Articles, interviews and commentary.

James writes and comments on retirement, relocation and international living, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia.

Featured articles.

Could You Really Start a New Life in Southeast Asia on Your Own?

Many people imagine retiring abroad as something couples do together. But widowhood, divorce or a partner who would rather stay put can pose the question differently: could you really do it on your own? This piece weighs the psychological barriers against the underrated advantages of going solo, and argues for treating a move as a process. A trial stay, not a leap, where exploring the idea is not the same as committing to it.

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What If the Problem Isn’t Your Pension, But Where It Has to Work?

Most retirement planning treats the size of your pension as the problem to solve, and the country you'll spend it in as fixed. But what if the geography is the part that's actually negotiable? Using a UK benchmark for the cost of a comfortable retirement, this piece sets the like-for-like cost of that same life against three places in Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines. It's not to chase somewhere cheaper, but to show the real question may be less about the size of your pension than where it has to work.

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Cover of The Simon Letter, June 2026, the issue featuring this article

When the Plan Stops Working: The questions about retiring abroad that most people never think to ask

Most overseas retirement planning covers the exciting first chapter and very little of what comes after. This piece looks at the later years: health, dependency, bereavement and, if needed, an exit route. And why the best-prepared retirees are rarely the most optimistic.

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Interviews, podcasts and commentary.

For media enquiries, interview requests, podcast appearances or speaking opportunities, please email:

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