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Helping people navigate Costa Rica residency, immigration law, and relocation with clear, step-by-step guidance.

We provide accurate information for expats seeking to live, work, retire, or invest in Costa Rica.

29/09/2026

When people think about estate planning in Costa Rica, they usually think about wills first.

But in some cases, a trust—or fideicomiso under Costa Rican law—can be an important part of the plan.

A trust can be useful when the goal is not just to decide who inherits, but also how assets should be managed, protected, and distributed over time. For expats, that may include Costa Rican real estate, family assets, blended-family planning, long-term control of property, or arrangements designed to protect beneficiaries and avoid unnecessary complications later.

That does not mean a trust is always the right answer.

For some families, a will and a simple ownership structure are enough. For others, a fideicomiso may offer more flexibility—especially when the estate plan involves multiple beneficiaries, ongoing administration, asset protection concerns, or a need to coordinate Costa Rican assets with a broader international plan.

Our guide to Trusts in Costa Rica explains how fideicomisos work, when they may be useful, and how they fit into estate planning for expats.

If you own property or other assets in Costa Rica and want to understand whether a trust, will, corporation, or other structure makes the most sense for your estate plan, reach us. We can help you review the options and build a structure that fits your goals.

28/09/2026

Dominical or Uvita — which one is better for actually living in Costa Rica?

They are only a short drive apart, but the lifestyle can feel very different.
Dominical is smaller, more walkable, more surf-oriented, and has a stronger beach-town feel.

Uvita is larger, more practical for everyday living, and offers better access to supermarkets, healthcare, schools, and other services.

Then there is the wider Costa Ballena area, including communities like Ojochal, where many residents choose quieter hillside living while using Uvita for daily necessities.

In our latest guide, we look at what living in Dominical and Uvita is really like, including:
• Housing and residential areas
• Cost of living
• Climate and rainfall
• Healthcare and local services
• Shopping and everyday conveniences
• Transportation and whether you need a car
• Expat and retirement life
• The advantages and drawbacks of each area

For people who prioritize beaches, rainforest, wildlife, waterfalls, and a lower-density coastal lifestyle, this part of Costa Rica can be extraordinary.

But it also comes with tradeoffs: more rain, greater distance from major hospitals and international airports, and less metropolitan convenience.
Which would fit you better: Dominical’s surf-town lifestyle or Uvita’s greater everyday convenience?

27/09/2026

Want the convenience of the San José metropolitan area without living in the middle of downtown?

Curridabat is one of the strongest options on the east side of the capital.

It combines established residential neighborhoods, newer condominium developments, shopping centers, restaurants, private healthcare, schools, and easy access to San José — while still offering pockets that feel quieter and more residential.

For expats, retirees, and families who prioritize infrastructure and everyday convenience, Curridabat can make a lot of sense.

In our latest guide, we take a practical look at what living in Curridabat is really like, including:
• Housing and residential areas
• Climate and elevation
• Healthcare and nearby medical services
• Shopping, restaurants, and daily necessities
• Transportation and access to San José
• Cost of living
• Expat and family life
• The advantages and drawbacks of choosing Curridabat
Curridabat is not the place to choose if your dream of Costa Rica revolves around living beside the beach or escaping urban life completely.

But if you want modern services, good connectivity, and a comfortable residential base in the Central Valley, it deserves serious consideration.

Would you rather live on the east side of San José in Curridabat or on the west side in Escazú or Santa Ana?

26/09/2026

A will is one of the simplest estate-planning tools available in Costa Rica—but it is often misunderstood.

A Costa Rican will can make your intentions clear, identify who should inherit your property, and reduce uncertainty for your family. But a will does not automatically transfer ownership when you die, and it does not eliminate the succession process required to move assets from the deceased owner to the beneficiaries.

For expats, the planning can become more complex when there is property in Costa Rica and additional assets, wills, or heirs in another country.

Questions worth addressing include:

Who should inherit your Costa Rican property?
Should you have a separate Costa Rican will?
Can a foreign will be used here?
Does Costa Rica have forced heirship?
What happens if you die without a will?
And how does a will interact with corporations, Sociedad Civil, trusts, or other ownership structures?

Our guide to Wills in Costa Rica explains how the system works and what foreign property owners should consider when building an estate plan.

A good will does more than name heirs. It helps make sure your Costa Rican assets fit into a clear and coordinated estate plan.

If you own property or other assets in Costa Rica and want to understand your options, reach us. We can help you review your ownership structure, succession plan, and existing estate documents.

25/09/2026

Costa Rica is considering a major change to how certain foreign-source income could be taxed.

A new bill before the Legislative Assembly proposes a 15% tax on specific categories of foreign passive income, including dividends, interest, foreign rental income, royalties, and capital gains received by Costa Rican tax residents.

This is important—but it is also important to separate the proposal from the headlines.

The bill does not create a blanket 15% tax on all foreign income, and it does not automatically mean foreign pensions or Social Security would be taxed. It is also not yet law.

In our latest article, we explain:
- What Bill 25.796 actually proposes
- Who could be affected
- Why tax residency matters
- How this could affect foreign investments and rental property
- What it may mean for Pensionado, Rentista, and Investor residents
- Why immigration residency and tax residency are not the same thing
- What foreign residents should be watching as the bill moves through the Legislative Assembly

If you live in Costa Rica and maintain investments, rental property, or other income-producing assets abroad, this is a proposal worth understanding.

