More and more people are looking to retire abroad in search of a different lifestyle and lower cost of living. And while the United States doesn’t have an official retirement visa program, dozens of other countries around the world do.

This year, Global Citizen Solutions published its Global Retirement Report 2025, ranking 44 passive income and retirement visa programs.

The report looked at 20 targeted indicators grouped into six sub-indices: procedure, citizenship and mobility, economics, tax optimization, quality of life, and safety and integration. Each country was given a score out of 100.

The U.S. did not make the list, but the report did find that many of the countries ranked in the top 10 are in the Americas and Europe.

“The Americas dominate the availability of digital nomad retirement visas and then Europe. They have a very high quality of life that’s above average,” Dr. Laura Madrid Sartoretto, Research Lead at GCS’ Global Intelligence Unit, tells CNBC Make It.

“That’s not a coincidence because one of the motivations people have when they decide to relocate abroad is looking for a place where they will have a better quality of life.”

Of some of the other factors retirees consider when planning to move abroad, Madrid Sartoretto adds, “people look for places that are politically stable and safe when they want to retire abroad. The other relevant aspect in Europe is health care. Most countries in Europe have a blend of robust public health care systems and affordable private health care options.”

Overall score: 92.61

Portugal ranked as the best country to retire abroad. The European country offers non-EU citizens the D7 visa, which allows those with steady passive incomes, like pensions or rental income, to retire.

Dr. Madrid Sartoretto says Portugal’s retirement visa program has been a flagship one for the last 10 years.

“The country started to invest in attracting investors, retirees and digital nomads. Portugal is a country that nowadays scores really well in quality of life,” she says. “Portugal is the safest country in Europe if you look at the World Peace Index. It is one of the most sought-after countries in Europe for retirement.”

To apply for that visa, you’ll need a minimum income requirement of 870 euros. After the initial residency permit is granted and you’ve lived in Portugal for at least five years, you become eligible to apply for permanent residency or citizenship.

The Portuguese government offers a worldwide tax system, meaning it includes foreign-earned income. Portugal also has no wealth and inheritance tax for close family members. There is a 10% Stamp duty that applies to others.

Portugal is also known for its golden visa program. It allows non-EU citizens to gain citizenship or residency in the country through investment, which doesn’t include real estate.

The Portuguese government has seen a 72% increase in golden visa approvals, with Americans making up the majority, according to Forbes. Portugal’s golden visa program has raised more than $7.2 billion since it was created in 2012.

1. Portugal
2. Mauritius
3. Spain
4. Uruguay
5. Austria
6. Italy
7. Slovenia
8. Malta
9. Latvia
10. Chile

Located in Africa, Mauritius ranked as the No. 2 best country to retire abroad with a score of 89.24.

“Mauritius has a very reliable procedure. It’s fast, transparent, and one of the countries that has the best options for tax optimization. People who don’t want to have any fiscal risk when moving abroad with their pensions choose countries like Mauritius because it doesn’t have a worldwide tax system,” Madrid Sartoretto says.

“It also has one of the highest quality of life standards in our ranking.”

Mauritius offers retired non-citizens over the age of 50 a 10-year residence permit. You must have a monthly income of $2,000 or $24,000 a year. After the 10-year period expires, you’re eligible to renew the residence permit for another 10 years.

The African country offers the main applicant the chance to include their spouse or legal partner and dependent children in their application. Mauritius also has a territorial tax system, meaning it doesn’t include foreign income. It also has no imposed taxes on foreign-sourced income or wealth and inheritance tax.

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Having an emergency fund set aside for unexpected expenses has long been considered an essential financial goal, but many Americans are now saving less than before.

In fact, 1 in 3 Americans say they don’t have an emergency fund. And the median amount Americans say they have saved for emergencies is $500, according to a survey conducted by budgeting app Empower in June.

That’s $100 less than a median amount of $600 reported in the same survey conducted a year ago by Empower.

“The study suggests financial precarity at a time when household finances may be stretched due to rising prices and inflation,” Rebecca Rickert, head of communications at Empower, said in the study.

Higher earners are reporting smaller emergency savings balances as well. Full-time employees who contribute to their retirement through an account like a 401(k) and have at least $5,000 in their accounts report holding a median of $20,000 in emergency savings — $5,000 less than the median balance reported a year ago, according to a survey conducted by BlackRock published Monday.

Generally, financial advisors recommend having three to six months’ worth of expenses stashed in a savings account for emergencies. That means if you’re spending $3,000 a month on rent, groceries and other living expenses, you should have anywhere from $9,000 to $18,000 saved for a rainy day.

But if that amount feels daunting, start saving enough to cover just your essential costs for three months, Alyson Basso, a certified financial planner with Hayden Wealth Management in Middleton, Massachusetts, told CNBC Make It in 2024.

“When planning for an emergency fund, it’s essential to strike a balance between ambition and practicality,” Basso said. In a true emergency, many non-essential costs could likely be cut, so your actual necessary expenses would be lower than what you normally spend.

