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Panama Bill

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Everything posted by Panama Bill

  1. Keith is right. Just wait. This is the response that I received from the US Embassy in Costa Rica where all matters associated with social security benefits are handled: "Thank you for contacting the Federal Benefits Unit at the U.S. Embassy. The Foreign Enforcement Program will start late these year due to COVID-19. We are not collecting this form yet and we have not send it either. Benefits won’t be suspended because of this form this year. For general information, the Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire is mailed to the beneficiaries or representative payee in May/June of each year. Beneficiaries with social security numbers ending 00-49 must submit their enforcement questionnaire in even numbered years. Beneficiaries with social security numbers ending in 50-99 must submit their enforcement questionnaire in odd numbered years. Beneficiaries with a representative payee and 90 years or older must complete the form annually." Thanks/Gracias FBU, San Jose Region RSRinbox/637"
  2. The shop was open in Dolega up to a few weeks ago and now is gone. The building is empty. That's why I was wondering what happened to it. Thank you.
  3. Does anybody know what happened to The Bookmark bookstore in Dolega? Did he relocate? If so, where is he now? Or did he close the shop? Thank you. Bill
  4. In order to renew your license you have to set up an appointment first. The problem is that if your license expires in August (like mine), there are no more appointments available in August. So, if you make an appointment for September, your license has already expired. So I brought up this problem to Sertracen (ATTT) and all they had to say was "sorry for the inconvenience". Big help! There's a way to renew the license at their website https://www.sertracen.com.pa/ where you can attach any documents that are necessary for the renewal and can even take the two tests, audio and visual. The thing is that everything is in Spanish and you have to figure out how everything works, even if you know Spanish, as there are no instructions anywhere. Trial and error. So good luck.
  5. You might want to check with Emigdio del Cid at 6674-8242 Reparation & Installation of: Washers Fridge Dryers Dishwashers Ice Makers Air Conditioning Jacuzzi Hot Water Heaters Electric Water Heater Gas Water Heater Pump Water System Electromechanical and Mechanical Problems Computerized Diagnosis Security Systems as a alarms, security cameras. Car Alarms
  6. If someone has to drive another person from Boquete to Tocumen to catch a flight how can one travel across several provinces to reach the airport. And how does the driver get back to Boquete? Does some government agency issue a "salvoconducto"? And which agency does it? Thank you.
  7. The best place to find the tax forms (all of them) and to make the payment fast, most of the time no lines or very short ones, is at the Caja de Ahorro, across the street from Super Baru in Boquete.
  8. This is a tank, not an SUV. In my opinion, the designers of the RAV-4 have destroyed the good looks of this vehicle. It wouldn't surprise me if potential buyers decide to switch to the Honda CR-V instead.
  9. Does anybody know of an ebanista in the Boquete-David area who works with mimbre (wicker)? I need 4 chairs that need replacement of the back and sides (all one single piece of mimbre). Thank you. Bill
  10. Does anybody know of an ebanista in the Boquete-David area who works with mimbre (wicker)? I need 4 chairs that need replacement of the back and sides (all one single piece of mimbre). Thank you. Bill
  11. Thank you Bonnie. Do they refill your own tank or do you have to buy a new one or exchange it? This tank is for a BBQ so it has different kind of fitting than just a regular butane tank.
  12. Does anybody know where a propane gas tank can be refilled around Boquete? Thank you.
  13. Bud, I don't think that the problem is with your cable box. We have experienced intermittent audio problems with Fox Channel as well. And, in a couple of instances, we lost the video signal when all the other channels were working OK. I think it's a Fox transmission problem or, for some reason, a Cable Onda problem that only affects channel 61.
  14. Ray, The only thing that you need to study for the naturalization process is contained in the "Temario de estudio para el examen de aspirantes a la nacionalidad panameña" which you can download from http://www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Temario-de-estudio-examen-de-aspirantes-a-la-nacionalidad-panameña.pdf Other information is contained here http://www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa/descargar-documento/7827 All these documents and the study guide are in Spanish. Also, the website address is http://www.tribunal-electoral.gob.pa/direccion-superior/secretaria-general/ if you need more information. Regards, Bill
  15. Bloomberg December 28, 2017 Seven years ago, the U.S. led an effort to address a problem facing governments everywhere. Each year, people manage to avoid paying an estimated $2.5 trillion in income tax -- a giant sum that could be used to combat poverty, update infrastructure or lower tax rates for law-abiding citizens. Now, however, the U.S. is becoming one of the world’s best places to hide money from tax collectors. It’s a distinction that the country would do well to shed. In 2009, amid growing budget deficits and a tax-fraud scandal at Swiss bank UBS AG, the Group of 20 developed and developing nations came to an agreement: They would no longer tolerate the network of havens, shell companies and secret accounts that had long abetted tax evasion. A year later, the U.S. passed the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, which required foreign financial institutions to report the identities and assets of potential U.S. taxpayers to the Internal Revenue Service. Under threat of losing access to the U.S. financial system, more than 100 countries -- including such traditional havens as Bermuda and the Cayman Islands -- are complying or have agreed to comply. The U.S. was expected to reciprocate, by sharing data on the accounts of foreign taxpayers with their respective governments. Yet Congress rejected the Obama administration’s repeated requests to make the necessary changes to the tax code. As a result, the Treasury cannot compel U.S. banks to reveal information such as account balances and names of beneficial owners. The U.S. has also failed to adopt the so-called Common Reporting Standard, a global agreement under which more than 100 countries will automatically provide each other with even more data than FATCA requires. While the rest of the world provides the transparency that the U.S. demanded, the U.S. is rapidly becoming the new Switzerland. Financial institutions catering to the global elite, such as Rothschild & Co. and Trident Trust Co., have moved accounts from offshore havens to Nevada, Wyoming and South Dakota. New York lawyers are actively marketing the country as a place to park assets. A Russian billionaire, for example, can put real-estate assets in a U.S. trust and rest assured that neither the U.S. tax authorities nor his home-country government will know anything about it. That’s a level of secrecy that not even Vanuatu can offer. From a certain perspective, all this might look pretty smart: Shut down foreign tax havens and then steal their business. That would be the kind of thinking that’s undermining America’s standing in so many areas, from trade to climate change. Instead of using its power to establish an equitable system of global governance, it’s demanding a standard from the rest of the world that it refuses to apply to itself. That isn’t leadership. It’s hypocrisy!
