For starters, all pensions from anywhere are tax free. Only pensions. Unfortunately, your other income (unless you are a registered retiree in Belize--see below), is taxable under the Income Tax Ordinance--a law I have been trying to get repealed since 1967. Every year the Government reduces the income tax in one way or another and releases more and more poor people from the tax, (thank God!), but steadfastly refuses to release the middle class and rich, those who create the jobs, the produce and the wealth of the country from the tax. What folly! If Belize was a tax haven, (like Cayman, the Bahamas, Bermuda and others), with its size and opportunities for development the unemployment problem would disappear and....

In early 1999 the Government of Belize enacted a law to encourage English-speaking people of means to retire to Belize. The main provisions of the law require a qualified retiree to deposit $2,000 U.S.each month or an annual deposit of $24,000 U.S. in any commercial bank in Belize. 
The applicant must be 45 years old or more to qualify.

When approved, the applicant may bring into Belize his used household goods, personal effects, one automotive vehicle, one boat and one airplane with no customs duty or other taxes or fees. The Retiree may replace the vehicle, the boat and the car every five years, tax free.

Retired persons may not accept gainful employement in Belize. All income received by the Retiree from whatever sourse shall be free of taxes. For full details and application forms you may write the Ministry of Tourism, Belmopan, Belize, Central America. Face it, we're all getting older.

Living on the Cayes is expensive too, but there are great places to live on the mainland that are not so costly. There are no "Retirement Communities" in Belize at this time, but one is on the drawing board and, if successful, it will doubtless spawn a number of others.

You should plan to spend at least two weeks in Belize travelling in the country, meeting people, and getting a feeling for each district. When you find a place you believe you might like, plan to move into the area for a six-month trial period. If you do not wish to be a qualified Retiree you can enter Belize for six months as a tourist.

When you arrive at the border, don't jump out of the car and yell, "Here I am, Belize. I've come to live here the rest of my life." All that will do is make the Customs Officer turn on his calculator and start adding up the taxes he is going to charge you.

When you come to retire all your USED household goods, personal effects and the tools of your trade are allowed in duty free. Be sure they are USED and not brand new and still in their wrappings. Your motor vehicle, boat or airplane are not duty-free, unless you are a Qualified Retiree.

We have a lot of good doctors in Belize but no really A-1 hospital or nursing home. This is a problem, but it is not insurmountable. There is Wings of Hope, a charity airline which will fly emergency cases to the excellent hospital in Merida, Mexico.

Apply directly to the Government.

Once you are here get involved in the affairs of the community--the Church, the Zoo, the Rotary Club, Lions, YMCA/YWCA, Hospital Auxillary, Red Cross, etc. There is something you can do besides just sitting around in front of a TV set waiting to die. You must have learned something in all the years you have lived. Pass it along to someone.