Posted by Lee on September 5, 2010
I have lived in Boquete Panama for four years.For four years I have had an ongoing battle to reduce my property taxes; yes I pay property taxes. I know many people selling Panama tell potential buyers there are exemptions, there are. The exemptions are on new construction, but not on land valued at more than $30,000.
My tax issue is a bit of confusion in the Catastro files. Catastro is the office that deals with tax records, in those records my house is located on another property. Someone else has been getting the exoneration for my house for four years, and I have been paying taxes. It took my lawyer, a good lawyer, about two years to untangle confusion as to why I was not getting the exoneration.
Once discovered he wrote a detailed letter to Catastro to explain their error in data entry and request that they repair the problem. A year later nothing had happened and I asked why. I was told it would cost some dollars to an employee in Catatro to have the change made, I refused to pay.
Enter Jorge from Restaurante Mana in David. I did an interview with Jorge for a Panama Newsletter I write. In that interview Jorge explained that listening to the needs of restaurant clients spawned a new business. Jorge who is a US educated, native Chiricano, understands the frustrations many new immigrants have dealing with government and other entities in Panama. In that interview Jorge told me he started helping restaurant customers untangle one mess after another and that that evolved into a business. For $10 an hour Jorge will help with cultural and language intervention.
The language was not my obstacle, Mayra speaks native Spanish. However figuring out who, what, where and when was a real problem. I assembled all the documents from my lawyer and gave them to Jorge. In a week he knew, who, where and what. We went to the Catastro office in David, they could not find the prior request from my lawyer, nor, remarkably, could he find his copy. We resubmitted the documents, they provided me a stamped, signed receipt and said it should be resolved in about a month.
The clock is still ticking, but I feel for the first time that a resolution is the stars. Three cheers to Jorge and a strong recommendation from me for his advice and cultural engineering interface to Panama. I recommend his services without hesitation, you can email him at jlca.mana@yahoo.com or better just stop by the restaurant for lunch when you in David.
Posted by Lee on September 2, 2010
The issuance of an airline ticket New York-Panama, Panama-Bocas del Toro or Chiriqui could be a reality within the next 12 months if Copa Airlines and Air Panama agree to share codes.
A source close to the negotiations said that for the last 15 days the representatives of both companies sat down to talk about the possibility of an alliance and have set a maximum of two weeks from the date, to finalize the partnership.
If they reached an agreement passengers traveling with Copa airlines from 45 destinations that the company operates would arrive at Tocumen International Airport and board a plane from Air Panama to travel to the city of David or Bocas del Toro with a single ticket.
Copa Airlines thus enter the business of domestic flights from the hand of Air Panama, while the latter would be ensure many passengers because of the alliance.
If Copa Airlines and Air Panama materialize this connection, flights would begin late 2010 or mid next year.
On the other hand, if the agreement fails, there is the possibility that Copa Airlines would individually target the local business and rent or buy small aircraft that carry the logo of the company to operate the route.
Copa’s interest by the domestic market is such that the company sent a letter to the Civil Aviation Authority of Panama on the points that need to be improved at the three airports that would be linked in this connection, Tocumen airport, Enrique Malek Airport in Chiriqui and Isla Colon Airport in Bocas del Toro.
They recommended that the Tocumen airport terminal a separate registry point is created for those who would make the transfer to Chiriqui or Bocas del Toro.
Also, Copa Airlines considers it important to have special parking for these passengers and baggage transfer point directly to the small aircraft to prevent passengers from passing again by the security checkpoints.
In relation to the airports in Bocas del Toro and Enrique Malek in the province of Chiriqui, the Civil Aviation Organization (OACI) has recommended building a perimeter fence to prevent access to people and animals to the runway and the installation of X-ray equipment to check the baggage.
Also been asked to increase the number of customs and immigration agents and implement a contingency plan for avian risk, as well as installing a fire station.
