Helena Hess was originally attracted to Belize for its diving. She wasn’t even thinking about retirement when she made her first visit to the country.
But the better she got to know Belize, the more she came to appreciate the advantages it offers the would-be retiree.
Helena and her husband Mike bought a piece of land on Ambergris Caye, built a home, and, eventually, looked seriously at Belize’s residency options, including its resident-retiree program.
Their conclusion? Belize is hard to beat, not only for the Caribbean lifestyle it offers on its cayes, but also for how easy it makes it for a foreign retiree to make Belize home.
And a Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) visa is available to people as young as 45 years of age.
Today, Helena and Mike live full-time in Belize. Mike’s a full-time resident; Helena’s a QRP. They made their decisions as to which residency option they wanted to pursue independently and, as a result, have been able to take full advantage of the residency benefits Belize has to offer.
Helena and Mike pay no U.S. income taxes on income they earn while living in Belize. Because they’re Americans, they retain a tax obligation Stateside, of course.
However, because they’re Americans abroad, residing full-time in Belize, they can earn up to US$224,000 of income each year that is U.S. tax-free. And Helena is not liable for taxes in Belize, either, since she’s a QRP.
Of course, the tax situation alone shouldn’t be your top reason for choosing to live anywhere in the world. Fortunately, Belize, as well as being a top option for minimizing—and even negating—your tax bill, has many more advantages for the would-be retiree…
It’s the only English-speaking nation in Central America… making settling in and getting your new life in order a lot easier…
It’s one of the most welcoming havens on the planet for retirees—the QRP is one of the most efficient residency programs in the Americas today. You can obtain your residency permit within a few months. As I mentioned, you can qualify from as young as 45 years of age. And you don’t have to live here full-time to benefit.
Belize’s entire size is roughly the same as the state of Massachusetts, yet it brings an impressive range of attractive living options to the table… from the pristine sugar-sand cayes and the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean… to the lush rain forest, the mountainside waterfalls, and the rivers that meander through ceremonial Mayan caves in the Cayo… to the lively and growing communities, both expat and Belizean, of San Pedro Town and San Ignacio…
Among our top havens, Belize is one of the best right now—still offering affordable opportunities in one of the safest havens in the Americas.
If you’d like to explore all your living options in this diverse little haven, then join us for our next Live And Invest In Belize Conference.
This event based in Belize City is not to be missed… It’s your chance to have every one of your Belize questions answered by people who know from firsthand experience what they’re talking about.
Our team will cover issues like…
- Is the government stable?…
- What are the benefits of the QRP? What’s required to qualify?…
- What would life really be like here on Ambergris Caye… on the mainland coast… or in the mountainous Cayo district?…
- Is there a developed expat community to look to for support?…
- What’s required to open a bank account?…
- What are the options for medical care?…
- What’s the cost for local health insurance?…
- Is Belize City as unsafe as some make it out to be?…
- Where does it make sense today to buy for investment?…
- How much to build a home?…
- Where are the best beaches in the country?…
- Can I really get the things I need? I mean… how would I live without Walmart and Home Depot?…
Best of all, you’ll get to connect with the people who can help with your move—and, importantly, help you figure out the most cost-effective way to set yourself up.
Helena and Mike, who I mentioned earlier, opted for two different paths to residency. In doing so, they’ve managed to minimize their taxes, so they can keep more of their earnings and enjoy a better life on Ambergris Caye.
But they couldn’t have figured this out without the right advice.
No matter your situation, our experts will have the answers and be happy to help you… and take all the hard work away.
All you have to do now is decide to join us.
Kat Kalashian
Editor, Live and Invest Overseas Confidential
