Best Places to Retire - Belize Facts

International Living recently posed this question...

is Belize the easiest place to retire?

Well, according to the current issue of International Living magazine, Belize is: English speaking; has a very low cost of living, and on top of that it has no taxes! Oh and did I mention it's in the Caribbean?

In fact Belize is most likely the last place where you can still get find truly affordable Caribbean real estate.

Belize Facts:

Belize is a politically stable Central American country that is quite small and close by. Thats just one fact that makes it easy to consider as part of your retirement investment plan - whether you are interested in escaping winter for a few months each year or wanting a full time retirement get-away.  Where is Belize? Why it's just down the Caribbean Coast south of Mexico and west of  Guatemala.

It’s really very easy to enjoy yourself what with miles of tropical beaches; the second longest barrier reef on the planet; what many consider to be the best diving and snorkeling on earth; lush rain-forests; beautiful mountain retreats; natural preserves; vast rivers; above ground and underwater cave systems, and a plethora of Mayan archeological sites - yes, there's no shortage of things to do in Belize!

The fact that it's one of the most affordable retirement destinations only adds to the benefits.

Belize Real Estate For Sale

How affordable you ask? On Ambergris Caye, one of the numerous islands of Belize, a two bedroom, one bath, 900 sq ft house with air conditioning and close to the main village of San Pedro is for sale at just $135,000. Go 1 1/2 miles south to the village at Royal Palm Villas and you'll discover one bedroom oceanside condos for sale listed at just $149,000. These are new, modern condos with additional features like 24 hour security, a swimming pool, and air-conditioning.

Now if you're new to the whle idea of investing in Caribbean Real Estate or the idea of a Central American Retirement you might be wondering how those prices compare to other Caribbean hot spots like Bermuda where you will pay in excess of $800,000 for an average condo or St. John in the US Virgin Islands where you need to cough up $600,000 for something similar.

Yes, Belize is truly a Caribbean paradise. It was formerly known as "British Honduras" this the English speaking population. And it offers numerous important bonuses for anyone wanting an easy way to retire abroad in 2011.

Your Belize Retirement Calculator

Take a few moments to add up all of these benefits when to choose to retire in Belize and be convinced this truly is the easiest and best place to retire.

1. As we've already mentioned first and foremost English is the national language. That means living in Belize as an American you will benefit from being able to speak with neighbours, store keepers, realestate agents, drivers, bankers, waiters, well everyone really, in a common language you already understand. And most importantly, when it comes to legal papers, any contract you negotiate, whether its to rent or purchase a home, is written in English too. That translates into one more way to simplify your move and your life.
2. Next on our list is currency. The Belize dollar is pegged to the U.S. dollar at a constant 2 to 1 plus U.S. currency is commonly and readily accepted in Belize. For you that translates into easy currency conversions - no need for any advanced retirement calculator here!
3. Taxes - the tax situation in Belize is another easy thing to manage. With No taxes on foreign earned income; No capital gains taxes; No corporate taxes; No inheritance taxes - it couldn't be any simpler.
4. The population of Belize is just over 300,000 people. And we're not talking about the population of their largest city no,   that's the population of the entire country! Belize is just 180 miles long and about 68 miles wide. That translates into one easy retirement lifestyle - easy to find the people, businesses, services and any other resources you may need to get things done.
5. The Retire Belize Program - not only do they have one of the best Retirement Programs in the Caribbean you don't even need to be retired to sign up for the benefits. Modelled after Panama's famous Pensionado Program, you need to be 45 years or older and prove you have a minimum monthly income of $2,000. That can be from a pension or an annuity, including Social Security. As an added benefit the program allows you to bring all your personal goods into Belize tax free.

Ready to Escape to Belize? Click here to learn more about the possibilities.