Six years ago, my husband and I started to research our options to retire early and live abroad. We were ready for a new adventure, wanted to see more of the world, and longed for a life of less stress and more joy. Our lives had become so hectic and stressful with demanding jobs, long commutes, and too little time when we were truly enjoying life. We’d forgotten how to slow down and look around, and life felt like it was flying by without our active participation in it.

After what’s seemed like a long journey, we are finally in the last phase of transitioning to Greece. We’ve sold our house and nearly all of our belongings. We’ve set up residency in South Dakota. We’ve got our international health insurance. And we’re weeks weeks away from setting up residence in a small seaside village that we’ve fallen in love with.

Below is the information we think will be helpful to you if you are considering moving abroad based on our experiences. Keep in mind, our experiences may not be the same as what others have encountered, so we recommend that you do extensive research if seriously considering this life-changing way of life. Also, definitely consult your accountants and lawyers for the most thorough and current information and requirements. This information is intended only to be a launching point to help you understand the things you should be aware of when taking this leap, the resources we found to be helpful, and the things that we did not expect or that caught us off-guard. We will be adding more information as our adventure progresses.

What to Know…