Recently, I received an email from my favorite publisher, EscapeArtist.com, stating that they’d been contacted by Siobhan Maguire, a hard working reporter for Ireland’s top newspaper, The Sunday Times. Siobhan, in turn, had contacted EscapeArtist in that she has been tasked with writing an article about Retiring in Ireland. That article, in turn, has been prompted by the following: In its Oct 15 2009 article ‘The 10 Best Retirement Havens’, Forbes Magazine ranks Ireland as Number 5 on their list. Not too shabby, I must say. Forbes notes that Ireland ranks high on the list for the friendliness of its locals, as well as its ‘rest and relaxation’ index. The beauty of the country is also noted, as well as the (relatively) low local taxes. Their article – and a chat with Siobhan – started me thinking. If I were an American living, say, in Michigan, would I want to consider retiring in Ireland? And if so, why would I? What are the benefits of retiring here? What are the downsides? What would I have to do to gain permission to live here? - Mañana…Irish Style - I had an Uncle in Law named Bernie, a true fisherman if there ever was one. Bernie lived in Navan, of course, and spent most of his time on the Boyne River, rod in hand. The man was forever tying flies, and grumbling at his poor luck in landing a salmon… but I’ll say this about him: he knew how to live a stress-free retirement. Bernie’s idea of a day out was throwing his rod over his shoulder, packing a couple of sandwiches and a flask of tea in his fishing bag, and walking off down the river for a day spent in the misting Irish rain. - Retire to Ireland – So Says Forbes Magazine

Large Map Of Ireland State Maps Of Ireland

Real Estate In Ireland Real Estate In Ireland - Current Listings - Is Ireland a good place to invest in Real Estate? Ireland is one of the more popular destinations for foreign real estate investors and retirees. Being an excellent place to live, we believe that real estate in Ireland is an exceptional investment. - In terms of GDP per capita, Ireland is ranked as one of the wealthiest countries in the OECD and the EU-27, at 4th in the OECD-28 rankings. In terms of GNP per capita, a better measure of national income, Ireland ranks below the OECD average, despite significant growth in recent years, at 10th in the OECD-28 rankings. GDP is significantly greater than GNP (national income) due to the large amount of multinational firms based in Ireland - Advertise Your Property - Also see Real Estate in in Europe & Central Europe - See Real Estate By Type - Islands, B&B's, Plantations - Offshore Real Estate Library - Vineyards For Sale Worldwide - Offshore Yacht Broker - International Real Estate Index

Articles on Living & Investing in Ireland

Ireland Is Among The 5 Best Places to Retire in Europe  -  Many North American citizens can trace familial roots right back to Ireland and have visited the island as a result – but if you have yet to experience Ireland and you don’t necessarily have any family ties drawing you ‘home,’ living in Ireland can be a fabulous choice if you want to forge the very strongest social bonds. Ireland is famed as being a fun place to live, where citizens work hard but play harder, and where central to the way of life is a pub in which good food is served, good music is played, good conversation is enjoyed and good friends are made. If you want to put down strong roots in retirement, you’re not interested in learning a new language or going in search of perpetual sunshine, Ireland could be well worth your consideration. It offers history and culture, it has high healthcare standards and affordable medical services to boot.  It has multiple international air and sea ports, the landscape is diverse and varied from stunning windswept beaches to breathtaking mountain peaks.  The people are open, welcoming and genuinely friendly and funny, and the leisure and lifestyle options are exceptional.

White, Grey, and Black Passports: What’s the Difference?  -  I am frequently asked by folks about how to acquire a 2nd passport.  As you may imagine there are a multitude of ways to acquire one, some good, some bad, some ugly.  In this article we will discuss a general overview of what I consider the 3 categories of 2nd passports and how they are acquired. For the purpose of this article, I have classified them into 3 categories:  White, Grey, and Black.  Please be advised, this is not a recommendation for either category, only generalized information to help you make the right choice on direction as well as pitfalls to avoid. White 2nd Passport.  A white 2nd passport is divided up among 3 subcategories; ancestral or cultural, naturalization, or economic. Acquiring a 2nd passport through ancestral or cultural methods is typically the easiest and least costly way to go about the process.  For example, if your parents or grandparents are from Ireland, you have the ability to (relatively) easily acquire citizenship and a passport from Ireland.  The same holds true for many European countries.  An EU passport is widely accepted around the world and is an excellent travel document. If you can acquire citizenship and a passport through one of these methods, this is highly recommended.  In many cases it is as simple as filling out some forms and submitting the recommended documentation like birth certificates.

