Queer Money®: How Gay People Do Money

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Sep 2026

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Queer Money is a bi-weekly show dedicated to creating desperately needed generational wealth within the gay community because we deserve to sleep better at night and we must stand up to the anti-LGBTQ+ industrial complex. Listen and watch regularly to eliminate financial insecurity and generate personal wealth, prepare for a secure and fun retirement, find the most affordable, LGBTQ+-friendly cities in the US to live in or travel to, grow your stock portfolio to $1,000,000+, build a real estate empire and start a small business. Your hosts are husbands and money experts David & John Auten-Schneider who have been the leaders in LGBTQ+ finance since 2015. With nine seasons, nearly 500 episodes, over a million downloads and features by Oprah, Advocate, Variety, CNBC and more, the award-winning Queer Money is the longest running show made by and for the LGBTQ+ community and is the only show solely dedicated to our financial well-being as gay people. · For more financial information and helpful resources, visit queermoneypodcast.com · For complementary charts and grafts (and pretty pictures), subscribe to Queer Money on YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/@queermoney?sub_confirmation=1

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September 1, 202613 min

You Have Enough Money to Retire. So Why Won't You? | Queer Money Ep. 657

Why Haven't You Retired Already? We keep doing retirement reviews with gay men who have more than enough money to retire... yet they won't. One couple we recently worked with is on track to have nearly $3 million in just a few years. Our biggest takeaway for them wasn't, "You need to save more." It was: You're working too hard and too much and playing too little. So if the math says you can retire, why does your brain keep saying you can't? In this episode of Queer Money®, we're challenging some of the biggest ideas the financial industry has sold us about retirement: that retirement is a number, that you'll never have enough and that retirement shouldn't start until 65. Because after decades of saving, investing and building financial security, some gay men discover an unexpected problem: They've learned how to accumulate wealth, but they haven't learned how to use it to create freedom. 🌈 Takeaways from this episode: 💰 Why your paycheck can feel safer than your portfolio, even when the retirement math works 🧠 How being a "good saver" can become so intertwined with your identity that spending your retirement savings feels irresponsible 📉 Why learning how to decumulate money can be just as important as learning how to accumulate it ✈️ Why your go-go years may be the time to intentionally spend MORE, not less ⚠️ Why trying to create a completely risk-free retirement could create an even bigger risk: waiting too long to enjoy it 🏳️‍🌈 How to determine whether you actually have "enough" without relying on a magical $1 million, $2 million or $5 million retirement number 💵 How creating a retirement paycheck can make leaving your career feel less terrifying 📋 Why you should create your bad-news plan before the market drops, healthcare costs rise or life throws you another surprise Here's the uncomfortable truth: You can always make more money. You can't make yourself 55 again. Retirement confidence doesn't come from eliminating every possible risk. It comes from knowing what you'll do when something changes. And at some point, if your assets are growing, your spending is manageable, you have future income and your plan can survive imperfect markets, continuing to work becomes a choice rather than a financial requirement. If you've saved a lot of money but still can't confidently answer, "Can I retire?" , that's exactly what our Queer Money Retirement Readiness Reviews are designed to help you figure out. Schedule your Queer Money Retirement Readiness Review Retire by design, not by default. 🏳️‍🌈 How We Help the Queer Money Community Free Guides 📊 10 Vital Retirement Numbers 🌎 Retire Abroad Checklist Calculators & Planners 🏳️‍🌈 Queer Money Retirement Calculator ✈️ Queer Money Retire Abroad Planner & Calculator 📈 Retirement Readiness Review Mentioned in this episode: It's time to create your retirement abroad plan What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States? The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may give you the opportunity to invest existing IRA assets while also pursuing residency in Portugal for you and your family. That could mean greater flexibility, access to living and potentially working in Portugal, and a pathway to spending more time throughout Europe. Your retirement savings may be able to do more than fund your future. They could help expand where that future happens. Click the link below to learn how the fund works and request additional information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here! Optimize August Ad 2 With political uncertainty growing in the U.S., now is the time to build your Plan B. The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may let you invest existing IRA assets while pursuing Portuguese residency for you and your family. Don’t wait until you need an escape plan to create one. Click below to learn more and request information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!

