[davidd]

[quote=”fishrman”]My Rica wife and I went to BN the other day to open an account in her name and they told us that we needed to prove where the $9k came from. As it was less than $10k did NOT have to declare at customs, but they still want to know where it came from, even though there is a complete money trail from US banks showing exactly where it came from. The U.S. is forcing these other countries,using fear and intimidation,into doing their dirty work. They are trying to force US citizens back home to continue extorting monies from them to feed the STARVING bureaucrats clamoring for an ever increasing portion of YOUR money! :twisted:[/quote]

It’s disgusting really and sad to say most of the sheeple of society will have nothing but to comply.. because that’s what sheeples do..

The only options is to find stable countries that are strong and independant and do not kiss ass to the U.S. like Hong Kong for example.

you can do your own research

http://www.forbes.com/sites/joshsteimle/2013/07/12/how-i-opened-a-branch-office-of-my-business-in-hong-kong/

I have 2 bank accounts plus 2 merchant accounts plus a few paypal accounts.. and I since I have no debt here in this country I use the debit card to withdraw amounts $2 to $3 per month..

I keep a year in cash buried in the event 🙂 with some gold and silver coins..

[davidd]

Scott

you have always been one of the few people I have known to always have a clearer picture than most of events and see things for what they are NOT what you wish them to be.

I agree 100% with your comment relating to what exactly has improved here in relation to the rising costs???

I don’t see much improvement here at all.. things are the same BUT costs has skyrocketed.

anyone???? can anyone chime in and say specifically major improvements here apart from external commercial areas.. like escazus avenida central LOL

Why would any business want to open a company here when other countries want to work for foreign investment.

the next few years should be very interesting here..

these are signs that costa rica should stand up and take notice and plan [b]NOW[/b] before this trend continues.. but i dont see it.. sad to say.

I am sure [b]Swiekert[/b] will keep everyone in the loop on whats going on. I had hoped to join his [b]costa rican advisory service[/b] but cannot find the link. 8)8)8)

[quote=”Scott”]On the 21st February 2013 I wrote about ‘[url=https://www.welovecostarica.com/public/4056.cfm]Businesses Leaving Costa Rica. Is this the canary in the coal mine?[/url]’, I concluded with the following:

“Having said that, with the recent news of these different companies leaving Costa Rica, the warning bells are ringing and now is the time for the government to refocus their efforts on the education and training of our young people for both foreign and domestic employers, to try and cut costs – especially energy costs – and re-evaluate how we can remain competitive as an offshore destination or, we will see more companies leaving this rich coast… “

That was in February of last year…

Costa Rica is certainly NOT immune to global economic conditions – we benefitted from those conditions for many years when U.S. companies moved here to save money – but apart from electricity costs rising [i]significantly[/i] during that time, has anything improved at all?

Have we seen any improvements that would make Costa Rica an attractive offshoring location or, is that cycle now over?

Would love to hear your opinion…

Scott

[/quote]

[davidd]

[quote=”aguirrewar”]on another BAD news for this week is that Bank of America is closing it’s service center in CR.

POOF!!!! another 1,500 jobs are gone this time to India.
[/quote]

can’t really blame them. we shall see if other companies follow suit..

[davidd]

Sweikert is 100% on this one

[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”residencial”]Total number of U.S. casualties in the Vietnam War…58,220 …Total military casualties from both sides 1.475 million[/quote]
Which, by my arithmetic means that more 1.4 million military casualties were Vietnamese.

If you want to continue fighting the Vietnamese then be my guest, but it was the US that invaded their country, not the other way around.

If the US can do business with Japan – which actually DID attack us – then why shouldn’t Intel do business with Vietnam?[/quote]

[davidd]

wait!!!! stop the presses

you mean to tell me sweikert does not live in costa rica yet??? :shock::shock::shock::shock::shock:

[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”Scott”]Quoting IRS “facts” and a NYT article does NOT tell you how extremely difficult the U.S. has made it for American citizens living abroad – you know, actually on the ground in the country – to do their banking… [/quote]

If you and other readers here think the information I linked to isn’t relevant to the discusssion then you and they are entitled to your opinions.

