About Beyond
US Borders

Hi, I’m Mindy.

I started this site because I was drowning in research and couldn’t find anyone asking the same questions I was.

Not the usual retirement-abroad questions. Mine were more specific: Can you collect SSDI if you leave the country? What actually happens to healthcare? How do you choose a place when mobility is part of the equation — not just now, but in ten years? Can you bring multiple cats and a dog? How do you build a life that still works when you’re 70, not just when you’re 55?

Most retirement-abroad sites weren’t written for someone like me. They assume healthy retirees with flexible incomes and a sense of adventure that overrides practical concerns. My situation is different. I’m on a fixed income. I have a progressive neurological condition that affects mobility. I have pets. I think carefully about healthcare, accessibility, and what daily life might look like as things change.

None of that makes retiring abroad impossible. It just changes which questions actually matter.

So I started researching — the kind of research where one article answers part of one question, a forum post contradicts it, a YouTube video leaves out the details that matter, and a relocation service has something to sell. Eventually I stopped looking for answers and started looking for patterns. Which countries kept showing up when healthcare was the priority? Which destinations worked on modest incomes? Which places offered warmth without humidity that wrecks your joints? Which ones were realistic for someone planning not just for today, but for a future version of themselves?

That’s what Beyond US Borders is. Not a travel blog or a relocation service or a collection of beach photos. A research library built around the questions I actually had — organized so you don’t have to start from scratch the way I did.

The workbook came out of my own planning process. The destination guides are built around the questions I kept running into. The comparisons exist because I needed them.

If you’re weighing retirement abroad while navigating fixed income, health concerns, mobility, pets, family connections, or just the very reasonable desire to make a decision you won’t regret — you’re exactly who I built this for.

I’m not here to tell you where to move. I’m here to help you figure out what matters to you, so the place you land actually fits your life.

Welcome. Let’s do the homework together.

How we research

The destination information on this site draws from a mix of sources: live web research at time of writing, firsthand expat accounts from forums and community sites, cost-of-living databases like Numbeo and Expatistan, and official government immigration pages where available. For healthcare and visa specifics, sources include International Living, Live and Invest Overseas, Portugalist, Taxes for Expats, and country-specific relocation guides.

A few things worth knowing about how to read that. International Living is the most-cited source in the retirement-abroad space and genuinely useful for general country information — but they also sell paid products and have affiliate relationships with some of the destinations they cover. I use them for broad facts while leaning on more neutral sources for specific numbers. Any source covering retirement abroad has some skin in the game; this one does too, via affiliate links, which is disclosed clearly on every page.

Volatile facts — visa income thresholds, exchange rates, healthcare enrollment rules, specific costs — wear a “verify” chip on every destination page. That’s not a hedge; it’s accurate. These numbers change, sometimes significantly, and the most useful thing I can do is point you at the right questions rather than state figures that may already be out of date. Before any decision that matters, verify directly with official government sources or a qualified professional in the relevant country.

Say hello

The best way to reach me is by email: [email protected]

I try to respond within a few days. If you’re asking about a specific destination or situation, the more detail you share the more useful my reply will be.

What I can help with

• Questions about the Destination Determination Workbook or Moving Abroad Action Planner
• Suggestions for destinations or topics you’d like to see covered
• Corrections or updates — if something on the site is outdated or wrong, please tell me
• Partnership or affiliate program inquiries

What I can’t help with

I’m not a lawyer, financial advisor, immigration specialist, or healthcare professional. I can’t give advice on your specific legal, financial, tax, or medical situation. For those questions, please consult a qualified professional.

Or send a message