August 25, 202614 min

Why We're Moving €500,000 of Our Retirement Investments to Portugal | Queer Money Ep. 656

We're moving €500,000 of our retirement investments out of the United States and into Portugal. Yes, the investment can potentially qualify us for Portugal's Golden Visa. But here's the part that may surprise you: If Portugal eliminated the Golden Visa tomorrow, we'd still make the investment. Why? Because we're increasingly uncomfortable having so much of our financial future tied to one country, one currency and one economy. In this episode of Queer Money®, we're getting personal about our own retirement portfolio and the three reasons we're investing in the Optimize Portugal Golden Opportunities Fund, plus the one reason we absolutely wouldn't. Portugal's market returned approximately 37% in 2025 versus roughly 17% for the U.S. market, and through the period discussed in this episode, Portugal continued to outperform the U.S. The fund we're investing in returned 25.1% in 2025 and reported a 13.6% annualized return since its 2021 inception. Of course, past performance doesn't guarantee future returns. But performance is only part of our decision. 💡 Takeaways from this episode: Why we believe the investment needs to make sense even without the Golden Visa 📈 What we're actually buying inside the Optimize Portugal Golden Opportunities Fund 💶 Why another country, currency and economy can provide diversification to our heavily U.S.-focused portfolio 🌎 Why we're paying attention as some global pensions, institutions and central banks reconsider their exposure to U.S. assets 🏳️‍🌈 How a qualifying €500,000 investment may provide another path toward living in Europe through Portugal's Golden Visa 💰 The math behind how €500,000 earning the fund's historical 13.6% annualized return would equal approximately €68,000 per year before taxes ⚠️ The risks of concentrating money in a relatively small foreign market 🚫 And the one reason we wouldn't make this investment: We would never invest €500,000 simply to get a visa if we thought the underlying investment sucked. We're not abandoning America. We're trying to stop making America our only financial plan. For us, wealth is increasingly less about accumulating more stuff and more about accumulating choices, options and freedom. Optimize Investment Partners sponsors Queer Money®, and we're personally investing in the Portugal Golden Opportunities Fund strategy discussed in this episode. This episode is for financial education only and isn't investment advice. International investing involves risk, including market, concentration and currency risk, as well as additional tax and reporting considerations. Past performance isn't indicative of future results. Want to learn more about the Optimize Portugal strategy, its holdings, performance, risks and the €500,000 Golden Visa route? If you're curiouse about Optimize Investment Partners to request more information directly from their team here: https://bit.ly/PGOF-2 And if you're considering retiring or moving abroad, download our FREE Queer Money Retire Abroad Checklist below. HOW WE HELP FOLKS IN THE QUEER MONEY COMMUNITY Free guides Queer Money Kickstarter: Queer Money 10 Vital Retirement Numbers Queer Money Retire Abroad Checklist Calculators, planners and services Queer Money Beginner’s Guide Queer Money Retirement Calculator Queer Money Retire Abroad Planner & Calculator Queer Money Retirement Readiness Review Mentioned in this episode: Optimize August Ad 2 With political uncertainty growing in the U.S., now is the time to build your Plan B. The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may let you invest existing IRA assets while pursuing Portuguese residency for you and your family. Don’t wait until you need an escape plan to create one. Click below to learn more and request information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here! It's time to create your retirement abroad plan What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States? The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may give you the opportunity to invest existing IRA assets while also pursuing residency in Portugal for you and your family. That could mean greater flexibility, access to living and potentially working in Portugal, and a pathway to spending more time throughout Europe. Your retirement savings may be able to do more than fund your future. They could help expand where that future happens. Click the link below to learn how the fund works and request additional information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!

