In this episode of 60 Plus Uncensored, host Seb Frey sits down with Federica Grazi, founder of Mythos Relocation Solutions, to talk about life after 60 and what it really means to start a new chapter abroad. Federica is Italian by birth, London-based by choice, and someone who has lived in eight countries across Europe, Asia, and South America. With a background that spans private banking, government advisory work, and years of personal relocation experience, she now helps people navigate the emotional and practical realities of retiring overseas. Her work sits at the intersection of planning and possibility, offering a grounded look at reinvention after 60 without glossing over the complexity involved.
Early Roots: From Italy to a Global Career
Federica’s story begins in Italy, but it doesn’t stay there for long. Early in her career, she entered the world of global finance, working at JP Morgan in private banking. Her role involved helping people manage assets, often across borders, which gave her an early education in how international systems actually work. Taxes, regulations, residency rules, and financial planning weren’t abstract concepts. They were daily realities.
Over time, her work expanded into investment banking, where she advised governments on tax policy. That experience deepened her understanding of how countries use incentives to attract certain kinds of residents. While many people associate tax optimization with younger professionals or digital nomads, Federica saw that similar opportunities existed for retirees as well. That insight would quietly shape the direction her life eventually took.
Alongside her professional work, Federica developed a personal interest in aging, retirement, and how people stay engaged later in life. She volunteered extensively and became a trustee for a nonprofit in the UK focused on active aging. These parallel paths, finance and aging, would eventually converge.
If you want to understand more about how financial systems and policy shape later-life decisions, How Much Do You Really Need to Retire Comfortably? is a helpful companion resource.
Living Everywhere, Belonging Somewhere
Federica didn’t just study relocation. She lived it. Over the years, she spent time in Switzerland, Brazil, Thailand, Spain, Russia, and even Bangladesh. Some moves were tied to work, others to education or personal exploration. She jokes that after so many relocations, she’s earned “honorary status” as a relocation advisor.
Living abroad repeatedly gave her firsthand exposure to the emotional side of moving. Every country came with its own systems, languages, and unspoken rules. Each move required rebuilding daily life from scratch, from navigating healthcare to understanding bureaucracy to simply figuring out how things worked in winter, not just during tourist season.
This lived experience became one of her greatest assets. She understood that relocating, especially later in life, is never just about geography. It’s about identity, confidence, and the fear of getting it wrong when the stakes feel higher.
If you want to understand more about adapting daily life and healthcare access after retirement, Navigating the Health Care System After Retirement: A Complete Guide for Adults is a helpful companion resource.
The Gap No One Was Filling
While living in the UK, Federica noticed something interesting. Many people talked about retiring abroad. It was a common dinner-table dream. But when it came time to act, most people were overwhelmed.
Some turned to Facebook groups, which offered community but often conflicting or outdated information. Others worked with tax advisors or immigration lawyers who handled one narrow piece of the puzzle. Traditional relocation consultants, on the other hand, were mostly focused on corporate moves for working professionals.
What was missing was a service designed specifically for retirees. People who weren’t chasing careers but were still deeply invested in quality of life, stability, and meaning. People navigating not just visas and taxes, but also questions like: Who will I be in this next chapter?
The Leap: Creating Mythos Relocation Solutions
Mythos Relocation Solutions was born from that gap. Federica designed it to support people through the full arc of retiring abroad, starting years before the move in some cases. Her work often begins with coaching-style conversations, helping clients clarify whether they even want to leave their home country, and if so, why.
From there, the practical layers come in. Visas, taxation, healthcare access, housing, driving regulations, and residency rules all need to align. Federica emphasizes that retirement abroad is not a lifestyle decision alone. It’s a complex life change that requires careful planning.
What sets her approach apart is integration. Rather than handing clients off to a dozen specialists, she stays at the center, coordinating timelines, managing local experts, and making sure nothing critical is missed.
If you want to understand more about structuring retirement as a long-term lifestyle transition, Creating a Fulfilling Lifestyle After Retirement is a helpful companion resource.
Aging, Identity, and Staying Relevant Later in Life
One of the quieter themes in Federica’s work is the emotional challenge of aging. Many of her clients are capable, curious, and active, yet they wrestle with questions of relevance and identity. Retirement can bring freedom, but it can also bring uncertainty.
Federica sees relocation as both exciting and destabilizing. Moving abroad later in life often means starting over socially. There can be fears about language barriers, healthcare access, and whether it’s “too late” to adapt.
She pushes back gently against those fears. In her view, staying relevant later in life isn’t about clinging to the past. It’s about remaining engaged and open to learning. Relocation, when done thoughtfully, can actually reinforce a sense of purpose rather than diminish it.
