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[quote=”Scott”] “The current 15% tax rate on dividends will expire on December 31 this year, unless US lawmakers intervene. If no action is taken, dividend tax rates for all income levels will increase, with the maximum tax rate spiking to 43.4% – a 189% increase.”
Sorry but I know this is important or many of you …Scott
[/quote]
Why single out retirees in Costa Rica as if we will be the only ones to see an increase in our taxes? These increases will affect all U.S. citizens.Having researched U.S. economic history for a number of years I can tell you that, collectively, we pay the lowest taxes since 1932. The U.S. economy is failing because those we elect to congress are economic illiterates.
I, for one, am happy to finally see the possibility of taxes increasing enough to pay for what the majority of Americans want.
[quote=”Scott”] Lower water levels in Arenal [url=http://www.nacion.com/2012-07-20/ElPais/ICE–alerta-por-baja-en-lluvias-y-aumento-en-generacion-termica.aspx]means higher electricity prices[/url] in the future
There are unfortunately severe drought conditions in many parts of the world which will mean higher prices in the not so distant future.[/quote]
I know we have gotten substantially less rain this year in Ciudad Colon. We’ll be installing a pump at the creek to help water our property and animals…as long as the creek lasts.
[quote=”Scott”]Just check out these [url=http://www.activistpost.com/2012/07/the-price-of-corn-hits-record-high-as.html]food inflation rates in the U.S.[/url] from last year….
Beef: +10.2%
Pork: +8.5%
Fish: +7.1%
Eggs: +9.2%
Dairy: +6.8%
Oils and Fats: +9.3%I’m assuming prices for those items here in Costa Rica rose at least that much …
Scott
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The family lives primarily on chicken and the prices have gone up about 50% depending on where you can find bargains. Lately it has been a lot of trocitos de pollo and that has gone from 1400 to about 2200 a kilo.
I expect that these prices will be permanent even if good times return.[quote=”Scott”] According to the Spanish website [url=http://agronegocioscr.com/noticias/agronoticias/porcicultoresdejarianactividadesteanoencostarica]AgroNegociosCR.com[/url] the 6,500 pig breeders in Costa Rica slaughter about 50,000 pigs per month here… [/quote]
That figures to less than 8 pigs per month per breeder. Doesn’t seem like a business that would pay much.
[quote=”Versatile”]Hello Doug Ward, I saw your post in the Walmart thread about taking some pork to your butcher.
I sure would enjoy hearing about all the in’s and out’s of raising and butchering a Hog in CR.
And CostaRicaFinca? How about you as well and anyone else as well.
Thanks[/quote]
My family raised hogs for the table in the 1950’s through the 1970’s.
Best way to raise them is “free range” for good lean pork. We fed them a feed mix from the local feed store (AgroCentro) as well as table scraps (no animal waste) and let them run on about 1/2 acre where they can root for plants and roots to eat.
We are looking into talking to the local hog farmer about purchasing and raising a couple of piglets at a time. We also have a local friend who will do the slaughtering and then we will butcher in house.
I don’t think there there is a lot of savings but the meat is much better and you know what you are eating.
[b]”Foreign real estate is not a specified foreign financial asset required to be reported on Form 8938. For example, a personal residence or a rental property does not have to be reported.
However, if a taxpayer holds foreign real estate through a foreign entity, such as a corporation, partnership, trust or estate, then the interest in the entity is a specified foreign financial asset that is reported on Form 8938.”[/b]
This really sucks. The only asset I have is the property on which we live and as with, probably, all other expats in Costa Rica it is registered in the name of a corporation in order to protect our home.
[quote=”deniserthomas”]Then we were told we didn’t have to leave if we have our numbers and paper work and our names are in the CR system. Can anyone answer this question?
Thanks,
D Thomas[/quote]
I hassled with going out of country twice and then was told by one of the employees in the Migracion Controloria (ombudsman) officethat Migration doesn’t enforce the 90 day requirement but COSEVI (the traffic cops) do.
If you are stopped by the traffic cops after 90 days without a Costa Rican drivers license you have a problem. I obtained my CR drivers license and had no further problem although I was stopped regularly and it took 19 months to finally get my residency approved.[quote=”Janice”]What is the going hourly wage or monthly wage for gardeners and house-keepers[/quote]
The housekeeper (Empleada Domestica) monthly wage as of 01/2012 is 139,558.75 colones. I am assuming that covers a 5 1/2 day workweek which works out to about 875 colones per hour.
Scott provided the latest for the Jardinero (crear jardines).[quote=”costaricafinca”]Why I questioned this article mentioning the low cost, it really sends an incorrect message that one can purchase these items for ‘next to nothing’.
