I’m 83 and will have $500K if I sell my house. My estranged wife wants me to join her in Colombia. Do I go?

1 week ago 8

Quentin Fottrell

Sat, November 8, 2025 astatine 9:21 AM CST 4 min read

“My expenses successful Colombia would beryllium minimal.” (Photo taxable is simply a model.)

I unrecorded unsocial successful a status assemblage and I americium 83 years old. I tin conscionable hardly grip my expenses with a owe outgo of $984 and an income of $3,800 per month; I extremity up with astir $500 for escaped spending each month. My woman lives successful Colombia (she doesn’t similar the acold weather) and we’re separated, but inactive friendly. She has invited maine to unrecorded with her there. I person astir $220,000 successful savings and I person adjacent to $300,000 successful equity if I merchantability the house. My expenses successful Colombia would beryllium minimal. Should I relocate there? What is the downside?

Living successful a Cold Climate

Related: My hubby and I are gathering a location connected my mother-in-law’s land. Are we asking for trouble?

It’s hard to enactment a terms connected your independence, but yours is $500,000.

You volition person abstracted bedrooms, but volition you besides person abstracted bathrooms?

I inquire due to the fact that what you springiness up successful expenses if and/or erstwhile you merchantability your location successful the status community, you volition suffer successful presumption of your independence. It’s hard to enactment a terms connected your independence, but yours is $500,000. That’s rather a bully tidy sum, but each the reasons you separated from your woman volition inactive beryllium determination erstwhile you get successful Colombia. It’s a fiscal decision, but it’s besides a manner decision, 1 that volition interaction your consciousness of well-being (there’s thing similar having your ain place) and societal circles. After food, utilities, taxes and owe payments, $500 currency is not that atrocious if your needs are simple.

I person immoderate questions for you to reply privately and successful your ain time: Will your accomplishment payment your woman financially? Will you acquisition a location together? What if your woman predeceases you? What leisure activities volition you miss if you permission the U.S.? What volition you bash for aesculapian insurance? Medicare does not screen you successful Colombia. What happens if you get sick? Will you travel backmost to the U.S.? If so, wherever volition you live? Do you person friends present that you would miss if you moved to South America? Are you prepared for your woman to beryllium your 1 and lone person erstwhile you get there?

More retirees are moving overseas, owed to the precocious outgo of surviving successful the U.S., successful summation to the lure of surviving successful a overseas land. Last year, much than 760,000 Americans received Social Security benefits portion surviving overseas, up from astir 430,000 successful 2019, according to information from the Social Security Administration. You would not beryllium doing it alone, which is simply a tiny mercy, but that does not mean you wouldn’t person problems adjusting to beingness successful Colombia, not to notation a connection obstruction if you don’t talk Spanish. Please besides work the Department of State’s question advisory connected the country.