24/09/2026

Buying property in Costa Rica is one decision.

Deciding how to own it is another.

For estate planning, that second question can be just as important as the purchase itself.

If you buy property in your personal name, the property can become part of your Costa Rican succession estate when you die. If a corporation owns the property, that does not automatically eliminate probate because your shares or quotas can still become estate assets. Other structures—such as a Sociedad Civil, usufruct arrangement, fideicomiso, or lifetime transfer—can also make sense depending on your family, assets, and long-term goals.

The right structure depends on what you want to happen later.

Who should control the property?

Who should benefit from it during your lifetime?

Who should receive it after your death?

And how should your Costa Rican property fit with any estate plan you already have in the United States, Canada, Europe, or elsewhere?

Our guide to Estate Planning for Costa Rica Property explains the main ownership structures and how each one can affect inheritance and succession.

Good estate planning starts before there is a problem—and ideally before the deed is signed. If you own or are planning to buy property in Costa Rica, reach us. We can help you review the ownership structure and build an estate plan around what you actually want to happen.

22/09/2026

Estate planning in Costa Rica is not just about writing a will.

For expats, the bigger question is how all the pieces fit together: Costa Rican real estate, corporations, bank accounts, foreign assets, spouses, children, beneficiaries, and what happens when an owner dies.

A property held personally may enter a Costa Rican succession proceeding. A house held through a corporation does not automatically avoid probate because the shares or quotas can themselves become estate assets. A will can direct who should inherit, but it does not eliminate the legal process required to transfer ownership.

The right structure depends on the assets, the family, and what the owner wants to happen later.

Our guide to Estate Planning in Costa Rica explains the main options available to expats and how wills, probate, corporations, Sociedad Civil, usufructs, trusts, and lifetime planning can work together.

Good estate planning starts before there is a problem. If you own property or other assets in Costa Rica and want to understand how they would pass to your family, reach us. We can help you review the structure and build a plan that fits your situation.

17/09/2026

What is it really like to live in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica? 🌴🌊

Puerto Viejo is one of the most distinctive places to live in Costa Rica.

Set on the Caribbean coast of Limón, it combines tropical beaches, surfing, dense rainforest, wildlife, Afro-Caribbean culture, international influences, and a relaxed beach-town rhythm that feels very different from the Central Valley or the Pacific coast.

Life here can mean riding a bicycle into town, eating steps from the beach, hearing howler monkeys in the morning, spotting sloths in the trees, and having some of Costa Rica’s most beautiful coastline nearby.

But living in Puerto Viejo is not the same as vacationing there.

The area is farther from San José and the country’s main international airport, the climate is humid, infrastructure can be less predictable than in the Central Valley, and access to some specialized services may require a longer trip. For the right person, however, those tradeoffs are part of what makes Puerto Viejo appealing.

Swipe through to explore the beaches, town life, culture, wildlife, transportation and Caribbean lifestyle that define the area.

👉 Read our full guide to living in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica at Costa Rica Immigration.

10/09/2026

Atenas is frequently described by its climate. But climate alone does not tell you what it is like to actually live there. 🇨🇷

Atenas sits among the hills of Costa Rica’s Central Valley, surrounded by coffee farms, agricultural land, mountain scenery and small communities, while its town center provides many of the services residents need for everyday life.

For expats and retirees, one of its biggest attractions is the balance.

You can live in a quieter, greener environment without moving to a remote part of the country. Atenas offers supermarkets, restaurants, farmers markets, healthcare, banks and local businesses, while the airport, San José metropolitan area and Pacific coast remain within practical reach.

The surrounding area also has a very different character from Costa Rica’s beach communities. Life here is connected to agriculture, coffee, traditional towns and the landscape of the Central Valley.

These images show some of the many sides of Atenas: its countryside, town parks, mountain views, traditional ox carts, coffee production, local markets, residential communities and everyday Costa Rican life.

If you are considering moving to Costa Rica and want a place that combines small-town living, warm weather, mountain scenery and reasonable access to the rest of the country, Atenas is worth exploring.

👉 Read our complete guide to living in Atenas, Costa Rica on Costa Rica Immigration.

08/09/2026

Dominical or Uvita — which one is better for actually living in Costa Rica? 🇨🇷

They are only a short drive apart, but the lifestyle can feel very different.

Dominical is smaller, more walkable, more surf-oriented, and has a stronger beach-town feel.

Uvita is larger, more practical for everyday living, and offers better access to supermarkets, healthcare, schools, and other services.

Then there is the wider Costa Ballena area, including communities like Ojochal, where many residents choose quieter hillside living while using Uvita for daily necessities.

In our latest guide, we look at what living in Dominical and Uvita is really like, including:

• Housing and residential areas
• Cost of living
• Climate and rainfall
• Healthcare and local services
• Shopping and everyday conveniences
• Transportation and whether you need a car
• Expat and retirement life
• The advantages and drawbacks of each area

For people who prioritize beaches, rainforest, wildlife, waterfalls, and a lower-density coastal lifestyle, this part of Costa Rica can be extraordinary.

But it also comes with tradeoffs: more rain, greater distance from major hospitals and international airports, and less metropolitan convenience.

Which would fit you better: Dominical’s surf-town lifestyle or Uvita’s greater everyday convenience?

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