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[quote=”costaricabill”]I was seven months over, had no problem leaving and returned on a one way ticket – so I was 3 for 3![/quote]
Ever wonder what the statute of limitations is for overstaying? Big Brother might be watching these forums. 😆
[quote=”costaricabill”]Will you beso lucky, I can not say?
[/quote]
It would have been just my luck to have run into one who wasn’t bleary eyed and actually paying attention to what they were supposed to be doing. 😯I had an experience with a Trafigo at Hospital Mexico that started out on a lame foot probably because he has had at least one run in with an “I’m better than you” Gringo.
I was parked in the wrong place and didn’t know it but admitted I was wrong when he pointed it out. By that time he had started writing the ticket but he listed the fins as 5,000 colons when it could easily have been four times that.Another time I got whacked in a borrowed car by a moto crossing a double yellow line. When the rider tried to blame me the area Trafigo gave the Tico the ticket. The Tico called me and threatened to sue me but I talked to the Trafigo and never heard from the Tico again.
The local Fuerza Publica stopped me driving on a flat tire, checked to see if I had been drinking and ran my ID. After explaining that I was driving to have a friend help change the tire because at the age of 70 I couldn’t do it they let me go.
When I first arrived I was pulled over a number of times by Fuerza Publica in their “stop and check” stints. First thing out of my mouth is always “Habla Ingles una poquito?” and there always seemed to be one of them that knew just enough. They all seem to know who I am now as I haven’t been stopped in a couple of years.
Although some of them seem to have had doubtful experiences with Gringos none has turned out to be a jerk. Just keep smiling and dont be an ass. 😀
[quote=”lovelylady”] I explained that it was true poverty. Her idea of poverty was to do a bankruptcy and live off credit cards for a year. Well we got to Matamoros and for one hour we drove around and I heard her gripe the whole time.
I am hoping that someday I will be able to afford to retire to Costa Rica.[/quote]
While many of the Tico families are living on the edge there isn’t the grinding poverty that you find in much of Mexico.
[quote=”vmc”]I’m reading about this up here in the US, but wondered if anyone has heard this and if there are any thoughts, or explanations –
http://www.costaricanewssite.com/strange-sound-heard-throughout-costa-rica
Pura Vida![/quote]
I live in Ciudad Colon and was awake after midnight last night as I am most nights. I heard nothing.
Whether it is the earth about to come apart or the the Coming, what is it that we are going to do about it?
For myself, I will go about doing what I do and take things as thay come.
I totally agree with Maravilla. He is absolutely correct.
He’ll be here, Maravilla, simply because he seems to have already accustomed himself to the cultural differences. That in itself cost me a lot of stress during our first year.
There is no better place to be than in a beautiful country with just about any climate you could ask for (except arctic) and wonderful people.
We don’t know who he is but I would count him as a friend.:D
[quote=”DavidCMurray”] The Ministry of Hacienda publishes no mailing address and I was goddamned if I was going to conduct a street-by-street search of San Jose looking for them.[/quote]
If you need the Ministry de Hacienda in the future :(, stand in the plaza in front of Teatro Nacional and look across the street. It is on the upper floors of the Banco Popular.
If at all possible if I have any dealings with them they will come to see me. 😆
It is looking more and more like we will be having future dealings with them so I suppose I will try to get my feet wet. 🙄
[quote=”agarciaI did my own calculation and came up with an amount that was below their limit even though my house would resale for much more (above the luxury tax limit).
They have said they know who needs to pay but hasn’t and even published a property owner listing to that effect,[/quote]Where would find these pieces of information?
It would be good to get an idea as to what they are “thinking” or supposing. 😕
[quote=”costaricabill”] One affects everyone owning stock in a corporation, and the other affects only those owning high end residential real estate (calculated according to the governments formula).[/quote]
Sorry about the confusion.I’d really like to know how our property is evaluated for the luxury tax.
