I help people retire abroad. How to decide if it's the right move, and how to prepare.

I help people retire abroad. How to decide if it's the right move, and how to prepare. Federica Grazi said people are often attracted by lifestyles abroad, but don't always consider the finer details. Courtesy of Federica Grazi This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Federica Grazi, 34, who is based in London. She is the founder of Mitos Relocation Solutions, an advisory firm that helps retirees move abroad. It has been edited for length and clarity.There's often a big gap between people who dream of retiring abroad and those who actually take the first step toward it. For many, hesitation gets in the way, and the idea of moving remains a dream.People are often drawn abroad by the lifestyle, but making a successful move means considering the full picture, like healthcare, aging, and the tax implications of residing in a new location.Here are the five things I recommend everyone do before they retire abroad.1. Test-drive your potential new homeSpend an extended trial period, say three months, in the place you're thinking of moving to. It's not about visiting for a week in July or August. Go in the offseason and try living like a local, thinking about what your everyday life would look like.Rent an apartment, speak with locals and expats, and join community Facebook groups.I've had clients for whom something as simple as getting medication from a pharmacy became an important test of whether they could see themselves living somewhere.2. Turn the dream into a decisionIf you're unsure about retiring abroad, it doesn't have to be all or nothing. The key is not to let inertia take over and leave it as a dream, but to move from a question mark to a clear yes or no.In addition to spending a trial period in the country, you can do smaller things like speaking to others who have already moved to the destination to understand how it works in practice, or get advice from an expert who can give you a full rundown. They could even go on a scouting trip for you. Grazi said people should try to live like a local before moving to a new location. Courtesy of Federica Grazi 3. Don't rushIf you decide to retire abroad and you're excited about it, don't rush the move. Changing residency is an important moment, so make a clear plan for what needs to happen before you leave.Think about whether you need a visa, housing, and even how you'll move your pet. You should also deal with things that aren't necessarily pleasant, like your will.4. Think about taxesPeople often focus on the lifestyle abroad and think, "I love it here. I'll figure everything else out later." But that can lead to big tax mistakes, which need to be addressed before you move.If you only discover a problem after the tax year has ended, there might not be much you can do about it.5. Take healthcare seriouslyHealthcare is something you want to be thinking about before you need it. How do you access it? How much will it cost? What might happen if you end up in the hospital?If you wait until something goes wrong, you could find yourself having to react and needing to navigate an unfamiliar healthcare system before you're fully integrated.Often, when people say they hated living abroad and moved back, it's because they didn't do enough research or preparation beforehand.Retirement abroad should be a period of joy and expansion. Doing the planning beforehand means that once you arrive, you can actually enjoy it. Read next Joshua Nelken-Zitser is an award-winning correspondent at Business Insider’s London bureau covering the affordability of modern life.Through features, investigations, on-the-ground reporting, and As Told To essays, he explores the changing cost of major life milestones, what people choose to spend on when they can’t afford everything they want, and how they adapt as traditional markers of success become less attainable.Joshua previously spent five years on the news desk, reporting from the US, across Europe, and the Middle East. In 2025, he moved to the business desk to cover wealth, spending, and consumer culture.In 2024, he received the Axel Springer Award for Change — Journalistic Piece of the Year and was highly commended at the British Journalism Awards for an investigation into state-subsidized gender-transition surgeries in Iran.His debut book (TRAUMA BONDS: How Generational Trauma Shapes, Divides and Connects Us) will be published by HarperCollins in January 2027.Got a tip? Email jzitser@businessinsider.com. You can also follow him on X or Instagram. as told to Healthcare