August 18, 202615 min

Can You Retire Abroad on Social Security Alone? | Queer Money Ep. 655

Could you actually retire abroad on one Social Security check? The average retired American worker receives about $2,081 a month from Social Security . In many U.S. cities, that may barely cover the basics. But take that same check abroad and suddenly the retirement math can look dramatically different. The catch? Cheap doesn’t automatically mean retire-able. A city might have $300 rent, fabulous food and gorgeous weather, but if you can’t qualify for legal residency, access quality healthcare or comfortably live there as an LGBTQ+ person, you haven’t found a retirement destination. You’ve found a vacation. In this episode of Queer Money®, we rank five gay-friendly cities where an average Social Security benefit could potentially support a modest retirement , while also considering LGBTQ+ acceptance and whether there’s a realistic path to legal residency. Our countdown takes us from Medellín, Colombia , to Coimbra, Portugal , Montevideo, Uruguay , Cuenca, Ecuador , and finally, Chiang Mai, Thailand . And some of the numbers may have you checking airfare before the episode is over. 🌈 Takeaways from this episode: 💰 Why $2,081 a month may go considerably further abroad than it does in the U.S. 🏳️‍🌈 Why affordability alone isn't enough when choosing where to retire as a gay person 🌎 Five cities that combine lower costs, LGBTQ+ friendliness and retirement practicality Why Medellín offers strong healthcare and affordability, but has a noticeable gap between LGBTQ+ legal protections and public acceptance How Coimbra can offer Portugal's LGBTQ+ protections and residency opportunities for considerably less than Lisbon or Porto Why Montevideo may offer the strongest queer confidence on our list Why Cuenca combines exceptionally low costs with an established expat retirement community How Chiang Mai could potentially leave someone living on average Social Security with $700 to nearly $1,000 left each month But Social Security alone doesn't mean Social Security without a backup plan . You'll still need to plan for visas, healthcare, flights home, currency fluctuations, emergencies, taxes and the occasional fabulous decision that somehow didn't make it into the budget. We also share the three steps to take before retiring abroad on Social Security , including calculating your real Social Security income, putting every destination through our Three-Gate Test and test-driving your potential new home for 30 to 90 days. Ready to start exploring? Download the Queer Money Retire Abroad Checklist HOW WE HELP FOLKS IN THE QUEER MONEY COMMUNITY Free guides Queer Money Kickstarter: Queer Money 10 Vital Retirement Numbers Queer Money Retire Abroad Checklist Calculators, planners and services Queer Money Beginner’s Guide Queer Money Retirement Calculator Queer Money Retire Abroad Planner & Calculator Queer Money Retirement Readiness Review Mentioned in this episode: It's time to create your retirement abroad plan What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States? The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may give you the opportunity to invest existing IRA assets while also pursuing residency in Portugal for you and your family. That could mean greater flexibility, access to living and potentially working in Portugal, and a pathway to spending more time throughout Europe. Your retirement savings may be able to do more than fund your future. They could help expand where that future happens. Click the link below to learn how the fund works and request additional information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here! Optimize August Ad 2 With political uncertainty growing in the U.S., now is the time to build your Plan B. The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may let you invest existing IRA assets while pursuing Portuguese residency for you and your family. Don’t wait until you need an escape plan to create one. Click below to learn more and request information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!

