Editor-photo

Claim Thousands of Extra Dollars…While you Can

Let’s get straight to it: A little-known loophole is about to close…one which can net you tens of thousands of additional dollars in Social Security benefits.

You need to know about this because come April 29, your chance to cash in on this opportunity will have passed you by. Now’s the time to take action.

Whether or not you plan to retire overseas doesn’t matter. With the strategy our Social Security expert Steve Garfink reveals, you can gain greater control over your Social Security benefits and a bigger payout, too.

We’re covering this important topic because an extra few thousand dollars in your pocket goes a long way in many destinations…

In Ecuador, expats report living costs as low as $1,000 a month. “We travel extensively and still add to our savings,” says expat Rami Amit, who along with his wife Daphna lives in the colonial city of Quito. They are just two of the folks you hear from in our report on the best retirement havens in the country.

Another “bang for your buck” destination, Costa Rica’s Lake Arenal, is an easy new home for Lynda and Tim Henry. They live with lake views, green hills, and hummingbirds on the porch. All told, costs are $2,000 to $3,000 a month.

I recently scouted out “the Gateway to Borneo,” a laidback city and an unexpected surprise. Spend your days visiting with tribesmen, diving with sharks, and photographing apes in the forest. Or play a round of golf at a high-end resort, catch a movie in English in an air-conditioned mall, and dine on the waterfront. Costs in Kota Kinabalu are very low.

I’m just scratching the surface of your issue here. Learn about having an adventurous retirement on the islands of Panama’s Caribbean…discover beachside living on Mexico’s Riviera Maya…buy in historic Italy from just $125,000…or invest in high-yield properties in Colombia’s up-and-coming city.

Chocolate, Statues, and Tree-Top Dives

Chocolate, Statues, and Tree-Top Dives

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With its historic castle and medieval streets, the Portuguese town of Óbidos has a lot to offer visitors. And if you have a sweet tooth, you have another big reason to stop off in this town if you’re rambling through Europe. At this time of year, Óbidos plays host to its annual International Chocolate Festival, which draws attendees from across Portugal and beyond. Amid the many showcases lining Óbidos’s streets, you’re sure to find a chocolate (or two…or 10) to suit your tastes. Professional chocolatiers compete for the Chocolatier of the Year award, while visitors can revel in the many chocolate statues—provided they don’t melt in the Portuguese sun.

Follow the Sweet, Sticky Road

Follow the Sweet, Sticky Road

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Part of the joy of living in Costa Rica is a slower pace of life. An inherent part of that slower pace is dirt roads. While Costa Rica does have modern paved roads in the cities and on the highways, in many smaller towns off the beaten track, you’re likely to see dirt roads. These roads can be quite dusty during the dry season (December through April). So to combat the dust, many communities in Costa Rica have come up with an unlikely solution: They pour molasses all over the roads.

The Great Train Graveyard, The World’s Steepest Street and Much More

The Great Train Graveyard, The World’s Steepest Street and Much More

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Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Flat is the largest salt flat in the world. The air’s intense dryness and the salt-laden winds blowing over this 4,000-square-mile expanse make this a bleak place to eke out a living. In the past, this was a major trade hub for the Andes region of South America. And walking the salt flat today, you can see a bleak but unforgettable reminder of this: Bolivia’s train graveyard.

Monserrate: Million-Dollar Views Over Bogotá

Monserrate: Million-Dollar Views Over Bogotá

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Usually, for a view like this, you’d have to spend a couple of million dollars on a hillside mansion. In Colombia’s capital, Bogotá, for only a few thousand pesos, or about five greenbacks, you can marvel at the seemingly endless city as it disappears into the hills from the top of the picturesque Monserrate Mountain, 10,000 feet above sea level. Monserrate’s fame began from humble beginnings, when the brotherhood of Vera Cruz frequented this peak for prayers in the early 1600s. The site has been a popular destination for residents, tourists, and pilgrims for well over a century now. On Sundays and holidays, it’s not uncommon for the more ardent Catholics to make the trek on foot.

The Time Has Come For Gold, Saudi Arabia’s New Trick, and Much More

The Time Has Come For Gold, Saudi Arabia’s New Trick, and Much More

Expat Advice
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Cybercrime is booming. Which means the business of providing cybersecurity is booming, too. Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and more sophisticated all the time. In the last year, the number of records exposed in data breaches soared nearly 100%, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center.

A Retirement Less Ordinary in Caribbean Bocas del Toro

A Retirement Less Ordinary in Caribbean Bocas del Toro

Expat Advice
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"From our front porch, we watch dolphins play, and howler monkeys cavort in the trees all the way around the house,” says Mary Heckrotte. “Sloths ease along tree limbs. Parrots, toucans, and hundreds of other colorful birds flit past or nibble seeds in bushes growing right next to the porch. We never tire of watching them. We live in a nature-lovers’ paradise!”

Own Amid History and Vines in Italy’s Piedmont from $125,000

Own Amid History and Vines in Italy’s Piedmont from $125,000

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Mist-shrouded castles clinging to dramatic cliffs… Opulent noble palaces with elegant gardens full of exotic plants… Snow-capped mountains towering over picture-perfect medieval towns… Verdant pastures and neat vineyards stretching into the horizon. No, this is not a scene straight out of a fantasy book. This is Piedmont, in northwest Italy.

Puerto Morelos: The Perfect Match

Puerto Morelos: The Perfect Match

Beach Living
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In 1999, the 50-year-old Valorie Gallagher fell in love while vacationing along Mexico’s Riviera Maya. She’d been looking for her perfect match for years, and once they met, she instantly knew that her life would never be the same. This wasn’t the typical affair of the heart, however. Valorie had fallen head-over-heels in love with one of the lesser-known jewels of Mexico’s Riviera Maya, the fishing village of Puerto Morelos. And 17 years later, she’s still in love with it.