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[quote=”sprite”]Anecdotal evidence and stats will never paint a true picture of crime. It seems to me to that the likelihood of becoming a victim of crime is dependent very much upon personal behavior and subjective decisions of day to day life. Walk in a park at night in any big city and the odds for becoming a victim increase. Get on any bus at the wrong place and at the wrong time and you may get robbed. I suspect it is possible to have enough situational awareness
to be able to avoid crime in CR. Maybe the stat you need is the one that tells you who has not experienced crime and how their behavior differs from those who have.[/quote]So very well stated… and true of not only becoming a crime victim but also becoming a drug addict…. suffering health issues…. being involved in bad personal relationships… and so on. Bad choices and conduct often lead to bad outcomes.
[quote=”lyncota”]We are currently in CR, and have met with a local attorney regarding the change in status of our corporation (inactive to active). She said that all corporations were changed over to active, and rather than try to sort out which should be inactive, the customs agency is just waiting for the owners to contact them to make the correction. I think she used the word “chaos” at some point. Anyways, she said we could go to Limon ourselves to take care of it, or she would do it for a small fee. We opted for the small fee. She said it would take about 2 weeks and she would get back in touch with us. We could then pay the tax ourselves at the bank as usual, which we will do when we return this summer. Anyone else get feed back on the corporation tax issue? I know some other forum members were planning on checking out what was going on during February visits as well.[/quote]
Paid mine in January without issue… no magical automatic change to active from inactive. I’ve had the oldest one for more than 5 years so I don’t think that’s an issue either. I will include that when I had them set up I did go the extra step of having the books issued and paying the minor fees required to do so. I was told by one attorney that it wasn’t needed but got different (and apparently better) advice from the attorney I ultimately used. Perhaps that is the difference in forming the corporation that’s causing all the problems. All were formed to hold assets… not conduct business.
Latest information is that the “victim” was secretly married to the only “witness” to this murder…. hmmm…. the plot thickens!
Hope the OIJ calls out the “A” team to investigate this one… seems there’s some facts that warrant some further investigation….
Looks like there were some snakes in that grass!
[quote=”playayoga”]Unfortunately I cannot “follow their advice and join the act action” as well as renew my cedula, which is up for renewal right now.
Again, between a rock and another rock.
If I could hold off for X months while this action takes place that would be one thing, but I cannot do that and renew my cedula…..I’m really hoping that by putting this out there, with you all, that an “option C” comes about.
We’ll see.
Looks like I’ll be headed down to CAJA, batting my eyelashes with a big smile to see if I can stay my execution for a while as I see where this all goes………monkeys and waterfalls, monkeys and waterfalls, monkeys and water…….[/quote]It seems withdrawing from CAJA and going the PT route for now (if necessary) is the only option then. If ARCR and COMMON SENSE win out and they correct this situation you can reapply perhaps at a more reasonable rate. BUT BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING…. contact a GOOD immigration lawyer and explore any other options you might have. Perhaps you can claim a medical headship and return to the states and suspend your CAJA participation for a while until this situation is sorted out. There has to be another answer than simply being held HOSTAGE by the folks in CR with these new rates!
Perhaps you could stand by the arrival area at the airport with a big sign advising tourist how the government in CR is SCREWING expats? That might make local and international news and force their hand a bit…. they don’t like negative news that impacts tourism, travel, and foreign investment! Money talks… negative news hurts their image.
Or start writing letters to the editor of A.M. Costa Rica, the Tico Times, Inside Costa Rica, International Living, and any other publication that reports and highlights travel to, or relocation to CR…and tell them the REAL deal with how folks will be treated like nothing more than a cash cow to be milked by the good folks running CR! Get angry.. and get moving… you have $694 reasons to get motivated next month!!!
[quote=”playayoga”]Just got off of the phone with ARCR, who I pay my CAJA through for two years now.
I have my residency under “invesionista” and my payments have been just north of $120 per month.
They are now requiring me to pay $694 per month.
I have my property and home used as my “investment” rather then any type of business.
This new amount is not tied in anyway to my income, as there were zero questions to me about my income.
They(ARCR) asked me to sign a form giving them (ARCR) permission to remove me from CAJA payment, as they are planning to bring a “law suit” on our behalf, and I assume that this will be intended to be a sort of protest.
When asked how long they expected this action to take, they said they did not know as they are just now getting started.
My renewal meeting with immigration is next month, and so I am of course caught between a rock and well…another rock.
Freaken rocks!
I have an email into my attorney, and am awaiting any type of advice.
At this point it looks like either paying $694 per month ( not happening) or giving up my hard won residency, which of course I hate to even think of doing.
