He lived in 6 countries but chose Penang, Malaysia to retire

"Born in Wisconsin, I moved around the US as a kid because of my dad's job. After college in Michigan, I headed to Texas for work and ended up calling it home for two decades. My career in high-tech manufacturing eventually took me abroad, and for the next 14 years, I lived and worked across the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Malaysia, and China. I eventually moved to San Francisco in 2011 for a mix of family and health reasons."

"In 2016, at the age of 61, I started thinking seriously about where I wanted to spend the next chapter of my life. Soon, I found myself with a list of 20 places I could see myself retiring in. Seven of those were states in the US without a state income tax, including Texas. I also considered the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, but none offered retirement programs."

"When I worked there years earlier, I was based in Penang - and that's where I chose to retire. I applied for the Malaysia My Second Home visa in 2017 and officially moved over alone in 2018. During my time working in Ireland, I was struck by how welcoming and hospitable the people there were, and I thought I'd never experience that again. I was wrong because I found that spirit the first time I came to Penang."

Ward Chartier, 70, lived and worked across the US, UK, Denmark, Ireland, Malaysia, and China before moving to San Francisco in 2011. In 2016 he created a list of 20 potential retirement locations and evaluated tax, residency, and retirement-program options. Malaysia met his criteria, and he applied for the Malaysia My Second Home visa in 2017. He relocated alone to Penang in 2018, reconnected with longtime friends, and found the local hospitality and community ties central to his decision to settle there for retirement.

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