In the specific case of Bocas del Toro was asked to appoint a surgeon at the hospital in Isla Colon to meet passengers in the event of a medical emergency.
Article courtesy of La Prensa Newspaper and Panama Travel Group
Posted by Lee on
I decided to write about technology on Sept 1 2010 after watching another Steve Jobs, Apple product introduction. I watched the presentation on my Macintosh Laptop, streaming video from who knows where, to Jaramillo in Boquete Panama.
Technology has made the world smaller and I could not be in Panama without it. I use my laptop for research, for entertainment and most of all for communication. My laptop coupled with online tools from companies like Google allow me to investigate anything, translate most documents I cannot read and make virtually free telephone calls with Skype.
This blog exists because I can take photos with a digital camera or Iphone and upload them. I can write words like these and push them along with photos and videos to a server in California. You, then have the option of reading my thoughts anyplace in the world.
Locations like Boquete would be host to far fewer new immigrants without the Internet and affordable technology. In the past when people moved to other countries or even a few hundred miles away, they had little anticipation of seeing family left behind again. We, the immigrants of the 21st century, did not abandon our families even if we move half way around the world. We expect and have full, cost effective communications.
I watch satellite television with programming from around the globe, downlinked to SKY TV. My banking both internationally and in Panama is largely done online with a web browser. Internet is delivered to my house wirelessly and considering our weather is remarkably stable.
I have an Iphone, a device that might be a telephone but it is also loaded with programs that allow me to read the NY Times, read a book, see how the stock market is doing, read a book, play a game, take photos and listen to music. I do all of this for pennies a day on Mas Movil’s 3G cell phone network.
Panama allows me to do this because although Panama lacks a Walmart, a Best Buy, and AT&T (thank goodness), it has an excellent infrastructure for delivering technology to my remote house.
I have worked with many people, both native and new immigrants here, helping them implement Internet technologies in Panama. I love the challenges, for me it is an exercise in keeping up with the technology.
When I taught Data Communications I would tell my students that if they took six months off from the business they might never catch up again. Although an overstatement, it is true that the rate of change in technology is accelerating and each innovation adds potential enrichment to our lives and helps to shrink the world.
Yesterday I watched Steve Jobs greet his old partner Steve Wozniak, cofounder of the then garage based, Apple Computer. Yesterday I recalled the 1977 introduction of the Apple IIe and how that harbinger of change has progressed to alter my world and yours. Today I am using the same tools to share this message with you.
Posted by Lee on September 1, 2010
The last time I discussed technology I use in Panama, I wrote about the Amazon Kindle and mentioned it was available for international use. I took some heat from some people about potentially damaging the BookMark in Dolega. Sorry I am about to do it again. I want a new Kindle and if you buy one from a link on this page I get credit toward one for me!
Amazon has just introduced a third generation Kindle Reader and it smaller, lighter and less expensive than the older model. The new Kindle has two models the first without Cell Phone downloads but including WiFi for downloads for $139.00
Kindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, 6″ Display, Graphite – Latest Generation
The second, includes both WiFi and 3G for $189.00
Kindle 3G
If you are not familiar with Ebook readers this tool allows you to download and carry thousands of book, both free and paid. Amazon delivers the books free to the Kindle and maintains your purchases on their site as a backup.
Some fluffy reason you might like a Kindle
All-New, High-Contrast E-Ink Screen – 50% better contrast than any other e-reader
Read in Bright Sunlight – No glare
New and Improved Fonts – New crisper, darker fonts
New Sleek Design – 21% smaller body while keeping the same 6″ size reading area
17% Lighter – Only 8.5 ounces, weighs less than a paperback
Battery Life Up to One Month – A single charge lasts up to one month with wireless off
Double the Storage – Up to 3,500 Books
Built-In Wi-Fi – Shop and download books in less than 60 seconds
20% Faster Page Turns – Seamless reading
Enhanced PDF Reader – With dictionary lookup, notes, and highlights
New WebKit-Based Browser – Browse the web over Wi-Fi (experimental)
One more note on my favorite piece of technology, the Apple Iphone. If you have an Iphone from the US and need to use it in Panama it can now be legally jailbroken and unlocked for use in Panama and anyplace else in the world. It will cost you far less for data and voice jailbroken than with Movistar and a contract.
