 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 |
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 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 |
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 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. |
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 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. |
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 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. |
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 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. |
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 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? |
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 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. |
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 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%. |
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 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. |
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 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. |
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 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. |
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 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 |
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 More
Articles On Living & Investing In Ireland
- and thousands
of articles on living and investing overseas in countries around the world;
including numerous articles on international real estate - Most of our
articles start in our international relocation magazines; but we keep them
in an archive so that visitors can access them - - access is free,
and free is a very good prices - Click
here to visit our relocation reference library - This library is filled
with facts, contacts, suggestions, inside information & offshore information,
artist havens & tax havens .... We sincerely hope you make your
escape and that you find your Shangri La, or your Shangri Lil ... and that
special place in the world that sets your heart on fire... We're
willing to show you the routes |
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port , Port to port. Professional services with discount prices. Call today
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Each
day American Citizens lose more and more of their fundamental rights.
Many of these rights were given up in the name of “national security.”
It’s a very slippery slope. Scholars have debated the erosion of civil
rights caused by the passage of the Patriot Act. A recent unanimous amendment
to a Senate transportation bill may have just cost Americans the right
to travel. - Senator Harry Reid of Nevada was successful in amending a
Senate highway funding bill to now allow the IRS to revoke or limit the
passports of U.S. taxpayers who are seriously delinquent in their tax obligations.
- Under the measure, if one owes more than $50,000 and the debt is at the
levy or lien stage, the IRS can request the State Department revoke the
taxpayer’s passport. America abolished debtor’s prisons in 1833 but the
new measure is pretty similar - Americans freedom and liberty can be curtailed
until the taxman is paid.
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 Want
to Live in Europe? - Consider Corsica -
When most people think of France, they probably imagine the hexagonal country
mashed in the middle of continental Europe and its stunning capital city
Paris. Although this does make up the most populous bulk of the country,
France also consists of many overseas territories (Guadeloupe, Tahiti,
etc.) as well as one of the largest, most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean
Sea: Corsica (”La Corse”). The French call Corsica ”l’Ile de
Beauté” (the island of beauty) and it truly is a place of inspiring
landscapes and stunning geography. Unlike the French Riviera which
has basically turned into one gigantic strip of unbridled concrete sprawl,
the Corsican coastline is still virtually unspoiled, with limited construction
allowed only in major cities or very small fishing towns that have been
there for centuries. In fact, if you try to build a vacation house
too close to the coastline in Corsica, it is actually not an uncommon occurrence
for the local Corsican populace to blow it up during the off season.
A few suggestions before embarking on a building project in Corsica would
include: having a Corsican or Italian sounding name - acquiring a good
standing with the local population by helping to “finance” a project of
public interest (something more consequential than a public bench). |
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