August 11, 202619 min

Can a Gay Couple Early Retire with $1.2 Million? | Queer Money Ep. 654

Is $1.2 Million Enough to Retire Early as a Gay Couple? Joe and Bob are both 55. They have $1.2 million saved and invested for retirement, no debt and dreams of spending their go-go years slow traveling around the world. So, can they quit their jobs and retire today? The answer is… probably. But there’s a catch. In this episode of Queer Money®, we put this fictional gay couple through three retirement tests to see whether $1.2 million is actually enough to retire at 55. And what we find shows exactly why your retirement number alone doesn’t tell you whether you’re financially independent. Joe and Bob want to spend about $60,000 a year , have $120,000 available in cash and taxable investments and expect about $48,000 a year from Social Security beginning at 70. At that spending level, our Queer Money Retirement Calculator projects they could reach age 100 with approximately $557,000 remaining. But bump their lifestyle up just $1,000 a month to $72,000 a year? Their money could be gone in their early 80s. Same $1.2 million. Very different retirement. 💡 Takeaways from this episode: 🏳️‍🌈 Why $1.2 million could be enough for Joe and Bob to retire at 55 💰 Why your annual spending may matter more than your net worth 🌉 How to build an income bridge from early retirement to age 59½, Medicare at 65 and Social Security at 70 📈 Why Joe and Bob need a strategy for accessing retirement accounts, Roth conversions and healthcare before quitting ⚠️ How lifestyle creep from $60,000 to $66,000 to $72,000 dramatically changes their retirement projections 📉 How to create rules now for surviving a 20% market decline without making panic decisions For Joe and Bob, $60,000 is the target, $63,000 is the caution line and $66,000 is the ceiling. Their retirement isn't possible because they hit some magical millionaire number. It's possible because their assets, spending, accessible money, future income and desired lifestyle actually work together. If you have money saved but still can't answer the question, “Can I actually retire?” , that's exactly what we help people figure out during a Queer Money Retirement Readiness Review. HOW WE HELP FOLKS IN THE QUEER MONEY COMMUNITY Free guides Queer Money Kickstarter: Queer Money 10 Vital Retirement Numbers Queer Money Retire Abroad Checklist Calculators, planners and services Queer Money Beginner’s Guide Queer Money Retirement Calculator Queer Money Retire Abroad Planner & Calculator Queer Money Retirement Readiness Review Mentioned in this episode: It's time to create your retirement abroad plan What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States? The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may give you the opportunity to invest existing IRA assets while also pursuing residency in Portugal for you and your family. That could mean greater flexibility, access to living and potentially working in Portugal, and a pathway to spending more time throughout Europe. Your retirement savings may be able to do more than fund your future. They could help expand where that future happens. Click the link below to learn how the fund works and request additional information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here! Optimize August Ad 2 With political uncertainty growing in the U.S., now is the time to build your Plan B. The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may let you invest existing IRA assets while pursuing Portuguese residency for you and your family. Don’t wait until you need an escape plan to create one. Click below to learn more and request information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!

August 4, 202614 min

You’ll Be Fired Before You’re Retired | Queer Money Ep. 653

You may be planning to retire at 65. Your employer may have a different date in mind. We are taught to build retirement around one major assumption: keep working until we are financially ready to stop. But what happens when the system does not let you? A restructuring happens. Your projects disappear. The raises stop. Your decades of experience suddenly become a “performance issue.” You are told the company needs someone more nimble, more digital, more affordable or, let’s be honest, younger. In this episode of Queer Money, we are talking about the very real possibility of being pushed out of work before you are ready to retire. Nearly one in four workers over 50 reportedly feels like they are being pushed out because of their age. Other research has found that more than half of older workers leave longtime jobs involuntarily. And losing your job at 52, 56 or 61 is nothing like losing it at 28. For LGBTQ+ people, the consequences can be especially difficult. Many of us do not have family support to fall back on. We may have moved to expensive cities to feel safe, spent more on education to build our careers or felt pressure to maintain a lifestyle that looked more secure than it actually was. So when someone tells you to “just work longer,” you need to ask: Will they let you? In this episode, we share personal stories of unexpected layoffs, explain how corporate ageism is often disguised and lay out practical ways to start taking back control of your retirement timeline. You’ll learn: The subtle signs that you may be getting managed out Why experience can look expensive to corporate America How to calculate how long your money would last without a paycheck Ways to build an income bridge before retirement How to turn decades of experience into consulting or fractional work Why keeping your skills and professional network current matters What to document when you suspect age discrimination Why you should never panic-quit or rush to sign a severance agreement Your employer may control your paycheck, but they should not control your entire future. The first step in age-proofing your retirement is knowing where you actually stand. Schedule a Queer Money Retirement Readiness Review to understand your numbers, identify your options and start building a retirement plan that does not depend entirely on your employer loving you tomorrow. Retire by design, not by default, layoff or ageism. HOW WE HELP FOLKS IN THE QUEER MONEY COMMUNITY Free guides Queer Money Kickstarter: Queer Money 10 Vital Retirement Numbers Queer Money Retire Abroad Checklist Calculators, planners and services Queer Money Beginner’s Guide Queer Money Retirement Calculator Queer Money Retire Abroad Planner & Calculator Queer Money Retirement Readiness Review Mentioned in this episode: Optimize August Ad 2 With political uncertainty growing in the U.S., now is the time to build your Plan B. The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may let you invest existing IRA assets while pursuing Portuguese residency for you and your family. Don’t wait until you need an escape plan to create one. Click below to learn more and request information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here! It's time to create your retirement abroad plan What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States? The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may give you the opportunity to invest existing IRA assets while also pursuing residency in Portugal for you and your family. That could mean greater flexibility, access to living and potentially working in Portugal, and a pathway to spending more time throughout Europe. Your retirement savings may be able to do more than fund your future. They could help expand where that future happens. Click the link below to learn how the fund works and request additional information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!