And on the subject of opinions, I expressed none as to whether or not this would indeed result in trouble opening a bank account in Costa Rica. You might need to re-read my comment.

When someone posts something which amounts to no more than a rumor, I for one want to know more – such as, in this example, what the law actually says and an explanation of how it affects people from, oh, I don’t know, maybe the actual government bodies that are going to be enforcing it as well as maybe some other expert opinions on the subject. I am in favor of as much information on any subject as possible – including [b]FIRSTHAND[/b] experiences from people there in Costa Rica – and it really puzzles me as to why you object to that.

Your position seems to be – secondhand information from one person with no way to verify the information = good. Links to reputable news and governments sources that explain in great detail the full story = bad.

We will just have to disagree on that point.[/quote]

[davidd]

Doug

I owned and operated a brick and mortar business here for 8 years and had 30 to 40 fulltime salaried caja paying employees..

my experience with costa rica and the way the treat small business here prompt me to sell and vow to NEVER ever hire a tico here as an employee EVER again..

I cannot be the only one to experience this..

costa rica does [b]NOT[/b] support small medium business here at all and they more or less do not favor large ones either its just they have more money to get what they want done.

I love living and raising a family here BUT will never do business here again.

I now operate with 15 fulltime employee’s BUT they are in the Philipines :D:D:D all monies generated are generated OFFSHORE by my Hong Kong Corporation and all I get is a small measly salary 8)8)8)8)8) so neither the big bad U.S. OR Costa Rica gets any of my money..

if any business person wants to see what a pro business government looks like go and visit hong Kong..

I use these guys as virtual office space.. http://hkcommons.com/

only challenge is you need to physically go at least 1 time to open your bank accounts in person.

Long Flight!!! 🙂

[quote=”Doug Ward”][quote=”Scott”]It is now fact…. Intel will close their chip manufacturing operations in Costa Rica and move them to Vietnam…

1. [url=http://www.nacion.com/economia/empresarial/Intel-cambios-operacion-Costa-Rica_0_1406659372.html]Intel transforma operaciones: manufactura va para Asia[/url]

2. [url=http://www.crhoy.com/intel-cerraria-manufactura-de-chips-dejaria-abierto-centro-de-servicios-v1l7x/]Intel cerraría manufactura de chips, dejaría abierto centro de servicios[/url]

Engineering, design and services operations will remain but more than half of all Intel employees in Costa Rica (1,500) are to be fired.

That’s the bad news…

The good news?

It could have been worse….
[/quote]
I wouldn’t consider it good news.Lets use a Tico term.” Poco a poco”.
They got rid of the worst ones first. The rest(less bad-still bad) will go as soon as they get settled in Nam. HP and others will follow the leader. Maybe they’ll rethink the law about firing useless idiots here and quit penalizing employers 😉
jajajajaja NUNCA !

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNJ8QgAGJ78#t=60[/youtube]
[/quote]

[davidd]

Scott

you were spot on with your assesments

[quote=”Scott”]This [url=http://www.crhoy.com/portada-revisar-bien-intel-anunciaria-su-salida-de-costa-rica-antes-del-final-de-semestre-w9j5j7x/]CRHoy news story[/url] has yet to be verified but Intel could be about to leave Costa Rica.

As you can see from this [url=http://business.financialpost.com/2014/01/17/intel-to-reduce-global-workforce-by-5-amid-pc-sales-decline/]January article[/url], Intel was not prepared for the growth of smartphones and tablets which DO not use processors.

I wrote two relevant articles on this topic:

[url=https://www.welovecostarica.com/public/3317.cfm]Intel Is A Pillar of the Costa Rican Economy But Cracks Are Forming[/url] (October 2011)

[url=https://www.welovecostarica.com/public/3292.cfm]Big Investors Considering Costa Rica – What problems are on the horizon?[/url] (Sept 2011)

Let us hope that this does not happen because – with 5,300’ish employees (2,800 direct and 2,500 sub-contracted) – this would be [i]catastrophic[/i] for the economy.