A Silent Night for Irish Ann  -  she was a friend of my wife’s and I’d known her ever since coming to Ireland in ‘82.  She was all smiles and laughter, and a serious side too that listened intently if you had a problem. Over the years, she and I had become firm friends. I liked Ann quite a lot because she always had a kind word and a welcoming laugh, and when I met her my day always became that much better. Even if I moaned about the constant rain in this country, she’d look up at me from her tiny stature of four foot nothin’ and say, eyes glinting, “Ah, it could be worse, you could be dead.” I especially enjoyed her outlook on Christmas. Not for Ann the commercial trappings of that season. Instead, she had the outlook and attitude of a child. And on an Irish Christmas of 2001, I longed to moan to Ann about how cold it was, how bloody frosty! And of the smoke that floated from the coal fires of the terraced houses, turning into a thick mist over the small Irish town of Navan. Oh, how I longed to hear her say, “Feck it. It could be worse, ‘cause you could be dead.”

Why Being an Expat Is So Fantastic (Hint: Your Expat Taxes!)  -  Imagine if you could live in a tropical paradise US tax free – you can!  There are a number of benefits that you can take advantage of on your expat taxes to save and protect your income.  We will discuss the main ones here, but it is highly recommended that if you want to maximize the savings on your expat taxes you should seek expert expat tax advice. The Foreign Income Exclusion – This allow US expats who are earning money abroad to exclude up to $92,900 of their income from US taxation (this doubles if you are married). This is the most common and arguably the most profitable tax savings tool you can us on your expat taxes.  If you combine this with the Foreign Housing Deduction, which allows you to deduct things like rent, utilities and insurance, they you and your spouse may be able to avoid paying taxes on over $250,000 of income each year! LEGALLY! The Foreign Tax Credit is also a great tool, but unfortunately you will need to be paying taxes to someone to take advantage of it. The foreign tax credit gives you a Dollar for Dollar tax credit for any taxes you have paid to a foreign government.  Basically, if you have a good income someplace like Europe where taxes are high, then this will ensure that you are not taxed by two governments leaving you with the scraps.

8 Signs that the US Government is Making it Harder For You to Become an Expat  -  One of the most common reasons for wanting to expatriate from the United States is the concern about government overreach. Many feel that the expansion of government in recent years has been chipping away at the freedom and liberty that the country was founded upon. What with more and more agencies, regulations, surveillance, and mandates, the right to privacy and self - determination is steadily shrinking right along with financial outlooks. So, are you among the increasing number of people who feel that the only real solution is to get out of the country? Well, using the exact same tactics that are driving you away, the government appears intent on preventing you from leaving. Changes that have recently been put in place as well as proposals for future changes in rules and regulations might be intended to discourage. But they might also drive your resolve to take your destiny into your own hands and do whatever it takes to make your move overseas.

When Irish Eyes are Smiling  -  Imagine if you could live in a tropical paradise US tax free – you can!  There are a number of benefits that you can take advantage of on your expat taxes to save and protect your income.  We will discuss the main ones here, but it is highly recommended that if you want to maximize the savings on your expat taxes you should seek expert expat tax advice. The Foreign Income Exclusion – This allow US expats who are earning money abroad to exclude up to $92,900 of their income from US taxation (this doubles if you are married). This is the most common and arguably the most profitable tax savings tool you can us on your expat taxes.  If you combine this with the Foreign Housing Deduction, which allows you to deduct things like rent, utilities and insurance, they you and your spouse may be able to avoid paying taxes on over $250,000 of income each year! LEGALLY! The Foreign Tax Credit is also a great tool, but unfortunately you will need to be paying taxes to someone to take advantage of it. The foreign tax credit gives you a Dollar for Dollar tax credit for any taxes you have paid to a foreign government.  Basically, if you have a good income someplace like Europe where taxes are high, then this will ensure that you are not taxed by two governments leaving you with the scraps.

Ireland’s Cosy Southeast ~ Ireland's Warmest And Driest Spot - When people see Ireland’s rugged, spectacular west coast, they are often so overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of it all that they sell their homes and move, sure that their life is going to be filled with rainbows and ocean waves and red-haired beauties and great Guinness outside thatched pubs. And then the winter comes. Lashing rain, horizontal hail, frozen mud and overcast skies; average rainfall well over 100mm for each month of the winter; average 24-hour temperature of 5-6°C; sunrise at 9 and sunset at 3; all of which will make you love – or depend on – the roaring peat fire and the hot whiskeys at the local pub.     That’s what makes the southeast - Ireland’s warmest, driest spot - a better choice in a lot of ways. The landscapes are pretty - gentle, rolling hills, woods, deep rivers and a coast where you can actually go swimming without freezing in the summer months - albeit not in a catch-your-breath sort of way. If Ireland was Italy, the southeast would be somewhere like Umbria; attractive in a way that makes you want to put your feet up.