I’m hoping that there is anther option.
I plan to go down to our local CAJA office and see what they have to offer…I’ll bring a good book and a positive attitude, and see what happens.
Anyone out there a step ahead of me with some good advice?[/quote]WOW! They must figure your money tree back in the states is in full bloom! I’m so sorry to hear about the COMPLETELY unreasonable increase in your CAJA payments… I guess that’s why ARCR had folks contacting them personally rather than putting the information out in that letter! This increase will cause a panic if it’s upheld and widespread!
Follow their advice and join the action. The ARCR will make a clear and more effective argument to the unreasonable nature of this increase! At this point I don’t see paying the increase as an option. But dropping your residency will no doubt put you on their (CR immigration) radar if you go the PT route at this point. You might be red flagged. Do you have the ability to convert your residency (new application) to another status?
Please follow up with updates as this issue is important to many of us!
This situation might very well be an unanticipated result of Obamacare being implemented in the US…. in addition to the poor financial condition of the CAJA… what do you think Steve?
Best of luck in this matter!!!
[quote=”schlabra”]Staying in this area in July:?
Don’t worry about it…. this type of crime is often the result of some type of conduct I’m sure you’re not involved in. The questions being asked as to why this happened will result in information that will make it clear that this wasn’t some type of random murder but more likely the result of some bad choices or associations made by victim.
Seems another “older” Gringo enjoying the company of a much younger women in CR has had a bad outcome. This time the “victim” was murdered near La Fortuna. Seems they let his 30 year old lady friend go however… why would they leave a witness to murder? Hmmmmm.
I’m sure there’s more to the story just as there is with the poor fellow being extorted for $10,000/Month.
Word to the wise… be VERY careful with new relationships in CR… the scenery is nice and very attractive… and can be VERY inviting… but there’s snakes in the grass that can cause a lot of pain or death if you’re not careful.
Another old fool that is now providing a “pension” to his baby’s momma and her entire family… including the boyfriend she most like had the entire time she was in “love” with the rich Gringo.
I’m guessing she’ll be living in his house and taking over his business in short order. At least at 68 years old he doesn’t have to worry about the retirement crisis… the good people of CR will be providing lodging, meals, and healthcare… all free of charge… be it inside a jail cell!
You see the same thing over and over again here… yet people never learn. They say love is blind… but they never add deaf, dumb, and sometimes outright stupid!
[quote=”wash_me”]This would stop me from moving to CR, no way I would pay $442 for so so healthcare. I pay half that with Obmama care.
“Rentistas who must show a monthly income of $2,500 will be charged $252 for those over 55 and $442 for those under 55.”[/quote]
Can’t say I’d blame you. Still wondering what folks in the “investor” category are getting hit with. Seems it’s even MORE! Has me slowing down on an investment in CR…. wonder if they realize, or for that matter care, what effect this will have on the economy. At this point the government in CR is in the same boat as every other one out there…. desperate for any cash flow they can get TODAY…. no matter what negative impact it has on people or the future!
[quote=”costaricafinca”]Regarding the Investor premium, I remember reading that a forum member, ratus, mentioned that his lawyer was intending to appeal the findings.
“ratus wrote:
We have been in our new home for 3 weeks now, so we are pretty much experts on everything…….. NOT..<:We are applying for residency via the investor program
( Inversionista )
We have submitted our Canadian documents to our CR immigration lawyers and all was going well….until we found out that because our house purchase was barely over the 200k minimum, and we both held 50% of the shares…no one person, owned a property over 200k. So back to our lawyer, and re-assign 100% of the shares into my name, to show a purchase of over 200k. I will apply, and my wife can apply as my beneficiary. Now we are waiting for word on how that’s going…our documents are dated valid until Dec 6th, so we have time. They just need to be fully submitted by that time.
Our immigration lawyer told us, that CAJA now will determine that all investors are making a minimum of $2000 a month,and they will now take 10% for SS in CR. So $200 a month and we are covered for insurance…BUT, our lawyer said they are appealing that decision and CAJA can not arbitrarily decide how much a corporation makes…so still fightin on that part. But 10% of 2000 is a hell of alot better than 13% of 1 of our pensions.”
If he reads this maybe he will add a response.
[/quote]
I sure hope he gives us an update since it will give us an idea as to how CURRENT applicants for residency under the various categories are being treated with the new rules. The problem is that the latest information in A.M. Costa Rica seems to only detail the impact the changes are having on ARCR members who are participating in one of their previously available group plans. ARCR is usually very much on target with their information. If they are saying that folks with investor residency status under their plan are being assessed a $3300/ month “income” for the purposes of setting a CAJA assessment rate you have to believe new applicants are being treated the same way.
