Why go from your country.

[Jack D]

On 9/25/2020 at 5:28 PM, Mike J said:

And the reason to not marry is because a few years down the road those little beauties look like this. 

 

At least the young beauties will last for a few good years (before becoming pangit, as shown above)... and they'll always be a fresh crop of young beauties to take their places. 

[canadamale]

why go from your country, one word, WANDERLUST

[OnMyWay]

On 9/27/2020 at 1:31 AM, Dave Hounddriver said:

Zero regrets so far.

However, when I moved from Canada to the Philippines over a dozen years ago I also had zero regrets.  Seize the day.

Just catching up on this topic.

Check back with Dave in mid-January to see how the wifey likes it!

One thing is, those Canadians know how to deal with the cold and the buses always run on time!

 

[OnMyWay]

So the original topic was "Why Leave?".

Leaving the U.S. for the Philippines was part of my early retirement plan.  At 56, I was going to have no income, and I could conserve my savings by living in the Philippines until I get SS at age 62.  Of course, meeting my wife before I made that early retirement decision was a big factor too.

So now, 8 years later, the question is, "Why go back?".  As several mentioned, things change and it is not always about whether you like the Philippines or your home country better.  Financially, I am better equipped now than I was 8 years ago, but the main thing is my family.  I'm 64 in decent health, but you never know when you might go.  Two of my daughters are U.S. citizens, and I have thought a lot about if it would be better for them to move now or when they are young adults.  At that time, ~15 years from now, I don't know if they could have family support in the U.S., from my family, and my wife has no family in the U.S.  So, sooner seems better than later.  For my wife, it she lives in the U.S. for 5 years, she can collect SS on my account.  So she will have an option to move back to PH after I am gone, with a decent pension, if that suits her.  For my older daughter, she can go to an inexpensive college in the U.S., and get a job, and a better future, I hope.

I planned to stay til they plant me, and still could, but I have to think about what is best for my family.  I'm 90% sure we will move back in a few years.

[hk blues]

1 minute ago, OnMyWay said:

So the original topic was "Why Leave?".

Leaving the U.S. for the Philippines was part of my early retirement plan.  At 56, I was going to have no income, and I could conserve my savings by living in the Philippines until I get SS at age 62.  Of course, meeting my wife before I made that early retirement decision was a big factor too.

So now, 8 years later, the question is, "Why go back?".  As several mentioned, things change and it is not always about whether you like the Philippines or your home country better.  Financially, I am better equipped now than I was 8 years ago, but the main thing is my family.  I'm 64 in decent health, but you never know when you might go.  Two of my daughters are U.S. citizens, and I have thought a lot about if it would be better for them to move now or when they are young adults.  At that time, ~15 years from now, I don't know if they could have family support in the U.S., from my family, and my wife has no family in the U.S.  So, sooner seems better than later.  For my wife, it she lives in the U.S. for 5 years, she can collect SS on my account.  So she will have an option to move back to PH after I am gone, with a decent pension, if that suits her.  For my older daughter, she can go to an inexpensive college in the U.S., and get a job, and a better future, I hope.

I planned to stay til they plant me, and still could, but I have to think about what is best for my family.  I'm 90% sure we will move back in a few years.

For me, the issue going back to the UK would be that my wife wouldn't get a share of my UK pension due to the age difference so she'd be "on her own" in terms of UK benefits with little time to build up enough for her retirement - this would bring us back to the same old conclusion - life with a limited income is more doable here than there.

For my son, the situation is different and I'll do what I can to help him move to the UK should he so wish.  I reckon he can see how it goes here as he enters the workforce and then decide if that's working for him - if not, then at least he has another option.

 

[OnMyWay]

49 minutes ago, hk blues said:

For me, the issue going back to the UK would be that my wife wouldn't get a share of my UK pension due to the age difference so she'd be "on her own" in terms of UK benefits

That's too bad.  They actually have a rule that says "if spouse is X years younger" they can't qualify?  Seem rather discriminatory.  I suppose they think they are protecting someone and/or saving money.

[hk blues]

12 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

That's too bad.  They actually have a rule that says "if spouse is X years younger" they can't qualify?  Seem rather discriminatory.  I suppose they think they are protecting someone and/or saving money.

Yep...10 years or more age difference then it's a no.  I can see why t.b.h. - helps prevent someone marrying an old duffer just to get his pension.  It also helps reduce costs as the amount of pension being paid out is less. 

[OnMyWay]

5 minutes ago, hk blues said:

Yep...10 years or more age difference then it's a no.  I can see why t.b.h. - helps prevent someone marrying an old duffer just to get his pension.  It also helps reduce costs as the amount of pension being paid out is less. 

Does that apply only when you are already getting the pension?  I have no idea what the pension age is, but for instance...

If it starts at 65 and when you are 62, you marry someone aged 51.  Not qualified when you turn 65?

Or, it starts at 65 and you are 66 and collecting.  You marry someone 55.  Not qualified?

I'm just curious.

[hk blues]

36 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Does that apply only when you are already getting the pension?  I have no idea what the pension age is, but for instance...

If it starts at 65 and when you are 62, you marry someone aged 51.  Not qualified when you turn 65?

Or, it starts at 65 and you are 66 and collecting.  You marry someone 55.  Not qualified?

I'm just curious.

It doesn't really matter as the pension I'm talking about is Widow's pension so at the time of my death they would check my wife's age and if she is more than 10 years younger at that time she will not get anything.  

[OnMyWay]

2 minutes ago, hk blues said:

It doesn't really matter as the pension I'm talking about is Widow's pension so at the time of my death they would check my wife's age and if she is more than 10 years younger at that time she will not get anything.  

Got it!  For U.S. Social Security, a spouse can get a pension on the other spouse's account when she turns 62, as long as she has been in the U.S. 5 years.  The old fart might be 100 or 62.  I'm not sure what happens when he dies and she does not have the 5 years in yet.  Need to check on that.