July 28, 202616 min

Can Moving Abroad Help You Reach Financial Independence Faster? | Queer Money Ep. 652

Can moving abroad help you reach financial independence faster? Yes. Not automatically. Not magically. Not because every country outside the United States is cheap, easy, safe, gay-friendly, and waiting for American retirees with cocktails. But yes, moving abroad can change the math. If your life costs $7,000 a month in the United States, your financial independence number is one thing. If your life costs $3,500 a month abroad, that is a completely different ballgame. In this episode of Queer Money , we’re talking about how moving abroad or retiring abroad can help gay men reach financial independence sooner or more easily . The basic FI formula is simple: spend less than you make, invest the difference, and build enough assets to support your life. But most people focus only on income and investing. They forget the third lever: how much your life actually costs . That’s where retiring abroad, moving abroad, or using geographic arbitrage can become powerful. For many gay men, financial independence is not just about earning more or investing harder. It may also be about designing a life where your housing, healthcare, transportation, insurance, taxes, and everyday expenses are dramatically lower, without lowering your quality of life. Takeaways from this episode: How moving abroad can lower your financial independence number Why cost of living may be one of the biggest barriers to reaching FI How geographic arbitrage can help gay men retire earlier or reach financial independence faster Why lowering expenses from $80,000 a year to $40,000 a year can dramatically change your FI math The difference between retiring abroad after reaching FI and moving abroad to reach FI sooner Why earning remotely, freelancing, consulting, teaching, or building a global business may support the move-abroad strategy Why tourist spending is not the same as actually living abroad How housing, healthcare, transportation, insurance, taxes, and currency risk can affect your plan Why visas, work rules, taxes, healthcare, and community must be researched before moving Why moving abroad is not escape, but life design Why gay men should retire by design, not by default Moving abroad can help you reach financial independence faster if the numbers, lifestyle, visa, taxes, healthcare, and community all work together. If this episode has you wondering whether moving abroad or retiring abroad could help you reach your financial independence number sooner, grab the Queer Money Retire Abroad Planner and Calculator Retire by design, not by default. How We Help Folks in the Queer Money Community Free guides: Queer Money Kickstarter Queer Money 10 Vital Retirement Numbers Queer Money Retire Abroad Checklist Calculators and Planners: Queer Money Beginner's Guide Queer Money Retirement Calculator Queer Money Retire Abroad Planner & Calculator Mentioned in this episode: Optimize August Ad 2 With political uncertainty growing in the U.S., now is the time to build your Plan B. The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may let you invest existing IRA assets while pursuing Portuguese residency for you and your family. Don’t wait until you need an escape plan to create one. Click below to learn more and request information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here! It's time to create your retirement abroad plan What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States? The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may give you the opportunity to invest existing IRA assets while also pursuing residency in Portugal for you and your family. That could mean greater flexibility, access to living and potentially working in Portugal, and a pathway to spending more time throughout Europe. Your retirement savings may be able to do more than fund your future. They could help expand where that future happens. Click the link below to learn how the fund works and request additional information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!

