Retirement in Abaco

[Rock Steady]

I would hope there are a number of board members who are U.S. citizens and yet live full time in Abaco. If so, perhaps you could share your experiences in getting that accomplished.

The matters that I am addressing are:
1. Healthcare coverage by U.S. companies and is that an issue?
2. Any U.S. taxation issues if you are not working in the Bahamas?
3. Suggestions on dealing with Immigration as to your intentions and the options that are available ie. 90 day renewal vs. one year etc.
4. Mail service/ FedEx etc. to and from the U.S. and any pitfalls?
5. Is it necessary to maintain a U.S. address?

Any advice is appreciated from your experience.
Thanks,
c

[SusieAndAl]

Hi c,

We retired two years ago and love it!

1) Healthcare. Keep your coverage in the US; it doesn't work here and for anything serious you'll want to get treated in the US. Also, supplement that with something like MedJet Assist. It can cost you thousands for an emergency airlift to Miami or even Nassau.

2) If you are a US citizen you are subject to ALL US tax laws.

3) If you buy/build a home here, get a Home Owner's Residence card. It's good for one year ($500/family) and lets you come and go freely. If not, a 90 day stay is fine and you can request extensions. If you want a Permanent Residence card, the wait is long, the usual requirements are purchase of minimum $500,000 property, clean police record and the fee is $10,000. There is no tax advantage for US citizens.

4) Most folks use a private mailing service with an address in Miami. The carrier then delivers your mail to your private box here. Costs about $180/year and is really worth it.

5) Definitely keep a US address. We use our CT home for that. This is critical for things like online brokerage accounts, insurance and the like.

Good luck and PM us if you need more info.

Cheers -- Susie and Al

[South Pause]

Susie and Al:
Could you give more detail about #4?
I do not understand how that works.

Do you guys ever go to CT for any length of time?

[SusieAndAl]

Hi South Pause,

Don't know about Guana, but here on the main island the waiting list for a public mail box is 5+ years!

So, we went to a private service. You get a private mailbox at their facility in Marsh Harbour, and your US mailing address is their office in Miami. When you order something from say Amazon, it gets delivered to Miami in your name. Once a day they take all the mail by plane back here to Abaco where it is sorted and put in your mailbox.

If it's letters and stuff, there is no additional charge. If it's a package they will clear it through customs and charge you the usual duty and stamp fees plus $5 per package.

We usually travel off island every few months, but with the Home Owner's card we don't need a return ticket or all that other nonsense so we have total flexibility.

Cheers -- Susie and Al

[Agurs Wish]

For a mailing service a lot of boaters use St. Brendan's Isle, out of Green Cove Springs, Fl (904-284-1203). We have all of our mail forwarded there and about once a month call them and have it sent to us wherever we are. We do not have a PO box in the Bahamas, we usually just have it sent to one of the marinas there. If you were going establish a residence there you would probably want to get a box. In four years with them we've never lost a parcel and usually receive them in 3-4 days. I don't know what our yearly fee to them is but it can cost up to $100 dollars in postage to have a couple months of mail (no mags, books, bulk) sent over to Marsh Harbor. Also we are not Medicare recipients yet, and we use a program called Lifeboat Medical which is reasonable and provides flight service anywhere but you have to be out of the U.S. for 6 months a year.

[local]

congrats to all our retires- continue to enjoy your tiime here- its still better in the Bahamas

[HALF-A-HAMIAN]

Hope to be joining the ranks soon! Will be doing some more in-depth study in June while there, God willing!

[Spagna]

Agurs Wish, thanks for the info. We intend to spend half the year every year in the Bahamas on our sailboat 'Wu-Hsin' starting after hurricane season '08.

[Rock Steady]

Thanks all,
This an exciting time for us and we appreciate all your kind responses.

c

[Tippypoodle]

Chris and I use Frederick's Agency to get our Stateside incoming mail. Beats the heck out of the Government service. I think it's 200/yr for a mail box in their office by the stoplight. We pick up our US bills, all banking stuff, small packages, etc. right out of our very own mail box.

[Rock Steady]

Thanks Tippypoodle,

I appreciate the information. The deed is done and I'm now working on the last week or so of my notice.

rs

[MotuIti]

This is a subject I’ve often thought about. Aside from the processes' of building or buying a house, and medical concerns, the larger question is; What would a retiree do with their time?

God knows I love the Abacos and have been coming long enough. We always look forward to going but usually rent a boat, wind up bar hopping, snorkeling, fishing, and reading a lot. Oh yes, we always meet nice folks.

All is fun for the first 2-3 weeks and usually with a stay that short, with little regard for the budgeting process.

For anything longer, 3,4,5 months at a clip, I wonder what I ‘d do. At home (Sarasota) I’m a surgical dept. volunteer two days a week, there are movies to go to when we want, and lots of performing arts. All kinds of stuff.

We realize we cant expect Marsh to provide what Florida cities can, and I suspect there would be a lot of back and forth for medical/dental checkups, shopping and just plain culture catchup.

I’d be curious to hear, and much appreciate any comments in this regard.