Living In Ireland ~ Making Ireland Home  - The memory is vivid: my Northern Irish traveling companion, Steven, and I were on a train from Verona, Italy chatting candidly about our six months with Up with People and the various adventures we had encountered as backpackers.  A romance seemed inevitable as our trust and respect for each other matured throughout train journeys, ancient ruins, stays at hostels, and all the other delights that come with nomadic student travel. The time was drawing near for us to bid adieu to each other; as wallets became progressively lighter and clothes wore out, there was no denying that my flight back to Chicago and his journey home to the UK would be an unavoidable and depressing conclusion to an amazing journey. With this in the back of my mind I was stunned when Steven turned to me and said, “Why don’t you move to Belfast?”  I was even more stunned by my own immediate, “Okay!”  I look back at the moment like it was a movie scene, with the dramatic music playing in the background as the sensational embrace ensued.

At Doolan's Bar in Waterford - Waterford, Ireland -  At Doolan's Bar in Waterford - "I only understand half of what they're saying," Eric said. "But that's enough." His companion, a short, bald man in a green sweater with the smile of a geo-physicist too deep in his cups, had just fallen down at my feet. It was the second time he had crashed to the floor that evening. And he was applauded. It is not every man who can fall down drunk without spilling his beer. Eric and the geophysicist are doing an underwater survey for a new communications cable between Ireland and England. In the course of their work, they inadvertently discovered a cable that they believe is used to monitor submarine activity in the Irish Sea. Their ship was ordered to leave the area by the Royal Navy.  Eric is English, not a popular thing to be at Doolan's bar. "But I don't take it personally," he said. The drunken scientist is Irish, and Gaelic-speaking at that. They were at Doolan's bar because it had such provisions as keep sailors on shore leave occupied. Not just alcohol, but women... and what passes for lively entertainment in small Irish towns in mid-winter.

Escape To Dublin - Living In Ireland - I was escaping.  The job was quit, no regrets.  I packed up the house and sold my possessions.  Friends said their goodbyes in a round of unforgettable farewell parties that made me recall how long it had taken to create that warm circle I was now leaving.  Tearful goodbyes were said to Sprite and Abou at Chicago’s O’Hare airport as they were packed off to strange homes in distant cities.  The separation from my cats was, strangely, the most difficult as it was impossible to say to them “Hey, e-mail me!” or even, “I’ll miss you.”  I was going to Ireland to discover one of Europe’s culture troves, one of the richest mines of all the arts: Dublin.  Staring out the plane’s dirty window, enjoying my first free moments in weeks, I considered my brief trip to Dublin four years previously. Never had I imagined I would be making it my home.  France was the country of my dreams.  Dublin was full of litter and had none of the sophistication of Paris or London. Architecturally,  I’d seen little to commend it.  Worse, I’d been robbed twice in a four day visit:  once at the B & B, and once on the street. I recalled the groups of solemn, carrot-headed children I saw begging in Dublin, the anti-abortion posters plastered to buildings, the dark and oily Liffey,  the  gloomy skies.  What was I doing?

Nomadic Retirement: Ireland - Ireland of course has been divided in two since 1921, with the Republic of Ireland occupying about 84% of the island, while Northern Ireland, still part of the UK, occupies the remaining 16%. The Republic of Ireland has been a member of the European Union since 1973, but its pursuit of a couple of different disastrous economic policies lead to its first economic collapse in the late 1970s. To facilitate the recovery of the nation’s finances, starting in 1989, many neo-liberal economic policies were instituted which included massive tax cuts, welfare reforms, and wisely, a ban on borrowing to pay for current expenses. Things moved along smoothly for a while, until property prices went through the roof and Lehman Brothers got their filthy fingers into the pot along with land speculators so that average Irish citizen were paying a small fortune to acquire properties, and then of course the bubble burst, making Ireland one of the PIIGS. (Portugal, Ireland, Italy Greece and Spain also known as the PIIGS that can’t fly.)  To the visitor, none of this is very obvious, except that the bargains of days gone by are gone forever. That holds true for all of Europe though. But do not let that discourage you from seeing this marvel of a nation. The weather is fairly stable, never too hot and rarely too cold, due to the Gulf Stream bringing a steady flow of warm water up from the tropics. The famous Irish Green is due to the fact that there is an abundant amount of rainfall.

Overseas Buyer’s Guide to Real Estate in Ireland  - Lying on the edge of Europe facing out to the Atlantic Ocean sits Ireland, one of Europe’s smallest countries and often described as ‘The Emerald Isle”.  A beautiful country characterised by vibrant, colourful cities set amidst endless unspoilt green fields, Ireland is now officially the best place in the world to live.  Combining increasing wealth with traditional values gives Ireland the conditions most likely to make its people happy, according to the Economist’s quality of life assessment for 2005. Add to this its longstanding reputation for a green and clean environment and Ireland has become a very desirable spot to live in.  Already 60,000 Americans have claimed a piece of Irish soil as their own, planning to live out their days in the Celtic gem and many of our Europeans neighbours are following suit. Property Market Overview - Ireland’s desirability comes at a cost. Increasing wealth, resulting from the Celtic Tiger boom years has pushed property prices up to one of the highest levels in Europe. Consequently, property in Ireland is not cheap. A recent International Monetary Fund study revealed that Irish house prices are overvalued by 10-20%.