July 21, 202626 min

Why Wages Haven’t Kept Up With Inflation | Queer Money Ep. 651

You’re Not Bad With Money. Your Paycheck Is Broken. Why does the economy look strong on paper while so many Americans feel financially exhausted? In this episode of Queer Money® , we’re talking about the real reason people feel broke, why wages haven’t kept up with inflation, and why this matters so much for gay men over 40 who are trying to save, invest, retire early, retire abroad, or simply stop feeling like money is always one emergency away from falling apart. Yes, some parts of the economy are doing well. Consumers are spending. Corporations are profitable. The stock market has had major runs. But for everyday workers, especially those relying mostly on a paycheck, life feels harder because wages are not keeping up with rising costs. Inflation, groceries, gas, healthcare, rent, insurance, debt, and everyday expenses are eating up more of our income. Even when wages rise, those dollars are buying less. That gap is one of the biggest reasons people are using credit cards to cover necessities and why so many Americans feel broke even when they’re working hard. But this is not just a 2026 inflation problem. It is a decades-long wage problem. Since the 1970s, productivity has grown dramatically, corporate profits have climbed, CEO pay has exploded, stock buybacks and dividends have rewarded shareholders, and workers have received a much smaller share of the value they helped create. The economy increasingly rewards people who own assets, not people who rely only on labor. For LGBTQ+ people, this matters because many of us are already playing catch-up with retirement savings, homeownership, family support, healthcare costs, and financial security. If your paycheck is your only wealth-building tool, and that paycheck keeps falling behind, retirement planning becomes harder. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why people feel broke even when the economy looks strong Why wages haven’t kept up with inflation and rising costs How corporate profits, CEO pay, and shareholder rewards changed the economy Why relying only on a paycheck can limit retirement security Why gay men over 40 need to think beyond budgeting harder How owning assets can create more options and financial power What to do when the system rewards ownership more than work The problem is not that you bought too many lattes. The problem is an economy that has rewarded capital over labor for decades. Your next move? Learn the game, protect yourself, acquire assets where you can, and build enough options that the economy has less control over you. Until next time, retire by design, not by default. How We Help Folks in the Queer Money Community Free guides: Queer Money Kickstarter Queer Money 10 Vital Retirement Numbers Queer Money Retire Abroad Checklist Calculators and Planners: Queer Money Beginner's Guide Queer Money Retirement Calculator Queer Money Retire Abroad Planner & Calculator Mentioned in this episode: Optimize August Ad 2 With political uncertainty growing in the U.S., now is the time to build your Plan B. The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may let you invest existing IRA assets while pursuing Portuguese residency for you and your family. Don’t wait until you need an escape plan to create one. Click below to learn more and request information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here! It's time to create your retirement abroad plan What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States? The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may give you the opportunity to invest existing IRA assets while also pursuing residency in Portugal for you and your family. That could mean greater flexibility, access to living and potentially working in Portugal, and a pathway to spending more time throughout Europe. Your retirement savings may be able to do more than fund your future. They could help expand where that future happens. Click the link below to learn how the fund works and request additional information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!