Thanks
-Sandy
PS I do know we would need a boat

[Henz]

Only in my dreams.........

[sandy shaw]

[quote=MotuIti;11445]This is a subject I

[South Pause]

I completely agree with your thoughts. We are not retired yet, but soon hopefully. We decided that in order to continue enjoying the Abaco's, that we need to keep our place in the States, to get "off the rock", as they say, to re-adjust, experience a little civilization, see friends, etc. etc.

We do not bore easily, but 3 months at a time sounds about right.
We have so many projects to do on our house, and I am a world class "piddler".

We hope to go back and forth about 3 times a year, in 3 month hunks of time.

[DrRalph]

I was stationed in Hawaii (Army) for four years, and during that time I got back to the mainland once. I don't think I could do that again. For us, the perfect compromise is living in Florida and easily commuting to Abaco. We rent a cottage and a boat, and leave those "problems" when we go back home. We're too hyper to live an extended life on"island time."

[islandfever]

I agree with you Dr. Ralph though we take our boat each time. I have found 6 to 8 weeks a year is enough for me then I start pacing. With the terrible weather there this spring, even that was too much.

[SusieAndAl]

For us, the exact opposite is true: living here in this beautiful, tranquil place with an easy commute to the States and beyond is perfect.

We really don't miss the "good" restaurants -- probably been to too many for too many years all over the world. But, a hot pastrami on rye with a sour pickle from Katz's, deep dish pizza from Uno's, wienerschniztel from Franz's in Dusseldorf or a real pizza from Enza in Milan...we do miss those and when we get the craving for those or maybe a play on Broadway, we simply go.

Ahh, life is good ideed!

[SamFamAustin]

Alright Susie and Al! That's me in that picture. Some folks need lots of action and social interaction and some would just like to learn the area and piddle around the house (hundreds of chores, half hardly done) and make some great friends. I could live in the Galapagos with only a few visitors a year and ask myself "why is there not enough time in a day to do everything I want?"

Others might go absolutely nuts from nothing to do. It's all in the kidneys (as I point to my forehead). :)
-sammie

[islandfever]

If you never leave, you do not experience the excitement of returning.

[SamFamAustin]

Very true, and some folks who live in paradise all the time become numb to it. On our little island in TX I know plenty of locals who don't even go down to the beach anymore. At most they might go fishing every few months. To people who come on over on vacation that is a very strange concept!
-sammie

[Rock Steady]

Well Sam,

We're gonna give it a go. Thirty days and counting...gotta feeling though, that we're more of the "Susie and Al " kinda folks...

[peterodgers]

over the last 50 years, i've retired to Abaco several times and it hasn't done the trick for me.

i can see extended visits: 3 months, 6 months, a year and, if you can afford it, maybe it's a good place to have a second home or a boat for a while but, for a "first world person", it just doesn't cut the mustard as a home base or a place to hang your citizenship shingle.

the truth of it is that medically, educationally, politically, economically, legally, etc. Abaco is far from first rate.

but for me, most of all, as a foreigner, in the Bahamas, i am a "second class citizen" and do not have equal recourse under the law. that gets very old after a while.

i think it is a great idea for potential retirees to Abaco to go check out Abaco for 3 months, 6 months, or a year but please don't burn your bridges because it is highly probable that where you came from will start looking very good, indeed.

[Rock Steady]

Hey Pete,

Lupe and I truly appreciate your comments. Our plan is to be in Abaco...more or less...for about eight months. We will be traveling to and 'fro stateside from time to time and then spending the Summer in Ohio...or wherever.

We're gonna live this dream we've had since we first laid eyes on Abaco in 1990. It may or may not work...but we've made mistakes before, so it's no biggie.

We've got the home in shape, the boat runs...the fish bite...so we're committed.

Thanks again, Pete,

Crispin

[peterodgers]

Hey Pete,

Lupe and I truly appreciate your comments. Our plan is to be in Abaco...more or less...for about eight months. We will be traveling to and 'fro stateside from time to time and then spending the Summer in Ohio...or wherever.

We're gonna live this dream we've had since we first laid eyes on Abaco in 1990. It may or may not work...but we've made mistakes before, so it's no biggie.

We've got the home in shape, the boat runs...the fish bite...so we're committed.

Thanks again, Pete,

Crispin

that's the way to do it: keep you State's connections alive and adjust your time on Abaco to fit your changing needs. how can you go wrong? and you already have plenty of Ab experience so you know what you're getting into, eh? that's the way it should be done.

[SamFamAustin]

My folks do the winter thang, late November to late May. It really does help to have some friends there. Second, it pays to keep out of the local politics and political arguments. Third, they found a great house-watcher in the summer season who can check boats and put up hurricane shutters if needed. After they went to church a few times the locals really loved them, and Mom knows all the songs too. Lastly, stay healthy and walk, snorkel, and get loads of exercise. Now at nearly 80, these folks could probably drink us whipper-snappers under the table and have more fun doing it. Face it, it gets boring out there so a couple of breaks are needed and they love the trip back to Maine every June. -sammie