大咖福利影院

Jolo84 wrote:

Yes, I will need a job, but as luck will have it, the government contractor I work for just put in a proposal to PR.聽 If that doesn't work, the company also has telework positions.聽 I just put in an application in for a telework position so fingers crossed!聽 I am not bilingual, I would say I am at an Intermediate level.聽 When I lived there I spoke really good Spanish but after being in the states so long, I pretty much lost it.聽 It shouldn't be hard to pick it up again.聽 I just bought Rosetta Stone so I can start learning again.聽 I just can't wait to go back home!

If you can get them to accept the remote work and they get the contract you will do real good as you will be payed based on US standard salary for the mainland but you will be living in an island where most other people make much less.

You said you wanted to go back home, were you born in the island or your parents?

In my book young people should take the opportunity to travel and work in many countries and learn their culture before they settle down somewhere and grow some roots. The experience of other cultures will help you appreciate the best of each and make them your own.

If you can handle it, come on down, the price is right!

Sugarbird wrote:

Not really...if I do in the future I'll just move. If you want to try it there's really no good reason not to give it a try. You'll never know unless you do.

Exactly! It has taken me the last five years to get to that way of thinking, to be willing to give up my job and retire with my husband. It just seemed so overwhelmingly drastic, and yet a dream we have talked about for years... but there comes a time you just have to ask yourself, what's the downside -- if it doesn't work, it will lead to something else, but if you don't try, you'll never know.

jess mayak wrote:

Hey I started a thread but No one has replied. I am looking for advice on earth bag homes on the island. Basically anyone with farming and building experience聽 in the climate. Any suggestions as to where to look. My main concern is approval of building plans.
At this point anything would be helpful thankb you.
sincerely jess

I saw your tread and went to some links that showed several plans and thought they were interesting. But I am not aware of any houses that were build this way in PR. I loved the Hobbit house they had there for example.
However not being familiar with it I did not wanted to comment just to comment so I stated away since you needed solid advice and I had none to give.
I am concerned that the walls and floors may allow water to enter and or cause Mold build up. But I have no idea what I am talking about.

just limin wrote:

I'm bringing this thread back up because it's a continuing discussion for my husband and me.聽 We are such different personality types on many issues, but we do balance each other.聽 I'm a total Pollyanna, seeing the world through rose-colored glasses.聽 He is much more cautious, thoughtful and easily wary of the unknown.

Our original retirement relocation plan was to move to St. Thomas.聽 We know we want to stay under the US umbrella.聽 We have visited St. Thomas for years (20 for me), have friends there and are very familiar and comfortable with the island.聽 It does feel like home.聽

But something in my head convinced me to check out Puerto Rico for many reasons.聽 For one thing, bang for buck, housing is better in Puerto Rico. Much nicer accommodations available for equal amount of dollars.聽 The availability of friendly communities rather than an isolated lifestyle.聽 Difficult to explain, but it feels the possibility of building up a support network is greater in the areas we've investigated in Puerto Rico.聽 This is important as you get older with no family around.聽 There are many more hills and stairs to climb in St.Thomas.聽 Old joints don't like to cooperate.聽 Less opportunity for "rock fever."聽 Each time I do a little research I found something somewhere on the island that makes me say, "Look, Honey, we've got to do this or go there."聽 That's exciting.聽

My husband agrees with all these positive points favoring a move to Puerto Rico, yet each time he hears about the economy he becomes more concerned.聽 We are quite comfortable with a pension, a strong 401K and two healthy Social Security payments.聽 Medicare and a free secondary insurance are in place.聽 We don't need to look for work and are not very high maintenance.聽 So it's all good.聽 But he worries about the imposition of an income tax, about diminishment of services, etc.

We will be staying in Palmas del Mar for a month beginning August 15.聽 Our goal is to talk to as many folks as we can who may be in similar circumstances to see how they feel about the current economic situation and its impact on day to day life.聽

All I know is, I have got to get out of Dodge, and it ain't gonna be to Florida!!!!!

There is certainly the possibility of reduction in services, and I expect that there will be some. The key is how smart are they going to be in reducing the government size. There is a need to reduce the government and increase productivity, however PR is not well known for productivity levels, so as government size reduction occur, lines will get longer.
As a retired person living currently in the US mainland, you describe your situation as "Comfortable", while some things are more expensive in the island others are lower so I do not see the changes as affecting you much, not even the taxes unless you plan to buy a large Yacht or a luxury car. High value items will get hit the most when it comes to taxes, if you are frugal you will do very well.
As to taxes on your income, taxes will be based mainly on what you get out off your income sources, so the less you need to get out of your 401k for example the less taxes you have to pay. Here is my advice ..... Expend the least you can the first year to minimize state taxes in the state where you are currently, once you are a resident in PR rules are different and you will not be paying taxes to some mainland state. If you can live on 40-50K a year you will do well tax wise, if you can do it on less even better, you should be able to live on 20K since it is just 2 of you but I can not tell, do a budget.
Your principal home in PR is unlikely to pay taxes unless it is worth a lot. Check with a CPA, I can send you the info for a good one in PR.
Thanks
PS. One item of caution ..... Some very centralized communities with gated areas, golf courses, etc, are being heavily affected by unemployment issues and property values are falling heavily, a lot of those areas have some form of community monthly payments that will likely increase as more homes default on their mortgages since the pools, schools, golf courses, etc are fairly much fixed costs. So those fees may increase substantially.
Let us know if you have other questions.

Jolo84 wrote:

My parents and friends think I'm crazy for still wanting to move to the Caribbean after all that's going on with the聽 economy. The way I see it, the way the US is going with all the shootings, threats, kidnappings, etc, we are not safe anywhere. Out of curiosity is anyone having 2nd thoughts about聽 moving to PR?

By the way, my wife family is very concern about the poverty in PR and the fact that they know little to nothing about the island. My own family in PR think I am crazy to come to the island due to the crime. But to tell you the truth, I have little concern, it is in my bones, I am coming HOME where I really belong. when the times comes (in another 250 years) I will be buried in the family plot at "El Mango".

Puerto Rico in many ways feel like another country and people do feel it is another country, but it is part of the US, so enjoy living in a Hawaii like environment before it became super expensive.