Chip Stites

Chip Stites is a retired Certified Financial Planner from Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he managed up to $700 million of his clients’ retirement assets. After over thirty years of helping client’s budget, invest, and fund a consistent income for retirement, Chip began to plan his own exit from an eight-to-eight work schedule, 14 years ago. His lust to create a retirement filled with travel and adventure began with his subscription to International Living and the possibility that he, his wife, Shonna, and their dog “Frankie,” might move overseas. They attended their first IL Conference in Cancún, Mexico in February of 2015, and went home knowing they could make their dreams a reality. After another two years of planning, downsizing, and liquidating, they moved abroad with their dog, Frankie, and are now living la dolce vita near Rieti, Italy. There they enjoy a relaxed and renewing daily existence based around experiencing all that Italy has to offer. Chip has created a Facebook Community called The Laughing Retirement, and a YouTube Channel with videos about both Italy and finances in retirement.