The current process seems VERY arbitrary with no clearly defined rules on CAJA rates and that makes me very uncomfortable on the direction this is going. With the increases the folks in the ARCR plans are being hit with one can only wonder what new applicants will be faced with.
Hoping more information becomes available soon. A major purchase just went into suspend mode until this is cleared up.
[quote=”costaricafinca”]Follow up article this morning on [url=http://amcostarica.com/]amcostarica[/url] suggesting there may be a petition.[/quote]
Worth signing… but as “rich gringos” that can’t vote the likelihood is that the folks running the show in CR will care very little about any complaints we might make!
Looking at the article and what they’re assessing “Investor” residency holders as far as declared monthly income ($3300!!!!) and the new CAJA rates…. they apparently don’t care about future investment in the country either. That just made a decision I was dealing with much easier.
One line in the article sums it up….. “The Caja changes transcend the agreement that the association has with it. The new rates will be applied to all who have residency status in Costa Rica because the cash-strapped Caja is seeking money wherever it can raise it.”
I guess it’s not paranoia Steve…. perhaps I just have a better understand of how governments work and reading the signs that give one insight to future trends. History is often the best indicator of the future!
Another prediction is that at some point they will move past simply assessing CAJA rates on minimal required income levels or the amount you “declare” on your residency application and will instead seek full income reporting to set the CAJA rates. That will no doubt go hand in hand with a tightening of the perpetual tourist (PT) scheme that many use to avoid the residency requirements and CAJA fees.
The article alludes to that becoming the case already when it comes to determining income…. “Typically when a new resident seeks to join the Caja health plan, a condition of residency, they have an interview with a worker there.
The worker determines the individual’s monthly income and establishes a monthly premium consistent with the amount.”
As to the PT issue I had an experience at immigration that foretells the direction that this is going. I travel to CR about three times a year for various lengths of stay and have done so for 9 years. As such my passport has numerous entry stamps for CR. No stay has ever been near 90 days… nor am I a PT jumping in and out for a day or two to renew my tourist visa.
On a recent visit the immigration official looked carefully at the pages of my passport seeing the great number of entry stamps to CR… and unlike EVERY other time where they simply stamp a page and write “90 dias” on the line under the stamp he asked how long I was staying… when I replied “two weeks” he wrote “15 dias” on the line. When I noticed I asked why? He then motioned for a supervisor at which point, sensing it was going to become an issue and place me on someone’s radar, I said it wasn’t a problem, took my passport, thanked him, and left to grab my luggage.
So make no mistake about it… they are looking.
[quote=”costaricafinca”]Article today on [url=http://amcostarica.com/]amcostarica[/url] explained by ARCR[/quote]
Good information…. however the article fails to address the issue (if I’m correct) that these new ARCR rates only impact those folks grandfathered in under the ARCR plans that were available under the old residency rules. Even so the increases for rentista and investor status are sure to have a rather large impact on money coming into CR. Or in the case of folks already invested and living in CR…. the cash flow headed out.
[quote=”playayoga”]Just received this wonderful email form ARCR,see below. I have written them to ask, since I am under “inversionista” and it sounds as if my rate will be even higher then the astronomical amounts they have listed for the others.
My question to all is if anyone knows if once I attain my permanent residency if that will indeed lower my rate substantially, I am eligible in one more year, and I am under 55.
Thanks, and take a look if you haven’t seen this yet.We wish to inform you that the CCSS, Costa Rican HealthCare System (Caja), has made changes that will affect all Caja offices and all the convenios (agreements) throughout the country effective JANUARY 1 2014. Unfortunately there is little we can do at this time, and individuals would need to decide whether to continue or not.
As usual, the CCSS has just notified us of the annual increase for our affiliates, however they are also enforcing a new rate on members under certain residency status as a specific amount, based on the residency law.
The most affected appear to be Investor Status, and we ask that those affected contact us at legal@arcr.net
For PENSIONADOS and RENTISTAS the rate has been set at the income specified in the residency laws, hence Rentista’s at $2500 and Pensionado’s $1000.
For these groups the new rates are: Pensionados over 55 years of age = $75/month
Pensionados under 55 years = $139/month
Rentista’s over 55 years = $252/month
Rentista’s under 55 years = $442/monthPERMANENT RESIDENTS on our policy face a slight increase to $63/month (over 55 years) or $114/month (under 55)
We thank you for your comprehension in this matter.
– ARCR[/quote]
I wish someone had an answer to your question but I fear even if you were able to contact a government source you wouldn’t get a solid answer.