Last year the local municipalidad valued our property at something over 70 million colons. I wonder if this is the figure that will be used or if they will come up with some fantasy number out of the air. 😕[quote=”costaricabill”]Has anyone heard anything new on this tax for this year?
Is it still due 15 January? Are the forms available on line?[/quote]
Last word from my attorney on Jan 4:This an e-mail to inform that the Congress has approved corporation taxes which will become effective April 1st, 2012.
Active corporations will pay 50% of a salary base and non active companies will pay 25% of a salary base per year. Salary base for 2012 is 360,600 colons. This salary base increases every year.
This law still missing a by law and there are inconsistencies that according to some opinions, could delay the law becoming effective in April, but that´s something yet to see.
[b]It is not clear as to when a corporation is active and non active, that being one of the inconsistencies. Active companies are the ones that have or do some kind of business, therefore have an income, non active companies, are those that just hold one or more assets, but that´s a point that needs to be clarified.[/b]
There´s a grace period of three months, from April 1st, to close and unregister companies to not pay this tax, on those cases that the owners consider it´s the best option.
[quote=”pranaspakeywest”]Anyone know who sells a great selection of bromeliads?
Thanks.[/quote]
I have a selection of one type of bromiliad which I am about to dig up and replant but there are many more than I need. I can probably spare 50 or more.In Ciudad Colon
[img][/img][img]http://www.google.com/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://www.jmgkids.us/media/bromeliad.jpg&sa=X&ei=Vt0FT7-sAciUgwfRxOHHCA&ved=0CAsQ8wc4Hg&usg=AFQjCNFFC5F0HOJJte3XrcdF1EiH7wAydg[/img]
[quote=”smekuly”]I have a question and would love to hear some honest opinions…
question:
do you think social security will be around in 15 years????
meaning that if someone who has been working all thier life and paying into social security.. do you think it will survive the next 15 years??
if you feel the answer is yes
please explain in detail
why and how????
thanks
steve[/quote]
It will still be around.
The issues that SS faces could have been resolved as long ago as the early 1950’s but congress has ignored the issues of longer life spans and the baby boomers for the past 60 years.
If they had taken action in the 1950’s the correction could have been made with the assitance of those of us who are already retired but as it is now the boomers will be financed on the backs of their children and grandchildren.
[quote=”smekuly”]
[b]where is all this money????[/b]I can see why professionals that I have relationships with all say the same thing…
and I would meet many in the business that I had before
paying taxes here is like throwing money into the wind.. since there is NO accountability.
don’t misunderstand me..
taxes are indeed necessary .. but not in this way.
like scott previously stated
saludos
steve
PS. Being here for so long is like watching a movie that you watched before… as you see things unfold similar to the U.S. so its NOT that I am smart by all means I am a laymen…. but its not brain surgery to witness these repeating issues.[/quote]
I have no disagreement with your take on these issues.
The largest problem is with transparency in government. We have no way of knowing where the money goes.
The other problem is that the government has had no way of checking on income for the wealthy and large numbers of self employed Ticos are gaming the system on the backs of the poor whose taxes are paid by their employers. I can see where there is a need to know the financial status of those who are self employed who do not pay their fair share.
Being self employed yourself, I see no problem with the requests for you unless you are one of those avoiding being taxed on your total income.
As a first priority, the government needs to be very open about where the money goes so that it can be determined how much is needed. Then pass the financial requests so that they can revamp the system of taxation by applying a fair progressive income tax.
The way it is now the sales tax is a very poor way to finance government placing an unfair burden on those with a poorer income.
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[quote=”GEEGEE”] I believe this is the same conversation we had a few days ago when Les, said we need to pay our fair share.
I have to agree with you 100% here. AS I said, we pay our
fair share on every item you purchase there is an huge tax
added on.
WHERE IS THE MONEY? WHAT DOES THE GOVERNMENT DO WITH ALL THE
TAXES THEY COLLECT? AIRPORT IS A HUGE TAX FOR EVERY TRAVELER.
