One of the major concerns for retirees and others who move here is mail service. With the advent of E-mail this is less of a concern than before. Nevertheless “snail mail” is still important especially when it comes to receiving or sending packages or other large items.

You need not worry in Costa Rica. There are several private mail services that will cover all of your needs. They give you a physical address in Miami just as if you were residing there. You can mail letters and packages from Costa Rica as well as receive items you order over the Internet. The last service has grown by leaps and bounds. Both Costa Ricans and Americans have come to use on-line shopping to purchase items that are not available in Costa Rica.

Aerocasillas is the mail company that I have used for the last fifteen years and I am happy to report that their service is excellent. Aerocasillas together with is main competitor, Jet Box, handle about 70,000 packages ordered over the Internet per month. Basically you can order almost anything from the United States except for firearms, chemicals and certain drugs by using one of these companies. I have even seen large car parts like fenders and windshields waiting to be picked up at my local branch of Aerocasillas in Heredia.

My clients send me checks from the U.S. and they always arrive safely and on time. This service is another benefit for those who choose to live or retire in Costa Rica. Living abroad becomes easier very year with the improvement of telecommunications and mail services like the ones I mention above.

I always make it a point to talk about this subject with the participants on my monthly relocation/retirement tours.

Once again, many of the participants in my relocation/retirement tours ask about the Costa Rican Legal System. I am not a lawyer and don’t feel qualified to give legal advice. However, I do have knowledge about some basic procedures that I have learned over the years.

Here is one of the questions I am often asked. How do wills work in Costa Rica?

You need to have a will here or your property will go to the government. You will need to name an executor or albacea. You will also need to have someone translate the final version of your will to make sure everything is correct. Some dishonest lawyers have been know to pull a fast one and name one of their relatives as the beneficiary. Therefore you should never use an attorney as an executor. Don’t use your family members either because of possible disputes later on.

Your “will” from the States won’t be valid if you die here. The assets you acquire here have to be be included in your Costa Rica will. In Costa Rica there are two types of wills: an open and closed will. Both must be done with a lawyer’s help and and must be listed in a public records called Archivos Nacionales in San Jose. Briefly, a closed will is when a person writes his last will on a piece of paper and puts it in a sealed envelope. The lawyer then makes a cover sheet. An open will is done in the presence of a lawyer and lists all of he assets and who is going to get them. This is public information so anyone can know what the will contains.

The whole process is a little more complicated than this so I suggest you contact a knowledgeable bilingual lawyer.

Many of the participants in my relocation/retirement tours ask about the Costa Rican Legal System. I am not a lawyer and don’t feel qualified to give legal advice. However, I do have knowledge about some basic procedures that I have learned over the years.

Here is one of the questions I am often asked. Do powers of attorney exist in Costa Rica?

Yes, to the best of my knowledge there are four types of powers of attorney in Costa.

1.-Special power of attorney is a power of attorney for a single transaction or act. It doesn’t need to be recorded.

2.-General power of attorney has to be protocolized (to record in a notarial register) by a notary and has to be recorded in the Public Registry or Registro Público. This is used when a person gives power to another person to perform “certain” specific acts. This type of power of attorney has to be recorded in the registry before it can be used.

3.-General Power of Attorney or generalisimo is the broadest and most far reaching power of attorney that exists. It is given to an agent who acts for you or represents you. It has to be protocolized (to record in a notarial register) and recorded in writing in the public records like the previous power of attorney before it can be utilized.

4.-Special power of attorney can only be granted to lawyers by their clients to act on their behalf at a trial. It doesn’t have to be registered. However, it has to be authenticated and must be filed in the office or judicial office that is in charge of the proceedings in question.

I hope this makes sense.

LIVE IN COSTA RICA is a time-proven company offering well-organized introductory trips from the United States for people interested in moving to Costa Rica. For more information, contact them toll-free at: 800-365-2342 E-mail: liveincostarica@cox.net or christopher@costaricabooks.com or see Live in Costa Rica. All trips are led by Christopher Howard, the author of this best-selling guidebook and renowned expert on living and doing business in Costa Rica. See Chapter 2 and this chapter for a sample itinerary.

LIVE IN COSTA RICA’S Blog,  is written by the author of this guidebook and a good source of information about life here.

RELOCATION AND RETIREMENT CONSULTANTS have helped newcomers find success and happiness in Costa Rica for more than 25 years. They offer an extensive network of contacts and insider information for potential residents and investors. See Live in Costa Rica or contact them at: SJO 981, P.O. Box 025216, Miami, FL 33102-5126, TOLL-FREE Tel: 877-884-2502, E-mail: crbooks@racsa.co.cr.

ARCR SEMINARS ON LIVING IN COSTA RICA are given once a month by the Association of Residents of Costa Rica (ARCR). Do not miss the opportunity to get informed about living in Costa Rica. The topics covered are: Costa Rican Laws and Regulations, Health Care System in Costa Rica, Real Estate (buying, selling and renting), Insurance in Costa Rica, Banking in Costa Rica, Moving and Customs, and Living and Retiring in Costa Rica. Call 2221-2053 or 2233-8068 or fax 2255-0061 for more information.

EL RESIDENTE is published by the ARCR and not for sale to the general public. If you join the association, your membership will include a bi-monthly copy of their newsletter.

