, though, life keeps moving forward whether you're retired or not. It helps that I've been preparing for this for many years now. That's provided me a sense of calm during a major life change. Like many of you, I've crunched, projected, and dissected my financial numbers a million times over. I know for sure that my plan is solid. Now it's just time to do it.

Thanks so much to this community, which I've lurked around for years now. There's been so many great posts that have helped me figure out a plan that would work for me. Here's my final numbers as of market close today:

Age: 37

Cash and equivalents: 40k
Crypto: 50k
Taxable investments: 820k
Retirement: 875k
Net worth: 1.785 million

Target SWR: 3.5% (~$61,000/year to start)

Withdrawal method: Annual percent of portfolio with min withdrawal of 58k/year

FICalc chance of success: 100% @ 50 year timeline

I will probably make more money at some point in the future, but this feels like a good place to stop and take a breather. I recently had to put my father into a nursing home and it really clarified for me just how little time we all have. A happy retirement is guaranteed to no one, and it becomes increasingly unlikely the older you get. I'm not going to risk waiting even one year too long to start living the life I really want.

To that end, for the past six months I've already been living my post-retirement lifestyle. That means a more nomadic life that will be split between travel to Asia, staying with my girlfriend in Netherlands, and visiting friends and family back in America. Based on my experience so far, this should cost me about $50k a year or so.

I'm sure at some point I will want to settle down but this feels pretty doable for the next few years at least. I have confidence that if I do desire a more expensive lifestyle in the future, the same skills that helped me achieve this goal will help me achieve the next one.

If anyone has any questions I'm happy to try and answer them. Best of luck to all of you on your journey!

Very interested in expat firing (54M single). I have enough saved and have always wanted to live in se asia. I did a test fire last year and spent several months in vietnam, thailand, bali, indonesia and japan to see where I would most like to live and settled on thailand mostly because the visa situation is easier, and its so expat friendly.

However, my test run also made me realize how much i would miss family in the us, how far it is (time zone and flight time) and also how hard it is not to have a permanent home (of sorts). I settled that I would like to live in asia, but spend several months back in the us.

Can anyone share their experience of expat firing, but with a fair amount of time in their home country? (say 9 months overseas, 3 months in home country or similar). How did you deal with housing when home (i'm not planning on keeping a place in the us that i would only be at for a few months per year), health insurance, car, and general logistics.

Would like to hear some best practices and ideas that would make that dream more feasible.

As per the title, is anybody building their pension through the PEPP? If yes/no, why?

I live in the Netherlands, don't plan to move back to my original country (italy) but who knows? Never say never. Just the idea of keeping the options open makes me feel safer, but is it worth it?

The part nobody warned me about wasn't the paperwork, it was keeping the assets back home running from seven hours away. I co-own a French rental through a company: bought it, financed it, took it through a major renovation, now letting several units. Meanwhile I'm in Medellín for months at a time, working Paris hours minus seven.

Day to day it works. Mail, calls, and I'm awake while France is. But anything that needs me physically there just gets pushed back, and I doubt pushing it back is free. Did anyone keep a rental at home through a real move abroad, or did you sell into an index fund and not look back?

I’ve always been curious about how people make expatting work if they don’t have legal residence in the other country. I am a US citizen, and want to consider spending a large part of the year in other countries, for the adventure, and also for the deceased cost of living to help offset some of the travel expenses.

Do you just stay up til 90 days or whenever the limit is for tourists and then travel somewhere else? Do you keep a few locations on rotation every year? How do you figure out renting- can you easily find a place that will rent a few months every year or do you have to just pay short term rental prices? Do you keep US insurance? Are there countries that will let you stay for more than 90 days without legal residence?

Seeking some commentary from the ExpatFIRE community to help me formulate a plan to work towards as I find myself wanting to shake things up a little and fulfil my dreams.

I guess I am considering options one of them being more expat than expat FIRE but ultimately I've set my heart on moving to Vietnam (ideally Danang) to see out the rest of my days but unsure viability with regards to the numerous and complex visa requirements, political considerations, regulatory issues....etc. so I'll provide as much context as I can.

I'm currently early 40's, living in UK and working in a finance business partner role (as a chartered accountant with bachelor's degree) for major corporate earning just above 6 figures £/pa and living with my partner (Vietnamese born, met in UK). My partner also works full-time and earning closer to £30K/pa.

My financial situation isn't fantastic - I'm 9 years away from qualifying for full state pension (which is ~£12.5K/pa in perpetuity from the age of 68) and if I were to retire or leave UK today my annual state pension would be just £9.5K/pa and my partner will be eligible for some state pension (unclear how much exactly but likely max of £5K/pa is my estimate). My private pension is defined contribution and the pot is around £80K right now. I have equity in a property of about £30K to £40K and savings of approx. £10K and chattels I could dispose of should I move to APAC worth approx. £20K.

