Costa Rica Pensionados – Income Requirements

I’m bloody angry about this …

One of our eagle-eyed members wrote to me and included an email that had been sent to her a few weeks ago from a certain newsletter company that supposedly specializes in ‘international living’, if you know what I mean.

The personal email from this international living ‘expert’ stated that: “You may have heard about the probable changes to Costa Rica’s pensionado program. It will raise the minimum income requirement for a retiree from $600 to $3,000 a month.” This applies to all those existing retirees.”

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! On all three counts!

Attorney José Rafael Fernández states that:

“.. the bill does not change the pensionado system, it remains in the $600 per month income requirement.”

There are many myths about Costa Rica flying around and as you can see, this company spreads some of them. But doesn’t it make you wonder what other facts and figures they have wrong?

The same company sent me their newsletter on the 8th November 2005 saying that “Panama is setting itself up as the New Costa Rica.”

Well folks, the ‘old’ Costa Rica obviously looks far more attractive to a much larger number of Americans, Canadians (and French) people thinking of living or retiring abroad. And we don’t have to worry about terrorists blowing up canals and sweating over air conditioning bills at the end of every month…

Oh! And by the way, unlike this company, our newsletter is not emailed out to people with the purpose of selling the real estate owned by the same company.

WeLoveCostaRica.com sells information and books about Costa Rica real estate but, we do NOT sell real estate.

It’s interesting to note at this time of the year after two weeks of riots all over France that this same group also produces a newsletter called ‘Postcards from Paris’ and in today’s newsletter it says that “from a travel point of view, it’s business as usual.”

Yeah ! Right! The U.S. State Department on Monday alerted travelers to “security concerns in France.”

I can see the headlines now …

“Come to Paris and learn how to cook the French way… On the roof of your smoldering Renault rental car!’

Pass the Dijon would you?

PS. 4.5 years later in late 2009, the income requirement for retired people was raised from $600 – $1,000 per month.

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Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.