What do you think?[/quote]

[davidd]

I look at corporations as soulless entities as profit is their pure objective regardless of what anyone states.

its always about money pure and simple.

The reason they originally came to costa rica is simply tied to profit.. and the balance to maintain in deciding if costa rica is profitable I am sure was always at the annual strategy meetings.. 🙂

Sadly Costa Rica has a history of changing things midstream with regards to deals made.

I say .. good for Intel.. and maybe this shake up will make the people here that actually have any affect in these things take notice and make costa rica inviting investment instead of taking it for granted. with these constant inflated tourist numbers that I.C.T. produces just to cover their jobs..

I remember all the perks they used to offer for people to relocate here.. geeezz it was not that long ago

does anyone remember those.

you can import a car tax free every certain number of years..

I used to have a physical business here in the tourism market and we were able to import items like beds, electronics, appliances.. etc.. all duty free once you qualified.

the good ole days 🙂

now they want to extract more and more taxes.. like all good incompetent governments do.. all in the name of whatever..:)

they learn from the best..

[quote=”Scott”]It is now fact…. Intel will close their chip manufacturing operations in Costa Rica and move them to Vietnam…

1. [url=http://www.nacion.com/economia/empresarial/Intel-cambios-operacion-Costa-Rica_0_1406659372.html]Intel transforma operaciones: manufactura va para Asia[/url]

2. [url=http://www.crhoy.com/intel-cerraria-manufactura-de-chips-dejaria-abierto-centro-de-servicios-v1l7x/]Intel cerraría manufactura de chips, dejaría abierto centro de servicios[/url]

Engineering, design and services operations will remain but more than half of all Intel employees in Costa Rica (1,500) are to be fired.

That’s the bad news…

The good news?

It could have been worse….
[/quote]

[davidd]

You go sweikert.. 😀 if someone said look the sky is blue.. you would whip out your handy dandy tablet and pull out articles on why the sky is actually red..:lol::lol:

[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”Scott”]Can you believe the prices they are charging to see this 71 year old man perform here…[/quote]

I’m not sure what his age has to do with it. Either a performer is worth the money being charged or s/he isn’t.

Come to that I would pay more for a performance by Judi Dench (age 79), Maggie Smith (age 79), Meryl Streep (age 64) or Sigourney Weaver (age 64) than Kate Winslet (age 38 ), Amy Adams (age 36) or Jennifer Lawrence (age 23). But give those last three another 30 or 40 years experience and I may reassess that opinion.[/quote]

[davidd]

[quote=”lyncota”]Our attorney was relieved that we hadn’t paid it. So we are proceeding with option 2. Will keep you posted on progress (if any!).
[/quote]

you lose either way since you have to pay the attorney 🙂

keep us updated

[davidd]

YEP

I love paying for other peoples mistakes.. I really do 😀

they screw up and I have to pay.. and spend all my time to deal with a solution

amazing

I wonder how much money this will bring to costa rica.. as I would speculate a large %% of people will pay the tax and fill out the form.

this is another form of theft..

maybe sweikert can pay the tax for us..:D:D

[quote=”lyncota”]There is an article in today’s AM Costa Rica regarding corporation taxes for some companies ( like ours) changing from inactive to active:
http://www.amcostarica.com/
The fix looks fairly simple, but who knows how long it will take? Our attorney seemed to know about this issue when we talked to her in February.
Glad we only have one corporation to worry about.
[/quote]

[davidd]

imxploring

MATE !!!! PLEASE dont mention anything about CHILE.. for the love of god man.

This may be my next move.. and we dont want to give sweikert any ideas..

let him believe what he wants to believe..

living here will cure him of that soon enough

[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”Imxploring”]CR is really not for you.[/quote]
So because you are an expert – not only on everything having to do with Costa Rica but also what is in my best interests – I apparently have to reconsider my decision to relocate to CR.

Sorry. Isn’t gonna happen.

