I was just curious. Thanks for responding. I just hear so many of my friends that are big time Democrats always say, "if Trump wins I'm leaving the US"! But none of them did. Turns out the USA is pretty darn good. Most of them I know would never make it anywhere else. They complain about things but they have it darn good.
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The Delusion Behind “America Is the Greatest Country on Earth” A deep dive into the question: If America is so great, why
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I wish I could afford the US in retirement but honestly never thought it would get this expensive. Also a bit of poor planning on my part and a bad luck with an expensive divorce. Even BA is too expensive for me now. Agree with the rest of you we are darn lucky to call USA home.
I know a few that left but they will be the first to admit they can't afford the life they want back home. If money were no issue I'd just live in the US and travel around.
I know a few that left but they will be the first to admit they can't afford the life they want back home. If money were no issue I'd just live in the US and travel around.
It's worth clarifying that there are two kinds of "leaving" and they are night and day different. 99.999% of expats maintain their US citizenship and all its privileges like monthly Social Security income, Medicare/Medicaid, the option of returning home without hassle and seeking good employment, etc. I have yet meet an expat that gave up their US citizenship. When you do hear about it, it's usually young people that are angry and naive and don't understand what they're sacrificing.
Most expats I've met are happy to tell you why they're living abroad (money, spouse, adventure) but there's always a handful that left because of politics and claim they're "this close" to giving up their citizenship, when it's obviously complete nonsense. You also meet expats who love to pretend they're banging with the locals 24/7 but they just like the image of it all, they are not willing to suffer like a local. Not one bit. Nobody on this board is giving up their citizenship I can promise you that.
Most expats I've met are happy to tell you why they're living abroad (money, spouse, adventure) but there's always a handful that left because of politics and claim they're "this close" to giving up their citizenship, when it's obviously complete nonsense. You also meet expats who love to pretend they're banging with the locals 24/7 but they just like the image of it all, they are not willing to suffer like a local. Not one bit. Nobody on this board is giving up their citizenship I can promise you that.
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Content Provider
Well-known member
Hold my beer.
🎯 Exactly. The other 0.0001% are the ultra wealthy just getting rid for tax reasons but none of us know that type. Founder of Facebook money. The numbers are very small.
Very few will give up their American citizenship. I meet expats that talk like that. Even here in Argentina you run into that type. We had a guy on this forum that was always talking about how he was dodging taxes in the USA and Argentina. Not sure if he went back home. But guys like that are the first that will take their social security on the first day they are eligible!
"banging with the locals". So true! I run into that type too in BA. They pretend they are so worldly or a local. Then I ask them if they can speak Spanish and they can't even though they have lived here a long time. Or when I ask about BA they haven't been outside of Recoleta, Palermo, San Telmo or Puerto Madero even though they have been here forever.
Betsy Ross
Well-known member
So true. My sister lives in California. It is a bit painful visiting her because all her friends are Democrats and painful visiting before elections. The last one I was there and I heard so many say they would move to Canada or Mexico if Trump won. Guess how many did? 0.
Kind of like Elaine moved out of the USA after the election but quickly came back. Some can't even manage in Europe compared to the US.
These days it seems like many Americans like to bash on their own country which I don't understand.
Avocado
Well-known member
are you planning to give up your american citizenship?
earlyretirement
Moderator
You nailed it as usual. I always laugh. Traveling around so much and having a few companies in Latin America I come across all types.
I have an initial consultation and you wouldn't believe how many times I end up telling them they are not the profile that should be buying real estate in Latin America. This is for high net worth individuals. Not people barely scraping by with almost no net worth. But you see a lot of these types that "left" the USA because of one reason or another.
And it's really comical because they will brag about how they have all these "Plan B" or second passports. How they are some genius to pay little to no taxes to ANY country. That is usually a red flag for me. Usually when I dig it's people that barely would pay any taxes in the USA anyway! In fact, 30% to 40% of all Americans don't pay ANY taxes. You'd think for all the complaining they do they would be shouldering a lot of the burden but nope. None. Zip, Nadda, Zero. And it's usually these people that do most of the complaining.
These "Plan B" guys I always laugh because so far most of them worry about paying future taxes when they barely pay any to begin with. This is the vast majority of the types that I have seen "leaving" the USA. And I say good riddance because they weren't really contributing much to begin with.
Oh man Mike, I haven't met any of those types but it must be comical. I'm still laughing about the penny stock selfie guy, and there was that rage-against-the-machine tax dodger on here awhile ago. You could choke on the irony and hypocrisy of these people.
What countries do you think are better @Content Provider ? I'd love to see your Top 10 List.
I always wondered what happened to that American that was bragging about not paying taxes. @Avocado what ever happened to that? I think you said your cousin at the Argentinean IRS found him? Probably not too bright bragging about lying on taxes on a public forum when almost no transactions by Americans in small towns.
That guy also was telling everyone to invest in some crypto stock that he said was the next best thing! Bitcoin Cash. I made a calendar reminder for the 2 year mark. Here you can see how it's performed. It's down 30% since he recommended that.
Blockchain
Well-known member
Oh man. That is a terrible shitcoin. (Most of them are). Zoom out on Bitcoin Cash and it's lost money at 5 years, 10 years and then look at ALL. It's down 67% since they created it. Not sure why anyone would sink their money into shitcoins.
Content Provider
Well-known member
Tell me what criteria to use. Which metric are you mainly interested in. America is better at some things, worse at others.
Content Provider
Well-known member
Bravo. I'm amazed at the other people who fall into the mental health trap of 'all or nothing' thinking.
Blockchain
Well-known member
I still think the US is the best country over all. Honestly I am looking at many of the countries I used to think were great in Europe and with lax immigration laws they have turned into real sh*t holes. Even with all the mass immigration to the US things are still well run besides a few pockets.
I'd love to see your list Jerry on any metric you personally think. What are your favorite countries that you think are better than the USA? I'd start there.
I honestly can't think of any country that even comes close based on my metrics of quality of life, income potential, unemployment, safety/peaceful, quality healthcare and things working. Every time I travel around especially in Latin America nothing really works well.
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