Investing for Survival

 Investing for Survival

New Caribbean Nation Wants U.S. Retirees…

This laid-back Caribbean country has it all:
a stable, democratic government, easy residency options, inexpensive beach properties, very few taxes (in fact, it’s one of the world’s top banking and tax havens)… and English is the official language.

There’s a little country in the Caribbean…a new country, in fact, having just gained its independence in 1981. Only about 312,000 people live here…in the entire country!

It’s a place where palm trees sway in rhythm with the gentle waves of clear warm waters caressing soft white sands.

People greet you with a smile and a cheerful “Good Day.” They’re genuinely happy. And why wouldn’t they be? They live in paradise.

They enjoy fresh fruit for breakfast, fresh fish for lunch, and celebrate the end of every blissful day watching the sun set over the Maya Mountains or (if they’re on one of the many islands that dot Belize’s coast) the Caribbean.

Worries are few. The cost of living is low…less than half what you’d spend in the rest of the Caribbean or the U.S. Property prices, too, are extraordinarily low. In parts of this paradise…virtually unknown to foreigners…you can buy a beach home for as little as $55,000. Even on its most popular ‘upscale’ island, where bargains are hard to come by, a brand-new condo can be had for little more than $100,000.

What’s more, if you’re not doing business in Belize, personal taxes are practically non-existent: 0% income tax on foreign-derived income. Plus, there are 0% capital gains tax, and 0% inheritance tax.

In fact, Belize is known as one of the world’s best banking and tax havens, offering several legal structures to protect your financial assets and reduce both your personal and corporate tax burden even more.

All this, plus it’s ridiculously easy to get residency.

Best of all, in addition to being one of the world’s last true tax havens, English is the official language.

Yet amazingly, this country and its benefits remain relatively unknown except to a savvy few.

The Last Affordable Caribbean Haven

Over the years, the world has started to take notice of little Belize. Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, movie director Francis Ford Coppola, and singer-songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker have quietly purchased homes there. Many more…like Tiger Woods, Reese Witherspoon, Harrison Ford, Nicolas Cage, and Robert DeNiro…regularly vacation on its private islands and exclusive resort hotels.

Madonna fell so in love with the Belizean island of Ambergris Caye and its little town of San Pedro that she wrote a song about it, which she still sings in concert: “Last night I dreamt of San Pedro, tropical island breeze, all of nature wild and free. This is where I long to be, la Isla Bonita…”

JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE AFFORDABILITY OF BELIZE:

Here’s how much it costs to own properties on these well-known English-speaking Caribbean islands: 1. Bermuda: Average condo price in 2008: $830,000. 2. St. John, United States Virgin Islands: Average condo price in 2008: $634,000.

But in Belize, you can still own a luxury condo on Ambergris Caye – the most country’s most popular resort island – for $100,000!

But even though celebrities have found Belize, it remains off the typical tourist radar. In fact, celebrities enjoy it for just that reason: there aren’t hordes of tourists around and they can vacation in peace. And that tranquility (and relative obscurity) is exactly what’s kept the country’s charm rating high and its prices low.

BELIZE FAST FACTS

Despite what you may think, Belize remains a little-visited country. Outside of cruise passengers on day trips, only about 250,000 tourists visit Belize each year…far less than most other Caribbean tourist destinations. (By contrast, each year nearly 4 million tourists visit the Dominican Republic, and nearly 6 million travel to Cancun, just a few hours north of Belize.) About half of the tourists who visit Belize go to Ambergris Caye. And that’s exactly why real estate prices are a bit higher there but remain so low in the rest of Belize…

“I’m on Social Security now,” Jan says, and that’s what I live on. It’s very easy to live here on $1,000 a month…and living on the island costs more than living on the mainland. But the extra costs of living here are worth it. I’m on an island…in the Caribbean…I live here because I love it!”

There’s Much More to Belize Than Ambergris Caye… The Country’s Most Popular Tourist Destination

There are many little islands off the coast (at least 200, say tourism officials) and miles of Caribbean coastline that remain undiscovered by most travelers.

And that’s where the real estate bargains are…

Belize is a stable English-speaking member of the British Commonwealth with banking laws designed to help foreigners protect their assets.  Foreigners fall in love with the country because of what it has to offer – relatively inexpensive property, friendly people, a tropical climate, a magnificent seacoast, and unparalleled diving, fishing and swimming.”

All This, And One of the World’s Best Retirement Programs, Too!

For instance, you may have heard of Belize’s Qualified Retired Person Program (QRP). (Despite the name, you needn’t be retired.) If you’re at least 45 years old and have a monthly income of at least $2,000 from a pension or annuity (including Social Security) generated outside of Belize, you can qualify. This allows you to bring all your personal goods to Belize tax-free, and pay no Belizean taxes on any foreign-earned income.