Even having at least $2,000 stashed away for an emergency can lead to better financial well-being, according to a May study by investment management company Vanguard.

Among more than 12,000 Vanguard investors, those with at least $2,000 in emergency savings had financial well-being scores that were 21% higher than those without. That jump was the largest boost linked to financial factors measured by Vanguard.

Individuals who had both $2,000 and three to six months’ worth of expenses saved in their emergency fund were associated with a 34% higher financial well-being score. Financial well-being was measured using the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s well-being questionnaire.

“People with emergency savings have a higher level of financial well-being, spend less time thinking about and dealing with their finances, and are less distracted at work,” Paulo Costa, senior behavioral economist at Vanguard and co-author of the study, said in a press release.

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The worst thing you can ask at the start of any interaction is: “How are you?” 

You’re essentially telling the other person that the interaction will be like every other interaction. They’ll most likely respond, “My day’s been busy. Good but busy.” It’s boring and generates a social script. 

I’ve spent the last 17 years studying human behavior and what sparks connections between strangers. I’ve learned that trust can catch fire or die out right away, all due to small signals in those first seconds of an interaction. 

Here’s what to do if you really want to instantly gain trust.

Don’t ask what everyone else is asking, like “What’s up?” or “Been busy lately?” Try a question that’s still casual, but looking for excitement. This sets you up for a better interaction.

A few examples:

• Don’t ask: “How’s it going?” Instead, ask: “What’s the highlight of your week so far?”
• Don’t ask: “Have you been keeping busy?” Instead, ask: “Any big wins lately?”
• Don’t ask: “Working on anything lately?” Instead, ask: “Working on anything exciting these days?”

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If you want to generate trust with anyone, encourage them to tell stories about their lives. Be known for asking others what they are most looking forward to.

Here’s my trick:

• On Mondays and Tuesdays, I ask everyone, “Did you do anything fun this past weekend?” 
• On Thursdays and Fridays, I modify it to, “Are you doing anything fun this upcoming weekend?” 
• On Wednesdays, I ask, “Working on anything fun or exciting this week?” 
• Before any holiday or break, I ask, “Looking forward to anything fun for the holidays?”

Everyone on my team and in my life knows I’m going to be asking for fun or exciting plans, so they save them up to tell me all about them (or avoid me when life is boring). It’s a win-win!

When it comes to building trust, it isn’t just the questions you ask, but how you respond when someone tries to connect with you, too.

The biggest mistake I see people make is that when they start conversations, they immediately lead with negativity: “Ugh this terrible weather!” or “My schedule has been crazy!” Instead, save one interesting thing to lead with and be ready when someone asks you a boring question. 

The next time someone asks, “How are you?” try to respond with some humor or whimsy instead. You might try a reply like:

• “Good enough that I remembered to floss. So, a win.”
• “Running on caffeine and a dream.”
• “10 of 10 today, I just got one new follower on Instagram.”
• “Hanging in there like a cat on a motivational poster.”

Essentially, anything other than the standard “Busy, but good” will wake people up.

Words matter, but your body talks louder. Keep arms uncrossed and face them square to seem open. An open stance invites reciprocity; a closed one sparks doubt. 

A solid handshake — one to three pumps, firm but easy — says you’re sure of yourself and can even signal your personality traits. 

On video calls, lean in a bit to close the gap. If they nod, try nodding back. Matching or mirroring their body signals tells their brain you’re safe.

Test these tips in safe, low-pressure places, like chatting with a cashier, a neighbor, or a friend over coffee. 

I do it myself before big talks — with my family at dinner, strangers in line, Uber drivers during rides, you name it — and it sharpens how I come across, making the moves feel second nature.

The key is to start small, and be consistent.

Try the question about positive future plans at lunch, or the mirroring body language on a walk. Over time, you’ll notice people opening up quicker, smiling more, and engaging deeper, even in brief encounters.

Vanessa Van Edwards is a speaker, researcher and the author of ”Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People″ and ”Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication.” She is the founder of Science of People, where she leads workshops and courses on science-based soft skills to help people become better communicators.

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Kids need to feel seen, heard, and believed. That’s why one of the most powerful tools parents can use is validation. When children feel validated, they feel safe. And a sense of safety is the foundation for emotion regulation, communication, and connection.

As a certified child life specialist and licensed therapist, I’ve supported thousands of kids through challenging experiences — medical diagnoses, hospitalizations, grief, trauma, and loss. Again and again, I’ve seen the power of validation.

Any time a child is upset — whether you agree or disagree, whether you understand or don’t — they need to feel like you believe them before they can shift into problem-solving mode. It helps them move out of their feeling brain and into their thinking brain.

Here are my go-to validating statements by age:

For infants and toddlers, validation is felt more than heard — through tone, touch, and presence. They need to sense that your presence remains steady even when things are hard. 

Saying, “I’m right here,” and staying close shows that you can withstand the difficulty alongside them. It communicates, “I’m not going anywhere. You can rely on me.” 

