So after a disastrous residency application process where three separate attorneys and immigration “helpers” botched my residency application and it subsequently got denied, I have come to the conclusion that residency now here in Costa Rica makes very little sense.
The current pension payment requirement is the deal killer for me, unless I am willing to lie about my income, which many expats do, it’s cost prohibitive.
While it would be great to get on the caja, private health insurance is not significantly greater in premiums than when you add the cost of the caja and the stupid pension payment. At 64 I got a platinum plan through INS for $3,600 with only a $500 deductible—it covers doctors, prescriptions and hospitalizations. It will cover some preexisting conditions, but there is a wait period, for instance I am a diabetic so it won’t cover that for 2 years. Of course the premiums do increase as you age, so that does need to be taken into account. But I know I could lower my premiums by increasing the deductible.
The only other advantage to residency is that you don’t have to leave the country every 6 months but that’s really not much of a burden and it gives me an opportunity to see other places—I am heading to Panama this weekend for instance.
So I don’t know how Costa Rica thinks they will attract foreigners when they are putting a huge cost burden on them with a stupid pension fund that many of us will never recover.
I am curious others think but, I am seriously considering other countries to move to that are more cost effective.
The current pension payment requirement is the deal killer for me, unless I am willing to lie about my income, which many expats do, it’s cost prohibitive.
While it would be great to get on the caja, private health insurance is not significantly greater in premiums than when you add the cost of the caja and the stupid pension payment. At 64 I got a platinum plan through INS for $3,600 with only a $500 deductible—it covers doctors, prescriptions and hospitalizations. It will cover some preexisting conditions, but there is a wait period, for instance I am a diabetic so it won’t cover that for 2 years. Of course the premiums do increase as you age, so that does need to be taken into account. But I know I could lower my premiums by increasing the deductible.
The only other advantage to residency is that you don’t have to leave the country every 6 months but that’s really not much of a burden and it gives me an opportunity to see other places—I am heading to Panama this weekend for instance.
So I don’t know how Costa Rica thinks they will attract foreigners when they are putting a huge cost burden on them with a stupid pension fund that many of us will never recover.
I am curious others think but, I am seriously considering other countries to move to that are more cost effective.
Loading Posts
No Replies... be the first to comment.
