Money

Today my appreciation of the sheer beauty of this country has only intensified as I awoke to sparkling sunny skies and a brisk wind dancing through the jungles around our apartment. A few clouds drift overhead, the sun is warm, birds are singing in the trees and I am grateful to be here.

The Superintendent of Telecommunications (SUTEL) is the entity responsible for regulating telecommunication services and last week they made a technical recommendation to the Executive Branch to concede cellular bands for mobile phones to the private companies Claro and Telefónica.The...

For the coming year, the state agency intends to place ¢850,000 million, nearly 10 times the figure given in 2010, which amounted to ¢88,300 million.

The percentage of tourists entering Costa Rica has increased 13%, and working tourists, 7%. However, the national earnings from foreign workers failed to cover the national deficit.Costa Rica’s income earned from tourism has slowed down and the income made...

National exports are predicted to show real growth in the first third of this year. So expects the Ministry of Foreign Trade (COMEX) and industrialists, alleging that in 2010 they almost made it out of the hole caused by the crisis of 2009.

The banks - who are they? Banco de Bogotá was founded in 1870 and is the second largest in the Colombian financial sector due to its assets and utilities. The BAC-Credomatic Group was originally founded in Nicaragua in 1952...

Featured Columnist – Retirement & Living Kat SunloveWhen my husband Layne and I first looked at a detailed outline of the documents required by Costa Rican Immigration in order to apply for residency, we were a bit overwhelmed. It sounded...

Retiring comfortably and in a nice locale in the U.S. these days just isn't as easy or inexpensive as it used to be in the past, particularly for attractive beach areas. Many people who would never think of leaving the country and moving elsewhere are now considering just about EVERY possibility and this is how locations like Costa Rica have become a hot topic among the soon-to-retire baby boomers and others thinking about retirement.Retiring comfortably and in a nice locale in the U.S. these days just isn't as easy or inexpensive as it used to be in the past, particularly for attractive beach areas. Many people who would never think of leaving the country and moving elsewhere are now considering just about EVERY possibility and this is how locations like Costa Rica have become a hot topic among the soon-to-retire baby boomers and others thinking about retirement.

When you decide to pursue legal residency in Costa Rica, finding the right lawyer to guide you through the complex laws and Tico bureaucracy will be your most important first step...

Living in Costa Rica is a pleasure, but the path to becoming a legal resident here is anything but. Not only are the laws written in Spanish, but the rigorous process itself is complicated, confusing, and fairly costly. Without a sense of humor, parts of it can be a royal pain. However, the benefits outweigh the difficulties and the lessons I learned in gaining legal status here may be of value to anyone considering a permanent move to this beautiful tropical land.