Can foreigners own land in the Philippines or not? If you're confused about it then don't worry, you're not alone. If one does an internet search about buying a home in the Philippines, the results can be more than confusing. There are numerous articles about how to get around the property laws in the Philippines. None of these articles are truthful. Foreigner … [Read more...]
5 Tips for a Healthy Retirement in the Philippines
A healthy retirement in the Philippines is something every expat craves and in this article I'll give you 5 simple tips to make it a reality. Retirement is time to enjoy life - when you finally see the fruits of your labor and the hard work has paid off, and now you can do whatever you please for the rest of your life. That’s all well and good, but many of those dreams … [Read more...]
Top 5 Financial Tips for Expats in the Philippines
As a financial advisor, one of the biggest problems I see with foreigners living abroad is financial planning since you don’t have the NSA, 401(k)’s, or Superannuation’s to help you out – you’re all on your own with little or no help from the Philippines or your motherland. For those retired, semi-retired, or thinking about retiring in paradise, here are some helpful hints to … [Read more...]
How to Live in the Philippines with No Money
'How to live in the Philippines with no money' might seem like a ridiculous title for an article, but it's something that people are searching for on Google almost every day. From time to time, I take a look at the statistics for this site and like to see how people are finding us. Most of the search terms are pretty obvious and are not too surprising, but when I see … [Read more...]
Why I Ultimately Left the Philippines
There are lots of articles out there about how retirement in the Philippines is amazing, and how, after a long and diligent life of hard work, expats find their little slice of paradise in the tropics, where they can live it up drinking cocktails and visiting tropical beaches until they shuffle off this mortal coil. There aren’t too many articles detailing the cases in which … [Read more...]
Keep the IRS off Your Back! Advice for Americans Abroad
FATCA, FBAR, PFIC… this alphabet soup of tax/financial related acronyms can certainly send chills down the spines of Americans living abroad. And it should – the US is the only country on the planet (besides Eritrea) that taxes its citizens worldwide, and non-compliance can result in hefty penalties. Luckily, by understanding a few simple guidelines, you can better protect your … [Read more...]
I Never Chose to Live in the Philippines
People have many different reasons for choosing to live in the location that they do. I'm originally from the UK but now live in the Philippines and have done so for the last twelve years. However, the truth of the matter is, I never really chose to live in the Philippines... ...it chose me. If that sounds a bit rich and a little bit 'hippy-dippy', then let me … [Read more...]
The Philippines – Retire In A Tropical Paradise
The Philippines is such a great place to retire, but few do, and that's a shame. First of all, the people in the Philippines are different from what you may have grown accustomed to. There's no sulky faces, no complaining. Instead, the Filipino people are easy going and friendly and smile a lot. For a first timer to the Philippines, you may just wonder if you have been … [Read more...]
5 Things You Better Ask Before Entering a Cross-Cultural Marriage in The Philippines
Last year I got married to my beautiful wife, K. I'm from Ireland, and she's from The Philippines. We're both in our early thirties, and we love each other dearly. But boy are there some questions I wish I'd asked and some things I wish we'd talked about before we tied the knot! Don't get me wrong, I have absolutely zero regrets and I would do it all again in a … [Read more...]
Staying Safe in Mindanao
This post is actually a response to a comment we had on RTTP asking for an honest and true account of what it's like to live as an expat in two specific areas of Mindanao, Iligan and Cagayan. I thought the response deserved more attention and so have decided to publish it as a post. It should be noted that Mitchell's response is specifically for these two areas and is based … [Read more...]
Christmas in the Philippines
"Maligayang Pasko Sa Inyong Lahat" or Merry Christmas to Everyone! The typical Filipino does not need much of an excuse to celebrate and party. Christmas in the Philippines is no exception. The manifestations of the onset of Christmas start here as early as September. That is when you first notice the street vendors and stalls selling their Christmas lighting and … [Read more...]
Banking in the Philippines
You have now made your move and decided to relocate to the Philippines. You will obviously want to have easy access to your money which is almost certainly paid into your bank back home. To do that, you will want to open a bank account here in the Philippines. Which bank should you choose here? A large, reputable bank is preferable. All the major banks here all have slightly … [Read more...]