If you need more information on the iphone jailbreak email me.
Posted by Lee on August 30, 2010
Health is the general condition of a person in all aspects. It is also a level of functional and/or metabolic efficiency of an organism, often implicitly human. Wikipedia
Health should be about feeling good not just the absence of diseases as defined by a medical doctor and his battery of tests.
If you do physical exercise every day, know, and eat a healthy diet, get enough sleep and have time to unwind and relax, you are on the road to good health. Unfortunately if you are a normal person in a Western type society, you do not get enough exercise, do not have a concept of a healthy diet and are too stressed to care about any of the above. Most likely you are not healthy even if you think you are and don’t be fooled that being fit is being healthy. Youth can hide many of the errors of youth, but as we age the body begins to show the scars of stress, weight and poor nutrition.
An annual trip to the doctor, who sadly probably knows no more about health than his average patient, as their expertise deals with identifying and treating disease is not the road to health. Only you can do something about your own health, hopefully before the time and errors catch up with you and cause irreparable damage or death.
For almost forty years I lived in Tucson Arizona. When I arrived the Old Pueblo, as it is called, had what many considered a magical healing quality. Over the years many people moved into the serene valley to enjoy the climate and slower pace. One business encapsulated the spirit of healing, Canyon Ranch. Today Canyon Ranch has become world famous and spread to many other locations. Canyon Ranch has become a top end, expensive, quality health Spa. Tucson, although still a desert sanctuary for many has become a big city.
In a small remote town in Panama Boquete, there is a carefully nurtured seedling that has many of the common elements that made Canyon Ranch famous. The Haven is nestled in the incredibly beautiful Boquete valley, in Western Panama. Boquete has for many years been the vacation spot for well educated Panamanians because of both its serene beauty and temperate climate.
Sonia and Howard Jones discovered Boquete as new immigrants six years ago and like so many people who find this valley, they stayed. In time they decided Boquete is the perfect location for a natural health clinic and spa. After earning experience operating a spa in both the famous Panamonte Hotel and in elegant Valle Escondido they have ventured into creating the new Haven in Boquete. They wanted to do something modern, interesting and a place of tranquility and they believe they have found just the right place and that tranquil feeling they wanted. The construction was a painstaking process of over two years and they are still enhancing the place as we speak.
Sonia is a naturopath and a nutritional therapist, she understands food and natural medicines and how you can attain changes in your personal physiology and health state by changing what goes into your diet. Eliminating foods that don’t work well for your body are as important as adding better food choices. I first learned of her skills and knowledge while reading the local Bajareque Times. She had an article about something common enough, Grapefruit. I was interested since my grapefruit tree supplied what I thought was a healthy drink every day. What I, a trained biologist, did not know was although healthy; the juice interfered with a medicine I also take. The juice amplified the medication indirectly in the blood stream. If I had not read the article I would never have known. Until that time I would have considered myself fully competent on diet, after all I remember to take a multivitamin and fish oil daily. Since then I research everything before I eat it or combine it with medications or even herbal supplements.
Howard has been practicing acupuncture for almost 15 years, we comes from corporate background and tells us he understands stress, from personal experience, and how that affects your whole being. He works closely with Sonia to help clients with a whole variety of chronic complaints including chronic stress with a view to managing or even reversing their condition. They do this with natural means only. Also a large part of what they do is preventative medicine, during an in-depth consultation using, naturopathic and Chinese diagnostic methods, Sonia and Howard are able to put together a lifestyle plan and where necessary treatments that will help you get protection against many common complaints. In essence this approach is also very anti-aging.