Blind Date - Living In Ireland - Page 1 - Why did I decide to move to Ireland?  With two young boys, we knew we had to get out of California if we wanted to get ahead. We wanted a home of our own for our boys to grow up in.  My  husband had lived in the same South Dublin home until adulthood, and I had lived in too many to count, spanning several states and a couple of countries. With our eldest  teetering on the beginning of his formal education, we felt it was time to choose what we wanted for our kids: a childhood like my husband's, or a childhood like mine. The irony of becoming an expat in order to set down anchor was not lost on me. I decided to commit to Ireland because I look before I leap. I have a great deal of trouble absorbing reason.  I stubbornly refuse to acknowledge fear until I am in so deep there is nothing to do but to keep swimming.     I did my research and talked to people, but in the end, I comfort myself with the knowledge that even if we had visited for a three month scout, I still would have had no idea what I was really getting myself into.

An Extended Vacation - Galway, Ireland - Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Up until the day I was supposed to leave Ireland, my trip had gone smoothly. I flew into London to meet my friend Kim, who was living in Galway Ireland at the time. We spent a couple of days wandering around London, taking in the sights, and sleeping in a very expensive, yet not-so-luxurious youth hostel we had found upon arrival. It was a great time, but I was looking forward to seeing the part of Ireland where Kim lived. We took a small plane from London to Dublin, then immediately got on a train to Galway. We were unable to spend time in Dublin due to the fact that Kim had to go back to work. Dublin was a city I would have loved to explore, but I knew there would be plenty to do on the western side of Ireland.     I had an idea of what to expect from the weather in Ireland in May; probably very similar to the weather conditions in my hometown of Seattle, Washington. However, before I left Seattle I spoke with Kim about what I should pack, and she instructed me to bring shorts, sandals, and other summer gear because the weather had been sunny and warm. So I packed my suitcase full of summer clothes, excited to be in Ireland at such a nice time of the year. Being from Seattle, I should have anticipated that the sun might not last, but I was in vacation mode so the thought never crossed my mind. Unfortunately it ended up being windy, rainy, and cold the whole time I was there. To make things worse, Kim’s apartment had no heat so I was shivering and uncomfortable for the first couple of days. I figured the dreary weather gave me a great excuse to go a bit outside of my seriously limited budget and buy one of Ireland’s famous Aran wool sweaters, which, along with a pair of jeans, was my only outfit for the remainder of my trip.

Nine Reasons Why Ireland Could Be Right For You - ...and Nine (Fairly) Affordable Rural Retreats To Choose From -  Spring in Ireland. It’s a good thing I prefer cooler weather to broiling hot. Even though there’s heating in every room of my cottage, I’m wearing two sweaters, thick socks — and boots.  I’m writing this days after returning from our most recent Live Overseas Conference in Florida’s sunny Delray Beach. Attendees at these conferences always ask: “Why do you live in Ireland?” When I say I’m now in my 16th year of Irish living, they stare as if I’ve confessed to having serious psychological problems. I don’t think I’m crazy—and there’s nothing that forces me to live in Ireland. I have no small children, no mortgage commitments, and a job I could do almost anywhere. Being a British passport holder allows me to live and work in any EU country. I could be living the writer’s life where there’s little rain and living costs are less expensive. Spain, Greece, or the south of France, for example. Thing is, there’s nowhere else I would rather call home. Although Irish cities have become as frenetic and traffic-clogged as cities the world over, the countryside remains the same as when I moved here: quiet...peaceful...safe.

There’s nothing quite like the English countryside.  Green and rolling pastures, picturesque villages and a quieter pace of life make the British country one of the most desirable real estate areas in the entire United Kingdom – and possibly the world.  If you’re in the market for international waterfront property and are interested in experiencing a quaint lifestyle that’s filled with old English traditions and gorgeous lakeside living, then look no further than Bassenthwaite Lake in England’s famed Lake District. The Lake District is known for its gorgeous landscapes and beautiful bodies of water, but technically, there’s only one “lake” in the Lake District – the rest are comprised of “waters”, “meres” and “tarns” (the name is given depending on the size of the body of water). Bassenthwaite Lake: England’s Crown Real Estate

Many More Articles On Living & Investing Ireland Recent Articles On Living & Investing In Ireland  - Escape From America Magazine Recent Articles On Living & Investing In Ireland  - Expat Daily News

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