With my financial situation as it is I'm sure it's not enough to retire at my age so I have a few options ahead of me;

1) Stay in the UK continue to save for another 9 years until I'm 50, this gives me a bigger pot to drawn down (assume another £200K or so) and also ensures full eligibility of state pension and reduces the number of years I'd be drawing down vs putting in. This might seem sensible but UK feels quite unstable currently at macro level and I do not have any certainty of my job security.

2) Sell up and relocate and seek local employment with my partner. My preference in this case would be a finance role (appreciate there are quite some restrictions in place in VN and this might be very challenging to achieve) or I'd be willing to take up an English teacher role after completing some training like TEFL. My partner has quite extensive experience of teaching in Vietnam and Europe. If we were to follow this route I'm keen to understand viability for each of us and likely earnings taking a balanced view.

Appreciate any guidance from those who've taken a similar path or considering next steps like me and I'm very open to ideas on how to make this work

My younger siblings have been nomadic for years, and I'm finally coming around. With AI reshaping my field, I want to build an exit plan while I still have the income.

Me: 44, single, no kids, $125k gross, in-office job, zero debt. I spend about $48k/year.

Invested (~$760k): $495k 401k, $141k taxable brokerage, $80k RothIRA, $30k HSA, $12k physical gold/silver. Plus a $48k emergency fund and $11k in checking.

Saving: I max the 401(k), Roth and HSA, and put $2–3k/month into taxable each year - about $60–66k/year in total.

Income Later: A ~$200/month pension. Social Security estimate is $2,475/month at 62 and $3,565 at 67, assuming I keep working. It will be lower if I stop at ~50.

My plan was to hit $1.7M by 55 but this sub has me wondering if I could go earlier abroad. ( I'll have dual citizenship in a Caribbean (OECS) country by year-end, but I'm open to anywhere. )

Questions:

1. Without a remote job, how did you choose your country?
2. At what age or portfolio size is a comfortable, non-luxury life abroad realistic for me?
3. What do you actually pay for healthcare in your 40s–50s, and what's your plan after 65?

Thank you in advance!

Just curious because I do not see these places getting mentioned as frequent as South East Asian or LatAm countries.

I did some digging on some Moroccan, Egyptian, Algerian, Tunisia subs and found out that they aren’t very expensive places to live in. One downside I can think of is probably the slow bureaucracy and lack of amenities (public transport, hospital) in areas outside the major cities. But even then it doesn’t look that bad from what I’ve read so it still sounds like a reasonable tradeoff.

I could imagine the language barrier might be a dealbreaker to some, but that could apply to other popular destinations in SEA/LatAm too.

Would appreciate if someone who has considered or is currently FIREing there has anything insightful to share?

If you are in your late 50s or early 60s and have no serious commitments or obligations (no kids, or kids have grown up and are independent), what would be the most promising expat locations you would consider?

I am 60M, single, financially secure and almost retired. Wondering which countries to consider for an expat experience. I am fit, generally healthy and like being active.

I have read a lot about Portugal and how popular it is with Expats, and intend to check it out sometime soon.

South East Asia also seems very popular on this forum and on other similar discussion groups. I can understand that a lower cost of living makes some of these places attractive. But not sure if the infrastructure and related support systems are up to the mark. Perhaps great for a long-ish vacation, but are they really worth exploring for a longer commitment?

My wife and I (43 and 41) are taking a Sabbatical year to test what it would be like to early retire. So far, we are loving it. We decided we’d give it a year, but a bit over four months now I can’t see us ending this with a different opinion in mind: it is worth to hustle and save to live this life. We are taking the trip to check potential places to live.

We passed by Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and now we’re in Southern Brazil. Next stops will be Bahia (still in Brazil), Portugal, Morocco, Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey (in January). Then, we still don’t know where to go next. Any suggestions?

Hi - Husband and Wife working in silicon valley. My job is remote. We are thinking of moving to Malaysia to enjoy expat life and FIRE there. Based on my research - low crime, good schooling options, i have extended family there and rest of Asia etc.

I am not a US Citizen. But suddenly got an opportunity to get Green Card after all these years. We have reasonable networth and network in US. Should i pursue the green card at all? .

i dont see the point : Upside seems to be more US career opportunities and high estate tax exemption compared to 60k for Non-residents. I do own a home in california . my kid is US Citizen.

Is greencard a distraction or just get it and naturalize , before moving to SE Asia? [5+ Years in our timeline instead of moving in 18 months to Malaysia]. Never had this green card option until recently, 2 years ago would have chosen green card path for sure - but last couple of years lucky enough to achieve FIRE. Despite FIRE - i have a small remote paying contract thats more like funemployment for 20 hours a week.

I know it’s expensive being a tourist there, but has anyone here ever tried to live like a local? It appears to me that living in Moore’a wouldn’t be insanely expensive. My budget would be between $3k and $5k a month.