  16. JimAndNena, you are correct. Calle 4a Sur is a one-way street. The problem is that drivers don't seem to pay attention to the white arrows painted on the ground at each intersection. Yesterday morning, close to noon, as we left Super Baru and we reached Avenida Central, some dimwit gringo turned left from Avenida Central onto Calle 4a Sur cutting in front of us, in spite of my hand waving and signaling "No" that this was a one-way street. I think that the white arrows must've been painted in Spanish and he didn't understand. Until we all start respecting the signals and traffic rules, nothing is going to improve regarding vehicular accidents.
  17. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms plus den – Assigned covered carport. Monthly rent: $ 1,200 – Fully furnished, includes all utilities, cable and premium channels, high-speed internet and Wi-Fi. For sale: $ 235,000 Please see our website at www.PanamaVacationRentals.info for complete details and exterior and interior photos. Bill Cell phone: 6819-6660
  18. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms plus den – Assigned covered carport. Monthly rent: $ 1,200 – Fully furnished, includes all utilities, cable and premium channels, high-speed internet and Wi-Fi. For sale: $ 235,000 Please see our website at www.PanamaVacationRentals.info for complete details and exterior and interior photos. Bill Cell phone: 6819-6660
  19. Home on premium bluff lot on the Cochea River Canyon, with unobstructed views of seasonal waterfalls, the river 300 feet below, the majestic Volcán Barú, David city lights, Pacific Ocean and some of the islands on the Chiriqui Gulf, and grazing fields across the canyon. This gracious, one-level home has a great, open floor plan that allows easy flow from one area to another, large size rooms, high ceilings and no steps anywhere inside the house. Located in the gated community of Los Molinos the beautiful and contemporary design distinguishes this house from others in the region. Immaculate front and back gardens and large covered terrace make this home perfect for entertaining as well. Property taxes exemption until November 2029. Don't miss this great opportunity. Best floor plan on one of the best view lots in the community. For pictures, video, aerial views, and full description please see our bilingual website http://www.PanamaHomeForSale.info.
  20. A small explanation here about the "special". The "special" refers to a menu item which is being offered at a discount, so there's no jubilado discount because the item is already discounted. However, the jubilado has the option of paying the special price, or applying the jubilado discount to the regular price of the item and then selecting the one which offers him/her the best price.
  21. The law is the law. Those of us who came here legally did it according to the laws and requirements of Panama, why anybody else should do it differently or illegally is beyond me. And worse yet, why would somebody try to excuse them for their actions?
  22. Keith, on the previous page, on one of my replies, you will find that I downloaded two files, one in PDF format which is Law 6 in Spanish as published by ACODECO, and the other is a translation of the entire law into English. You only need to click on the hyperlink to be able to downloaded into your computer. Also, both can be obtained on the Internet. And, if you can read Spanish, you can compare both versions and you'll see that the English translation is accurate.
  23. I think that Hil had asked and answered his own question earlier, before he edited it, which was " Does it state no discount on tourist visa in the law? No." And that is correct, however, the law states very specifically that you MUST reside in Panama, which obviously excludes tourists since they don't live here. Except those those who remain here illegally or run to the border every few months to get their passports stamped. They are not entitled to the discount. All merchants, not just restaurants, should ask for ID as detailed below to ascertain that they are providing the discount to eligible individuals so they (merchants) won't get screwed. Article 1. Panamanians or foreigners who reside within the national territory who are, fifty five [55] years of age or more, if they are women; or sixty [60] years of age or more, if they are men; and all those retirees and pensioners of any gender, they will enjoy the following benefits ... From these transcribed standards two considerations emerge: 1. In order of nationality: The recipients of the benefits of the law are not only Panamanians, but also foreigners living in Panama. 2. In order of age: These Panamanians or foreigners residing in Panama must be in any of the following categories: a) Ladies from 55 years of age, and gentlemen from 60 years of age. (Seniors). b) Be retired, of any genre. c) Be pensioner, of any genre. Article 4 of Law 6 of 1987 states that the beneficiaries of this law will prove their entitlement to its benefits by showing: 1. Cedula of personal identity. 2. Jubilado or Pensionado card. 3. Resident visa. 1 1
  24. No "expert" here. This is simply a copy of the law as published by ACODECO in Spanish, as the law was written. The English version is just a translation of the original in Spanish. There is nothing "authoritative" or "opinions" represented here. I have attached the actual law document as published by ACODECO in its own language and the translated version so you may compare the two for accuracy, if you read Spanish. Ley 6.pdf Ley 6-English.docx
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