Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Retirees Have More Fun in Panama

Retirees Have More Fun in Panama
"She's a changed woman. She rides a bicycle—something she never felt inspired to do back home (maybe it was the months of bone-chilling weather)."
"He’s made lots of expat (and local) friends. He volunteers with a local charity and participates regularly in community outreach. We’ve never seen him busier...or happier!"
"The saying ‘blondes have more fun’ never held true for her back home. But in Panama, she certainly is having more fun than ever..."
As International Living’s Panama editor, I explore every inch of this country and get to know lots of the expats who are drawn here. For the past seven years, I’ve noticed one thing that retirees have in common: Since coming to Panama, their lives are busier than ever before.
Panama is well known for its friendly people...and that includes both expats and locals. It’s easier than ever to find like-minded people who are willing to make friends, include you in their activities, or support you in starting something new.
It also helps that Panama’s cost of living is low...for most North Americans, much lower than back home. And the nation’s Pensionado program has made it easy for thousands of Baby Boomers to take advantage of all the fun this tiny tropical powerhouse has to offer.
The program was originally developed to give local retirees or pensioners access to wide-ranging discounts, thus easing the transition to a fixed or pension income. But the country has a history of welcoming foreigners...and of according them many of the same rights that locals enjoy. So these days, Panamanian law extends the discounts to qualifying foreigners. And as an added bonus, the Pensionado program also grants them residence.

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