I’m taking it that the numbers quoted are new (increased) rates for the PREVIOUSLY available group plans that ARCR offered which, I believe, are no longer available to new residency applicants. Seems these rates apply to those grandfathered in under the old rules and the group policy available at the time from ARCR which is no longer offered. The new rates for current applicants appear to be even higher…. and somewhat less “fixed” based on a particular status, age, and income declaration.
You didn’t mention the new rate you’re being hit with but looking at the under 55 rate that rentista’s are being assessed with one can only imagine! It’s pretty obvious that the rates are not based on risk factors and need for care.
If ARCR is asking you to contact their legal department reference the investor status rate it must a rather large increase! Sorry to hear that!
The question becomes…. If you obtained your residency at a time when enrollment in CAJA was not mandatory and you enrolled in the ARCR plan voluntarily can you simply drop your ARCR plan without risk to your residency status? Seems the line in their letter “Unfortunately there is little we can do at this time, and individuals would need to decide whether to continue or not.” leaves that question open.
Perhaps they wish to consult with you prior to you doing so out of concern that it may put your residency in jeapody. I’d be sure to get something in writing from a CR government source before dropping the plan!
Thanks for the information![quote=”sweikert925″]Ah, I see. So it’s like certain whistles that only dogs can hear. These then are commies that only [i]certain people[/i] can recognize. Got it.[/quote]
Perhaps it’s time for hearing test Steve. LOL 😉
[quote=”sweikert925″][quote=”Imxploring”]…people tend to bring way too much stuff when making a major move.[/quote]
Quite right. Especially if, as in my case, you tend to be something of a pack rat. I have stuff in closets that have been there 30 years and never touched since I put them there.Where do I come down on the less vs. more question? In between. You are right about considering how well certain things will do in the CR climate. I still have a few years to come to any firm plan, but here is how I have decided what to bring and what to shed.
Kitchen: Everything but the kitchen sink. No, just kidding. Actually everything but the table and chairs. David Murray’s point about replacing stuff like cutlery and dishes is well taken. I’ve made it a point on my visits to CR to wander around in shops and check out prices for household goods and they are in fact rather steep. And who wants to spend their first few months in CR traipsing around looking for dishes, pots and pans?
Bedroom: Just clothes – and that includes the warm weather gear. Why? Well first because I still plan to travel to places that get cold and also because contrary to what many think it [b]can [/b]get cold in Costa Rica. I spent a night shivering on my last trip when I stayed overnight at a hotel in Los Quetzales National Park. It was FREEZING!
Living room: Nothing except the TV and stereo equipment
Office: My 1000+ books, my 3000+ CDs and 600+ DVDs. All computer equipment, office supplies, phone and a few lamps.
Other stuff: A ladder, extension cords, and quite a few tools.
Aside from all that I have a large collection of original artwork as well as lots of other wall decorations that are souvenirs of my travels. Only 2 pieces of furniture make the cut: My office chair and a small oak parquet table that I’ve had since college and used to use as a desk so it has sentimental value.
Furniture is the one thing that you can get a HUGE deal on in CR. It is not only reasonabyl priced but the quality is superb – heirloom quality. I visited a furniture maker on my last trip and fell in love with a table made of one of a local tree species (I forget what the name is). It was the most beautiful table I think I’ve ever seen – the top was all one piece of wood and it seated 10!
Speaking of the books I do worry about mildew so I have been thinking of possibly storing them in those space bags where you vacuum out the air. (In which case I guess I’ll need to bring my Dyson vacuum cleaner). Anyone have any experience using that approach to combat mildew?
[BTW, your comment on this subject was thoughtful, concise and very helpful. You can be a very sensible guy when you’re not talking politics.][/quote]
Thanks for the compliment Steve… I hope my advice saves someone (including you) some trouble or time in relocating. There are items that can be replaced in CR but are too expensive and of an inferior quality, hence bringing them with you makes perfect sense. An exploratory trip or two like you have done should give you a good idea what to bring and not to bring. Your comments on furniture are well taken as I have had numerous custom pieces made of beautiful exotic woods that would have been impossible to get in the US. Being able to custom order furniture to size is a big advantage in furnishing a new home. I just had a beautiful desk made in Sarchi that I ordered to fit by a window in the master bedroom…. it’s fantastic!
As to my political views, although you might not be someone that agrees with them I think you will find after you relocate to CR that many people that have also done so do infact, for a lot of different reasons. While that may not change your views immediately, it will at least provide for some lively conversations at the local gringo hangouts on Friday nights! 😉
