What if you could retire to a life that feels like a storybook dream? In this latest episode of Retire to a Life You Love®, Michelle Gessner, CFP®, reconnects with Glenda Cole who is living an idyllic retirement in Portugal. Known for her vibrant lifestyle in the Algarve region, Glenda shares insights into why Portugal is capturing the hearts of so many Americans considering overseas retirement. From the amazing weather to the camaraderie with locals and expats, Glenda paints a picture of her life that may have you booking a one-way ticket!
Michelle and Glenda discuss:
- What makes life in Portugal’s Algarve region so fulfilling [00:02:09]
- The tax landscape for retirees and how it affects new movers [00:02:09]
- Navigating healthcare and why it’s top-notch in Portugal [00:16:44]
- Common regrets or hurdles for expats, and how you can avoid them [00:19:50]
- Tips on housing affordability and mortgage tricks [00:25:11]
- Insider travel tips, including new direct flights hitting the radar [00:28:08]
Resources:
- Retiring Abroad: How Glenda Cole Is Living Her Storybook Life In Portugal (Ep. 14)
- VFSGlobal.com
- Internationalliving.com
- CBS Sunday Morning Coverage of International Living’s Bootcamp Conference in Portugal
- Tax Resource for Expats in Portugal
- Upcoming International Living Bootcamp in Portland, Oregon
- Glenda on Health Care in Portugal
Connect with Michelle CFP®: facebook linkedin
YouTube: Gessner Wealth Strategies
713-589-6448
Connect with Glenda Cole:
About Glenda Cole:
Glenda Cole is a former Vice President of Marketing and Sponsorships, having worked in luxury real estate and corporate advertising. After decades in the corporate world, she and her partner, Glenn Ellison, moved to the Algarve region of Portugal to embrace a more relaxed lifestyle. There, Glenda has found a new purpose, volunteering, writing for Portugal Resident, and co-hosting The Glenn and Glenda Show on YouTube, where they share their experiences of life in Portugal. Glenda is also an advocate for expatriate life and enjoys exploring the challenges and rewards of living abroad.
She is a guest on the Retire to a Life You Love® podcast, where she talks about her journey to Portugal, the challenges of relocating, and the joy of her new lifestyle.
About Michelle Gessner:
As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Michelle is passionate about building a life plan for her clients and helping them see that they have choices, which often comes to them as a pleasant surprise. She is an independent thinker and a huge advocate of her clients’ interests. Her greatest joy is working to do what is right for them and be their voice.
Michelle has a B.S. in Finance from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and an M.S. in Management from Boston University, Brussels. Growing up in Montana and moving to Colorado for college, she took out student loans and worked her way through all four years. After graduating in 1987 with honors, she accepted a job at Shell Oil in Houston and worked her way up the corporate ladder to a management position before leaving in 1992 for Brussels, Belgium, where she lived for 4 years. In Brussels, she learned about different cultures and basic conversational French ,as well as pursuing and earning a graduate degree in management.
As a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, she is held to the highest standards set forth in the industry. She surrounds herself with a back office of experts in tax and investment research so that her clients have the best of both worlds – the resources of a large firm with the caring, dedication, and personal service of a small firm.