July 14, 202620 min

5 Best Gay Cities in Brazil for Gay Retirees | Queer Money Ep. 650

Let's Discover the Best Cities in Brazil for Gay Retirees Most Americans think of retirement abroad and immediately picture Portugal, Spain, Mexico, or maybe Thailand. But if those feel too expensive, too far away, or just not quite right, Brazil deserves a serious look for your gay retirement dollar. Brazil offers something rare: warm weather, lower costs, strong LGBTQ+ legal protections, major queer visibility, Afro-Brazilian culture, beaches, food, music, private healthcare, visa options, and, yes, many, many, many Speedos. In this episode of Queer Money , we’re continuing our Affordable International Gay City series with the 5 best gay cities in Brazil for gay retirees . Brazil is not Nordic order. It is not Mexican expat familiarity. It is not Portuguese calm, even though Portuguese is the language, which, yes, you should start learning before you move. But Brazil may offer gay retirees a powerful mix of affordability, culture, LGBTQ+ acceptance, and lifestyle that can make retirement abroad feel much more possible. We compare each Brazilian city to Framingham, Massachusetts , our U.S. touchstone city for this episode, and look at what matters for gay retirement abroad: cost of living, average two-bedroom rent, LGBTQ+ visibility, state and city acceptance, queer nightlife, healthcare access, safety, lifestyle, and overall retirement fit. This week, we cover Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Salvador, Florianópolis, and São Paulo . Takeaways from this episode: Why Brazil deserves a serious look for gay retirement abroad Why Brazil’s LGBTQ+ protections and public acceptance rank stronger than many people assume How Brazilian cities compare with Framingham, Massachusetts, for cost of living Why Belo Horizonte may work for retirees who want Brazil without São Paulo intensity or beach-city chaos Why Curitiba may appeal to gay retirees who want structure, affordability, healthcare, parks, and practical city living Why Salvador may be especially compelling for Black gay retirees seeking Afro-Brazilian culture and visibility Why Florianópolis offers beaches, nature, wellness vibes, and a relaxed queer-friendly lifestyle Why São Paulo takes the top spot as Brazil’s queer mega city Why Portuguese, safety planning, neighborhood choice, and local research matter before moving Why the question is not “Is Brazil right for every gay retiree?” but “Which Brazil fits the retirement lifestyle I actually want?” Brazil may not be right for everyone. If you want perfect predictability, spotless bureaucracy, or a country that runs like a Swiss train schedule, Brazil may test your spirit. But if you want warmth, affordability, legal residency options, strong LGBTQ+ protections, private healthcare, culture, food, music, and cities with real queer life, Brazil may deserve a spot on your retirement abroad shortlist. Before you make any move, research it, visit for longer than a vacation, and run the numbers for your actual life. This is a lot easier with a plan of action and that's exactly why we created the Queer Money Retire Abroad Planner and Calculator. Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 02:57 - Belo Horizonte 05:11 - Curitiba 09:00 - Salvador 11:22 - Florianópolis 14:55 - São Paulo 18:50 - Outro Mentioned in this episode: It's time to create your retirement abroad plan What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States? The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may give you the opportunity to invest existing IRA assets while also pursuing residency in Portugal for you and your family. That could mean greater flexibility, access to living and potentially working in Portugal, and a pathway to spending more time throughout Europe. Your retirement savings may be able to do more than fund your future. They could help expand where that future happens. Click the link below to learn how the fund works and request additional information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here! Optimize August Ad 2 With political uncertainty growing in the U.S., now is the time to build your Plan B. The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may let you invest existing IRA assets while pursuing Portuguese residency for you and your family. Don’t wait until you need an escape plan to create one. Click below to learn more and request information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!

July 7, 202615 min

5 Questions to Ask Before Retiring Abroad | Queer Money Ep. 649

Answer These Questions Before You Retire Abroad Picture it: you’ve just stepped off the train, bags in hand. You’ve done it. You’ve landed in your forever home abroad. It sounds fabulous, and it can be. But even fabulous requires some planning. For many gay men, retiring abroad feels like a someday goal. Lower costs, better healthcare, more adventure, political breathing room, LGBTQ+ safety, slower living, and a life that finally feels more aligned can all make retiring abroad incredibly appealing. But the dream only works when you do the work. In this episode of Queer Money , we’re sharing the 5 key questions to ask before retiring abroad , along with our own personal experiences as we prepare for our next chapter outside the U.S. This is not about turning your fantasy into a paperwork nightmare. It’s about making sure your retirement abroad plan is realistic, researched, affordable, and actually aligned with the life you want to live. Because a place can be fabulous for seven days and still not be the right place for seven years. Takeaways from this episode: Why you need to define your real reason for wanting to retire abroad Why your favorite vacation destination may not be your best retirement destination How to compare at least three possible countries before falling in love with one Why cost, climate, healthcare, safety, LGBTQ+ acceptance, visas, taxes, and lifestyle all matter Why visa and residency requirements can make or break your retirement abroad plan How to build a realistic monthly budget for life outside the U.S. Why exchange rates, inflation, healthcare, insurance, pets, travel, and dining out need to be included Why Social Security cost-of-living adjustments may not match inflation where you actually live Why you need to test whether you can truly live somewhere, not just vacation there Why talking with locals, expats, and LGBTQ+ people already living there matters Retiring abroad isn’t about running away. It’s about running toward a life that fits you better. If you’re thinking about retiring abroad but don’t know where to start, grab the Queer Money Retire Abroad Checklist Mentioned in this episode: It's time to create your retirement abroad plan What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States? The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may give you the opportunity to invest existing IRA assets while also pursuing residency in Portugal for you and your family. That could mean greater flexibility, access to living and potentially working in Portugal, and a pathway to spending more time throughout Europe. Your retirement savings may be able to do more than fund your future. They could help expand where that future happens. Click the link below to learn how the fund works and request additional information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here! Optimize August Ad 2 With political uncertainty growing in the U.S., now is the time to build your Plan B. The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may let you invest existing IRA assets while pursuing Portuguese residency for you and your family. Don’t wait until you need an escape plan to create one. Click below to learn more and request information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!

