According to the Social Security Administration, forty percent of retirees rely on Social Security benefits for 90% or more of their monthly income. Twenty percent of married couples rely on Social Security income the same way. The average Social Security benefit for individuals is less than $13,000 per year for individual retirees before Medicare Part B deductions.

You don’t need to be a math major to conclude that Social Security benefits won’t take you very far. Many people save for retirement, but even disciplined savers are finding out that they haven’t saved enough to maintain a comfortable retirement lifestyle. Additionally, retirees and soon-to-be retirees are finding out that elements of their retirement plan are falling apart. The house they live in (and planned to sell at a nice profit) has dropped significantly in value; their pension plan is underfunded or has been eliminated as part of a bankruptcy reorganization; or their stocks and other holdings have plummeted in this uncertain market.

Inflation, uninsured medical expenses, catastrophic illnesses, the spiraling cost of a college education, rising mortgage payments, mushrooming consumer debt and unanticipated job losses can all eat away at retirement assets, leaving older Americans with the unappealing prospect of delaying their retirements, sometimes indefinitely.

Savvy investors will combat these potential crises with investments that aren’t affected adversely by the economy and other pressures. One such investment is real estate in Puerto Vallarta. Property values in Puerto Vallarta have increased reliably by ten percent per year for the past ten years. Despite this significant rise in property values here, excellent investment properties are still available at an affordable cost.

In addition to affordable land and construction prices, and a phenomenal rate of appreciation, the cost of living here is low and will enable investors to take full advantage of Puerto Vallarta’s low living costs and high quality of life. Investors can still receive their Social Security income while living in Puerto Vallarta, and while Medicare coverage is generally not available outside the country, the cost of health care here is low and the quality of the services are high.

Photo Credit: Helmut Gevert