However if you prefer I no longer respond to any of your posts I can easily do that and maybe you should do the same for mine.[/quote]

[davidd]

imxploring

excellent post!!!

as your 100% correct..

the ticos here are very much tied into the day to day fluctuations of teh dollar and colones and I have found when it suits them they quote dollars.. when not they quote in colones

just last week my alarm guy quotes me in dollars for a small job

I found that odd because he has always quoted me in colones.. until I went and checked the exchanges and realize the recent gains

I dont bother in this micro.. I always just use 500 as the base.

your also 100% with EVERY fiat currency eventually return to ZERO

but thank goodness for Obamacare..

and it looks like the government will be coming to again to save us with their new retirement plan lol :D:D:D:D:D:D

[quote=”Imxploring”][quote=”sweikert925″]So let me see if I have this right.

You believe that all Ticos try to squeeze more money out of Gringos by practicing “Gringo pricing” but when you came time to pick up your furniture and got hit with the additional 10% you believed unconditionally the stated reason the furniture maker gave you. Because at the point that the agreement was reached the furniture maker apparently stopped all attempts at squeezing more money out of you. LOL

Did you actually check the exchange rates to see if they had gone up in that 3 month period between your price agreement and your taking delivery? If not, how do you know the exchange rate changed to the furniture maker’s disadvantage? It may have gone the other way.

Any Ticos that keep their money in $ would be wise to do so, in my opinion, since the exchange rate has historically favored the dollar. According to comments by you made previously though, they are in for a rude shock since you believe that the US economy is on the verge of a meltdown and that the dollar’s value will sooner or later plunge in value.[/quote]

Come now Steve…. once again PERSONAL experience in CR compared to internet research and theoretical beliefs on how things SHOULD work! I guess we could have one heck of a debate on the difference between a supply and demand pricing system as compared to the whole futures pricing scheme the world seems based on. 🙂

Once again my furniture maker SPECIFICALLY sited the exchange rate… the gringo pricing was no doubt already built into the price we had agreed on. BTW…. I still felt the price was fair and I don’t have a problem paying more for quality. As you witnessed yourself furniture in CR is a fantastic bargain even with some gringo pricing adjustment. The exchange rate had in fact changed during the three months as it had continually until the BCCR implemented their “banding” policy of exchange rates.

As for holding dollars… the world seems to be of the same mindset… but as has been the case with EVERY fiat currency in history… eventually they all return to their true value… ZERO.

We can continue the debate… but let’s be very clear…. it’s reality vs theory…. only one of us is not relying on an internet search to make our point. ;-)[/quote]

[davidd]

[quote=”sweikert925″]If most are not reported then how do you know that most are not reported?[/quote]

because people that actually live here on a day to day basis get a better pulse on what actually goes on here as opposed to getting their info on the internet.

although.. if you spoke Spanish.. you may even be better informed by reading the countries language newsfeeds.

[davidd]

sweikert925

[b]Thank god for Obamacare[/b] :roll::roll::roll::roll:

It figures you would be such a big proponent for this

Obamacare is probably one of the biggest JOB killers in the United states.

the only people this actually helps are poor people that never had any insurance.. I guess this was the intention

but not to the exploitation of hardworking middle class people.

even my parents who are already retired have had their deductibles double this year..

I have yet to find positive experiences with people that are [b]w-2[/b] making $60 to $100,00 per year. ( on the books)

well.. on a positive note

at least that wanker Piers Morgan show is finally cancelled..:)

hope?? maybe 🙂

[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”Imxploring]Sorry Steve couldn’t resist.[/quote]
Actually you COULD resist, you just didn’t want to.

But don’t expect me to stick up for health insurance companies, most of them are, as you say, greedy and not particularly concerned with their policyholders’ well-being. I suppose I should stick up for mine a little bit though by pointing out that it is a non-profit entity. Every dollar we collect in premiums either pays claims or is held in reserve for future claims.

Thank god for Obamacare though because now all insurance companies have to adhere to an 85% claim payment to premium collected ratio. No more excessive insurance co. profits (for the ones that ARE profit-making that is).[/quote]

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