Part-Time

Many people want to retire in Europe to reap the benefits of the culture, weather, food, and lower living expenses. However, they also have reasons for staying in the states: family, friends, and even favorite sports teams. So these folks often ask, "Can I just do it part-time?" The answer, of course, is yes, but there are definitely things to consider.

Where are you living?

If you decide to live part-time in Europe and part-time in the states, you will need to think about where you are living. The European part of this is relatively simple. If you check out VRBO and AirBNB, you can check the option for monthly rentals. There you will see fully furnished places that you can rent monthly. It's very easy to select a place in any European locale for 3 months using these sites.

You can also use AirBNB for monthly rentals in the states, again in the location you desire (close to family, friends, or the aforementioned sports team). Alternatively, many people keep their house, condo, or townhouse that they own in the states. While they are away, they choose to rent it using the same apps they use to travel - AirBNB, VRBO, etc. This provides some income and gives them peace-of-mind that if they decide to stop their travels, they have a landing place in the states.

Residency is easier

If you decide to retire part-time, you will not need to obtain long-term residency in Europe. You can stay up to 90 days at a time (in a 180-day period) in any European country without obtaining long-term residency. This means you will have less bureaucracy to contend with. The only thing you need to do is ensure that you only stay 90 days in any 180-day period since most of Europe is now included in Schengen with a few notable exceptions (United Kingdom, Ireland, Cyprus, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia, Turkey). For a strategy involving worldwide travel and adventure without dealing with bureaucracy, read my book, "Live Like Pirates."

Live Like Pirates

Insurance gets tricky

One problem with doing Europe part-time is dealing with your health insurance. If you have Medicare/Medicaid, you need not be concerned with losing your coverage while in Europe. However, if you have private insurance in the states, you will need to see if you can suspend it while you are gone. Otherwise, you will be paying needlessly for U.S. insurance when you are not there. Getting health insurance in Europe will be less expensive, but you do not want to pay for both at the same time.

A good way to deal with obtaining health insurance in Europe is to pretend you are planning on staying there permanently. You apply for insurance (which is required in the long-term residency process), but then you drop it when you leave before finishing the residency application.

Travel is expensive

Another issue with doing Europe part-time is the expense of travel back and forth. Hopping across the pond several times per year will add up. One way to cut down on the expense is to hop between countries in Europe, and then travel to the states just once per year. Of course, as we mentioned before Schengen rules will prevent you from staying 90 days in Spain immediately followed by 90 days in Portugal. You will need to follow Spain with one of the non-Schengen countries mentioned before like the U.K. Using this strategy, you can make your trip to the U.S. for the holidays or summertime (whichever your preference) to see the kids, grandkids, etc.

No Stuff

America is the center of materialism in the late 20th and early 21st century. No other society would produce a reality tv show called "Hoarders" that would run for 9 seasons! When retiring part-time to Europe, all the travel will necessitate a re-evaluation of what belongings you need to keep, and what you should donate, hand down to kids and grandkids, or simply toss. On your travels, you will not collect souvenirs, but rather memories, photos, and stories. Oh, the stories you will tell!

So, YES! You can start your retirement part-time in Europe. It's like dipping your toe into a pool. Once you settle in, however, you may find that you are not ready to get out!

Safe Travels!