U.S. has stepped in to C.Rica, banks, taxes, traffic cameras, traffic tickets,and now COSTA RICA IRS…(suppose our IRS is going to show them how to collect and manage the taxes is a very effective way)…..Like they do in the USA..
HAHA HA HA……LET ME SEE….. HUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. NOT a hard question
to answer is it…
How do the Ticos stop this right NOW in their country??
We cant even do it in our own country.
We know the problem, what is the solution?GG[/quote]
What I am advocating is a fair progressive income tax that takes the burden of financing government off the backs of the poor. If it is done properly, there could be a huge reduction in the sales tax. Our property taxes finance the cantons.
[quote=”maravilla”]when outsiders come to a country that has been hyped as paradise and a cheap place to live and buy up vast tracts of land to develop and sell at a very good profit, it changes the structure of the society, whether you like it or not. i have tried to make as small a footprint on this culture as i can; others didn’t care what happened after they built megamansions, and ran off with the money. i am here for the long haul. and i care what happens to society here and the disparaties that occur, and the crime that ensues. these are facts. not just my opinions. and anybody who comes here, or reads a newspaper, or watches local news will know about these things. i’m not letting any cat out of the bag, and just because i see the changes that have occurred and don’t particularly like all of them doesn’t mean i am bitter. THAT is your erroneous assumption.[/quote]
I have to agree with Maravilla.
There are those who came here to rape and pillage a poor country by buying the land dirt-cheap and taking advantage of cheap labor to make enough improvements to cheat Gringo buyers with outrageous prices and outlandish profits. Some of those developers had not intended to complete their projects and simply absconded with the cash in hand.
There are those who live in their gated communities and take advantage of cheap labor to live a life they could never afford in the States. There was never any intention of enjoying the culture, the people and the country.
We are here to enjoy the country, the people, the culture and the climate. If it were not so there would have been little reason to move here.We live apart from other Gringos and we certainly live differently than the locals in that we have no gates, do security doors and no bars on the windows but they are our friends and neighbors who look out for us and prevent others who work for us and sell us what we need from charging what many Gringos pay. They are part of our security system in knowing who the local thieves are and warning us against them. We are currently building a fence to prevent our dogs from harassing the neighbors walking down our street.
This lifestyle is available in the vastly greater part of Costa Rica away from the enclaves of foreigners crouched behind their fences and gates waiting for the next crew of professional criminals to find the right time to strike.
Jaco and other areas like it are becoming hellholes of drug users and “fun” seekers who are a part of the current drug problem in certain small areas of the country.
All together Costa Rica is still by far the best place to be economic crisis or not.
[quote=”alewis”] What I need to know is anybody’s estimate on the tax we will have to pay and movers who have pleased people. Anybody willing to help? Many thanks.[/quote]
Contact Charles Zeller at Ship to Costa Rica
Tel: 506-2431-1234
Toll free from USA and Canada: 1-866-245-6923
Email: shiptocostarica@racsa.co.cr
He moved us with pickup and all and helped resolve customs issues in 2007.
[quote=”barbaracjohnson”] I live desperately on $964 social security a month. CAHA $60 a month. I’ve been told the cost of CAJA should be less. Have I been scammed? I do not know. What would private insurance be? At 77+, I am lucky I’ve not experienced illnesses or accidents.[/quote]
I don’t think you have been scammed as much as it seems there is no logic to how much is charged for CAJA. My wife joined CAJA for $26.50 per month at age 59, I am charged $66.50 at age 68 a year later. Go figure…does it have to do with your age on applying?…who knows.
I would check with ARCR as Maravilla suggests to see what they can do for you. Cost of membership in ARCR is $100 per year. If M. is right you save $180 per year on CAJA.
Personally, I have no use for ARCR. Our situation is much different from the average expat in the help we get from the locals that saves us tremendously. 😀
