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Our Story & April 2026 Trip – THIS IS A SYSTEM TEST – Please ignore The flight landed, the passports …
Brian
Can You Drink the Tap Water in Panama? A Location-by-Location Guide
The answer isn’t the same across the country — and some of the most popular expat destinations have very different answers. We break down Panama City, Bocas del Toro, Boquete, and the outer islands: what makes the water safe or not, what long-term expats actually do, and what we’re planning for our own apartment when we get there.
Building Your Reserve in Panama: The Financial Cushion That Makes a Retirement Budget Actually Work (2026)
A monthly budget tells you what happens when things go right. A reserve tells you what happens when they don’t. This final post in our Finance & Money in Panama series covers the four reserve categories every expat needs — emergency, medical, travel, and planned expenses — with specific targets, the right accounts to hold them in, and honest planning guidance for retirees living primarily on Social Security with limited savings.
Your Retirement Accounts Are Not Worth What You Think — RMDs, Taxes & Medicare
The number on your IRA statement is not what you get to spend. Federal income taxes reduce every traditional 401(k) and IRA withdrawal. Required Minimum Distributions — which begin at 73 whether you need the money or not — can push your income high enough to trigger Medicare surcharges that cost a couple thousands of dollars a year on top of taxes. Here’s how it all works, in plain language.
Foundation vs. Probate: How Gay Couples Can Inherit Panama Property Tax-Free
A reader question sent us back into our own research: if Kent buys property for the Qualified Investor Visa and dies, does Brian inherit it without a Panamanian court getting involved? The answer involves a Private Interest Foundation, one non-negotiable ownership rule — and an honest look at why that $800-a-year resident agent fee everyone complains about on Facebook isn’t actually optional.
Estate Planning for Gay Couples in Panama: What the Law Actually Says — and the Documents That Protect You (2026)
Panama does not recognize same-sex marriage, civil unions, or domestic partnerships. Without a Panamanian will, your partner is a legal stranger under Panamanian inheritance law — and receives nothing from your Panama estate automatically. Here is what actually happens without documents, what documents you need, in what order, and why a Private Interest Foundation may be the most powerful tool available to gay couples who own property in Panama.
Day-to-Day Money Management in Panama: ATMs, Wire Transfers, Wise, and Getting Your Income Here Reliably (2026)
Panama’s dollar economy removes the currency problem entirely. What remains: a $250 ATM withdrawal limit, $5.25 per hit on a foreign card, and wire fees that vary by a factor of ten depending on how you send. Here’s exactly how Wise works and why it’s cheaper than a bank wire, how to get Social Security deposited directly into a Panama account, and the complete pre-departure setup checklist.
Travel Within Panama: Getting Around the Country, What It Costs, and How to Budget for Big Trips (2026)
The bus from Panama City to Boquete takes seven hours and costs $16. The flight takes 45 minutes and costs $130. Panama’s extraordinary destinations — San Blas, Bocas del Toro, the canal, Chiriquí — are all reachable on real budgets. Plus: why cruises from Colón are a genuine advantage of where you live, and why big trips need their own dedicated reserve account.
Healthcare Costs in Panama: An Honest Financial Guide for U.S. Expats (2026)
A doctor visit costs $20–$50. A crown costs $500. A dental implant costs $1,500–$2,100. But local insurance cuts off new applicants at 65, pre-existing conditions are excluded for two years, and a serious hospital event without coverage can run five figures. Here are the real numbers, the real limitations, and the decisions that matter most before you move.
Home & Auto Insurance in Panama: What It Costs, Who to Use, and Why Where You Live Changes Everything (2026)
Home insurance on a $300,000 property in Panama runs $300–$950 per year. Comprehensive auto coverage on a $25,000 car costs about $600–$800 annually. Both are a fraction of Florida rates. But if you’re moving to Boquete, Coronado, or anywhere outside Panama City, the car you didn’t need in the capital becomes the one expense that changes your whole budget — and we cover that math honestly.