Repatriation: Yes, you can go home again!

[sonjack2847]

14 hours ago, stevewool said:

So true, but if it’s the only thing you can give your partner once you have gone, it’s better then nothing at all.

Yes,  Steve, there are lots of different circumstances and we fit into different categories.I have been teaching my 2 that if you keep the house and rentals then over time you will have more money than selling and spending it like there is no tomorrow.Help a little with your money but choose between want and need.

[sonjack2847]

10 hours ago, Gary D said:

The problem in the Philippines is that they often don't see a future so why save for it.

It took my 6 year old to say to my wife that we have to save for the future for my wife to finally get it.

[sonjack2847]

5 hours ago, stevewool said:

In my eyes I see this, all I get from Emma is I may go before you whats the point.

 

Then you must explain and hopefully,  she will understand that maybe she will not go before you.I have come across this situation  many times  and slowly my wife is understanding that you must plan for the future 

[hk blues]

15 hours ago, Gary D said:

My wife will have worked in the UK for 23 years when we relocate to the Philippines in September. We can buy a further 8 years until her statuary retirement date so she will be short of the 35 years for a full UK state pension.

You are probably aware, but you can buy previous years in addition to current so you may be able to get closer to the 35 - years bought in arrears are paid at current rates so slightly more expensive. Also, the last time I looked there was the possibility to continue to buy years even after retirement to reach the max 35.  Another point, the rate for employed/self-employed is only about 1/6 of the not employed rate.  I would absolutely not suggest doing this, but I wonder how many people pay the lower rate even if they are not actually in employment - the DfWP have never asked me for evidence that I'm actually working but I'd not want to be the guy they catch!

[Gary D]

3 hours ago, hk blues said:

You are probably aware, but you can buy previous years in addition to current so you may be able to get closer to the 35 - years bought in arrears are paid at current rates so slightly more expensive. Also, the last time I looked there was the possibility to continue to buy years even after retirement to reach the max 35.  Another point, the rate for employed/self-employed is only about 1/6 of the not employed rate.  I would absolutely not suggest doing this, but I wonder how many people pay the lower rate even if they are not actually in employment - the DfWP have never asked me for evidence that I'm actually working but I'd not want to be the guy they catch!

Yes you can buy previous years but think you can't buy twice. My wife has worked uninterrupted for the past 23 years so there are no gaps to fill. I believe it's for the previous 7 years. She will retire with me but we will pay voluntary until her retirement date.

[Clermont]

On 2/14/2019 at 3:51 PM, Gary D said:

That's the problem with the education in the Philippines it's 50 years behind.

I've been following this post about education, were as people are saying Baragay's education is not up to scratch. I disagree, I personally know of more than a handful of young PI"s from Baragay's  that have graduated in universities in the PI's then went overseas to get ticketed in the country of their choice. Maybe it has a lot to do with the children, not from where they live. 

[hk blues]

On 2/17/2019 at 4:06 PM, Gary D said:

Yes you can buy previous years but think you can't buy twice. My wife has worked uninterrupted for the past 23 years so there are no gaps to fill. I believe it's for the previous 7 years. She will retire with me but we will pay voluntary until her retirement date.

Yep - you can only buy missing years.  And in my case It wasn't worth buying anything pre-2016 as it wouldn't have enhanced my State Pension due to the impact of being contracted out.  So, I'm now buying years from 2017/18 for the next 8 years to get me to the 35 max.  It's a great deal at about 150gbp a year - you'll get that back in no time IF you live to pick up your pension. 

[stevewool]

12 hours ago, hk blues said:

you'll get that back in no time IF you live to pick up your pension. 

That’s the magic word IF

[boyee]

Wow!! I think this is the best post I've read on this forum to date.  As an American who is still working in the States and plan on retiring in the PI soon it is good to know that many members are totally happy staying in the PI and those who feel it didn't work out have the option of returning to their homeland.  Perhaps it just comes down to having enough money to come back home if need be.  This thread has touched some many issues.  Education In PI vs West.  My wife has stated the private high school she went to in Pasig was 10 times better than the crappy high school she transfer to in Oakland CA when she came here.  But even if the education one gets in PI is 10 times better who cares if the salary is 10 times less than a western country?  I wonder if you have a kid in PI if they are raised and educated in the PI if they can obtain US or UK citizenship so he or she could adventurally go overseas for college and a western income?  But great thread!

[GeoffH]

13 minutes ago, boyee said:

But even if the education one gets in PI is 10 times better who cares if the salary is 10 times less than a western country? 

The salary isn't the only factor though, living expenses, food, property, medical and dental expenses in the Philippines are a LOT less expensive.

For example; in the Philippines our 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom house cost literally 1/4 of the cost of my 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom house in Australia (and I live in a small rural city, in the state capitals it's more like 10 times as expensive for a house as it is in the Philippines).

 

Edited February 21, 2019 by GeoffH