Mark Perren-Jones, who also works with Sonia and Howard for many years and is an experienced therapist who works wonders with massage, acupuncture and other non-traditional medicine. His years of experience have provided relief from pain and good solid advice to many local clients. Many of his clients suffer from things like sciatica and shoulder problems things we seem to affect us all as we grow older.
The Haven also has a small team of women who provide the spa treatments, these treatment include all you would expect from an international standard of spa, massages, facials and all types of body treatments.
Together they have created the Haven. For many local people it is a relaxing place to go for exercise, they have a complete weight room, exercise pool, Jacuzzi, steam rooms, infrared saunas and racquetball court and enjoy a massage or two. They also have consultations on nutrition and general advice on how to maintain a healthier, happier life as well as being able to help with a wide variety of muscular problems. Now with the addition of five new deluxe guest rooms the Haven is a boutique destination health spa resort. In addition to resident guests, local residents and tourists in Boquete can use the facilities and see the staff. Memberships can be daily or annual, or anything in between. Guests can use the complete facility and then enjoy a massage and lunch from the new kitchen.
For those who would like a complete health experience, a new healthier lifestyle, can come and spend a week at the Haven. In your week you will receive, lodging in the facility, an in-depth health consultation and assessment, seven sessions with professionals in nutrition, exercise and healthier lifestyle.
Your significant other can join you or just enjoy the pleasures of Boquete at the spa, on tours, hiking, river rafting, rock climbing and savoring the unique location. The Haven offers a choice of programs and packages designed to help many situations from the longer stays to the shorter 4 day detox and the 3 day alternative stress management course that takes a new approach to stress relief. Much more info on these can be found on the website.
Even more exciting is that a week as a guest, including seven sessions/treatments with a healthcare professional and unlimited use of all the facilities has to offer, is approximately $1,600 for single occupancy and much less if two people share a room.
Posted by Lee on August 26, 2010
I am having a busy month, visiting children, writing a newsletter about Bocas del Toro and watching the increasing interaction both positive and negative on Boquete. Ning. I created Boquete Ning to allow for interaction of residents living in Boquete Panama, people considering a move to Boquete and tourists. It has achieved those goals and more.
There are a few current discussions, one started by a person using the pseudonym, A.V. Felton, Being the Devils Advocate, that in many ways is an effort to discourage new people from moving to Boquete. I have also written several times saying “ Don’t Move to Boquete”. My message is that is different here and it is not for everyone. It is not, nor is any other place on the planet perfect. Perfection, if you can ever discover it, is in a higher place than a physical location.
In my Bocas research I discovered this quote:
“Nobody seems to like Boquete much. The complaints center around the fact that Boquete is a very boring place. I first heard this complaint from George Grant, Richmond Hill, Georgia in an International Living Readers Article more than a year ago. I’ve begun to receive other eMail along the same lines. Comments such as, “..I wish I never would have bought in Boquete. It looks pretty, and it does have a nice climate, but there isn’t anything to do. My wife and I are not enjoying ourselves.” Escape Artist
The quote is attributed to Terry Hennessy, Bee Staff write. I looked at the archives of the Sacramento Bee and could find neither the article or writer. Still, this is a wonderful place to continue a discussion.
In the past few months I have visited several locations in Panama to write for a Panama Newsletter. I have visited Isla Colon, Volcan and David for research. In the past four years I have visited much more of Panama, Costa Rica, Argentina, Ecuador, Chile and Guatemala. This blog is full of those adventures.
Each place I visited is either boring or exciting, depending upon what you want and what you find of interest. If you like sand between your toes, surfing, fishing, snorkeling and swimming for entertainment, then Boquete might not be your perfect choice. If you want to live on a beach, try another place and you still might find yourself bored in a month.
If your primary entertainment is shopping, let me suggest a bigger city. If you need an international airport close, try again; it’s not here.
