Just under 400,000 American
retirees are now living abroad, according to the Social Security
Administration, and the majority cite the cost of living as the reason for
moving elsewhere. The countries they have chosen most often: Canada, Japan,
Mexico, Germany and the United Kingdom.
Newly widowed, Kay McCowen quit
her job, sold her house, applied for Social Security and retired to Mexico. It
was a move she and her husband, Mel, had discussed before he passed away in
2012.
"I wanted to find a place
where I could afford to live off my Social Security," she said. "The
weather here is so perfect, and it's a beautiful place."
She is among a growing number of
Americans who are retiring outside the United States. The number grew 17
percent between 2010 and 2015 and is expected to increase over the next 10
years as more baby boomers retire.
Retirees most often cite the cost
of living as the reason for moving elsewhere said Olivia S. Mitchell, director
of the Pension Research Council at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton
School.
"I think that many people
retire when they are in good health and they are interested in stretching their
dollars and seeing the world," Mitchell said.
McCowen's rent in Ajijic, a
community outside Guadalajara near Mexico's Lake Chapala, is half of what she
was paying in Texas. And since the weather is moderate, utility bills are
inexpensive.
In some countries, Mitchell said,
retirees also may find it less expensive to hire someone to do their laundry,
clean, cook and even provide long-term care than in the United States.
McCowen has a community of other
American retirees nearby and has adjusted well.
But for others there are hurdles
to overcome to adjust to life in a different country.
Viviana Rojas, an associate
professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, says the biggest obstacle
is not speaking the language or knowing the culture.
"Many of the people we
interviewed said they spoke Spanish, but they actually spoke very little
Spanish," said Rojas, who is writing a book about retirees in Mexico.
"They didn't have the capacity of speaking enough Spanish to meet their
basic needs like going to the doctor or to the store."
Access to health care also can be
a challenge. While retirees still can receive Social Security benefits,
Medicare is not available to those living abroad, Mitchell said.
Joseph Roginski, 71, says that
while the cost of living is higher in Japan, access to health care is not.
"Things are very expensive here. It is impossible to live off Social
Security alone," said Roginski, who was stationed in Japan in 1968.
"But health insurance is a major factor in staying here."
The former military language and
intelligence specialist said he pays $350 annually to be part of Japan's
national health insurance. His policy covers 70 percent of his costs. The rest
is covered by a secondary insurance program for retired military personnel.
Japan experienced biggest growth,
42 percent, of American retirees than any other country between 2010 and 2014,
according to data from the Social Security Administration. The large U.S.
military presence in the country may be a factor.There are more than 50,000
U.S. military servicemen and -women stationed in Japan.
Mr. Roginski, who volunteers for
the Misawa Air Base Retiree Activities Office, said he helps connect more than
450 retirees and their families living in Northern Japan with resources. He
said he would never move back to the United States.
"We have a real strong sense
of security here," he said. "I can leave my door unlocked and no one
will take anything. When I go to another country I feel nervous, but when I
come back I feel like I'm home."
Mexico has become home for
retired firefighter, Dan Williams, 72, and his wife, Donna, 68. The couple has
been living near the same retirement community in Lake Chapala for 14 years.
"The climate and the medical
services are very good," Williams said.
Williams teaches painting to
adults and children and puts together a monthly magazine for the local American
Legion. He is also a member of the Lake Chapala Society, which offers daily
activities for American retirees.
It was those same services that
attracted McCowen to the region.
"Before moving, I found out
how many widowed and divorced women lived here," she said. "There is
comfort in numbers."
She says she loves being in a
lively community.
"I see older people walking
year round. I see them all over the place even in their wheelchairs. If they
were in the U.S., they would probably be in a nursing home," she said.
"I don't think I could move back."
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