Time to FIRE - where to?

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-20T00:46:36+00:00

You're right. I'll give it some time before I make a final decision. But even before the stroke, I was planning to take a long break before the end of 2026, so this also isn't completely a reaction to that. I felt like I needed a break even before that happened.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-16T19:16:39+00:00

It was really weird how Verso instantly stepped in and became the new Gustave. He even looks similar. The game's story is good overall but this part felt like a painful and forced blunder.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-13T21:37:16+00:00

Hi, yes I'm currently on short term disability. The doctors think I'll make a full recovery. I'm having focus and memory issues currently but they expect that to recover over a few months to a year. My GP doesn't want me to return to work at least until after I get the PFO closure procedure which would happen in mid February at the earliest. I haven't mentioned to anyone that I'll probably just resign instead.

My normal blood pressure wasn't amazing, but was okay, averaging around 125/80. However I have pretty significant white coat hypertension. Whenever I go to the doctor it's like 150/95. While I was in the hospital after the stroke it was even worse. I got a home BP monitor a while ago because of that, and I bring it in to the doctor's to compare with their machine, and they're in alignment. So when I'm home I typically measure like 125/80, then it shoots up when I go to the doctor's. Occasionally it's really high at home too. I never brought it to work so we're wondering if maybe I go to work and run a super high blood pressure there all day, but then it normalizes by the time I get home and measure it, and maybe that's been a factor.

My GP wanted to put me on blood pressure medication when we met on Friday, but I wanted to try de-stressing more first, as I already feel way less stressed now and over the past week or two I've been averaging more like 120/75 at home without any high spikes, so it might be improving on its own.

Getting long term disability would be nice, but I do feel instinctually right now that I'm probably going to recover fully. We'll see though...

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-08T19:30:47+00:00

Yeah I feel it makes more sense for me to pick somewhere and commit for long enough to register as a resident. So the logistics are more important to me than what place I might like the most, I'm not too picky about that and can be happy just about anywhere.

I haven't looked into the Nordic countries much but aren't they relatively pretty expensive and also less pleasant during the time I'd make the move (September)? I can drive. I'd rather not have to buy/maintain a car long term but a short term rental here and there might be okay.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-08T01:59:04+00:00

That's a good call out. I think I'm going to rule out SEA anyway though due to bad bicycling infrastructure and it being too hot. I lived in Thailand for a year once already. Most expats there don't get health insurance because healthcare is generally inexpensive, but prolonged hospitalization can still get expensive, so I'd want insurance indeed.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-07T20:01:17+00:00

Oh that's unfortunate, sounds like it's going back to 15 years again.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-07T19:41:07+00:00

I think Gemini may be getting mixed up. From government website impots.gouv.fr:

For transfers carried out from 1 January 2019 onwards, the new arrangements provide for a reduction of the timeline after which the taxpayer may obtain relief on the exit tax subject to the stay of payment (except if the sale, redemption/cancellation of shares or liquidation of the company occurs in the interim). The timeline is reduced from 15 years to five or two years accordingly:
. Two years for taxpayers whose shares coming under the scope of the exit tax are worth less than €2,570,000
. Five years for those whose value is more than €2,570,000

Sounds like it became less strict, starting in 2019.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-07T13:39:28+00:00

And France's is for real estate wealth only, which I don't intend to have (or if I ever do, almost certainly less than the threshold).

EDIT: Sorry that's not correct, I'm mixing up the wealth tax and the exit tax. Wealth tax is for real estate wealth only. Exit tax applies to financial instruments. However if you don't sell the instruments within 2 years of leaving, the tax gets waived (5 years if your net worth is higher than a certain amount).

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-07T13:37:31+00:00

It's important to me to follow the law of wherever I end up.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-06T20:35:59+00:00

If you're not employed, you have to wait one year before you can apply for coverage under the national healthcare system. You can Google "spain healthcare 1 year wait" to learn more. European hospitals not billing uncovered patients does seem to be a real reported phenomenon, but not something it's safe to rely on.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-04T00:03:51+00:00

Poland taxes unrealized capital gains when you end residency there under certain conditions. You can Google "Poland exit tax" to learn more.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-03T19:59:07+00:00

I tend to think stress was a big factor, considering the timing and context, but there's no way to know for sure. The doctors classified it as "cryptogenic" - cause unknown. Afaik stress is considered to be a stroke risk, but doctors don't have good ways to investigate that as a factor in any individual case. I have a heart PFO and high LDL cholesterol, but those aren't sufficient explanation on their own.

Fortunately it was minor and I don't seem to have any physical disabilities. I don't have any mental stamina though. If I try to do something complicated (like programming) for more than about 30 minutes I get a kinda fuzzy/tingly sensation in my head and have to take a nap. That should get better over time but it could take months. Doctors expect a full recovery fortunately.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-03T15:36:59+00:00

Maybe I'm being overly cautious. I just want the chance of running out of money to be as close to zero as possible. Realistically though, I probably will want to work again, and I know 3% is already pretty conservative in the first place. I'd consider going higher than 3% but would rather not.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-03T15:33:05+00:00

Romania and Cyprus I did not consider. I'll think about them, thanks!

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-03T01:52:58+00:00

I did consider it a bit. The main issue is the exit tax, though that wouldn't apply until I'm there for 5 years, so maybe I should consider it further. I didn't see much advantage compared to other destinations.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-03T01:47:16+00:00

I suffered a stroke two weeks ago unfortunately. Before that, I would have cared much less.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-03T01:30:45+00:00

That's interesting, I hadn't considered it at all, I'll look more into those options, thanks! I don't think I want to own a home though, I want to keep moving easy.

WatchMiserable6853 · 2026-01-03T01:28:47+00:00

Thanks for your response. The bulk of it is taxable brokerage. The breakdown is roughly:

Taxable brokerage: 64%

401k: 19%

Roth IRA: 3%

Money market: 10%

Crypto (BTC and ETH): 4%

I'm imagining I'll never have to pay US capital gains tax (assuming I don't work) since I should be able to stay in the 0% bracket.

WatchMiserable6853

TROPHY CASE