June 30, 202618 min

7 Best Gay Cities Where People Are Having More Sex | Queer Money Ep. 648

Retire abroad, but make it sexy? Yes, some cities are affordable. Some are gay-friendly. And some cities are downright sexy. So naturally, we had to ask: if you’re a gay man thinking about retiring abroad and you’d like your retirement to include more romance, more connection, more nightlife, more flirting, and maybe a little more bada bing bada boom, where would you go? In this episode of Queer Money , we’re looking at the 7 best gay cities where people are having more sex , filtered through our Queer Money lens. We started with Time Out’s 2026 list of cities where locals report having the most sex, then looked at what matters for gay retirement abroad: LGBTQ+ rights, gay friendliness, public acceptance, cost of living compared with Miami, average two-bedroom rents, queer nightlife, sexy infrastructure, retirement lifestyle, safety, and whether a gay guy can dance, flirt, meet people, and still have enough money left over for groceries and recovery brunch. This is not a guarantee that moving to one of these cities will turn you into the next international gay Blanche Devereaux. But it is a look at where gay retirees may find affordability, safety, community, connection, and a retirement with a pulse. This week, we’re covering Rio de Janeiro, Marseille, Rotterdam, Brussels, Guadalajara, Porto, and São Paulo . Because gay retirement should not be about disappearing. It should be about more freedom to become yourself all over again. Takeaways from this episode: Why sexy cities can matter for gay retirement abroad Which international cities combine affordability, gay friendliness, and connection How each city compares with Miami for cost of living Why LGBTQ+ rights and public acceptance matter when retiring abroad Which cities offer stronger queer nightlife, bathhouse culture, bars, saunas, and social infrastructure Why Rio de Janeiro is affordable and sexy, but requires serious safety planning Why Marseille may offer Mediterranean heat without Paris or Nice prices Why Rotterdam is less cheap but strong on long-term livability Why Brussels keeps looking better and better for gay retirement abroad Why Guadalajara combines affordability, culture, and a very real queer scene Why Porto is one of Europe’s strongest overall gay retirement picks Why São Paulo takes the top spot for affordability, queer energy, nightlife, and sexy retirement potential Why gay retirement should support the whole you: your budget, your social life, your health, your safety, and yes, your libido Before you move anywhere for love, lust, or lower rent, visit longer than a vacation, price your real life, and make sure the city supports the whole you. If you’re not sure where to begin, grab the Queer Money Retire Abroad Checklist Mentioned in this episode: It's time to create your retirement abroad plan What if your retirement plan included a backup plan outside the United States? The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may give you the opportunity to invest existing IRA assets while also pursuing residency in Portugal for you and your family. That could mean greater flexibility, access to living and potentially working in Portugal, and a pathway to spending more time throughout Europe. Your retirement savings may be able to do more than fund your future. They could help expand where that future happens. Click the link below to learn how the fund works and request additional information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here! Optimize August Ad 2 With political uncertainty growing in the U.S., now is the time to build your Plan B. The Optimize Portugal Golden Visa Fund may let you invest existing IRA assets while pursuing Portuguese residency for you and your family. Don’t wait until you need an escape plan to create one. Click below to learn more and request information. Get Your Portugal Golden Visa Here!