Hopefully the doctor can fill us in or at least answer our question.
We moved here from Canada over 11 years ago, and even then, we couldn’t purchase ‘a basketful of produce’ for this price.[/quote]
Unlicensed street vendors in San Jose are pretty cheap when it comes to vegetables. If the fruit comes free and little meat in the diet the cost isn’t all that great.I am also assuming that the article was written before 2009 when inflation really startted hitting us.
I had been thinking that such a quick decision was out of character for us but reading the comments of those who I consider to be cautious decision makers maybe it wasn’t such a radical decision.:lol:
[quote=”andynjen”]My wife and I want to come down to CR in mid October of this year (2012) to visit for about 10 days to get a quick “feel” of the country and look around at some different areas to see if we would be interested in moving down in a few years. I know we would need to do more trips to finalize exactly where we would like to buy but this is a first trip to see if we even like the place.
[/quote]
Be careful andynjen.
My wife and I came to Costa Rica on our first visit in September 2006 just “to see what it was like”. By the end of ten days we were so impressed with the wonderful people and beautiful country that we made arrangements to buy our home.We closed on our home when I retired in December 2007 and have been very happy with our move.
We don’t normally make snap decisions but Costa Rica is extraodinary.
[quote=”spamroaster”]Does anyone have experience with this group (based in Ireland?!?) and willing to share their experience (good, bad or otherwise)?
thanks,
Sam[/quote]
If you are looking for a safe place to put your money I would suggest the cooperative financial institutions. They pay 10% interest on colones invested in 6 month CDs or 12% interest on dollars invested in 6 month CDs.
Here in Ciudad Colon it is CoopAlianza.[quote=”Scott”]
Why does nobody speak of the environmental costs?Am I environmentally oversensitive or something?
From what I read, it would appear that nearly 200 million Liters ([b]52 million gallons[/b]) of fresh water are used for [i]every ship[/i] that transits through the Panama Canal from one ocean to another…. [/quote]
Since most of the Panama Canal is traversed through natural rivers that are headed to the oceans in any case the loss of fresh water is not a major issue.
[quote=”Scott”]
Does this not have an ENORMOUS effect on our environment?[/quote]
Either case would have an local exvironmental impact. A new canal in Nicaragua would have an enormously greaater impact than expanding Panama.
The mountains in Nicaragua are higher and would require more locks to raise the ships in both directions. Neither Iran nor Venezuela seem to have much concern for the environment.[quote=”debiruns”]We just got on the CAJA and, like many of you, are wondering whether we should purchase additional insurance here in Costa Rica and, if so, what. Does anyone have experience with INS Regional Medical Insurance? Does anyone have other suggestions? My husband will be eligible for Medicare in a month or two but I won’t be for several years. I’ve read many threads here and on other forums and can see that the opinions about sticking with the CAJA are as varied as the number of people who write. So I’m not asking about that. I’m presupposing that the decision has been made to get additional coverage and am looking for suggestions. Thanks!!![/quote]
We generally go to a private doctor in cases where Caja doesn’t fill our needs and it has only happened twice in four years.
1 ~ On a Saturday I had a ruptured appendix and the private doctor confirmed and sent me to San Juan de Dios. Cost: 20,000 colones.
2 ~ Treatment for a pernicious fungal infection requiring two visits and a VERY expensive antifungal medication.
Cost: 20,000 colones for two visits and 95,000 for antifungal medication.
The cost has been far less than any insurance and without the hassles of all the requirements. 😆
[quote=”dmh57″]I have a question on United States Taxes. When living in Costa Rica I know I will have to pay US taxes on my pension. If I live Costa Rica year round will I get most of the taxes I paid back or do I still have to support the illegals back here in the states.:)[/quote]
you will be helping to support “the illegals” in the States AND the illegal Nicas in Costa Rica. Welcome to reality. 😆
[quote=”Doug Ward”][quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”Doug Ward”][quote=”waggoner41″][quote=”Versatile”]Budget Cuts:
Next month the Immigration Department will start deporting Senior Citizens(instead of illegals) in order to lower Social Security and Medicare Costs. Older people are easier to catch and less likely to remember how to get back home.[/quote]
Didn’t have to catch us…we volunteered. :lol::lol:[/quote]
AMEN. I’m glad Santaklawz left town ! Now I can get back to work ![/quote]BACK TO WORK??? You’re one of the lucky ones.[/quote]
I was kidding. I’m a bit older than Scott and really haven’t “worked” since 1997.In 2004 I realized the movie was OVER.
I need to feed my tilapia. PooDa VeeDuh.[/quote]and another escapee beats the crowd. Happy eating.