TICO TRAVEL also offers trips to Costa Rica. Their trips are designed to introduce retirees, investors and entrepreneurs to the exciting opportunities that await them abroad.They remain committed to individual and high-quality service, offering un-biased information about Costa Rica. They offer shorter tailor-made tours for individuals, couples and small groups. Their trips are also led by Christopher Howard. Call toll-free 800 493-8426, Fax (954) 493-8466, E-Mail: tico@gate.net or see www.ticotravel.com.

YOUNG EXPATS OF COSTARICA (www.YoungExpatsOfCostaRica.org) is a social club for expatriates under the age of 40 living in Costa Rica.This club will help younger expatriates living in or moving to Costa Rica to meet other expats in their age group for friendship, romance, travel and activity partners, and professional networking.
The club’s primary organizing tool is the Yahoo Groups e-mail list/forum found at the club’s website. Members can use this list to coordinate social activities such as parties, movies, clubbing, trips and other outings, and to discuss issues of particular interest to younger singles, couples, and families, including Costa Rican colleges, ways to make a living here, dating and starting families in Costa Rica, etc. This is in contrast to other expat organizations, events and Internet forums in Costa Rica, which currently consist mostly of retirees and middle aged people and thus are more focused on topics of interest to older people.

Costa Rica Blogs

Reading blogs is an excellent source of information about Costa Rica. However, be forewarned that a lot of the blogs being published are nothing more then personal diaries and contain too much subjective information. The people behind them are neophytes and have not lived in the country long enough to dole out expert advice. Just try and glean pertinent information from their experiences. We don’t have the space in this guidebook to list all of the blogs containing information about Costa Rica. The two below are excellent.

Live in Costa Rica Blog is renowned author, Christopher Howard’s personal blog. It contains dozens of articles related to living, retiring and investing in Costa Rica. The author shares his experiences and anecdotes about life here.

Costa Rica Retirement Vacation Properties Blog is a very informative blog about living in Costa Rica and the many aspects of purchasing and owning property. Robert Shannon is the author of most of the articles and is one of the most astute real estate experts in the country. He has spent almost twenty years as a successful developer, consultant, broker, salesman and is the principal behind www.costaricaretirementvacationproperties.com, which is one of the top companies in the region.

Aldolfo Garcia Adolfo is co-author the forthcoming “Christopher Howard’s The Costa Rican Legal System Made Easy”

On my monthly relocation/retirement tours I am always asked questions about how to find a good lawyer. What I have written below should help you select a good attorney.

If you plan to go into business, work, buy or sell property, form a Costa Rican corporation or seek long-term residency status in Costa Rica, you will definitely need the services of a trustworthy and professional attorney.

A few years ago I started using Adolfo Garcia as my main lawyer. Adolfo was born in Costa Rica but spent his youth in Miami. His English is flawless which makes his clients feel right at home. It is very frustrating to deal with lawyers who speak little or know English. This can lead to serious communication problems and most likely will affect the outcome of your legal affairs. If you are not fully bilingual, be sure to choose a lawyer who is. The secretary should be bilingual too (Spanish/English) so you can get messages to your lawyer.

It is also of paramount importance that your lawyer  be bilingual so he can help you understand the complexities of the Costa Rican legal system, which is based on Napoleonic law.  You are guilty until proven innocent, just the opposite of the system in the United States. A lawyer is one of the best investments you can make because he can assist you with bureaucratic procedures and handle other legal matters that arise.

Another thing that makes Adolfo a good lawyer is his accessibility.  I can virtually call him  at all hours.  Always make sure you have your lawyer’s office and home telephone number in case you need him in an emergency.  If you are told your lawyer is always “in meetings” or “out of the office,” this is a clear sign  your work is being neglected and you have chosen the wrong lawyer. This is not the case with Adolfo. He bends over backwards to help his clients. I have several friends who use him and they are satisfied, too.

For all of the reasons above and more I have selected Adolfo to co-author the  forthcoming “Christopher Howard’s The Costa Rican Legal System Made Easy”. This guidebook promises to be a blockbuster and outshine other similar books. Look for this publication in 2010.

You may contact Adolfo at 011-506-2201-0300 or 8381-3562

Although I recommend Adolfo highly, here are some general tips  for choosing a lawyer in Costa Rica.

1. Ask your fellow expatriates for recommendations. They have been there and done that.

2. Do not let advertising influence your decision. It is only a paid ad. Anyone can do that.

3. If you do have a problem, you can file a complaint against an attorney, but it is extremely difficult, if not impossible to get another attorney to represent you so be prepared to represent yourself which requires fluent Spanish.

4. Do not automatically trust someone that appears in forums as an “expert”.

5. Never, ever pay for the entire amount required up front. Pay no more than one-half initially and the other half upon completion.

6.  A good clue is if the attorney makes the appointment for 2 or 3 in the afternoon, it is possible that is when he begins the work day. Most government offices close from 3 to 4:30 for the day, leaving little time for attorney “work”.

8. Ask for at least Two recommendations for a particular attorney.

9. And if you are personally involved with an attorney, go elsewhere for your legal work.

10. Do not trust some lawyers (or anyone else) just because they speak English. Check out anyone you do business with.

11. Never take anything for granted. Refuse to believe that things are getting done, even if you are assured they are. Check with your lawyer on a regular basis and ask to see your file to make sure he has taken care of business. As you might imagine, paperwork moves slowly in Costa Rica, so you do not want a procrastinating lawyer to prolong the process.

12.  Check with the Costa Rican version of the Bar Association (El Colegio de Abogados) www.abogados.or.cr if you have any questions about legal fees. They establish minimum legal fees, however some fees are determined by the amount of the transaction.