You can also pair your words with a deep breath to regulate your own emotions, offering them the calm presence they need most.

Preschoolers often communicate more through behavior than words. Naming what you see gives them language they may not yet have. 

It’s important to set limits on behavior while still validating the feelings underneath. You might even say, “You threw the toy because you were so frustrated. Can you try a safer way?”

This shows them their emotions are real and understood, while also guiding them toward healthier expression.

School-age kids experience greater depth in their emotions, but they may be unsure if their feelings are valid. 

They need caregivers to both name and normalize emotions, affirming that it’s okay, natural, and normal to feel the way they do. This builds self-esteem and confidence in their ability to navigate challenges over time.

Older school-age children (tweens) can hold more complexity. They might feel upset while also recognizing another perspective. 

Validation here means affirming their experience while introducing language for nuance and the possibility of problem-solving. Once their feelings are validated, they often have the capacity to think through what they want to do next and what might make things better or easier for them.

Teenagers feel validated when there’s space to process emotions without minimization or immediate fixes. 

Acknowledging their experience and appreciating their trust reinforces connection and safety while empowering them to sort through things independently.

The safer a teenager feels, the more likely they are to continue opening up about their struggles and seeking support when they need it.

Kelsey Mora is Certified Child Life Specialist and Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who provides custom support, guidance, and resources to parents, families, and communities impacted by medical conditions, trauma, grief, and everyday life stress. She is a private practice owner, mom of two, the creator and author of The Method Workbooks, and the Chief Clinical Officer of the nonprofit organization Pickles Group.

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Earning a master’s of business administration can help unlock competitive job offers and salaries for graduates. 

The average starting salary and bonus was $121,324 for MBA grads in 2024, according to U.S. News and World Report. And getting your MBA from a top-ranked program can make you stand out even more to companies, hiring managers or investors in your own future venture.

LinkedIn just released its 2025 rankings of the top MBA programs in the world, and the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University took the No. 1 spot for the second year in a row. 

The professional networking platform used exclusive data from its site to determine which MBA programs deliver the best outcomes for students across a range of factors, including job placement, promotion rates, alumni network strength, leadership potential and program diversity, including gender ratios.

Several Ivy League schools, like Harvard Business School and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, join Stanford among the top 10 best MBA programs in the world, LinkedIn reports.

“Hiring demand is super strong from these schools,” Laura Lorenzetti, senior director and executive editor of LinkedIn News, tells CNBC Make It. “They’re really great for leadership potential and how [their graduates are] able to rise through the ranks in their careers with the ability to advance.”

Here are the 10 best MBA programs in the world in 2025 and the most common job titles their graduates obtain, according to LinkedIn, plus tuition rates from each school’s website.

• Location: Stanford, California
• 2025-26 tuition: $85,755
• Most common job titles: Co-founder, product manager, chief executive officer 

• Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
• 2025-26 tuition: $78,700
• Most common job titles: Product manager, founder, chief executive officer  

• Locations: Fontainebleau, France; Singapore; Abu Dhabi, UAE
• 2025-26 tuition: $121,215
• Most common job titles: Product manager, strategy consultant, engagement manager

• Location: Philadelphia
• 2025-26 tuition: $87,970
• Most common job titles: Investment banking associate, product manager, founder

• Location: Hyderabad, India
• 2026-27 tuition: $21,961 (Tuition data for the 2025-26 school year was unavailable.)
• Most common job titles: Product manager, program manager, management consultant 

• Location: Evanston, Illinois
• 2025-26 tuition: $86,370
• Most common job titles: Product manager, brand manager, investment banking associate 

• Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
• 2025-26 tuition: $89,000
• Most common job titles: Product manager, co-founder, chief executive officer

• Location: Hanover, New Hampshire
• 2025-26 tuition: $84,250
• Most common job titles: Investment banking associate, product manager, product marketing manager 

• Location: New York
• 2025-26 tuition: $91,172
• Most common job titles: Investment banking associate, product manager, co-founder  

• Location: London
• 2025-26 tuition: $162,448
• Most common job titles: Product manager, investment banking associate, co-founder 

Across these schools, Deloitte, Amazon and McKinsey & Company are the top employers graduates go on to work for. Graduates most commonly land in roles in professional services, financial services or manufacturing, according to LinkedIn.

MBA programs, especially those at top-ranked schools, give students the skills and resources they need to thrive in a variety of fields, Lorenzetti says, even with emerging technology like artificial intelligence constantly changing the way many of these businesses operate.

“MBA programs are fantastic at teaching professionals how to think, how to make connections, how to have empathy and build and lead teams,” she says. “Even as AI grows as a tool and a technology, those are core competencies that will continue to be important in the working world.”

Conversions from Indian Rupee, Euro and British Pound Sterling (GBP) to USD were done using OANDA conversion rates of 1 rupee to 0.01 USD; 1 Euro to 1.17 USD and 1 GBP to 1.35 USD on Sept. 12, 2025. All amounts are rounded to the nearest dollar.

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