In Boquete people can find other adventures to entertain themselves. If you are a gardener, this is heaven. If you wish to run a farm, it’s a great place. If you like hiking, birding and just exploring this might a place for you. People have created restaurants, tourist businesses and built hotels; they are not bored.
What makes Boquete unique in Panama is that it is hours away from Panama City and San Jose, Costa Rica, the two flanking metropolitan areas. Yet although remote Boquete does have good infrastructure and proximity to David, a regional shopping center. Boquete is also unique in that it has two cultures.
Boquete and all of Chiriqui has a unique Chiricano culture, a fusion of Panama and Costa Rica. This culture is seen in seasonal events, fiestas, cuisine and music. Boquete also has a unique “gringo” culture. There are enough English speakers here, in a small area to have created community theater, a farmers market, weekly meeting with speakers, an evolving culture of English language activities.
Still, Boquete is neither Panama City, nor is it Bocas del Toro. We have little traffic, little crime and no beaches. It is easy to be bored here. If you do not involve yourself in the community and cannot self entertain, you can be bored with sand between your toes or in New York City as well. As for me, I cannot seem to find enough time to be bored.
Posted by Lee on August 23, 2010
In November 2009 rains in the mountains above Boquete caused significant flooding in the valley, destroying a bridge and flooding many houses. Since then the government invested millions virtually paving the river in stones.
Yesterday mother nature proved itself once again more powerful than the labors of man and machine. After a day of heavy rain the Caldera once again started cleaning it’s banks of the stones and overflowing in several areas.
Today the damage was assessed and people were cleaning our flooded houses.
The restaurant formerly known as the Palo Alto, until it was destroyed by the river in November 2009 was rebuilt and reopened as The Rock. Today the location of the restaurant formerly known as the Rock, is mud again. I could not drive the road to Palo Alto to take photos, the road was closed. I have been told a bridge out along the road and there has been significant damage to at least one hotel on the road.
I did drive into town from Jaramillo and despite slides and trees on the road I made it.
The town of Boquete shows some signs of flooding, mud on roads near bridges,
Lloyd Cripe has send out this information about the 13.98 inches of rain yesterday and more to come.
“At the Palmira Station we recorded 13.98 inches of rain between 2:00pm and 8:00pm. You can see a graph of the rainfall at Weather underground. Just chose the date of August 22, 2010 and take a look. Most of the rain fell between 2 and 6 pm. The streams and rivers were gorged and some flooding occurred. ”
This is a link to more photos provided by Mark Heyer. Link
More to come!
Posted by Lee on
Many countries in this world do not tax their citizens if they move to another country. The United States is an exception, US citizens are supposed to file and pay regardless of where they live. Still many people call Panama a tax haven, there are a few reasons why Panama can fit that title.
Property taxes: Panama does have property taxes, but it offers exemptions on new construction. The term of the exemption changes regularly but for some time it was twenty years on any new home construction. Now it is less and depends upon the value of the construction. Still even if it is only ten years it is more than than you will find in most places.
In addition, up to $30,000 of land is tax free. If you have a lot with a purchase price of less than $30,000 it is tax free.
Income taxes: Panama does have an income tax. The most relevant portion to many expats is that income earned outside of Panama is tax exempt. You can run an internet business from your home and not pay one penny of income tax legally if your revenue is from outside of Panama.
However if you are from the US, you still need to file and pay US income taxes.
There is one big loophole in favor of US taxpayers who live outside of the US and work outside of the US. It is the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion.
“The foreign earned income exclusion, the foreign housing exclusion, and the foreign housing deduction are based on foreign earned income. For this purpose, foreign earned income is income you receive for services you perform in a foreign country during a period your tax home is in a foreign country and during which you meet either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test.
Earned income is pay for personal services performed, such as wages, salaries,or professional fees. The list that follows classifies many types of income into three categories. The column headed Variable Income lists income that may fall into either the earned income category, the unearned income category, or partly into both.” IRS
For details read IRS Publication 54
If you qualify by working in Panama, meet the residency test or physical presence test you have a nice tax benefit, legally.
