Resolved

* Presenting a Sunday Edition Classic originally broadcast on Jan. 4, 2004, in which Kathleen gives you a roadmap to your new life abroad for the coming year.

International Living Postcards--Sunday Edition

Sunday, Jan. 1, 2006
Paris, France

Dear International Living Reader,

This is the year.

If you've been thinking…dreaming…of a new life abroad…2006 is the year to make your dream come true.

Here's International Living's 12-Step Program to help:

1.) Make a list of your personal priorities and preferences. Which of the following are most important to you:

Cost of living
Health care
Infrastructure
Safety and stability
Taxes
Language
Cultural and recreational distractions
Accessibility to North America
Climate
Special benefits for retirees

2.) Make a list of the world's top overseas havens. Looking at the world map this first week of 2006, we suggest 19:

Argentina
Belize
Brazil
Chile
Croatia
Ecuador
France
Honduras
Italy
Malaysia
Mexico
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Panama
Portugal
Romania
Spain
Thailand
Uruguay

3.) Consider the pluses and minuses of each country. Here's where things can get tricky. A pop quiz will help:

1. Which country offers year-round spring-like temperatures in some regions?

a.) Ecuador
b.) Panama
c.) Mexico

2. Which country offers exemptions from import duties for foreign residents?

a.) Panama
b.) Honduras
c.) Mexico

3. In which country can you reduce your overall effective rate of tax as a foreign resident?

a.) Ireland
b.) Panama
c.) Malta

4. In which country can you employ a full-time, live-in maid for less than $150 per month?

a.) Nicaragua
b.) Panama
c.) Ecuador

The correct answer in each case is: a.)…b.)…and c.)

As I said, this can get tricky. You're trying to match your priorities and preferences with the pluses and benefits of each country. Draw it out on a piece of paper. This will allow you to…

4.) Narrow your list of potential paradises to three or four.

5.) Next, arrange to spend time in each of the countries on your short list.

6.) After your visits, cut the list further, to one or two countries…and plan extended stays…preferably through the least agreeable time of year in each place (the off-season, the rainy season, the hurricane season, etc.).

7.) While you're in each country, trying it on for size, do three things:

Meet with as many expats already living in the country as possible.

Meet with as many real estate agents operating in the areas of the country you're interested in as possible (remember: most real estate markets outside the U.S. do not come with multiple listing services).

Look at as many properties for sale as you can.

8.) Meet with an international tax planner in the United States…and also with a tax expert in the country(ies) you're considering moving to.

9.) Meet with a residency expert from the country(ies) you're considering.

10.) Set up a portable global office. No matter where you end up, this is key. You'll need:

Free e-mail account
Worldwide phone and fax numbers
Permanent postal address
Maybe a callback service
On-line banking capabilities
An on-line brokerage account

11.) Look into international health insurance. We recommend HTH Worldwide (http://www.hthworldwide.com).

12.) Determine whether you want to ship your household belongings with you. If yes, separate your belongings into three shipments:

What you'll ship for immediate delivery.
What you'll carry on the plane with you.
What you'll ship by slow boat.

And… voila! Piece of cake. You're ready for your new life's adventure.

Here are some bonus tips. When you decide where you want to take up residence:

1.) Do not buy, but rent, for at least the first six months. Be sure you've made the right decision before you commit to real estate.

2.) Open a local bank account. You'll need a local address to do this.

3.) Sign up for language lessons.

And, finally, the most important piece of advice we can offer:

4.) Be prepared for panic. Three to six months into your move, you'll wake up one morning and wonder whatever possessed you to do such a crazy thing as leave everyone and everything familiar and set out for parts unknown. Don't worry. Wait it out. The panic will pass.

Bon voyage.

Kathleen Peddicord
Publisher, International Living

P.S. No, it's not as easy as all this. But you're not alone. Don't lose your resolve. We're here to help. These notes I've made for you today are an outline. Print them out and post them on your refrigerator door or your office wall. If you're looking for something better, something new, something more…it's out there waiting for you. And this is the year to find it.

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Editors' Choice for 2006:
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Limited Time Extension Granted

If you missed out on IL's Silver Anniversary Holiday Sale in December, take advantage of this special 3-day extension now--save up to 30% on all IL titles until midnight, Jan. 3, 2006.

Start 2006 the right way. With our help, you could be successfully living or invested in the destination of your dreams by this time next year:

* Panama Insider
Be among the first to discover--and act on--the astonishing retirement and investment opportunities Panama offers, with our first-hand and timely reports from Brandon, the Panama Insider.

* Global Real Estate Investor's Kit

The global real estate market has never been hotter! And now, you can have the inside, upfront track on the most lucrative international real estate investments in the world today.

* Mexico Insider

Make your dreams of living or retiring in Mexico a reality. You'll learn everything you need to know to safely and affordably buy real estate in Mexico, a country with the best lifestyle and climate we've ever experienced.

* International Living

This monthly newsletter provides a scope and depth of information about global travel, living, retiring, investing, and real estate that is not available anywhere else at any price.