Help Us Bring Mom Home

In April 2024, our family made a big move from the United States to Panama City, Panama. We brought along my mother, who was 89 at the time and has since celebrated her 90th birthday.

We made this move out of necessity. Before COVID, my mother lived in an affordable retirement home in the U.S. But during and after the pandemic, her rent nearly doubled, leaving my wife and me to cover the difference on top of our own expenses. We thought relocating would be a solution: in Panama, we could find a condo large enough for all of us—at less than the combined cost of our mortgage and Mom’s retirement home—and we hoped to build a business locally while continuing to manage our U.S. business remotely.

Unfortunately, neither plan worked out as expected. After 18 challenging months, we’ve decided it’s best to bring Mom back home to the U.S. where she can be close to her grandchildren, family, and lifelong friends.

But there’s one major obstacle: the cost of returning. We recently learned that the U.S. has imposed a 27.5% tariff on the value of personal goods shipped back into the country, even though everything we’re bringing back is used household property that we originally brought with us in 2024. This tariff, along with the shipping container fees, has created an overwhelming financial burden.

Here’s what the shipping company shared with us:

“All U.S. citizens who have lived abroad for more than three years may import vehicles and household goods duty-free (if they meet U.S. specifications). Unfortunately, anyone outside of that requirement must now pay a 27.5% tax on the declared value of their belongings.”

That means, in order to bring Mom, our three cats, and ourselves back home, we must raise enough to cover these unexpected costs.

At 90 years old, time is of the essence for Mom to spend meaningful time with her grandchildren and family. Any help you can give—whether through donations or sharing this campaign—would mean the world to us.

Thank you so much for your kindness, support, and generosity.