They Charged You $2,350 to Leave. Now They’re Calling It Fair.

[CraigM]

Ah yes, the global “SS freeloaders club.” Funny how you managed to meet almost all of them on your travels—what are the odds? It’s like there’s a secret handshake at immigration: “Here for the cheap rent and to personally drain this guy’s paycheck.”


And I’ve got to say, the image of you heroically “supporting a lot of them” from afar is pretty powerful. Somewhere in Buenos Aires or Bangkok, a retiree raises a glass and says, “Don’t worry, this one’s on him.”


Also interesting how these same people apparently “pay very little,” despite, you know… having paid into Social Security for decades. Minor detail, I guess. Easy to overlook when the narrative feels this satisfying.


But yeah, I get it—it’s annoying when people complain about the U.S. while living elsewhere. Almost as annoying as reducing an entire group of people to freeloaders based on a few conversations over beers in different countries.


Still, respect the consistency. It takes real commitment to travel the world and come back with the exact same conclusion about everyone you met.

Oh man you're against me on this one too? We'll find some common ground somewhere, I won't give up on you 🙂

 

[ben]

Oh yeah, absolutely—because clearly every expat over 60 is just sitting in some crumbling café, clutching their Social Security check like it’s the last life raft off the Titanic. No nuance, no savings, no other income streams… just a global club of helpless Americans waiting for the monthly deposit to hit so they can order another coffee.


And I love the part where your taxes are apparently funding “5 or 10 of them every year.” That’s impressive math. You must be carrying half the retirement system on your back. Honestly, the rest of us should probably send you a thank-you card.


Also, the idea that someone might criticize the U.S. while still collecting benefits they paid into for decades—yeah, wild concept. Almost like… that’s how the system was designed.


But you’re right about one thing: people giving up Social Security on principle? Rare. Not because it’s “comical,” but because most people understand the difference between politics and the money they earned over a lifetime.


Still, I admire the confidence. It’s not easy to reduce millions of people into one tidy little stereotype and call it insight.

Actually that sounds like exactly the type that I've mostly met in BA. One of the posters on the old forum used to post that she doesn't flush her toilet every time trying to recycle her water and save money on bills. Thought to myself how sad that is.

I think it is ok to criticize the US government and a lot of taxes are wasted. I doubt anyone is going to give up their S.S. checks on principle. Is that even a thing?

 

[earlyretirement]

you Americans don't know how lucky you are to be from there.

By far the best post on this thread. I always feel really lucky to have been born in the USA and being American. Especially watching things unfold around the world it especially makes me more grateful. I always tell my kids they are so lucky to be American. People take that for granted sometimes but it truly is the best country in the world. I think my lucky stars I'm American, grew up here, went to school here and raised my kids here.

You clearly focused too much... zoom out a little... it's an ant hill... not a mountain.

Agree the amount of people giving up their Citizenship is so tiny. No one likes paying more but that still seems like a small price to pay if you wanted to end your Citizenship. No one likes paying taxes or fees but I've always joked my entire life I would rather make alot of money and pay a lot of taxes vs. make very little money and pay no taxes.

content provider. i really like your thoughtfull posts. but i don’t like this side of you. please calm down. peace out

I appreciate the contributions to the site @Content Provider. I like a lot of your material. I just think that sometimes when people post it can be construed the wrong way. It's hard to understand sometimes tense and feelings with posts on a forum. I've been posting on forums since the Internet began. I've also been a Moderator for big national forums like City-Data for many years. So I've been around the block a time or two. Definitely not everyone will agree with one another and opinions and that is ok too.

I've been to a lot of third world countries and met loads of expats, and without exception the ones in their 60s or 70s were largely/entirely dependent on their US social security checks. I don't begrudge anyone collecting SS because that's the system, even if my taxes pay for 5 or 10 of them every year. Nor do I begrudge those who collect SS while bashing America because that's their right under the constitution, even if it's a bit off-putting sometimes. But the idea that any one of them would give up their SS checks because of their political views is just comical.

ROFL, as the kids would say.

I've been to 87 countries and over 550+ cities in my life. I own properties in a few different countries and I have met a lot of expats over the past 3 decades. I also met a lot of people that fall in this category. I think many like to complain and it seems like the ones complaining the most haven't really contributed as much as others. I hate paying taxes but I live in California, one of the most expensive tax states. I hear a lot of people complaining about taxes here. But my attitude, is I bet I'm paying a lot more than you and just pay the damn taxes and don't complain so much. I know many will disagree with this.

I think it's just off putting like Craig says for some of us that pay a LOT in taxes but don't complain and just pay them because we know it's for the greater good typically. Or if not, the simple fact that we could complain but who will listen?

I also think that many times people are totally out of touch with reality. Funny the topic of giving up social security. I have a friend that served on the Board of Directors of my Country Club with me for 4 years. Super successful and wealthy guy. He has a $10 million dollar house and lives in my community. He could draw on his social security but he is just waiting until the maximum age. We were having lunch a few months ago and the topic of politics and I asked him if he started taking Social Security yet. I never like talking politics but we did and he is a Democrat.

Well, he starts telling me how we could do so much more. And I'm like where is the money going to come from? He with a straight face said a lot of people like him could give up their Social Security checks. I literally spit out my ice tea laughing. I told him, there is NO way that many people have that same attitude. I just think many people are out of touch with reality. Someone is always paying. There is no free lunch.

I'm not saying there are a lot of freeloaders.... Ok, maybe I am saying there are a lot of freeloaders out there.

 

[earlyretirement]

Oh man you're against me on this one too? We'll find some common ground somewhere, I won't give up on you 🙂

One of these days I'll arrange a lunch or dinner on me and I'm going to invite you @CraigM and you @Content Provider and we're going to have a nice meal and not talk about politics. Just our love of Argentina.