The Learning Curve of Retirement Abroad
Federica is clear that retiring abroad is not a shortcut to an easy life. There is a learning curve, and she believes it’s better to be honest about that upfront.
Visa rules change. Tax agreements differ by country. Healthcare access varies widely, even within the same nation. A coastal village that feels idyllic in summer may be quiet and isolated in winter.
She often advises clients to take scouting trips, not vacations. That means visiting during the off-season, renting rather than buying, and trying to live like a local. Go to the grocery store. Navigate public transport. Understand what daily life actually feels like.
This kind of preparation helps people avoid romanticized decisions and builds confidence before making a permanent move.
Practical Realities: Cost of Living and Healthcare
One of the most common motivations for retiring abroad is affordability. Federica explains that while visa income thresholds may seem low, they don’t always reflect actual living costs. Italy, for example, can be expensive in cities like Milan but far more affordable in the south.
Healthcare is another major consideration. In many European countries, access to public healthcare isn’t automatic for new residents. Some systems require contributions, others rely on private insurance, especially early on.
Federica encourages clients to think long-term. What happens as you age further? Will private insurance still be available? At what cost? Planning for healthcare isn’t just about today’s needs but about future stability.
If you want to understand more about long-term healthcare planning later in life, Everything You Need To Know About Long-Term Care Insurance is a helpful companion resource.
Language, Culture, and Belonging
Language is often a source of anxiety, especially for Americans who may not have grown up bilingual. Federica takes a practical view. Some countries, like Greece or Malta, have high levels of English proficiency. Others, like Italy, less so.
She encourages realistic expectations. Learning the local language enhances integration and confidence, but it’s also important to choose a place where support exists, especially for healthcare and administrative needs.
Belonging doesn’t require perfection. It requires effort, curiosity, and patience.
Community Versus Isolation
Some retirees want to immerse themselves fully in local culture. Others want access to familiar communities. Federica sees both as valid.
In parts of Spain, Portugal, and Greece, established expat communities already exist. These can provide a soft landing, especially early on. Over time, many people expand their circles and build deeper local connections.
The key, she says, is intention. Know what you need emotionally, not just logistically.
Digital Nomads, Work, and Purpose After 60
Not everyone over 60 wants to stop working entirely. Federica sees growing interest in digital nomad visas among older adults who run online businesses or consult remotely.
Some countries welcome this. Others strictly separate retirement visas from work permissions. Understanding these distinctions is critical, especially when tax residency comes into play.
For many, continuing some form of work isn’t about income alone. It’s about aging with purpose and staying mentally engaged.
If you want to understand more about building workable digital skills for remote work later in life, Easy Digital Skills So Anyone Can Work From Home is a helpful companion resource.
How Federica Works With Clients
Federica starts every client relationship with a conversation. She doesn’t automate that first step because clarity matters more than speed. Some people arrive ready to move. Others discover they need more reflection before taking action.
Her services range from early-stage coaching to full relocation support, with options that allow for do-it-yourself elements. She’s careful to dispel the myth that retiring abroad requires extreme wealth. Many of her clients are simply looking to make their resources go further while improving the quality of life.
Timelines matter. She typically recommends starting six to nine months before a move, with flexibility built in for changing regulations and appointment availability.
Life Now: Purpose, Balance, and Perspective
Today, Federica lives in London but remains deeply connected to multiple countries. Her work continues to evolve as regulations shift and new destinations emerge.
What hasn’t changed is her belief that later life can be expansive rather than restrictive. Reinvention after 60 isn’t about escape. It’s about alignment. Aligning values, lifestyle, finances, and identity in a way that supports fulfillment.
She’s seen clients arrive anxious and leave empowered, not because the process was easy, but because it was intentional.
Advice for Anyone Considering the Leap
Federica’s advice is simple but grounded. Take your time. Talk to people who’ve done it. Get expert guidance when stakes are high. Be mentally flexible.
Retiring abroad is a process, not a single decision. When approached with preparation and openness, it can be deeply rewarding.
If you want to understand more about finding purpose, connection, and joy when retirement feels like it’s shrinking your world, When Retirement Feels Too Small: How to Reclaim Purpose, Connection, and Joy is a helpful companion resource.
Conclusion
Life after 60 doesn’t come with a single script. For some, staying put brings contentment. For others, reinvention after 60 means crossing borders and building something new. What Federica’s story shows is that aging with purpose comes from curiosity, not certainty.
Staying relevant later in life isn’t about proving anything. It’s about choosing engagement over retreat. Whether that leads you abroad or simply invites you to imagine differently, the invitation is the same. Stay open. Ask questions. And trust that it’s not too late to design a life that feels fully your own.