“You must be either:
A U.S. citizen who is a bona fide resident of a foreign country or countries for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire tax year,
A U.S. resident alien who is a citizen or national of a country with which the United States has an income tax treaty in effect and who is a bona fide resident of a foreign country or countries for an uninterrupted period that includes an entire tax year, or
A U.S. citizen or a U.S. resident alien who is physically present in a foreign country or countries for at least 330 full days during any period of 12 consecutive months.”
Many CPA who do not work in the area of international taxation are not familiar with this exemption and if you work in Panama it is worth spending the time to read the rules. This alone might make being her a tax haven for you.
Posted by Lee on August 17, 2010
I looked at the calendar and discovered I am rapidly approaching my 62nd birthday. This despite the fact I have been assured by family and friends I am looking younger each year I live in Boquete.
Friends reminded me that I can apply for Social Security at 62. I did the calculations and determined that considering the improbability factor of life span, I might recover more of my forced $200,000 investment in Social Security, if I start early than if I wait and start later. The issue was how to apply.
There is a simple way, online at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/applytoretire/ and I made it through until they asked me to enter a US residence and swear to it. I do not have a US residence. My mailing address although in Florida, is Mail Box Etc and I do not live there among the cartons and packages.
I then followed advice given on Boquete.ning.com and contacted the US Embassy who happily provided a list of what is necessary for their assistance. The list included such things as an Original Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate and other documents that I do not have and are costly and difficult to obtain without being in the US. Link to Embassy list.
FEDERAL BENEFITS UNIT
Social Security Administration
Benefits
An applicant residing in the Republic of Panama may apply through the Federal Benefits Unit of the Consular Section. The FBU will complete the applicable forms, make copies of the required supporting documents, certify the documents, and mail the entire package to the SSA. Copies of the forms and supporting documents are kept on file. It can take 6-8 months to receive a final decision on a new application. The most commonly required supporting documents are:
“Copia Integra” of birth certificate if you were born in the Republic of Panama. If you were born in another country you should bring your original birth certificate.
U.S. Passport or Alien Card.
Social Security Card or any Social Security Administration document reflecting your Social Security Number.
Original Marriage Certificate.
If applying for spouse or child benefits:
“Copia Integra” of the birth certificate for your spouse or child who is under 18 or disabled, if they were born in the Republic of Panama. If they were born in another country you should bring the original birth certificate.
Social Security Number for your spouse and dependent child, if available.
If you are applying for Disability Benefits for yourself, spouse or child, you should bring an updated detailed medical report, including a list of all medications you are taking.
Divorce certificate if applying as a surviving divorced spouse.
Death Certificate (if applicable).
If you were in the Armed Forces, Form DD214.
If you receive a pension from a U.S. Federal Agency, your annuity or pension number.
If you receive a pension from a non-U.S. Federal Agency, including the Panamanian Social Security System, the award letter or resolution indicating date the pension started and amount of the pension.
Last pay slip.
If possible, any supporting document that is in a foreign language should be translated into English by an official translator. The SSA sends all foreign language documents to their Central Translation Section which could cause a delay in the processing of your applicat |
In addition I would need to appear in person in Clayton at the embassy.
The final suggestion was to call Social Security and schedule a telephone interview. I did just that, and they followed the online form to the letter. The difference was that I was able to provide a US mailing address and my Boquete residence address and swear to it online.
The message is, if you follow in my footsteps the easiest way to resolve this rather simple issue is to use the telephone not the embassy.
Posted by Lee on August 14, 2010
Recent heavy rains have adversely effected water supplies in several communities in Chiriqui. Most significantly about one half of David has no water. Flooding has effected the intakes in Los Algarrobos and there is not a replacement part in Panama. They expect to have things repaired by Monday or Tuesday.
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