Our Portugal Retirement Plan

Our dream is to keep a home in Colorado and a home in Portugal. I repeat this goal often, letting myself soak in the excitement. But beyond dreaming, we’re taking action.

Cabo da Roca, Portugal

Image shot near Sintra, Portugal

Photo taken by Miguel Rodrigues

The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. —Vidal Sassoon

How do we win? I asked Paul this question over coffee this morning. The answer depends on what you mean by "win." For me, winning means setting ourselves up for success and making sure that success is a win-win for everyone involved.

Our dream? Keeping a home in Colorado and a home in Portugal. I repeat this goal often, letting myself soak in the excitement. But beyond dreaming, we’re taking action. There’s a lot to figure out: buying property, securing residency, and staying positive. So, what’s the game plan?

I see five key steps that will get us there:

Step 1: Face the Fear & Keep Moving

Retirement in the U.S. isn’t feasible for us—we won’t have enough to live comfortably. And we’re not alone. That fear could have paralyzed us, but instead, it lit a fire. The negativity around us doesn’t stand a chance. Yes, things feel uncertain, but do you let fear control you, or do you use it to push forward? We choose action.

Step 2: Tackle the Language Barrier and Focus on Right Now

I’ve been learning Portuguese—slowly but surely. Paul’s working, and I’ve got an interview lined up. We’re also building multiple income streams to make this dream sustainable. Over the next five years, we’ll keep growing our financial foundation, ensuring we can truly live between two countries.

Step 3: Build the Right Team

Buying a home in a foreign country means knowing the rules and following them. We’ve got our Portuguese attorney, an amazing realtor, and a mortgage broker. We also secured our NIF (Número de Identificação Fiscal), a must-have for opening a bank account, signing contracts, and buying property. We’re making it happen step by step.

Step 4: Get to Portugal

Flights are booked, and accommodations are set. I’ll be in Portugal in April, ready to purchase our home. We’re still sorting out property management, but I’m interviewing companies and exploring different options. We’re honing in on the perfect location—somewhere not oversaturated by foreign investors where we can add real value.

Step 5: Lock Down Residency

Residency is the long game, and there are four main visas we’re considering:

• D2 Visa (Entrepreneur Visa): Requires that you present a solid business plan proving viability and merit to Portuguese authorities.

• D7 Visa (Retirement Visa): For those with a passive income of at least 1,305€ per month (or 15,660€ per year for a couple) from rentals, pensions, remote work, or intellectual property. Also requires 12,000€-16,000€ in a Portuguese bank account.

• D8 Visa (Digital Nomad Visa): This visa requires 3,040€ per month from a remote job with employer permission.

• Golden Visa: Instead of investing 500,000€ in property, you now invest in Portuguese businesses, venture capital, research, or cultural heritage.

The Big Picture

While we aren't ready to retire just yet, our ultimate goal is to run a short-term rental that benefits the local community while securing our own future. We want to invest in an area that isn’t already overrun with foreign money and make a positive impact. By making this dream real, we win. The people we work with win. Our guests win. And through it all, we stay hopeful and excited—no matter how uncertain things feel in the U.S. right now.

We’re on our way. And we’re winning.