Yeah, I think the average American monthly Social Security payment is a good bit higher than the average UK pension. Not certain though.

I would never return to the US.

One thing hopefully everybody here agrees on - getting old sucks.

And when it's over, rich or poor, righteous or not, smart or irresponsible, we all end up in a very similar hole in the ground, stone cold dead.

@Ken *******

This position always perplexes me. You're absolutely correct. Someone could find themselves in a real jam someday. Or not.

But the fact is, social security is not enough to cover the most basic living expenses in the USA. Which is why the homelessness rate for retirees who worked hard all their lives is skyrocketing.

So many make the best of a bad set of choices. Better to live somewhere where you have a chance of living with dignity, than live in the USA out of your car and hungry everyday, but at least you're covered if you someday have a healthcare crisis.

@Phil *****

If the Thai government wanted to end the use of visa agents as we all so clearly understand it, they could and would have done so years ago, overnight. All the levers are completely within their grasp.

But, it's the Thai way, and it works. Quite well actually. End of story.

@Danny ******

Actually yes.

@Kal ********

Yes. Far better to stay in the USA where an apartment will cost 75% of your monthly income, nutritious food is beyond your budget, a car you cannot afford is a near necessity, and crime is a real concern, particularly for the rapidly-growing number of retirees who find themselves homeless.

You may be homeless, cold, hungry, and preyed upon by criminals, but no matter, because you have cheaper healthcare! Tada!

Pat, SS monthly payments can vary from what, $785 to ~3000/month, so it's hard to give a definitive answer.

I think the average is around $1700. I would say that's borderline doable. You'll have to be frugal and not risk-averse. Getting up to around $2100/month makes everything a lot easier.

The thing you have to beware of is health care. Insurance availability at age 71 here is limited, and very expensive. Especially compared to what you would pay with Medicare and a small supplement back home. What will you do if you have a heart attack or an accident? Big problem.

On the other hand, trying to live on $1500-$2000 a month in the USA raises immediate problems. You might not have to worry about health care costs if and when something goes wrong, but housing, hunger, safety and basic transportation are likely to be for-sure thorny daily problems, unless you have strong family support. Being homeless in America at 71 is no picnic.

On these forums, cut and dried black and white answers are popular, but sometimes rather moralistically dismiss situations where there is no good solution, only a difficult choice between two or three bad ones.

Sooo. . .it probably can be done, but with some risks.

@Danny ******

Basically what you are engaging in is a form of slut-shaming. You feel agents are immoral and illegal, so every time somebody mentions one, you turn all Trumpie and moralistic and try to shame people into complying with your point of view. Sort of like anti-abortion zealots, anti-immigrants (illegal! illegal!) etc. do.

Why do you feel obligated to be the facebook visa agent police?

There are so many other interesting subjects you could troll on as well. . .let's discuss - right now in public - your honest opinion of the king, Lèse-majesté, the role of the military in the election process and the actual level of true democracy here. Let truth be told!!

🙄

Perhaps you could interrogate and scold every guy who appears to be a bar manager on his visa and work permit status. Remind them of the dangers, quick quick!

When someone is heading out to a bar, don't miss the chance to remind them that prostitution is illegal in Thailand.

And so forth. Look, Thailand is not the west, and getting all huffy-puffy about absolute legalities ignores the realities of virtually every level of society and how EVERYTHING works here.

As a man I suspect both of us admire (Tim Walz) has recently been declaring repeatedly lately, "mind your own d*^n business."

Literally 10's of thousands of expats use visa agents here every year, 9999% with no problems or difficulties with the law, decade after decade. You may have a very strong opinion on this, but who appointed you to be the facebook visa agent police?

Don't be that guy.

@Greta ****

We all have our crosses to bear. . .😂🤣

@Greta ****

Yes, you can legally collect American social security payments even while living overseas for many years. The government will even deposit your monthly payments directly in a foreign bank if you wish.

You also continue to receive any annual cost of living increases, even though overseas.

What you give up is your medicare coverage, which is essentially only usable within the USA.

@Danny ******

Are you saying that you know that immigration officials, visa agents, and Thailand's biggest banks are engaged in a massive criminal conspiracy and fraud involving retirement visas?

This is an extremely serious accusation you are recklessly making in public. Especially in a country with such strict libel and defamation laws. Combined with very sophisticated social networking monitoring by law enforcement.