- George, an American, works in Germany but will move back to the US to retire and collect Medicare.
- He wants to retire in the US because he believes the healthcare options are better for him.
- George said Germany is great, but healthcare is important to consider when nearing retirement age.
After a decade of working abroad, George said he'll return to the US to retire.
George, 65, is an American living in Munich. He plans on working two or three more years before returning to Seattle, where he lived before moving abroad.
George is a "peak boomer," meaning he's part of the "largest and final cohort" of baby boomers to turn 65 this year and enter retirement age, according to a report from the Alliance for Lifetime Income's Retirement Income Institute. Many peak boomers are getting strategic about their retirement strategies and when they would start collecting Social Security benefits in the hopes of getting more bang for their buck. George is one of those individuals: he plans on retiring when he's 67 or 68 to get his full Social Security benefits, which for him, will start when he's 66 and 10 months.
Additionally, America's Medicare benefits and being near family are factors driving his decision to retire in the US.
"I don't see myself staying here permanently when I have family back home," said George, who asked to use his middle name due to privacy concerns. "Even outside of Medicare, I just feel that healthcare is better," he said.
George hasn't given up his American citizenship, and his wife, who lives in Germany with him, is a citizen of the Philippines. He's on a work visa and files with insurance to access Germany's national healthcare services.
While he said the healthcare system is great on average, it's becoming more difficult to manage the bureaucracy of insurance filings as an American abroad. That headache could grow even more tedious as he gets older and will likely need more care.
George had surgery on one knee in 2015 and is trying to schedule surgery on his other knee for this fall. But, he said he is facing hurdles, such as certain rehabilitation hospitals opting not to treat US citizens for insurance concerns. It makes him even more eager to return to the US.
"You spend a lot of spare time working things out that are so much easier in the US, especially if you're on Medicare," he said. "You just want to go back home so you don't have to deal with it all."
George shared the differences between living in America and Germany, and which aspects he's not ready to give up as he prepares to move back.
The ease of traveling through Europe makes up for the healthcare headaches
George has worked as an engineer at the same company for over 30 years and began taking small work trips overseas in the 2000s. For privacy reasons, he asked not to disclose the company's name.
He moved to Saudi Arabia in 2014 to work on overseas projects for a US company. In 2017, he transferred to Munich for a new project, where he's been living ever since.
George said many aspects of life in Munich are preferable to the US, including less gun violence and the beauty of the Alps in his backyard. He also said the quality of life is better for him, particularly because it's a walkable, cycle-friendly city.
He lives in a rented apartment with his wife near the English Garden, a 375-hectare public park packed with architectural sights and a beer garden. He said it's one of the aspects of the city he'll miss the most.
Germany's infrastructure is also better compared to the US, George said, including the transportation system. "You can pretty much get anywhere by train or bus within Germany," George said.
However, one of his favorite trips is driving south of Germany through the Dolomite Mountains in Italy.
"There is nothing, in my opinion, like a drive from Germany to Italy," George said. "Those kinds of things I'll miss the most."
George said he's enjoyed learning about the cultural quirks of Germany, like Steckerlfisch, a roasted fish often served as a street food. He said he enjoys people-watching and drinking German beer — hefeweizen in warmer and pilsner in cooler seasons.
He also enjoys working with people from around the world and appreciates the international atmosphere in the office.
Cost of living in Munich
George said German consumers are still managing the effects of cooling inflation, similar to Americans. Additionally, the main cost of living concern in Munich is housing.
He said utilities are particularly expensive, and he's seen an uptick in electricity and gas prices since the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
However, day-to-day food at the grocery store is relatively cheaper than what he'd buy in the US.
George said he does miss things about the US, like the quality of red meat he'd buy at the supermarket. He said the US has more variety and more goods imported from countries around the world, particularly when it comes to seasonal produce.
One of the best aspects of Munich is the ease of flying internationally, George said.
"Living here, it's easy to travel to these other places because it's as if you're traveling from New York to Chicago," George said. "I can go for a weekend to Mallorca or Sicily or Dubai."
Before he retires to the US, he said he'll try to appreciate all the perks of living abroad.
"I'm able to travel and enjoy that right now," George said. "I am not ready to give that up yet."
Are you an American living or working abroad and considering retiring in the US? Have healthcare concerns influenced your decision to move abroad? This reporter wants to hear from you. Please reach out at [email protected]