ACCOUNTING SERVICES IN COSTA RICA
Costa Rica Accounting & Tax Services for U.S. Expats, Property Owners & Investors
Local Costa Rican expertise. Coordinated with your U.S. tax advisor.
Living, investing, owning property or doing business in Costa Rica can create financial and tax responsibilities in more than one country.
Accounting Services Costa Rica helps U.S. expats, foreign property owners, investors and businesses understand and manage their Costa Rican accounting, tax and compliance obligations.
When you also have U.S. tax responsibilities, we can coordinate the Costa Rican information your U.S. tax professional needs so that the two sides of your financial life are not handled in isolation.
Based in Costa Rica · Serving international clients · English-language support
Costa Rica Based | English-Language Support | Property & Rental Accounting | Cross-Border Coordination
Two Countries. Two Tax Systems. One Coordinated Approach.
For U.S. taxpayers in Costa Rica, solving only the Costa Rican side of the equation may not be enough.The same property, company, bank account or rental activity may also affect your U.S. tax and information-reporting obligations.That is why we believe cross-border clients are better served when their professionals communicate.
Your Costa Rica Side
Accounting Services Costa Rica
We focus on:
Costa Rican tax compliance · Accounting · Bookkeeping · Rental property accounting · Corporate accounting · Payroll · Local financial compliance
Your U.S. Side
Your U.S. Tax Advisor
Your U.S. professional can address matters such as:
U.S. income tax · Foreign income reporting · Foreign accounts · Foreign entity reporting · Foreign tax credits · U.S. international tax planning
Rather than giving your U.S. accountant incomplete information at the end of the year, we can help organize the Costa Rican records and tax information that may be relevant to the U.S. filing.
Referred by ICTS or USExpat.com?
Welcome!
If James Cassidy from International Compliance & Tax Solutions (ICTS) or USExpat.com referred you to Accounting Services Costa Rica, please let us know when you contact us.
ICTS can assist with your U.S. international tax and reporting matters while Accounting Services Costa Rica handles the applicable Costa Rican accounting and tax work.
With your authorization, the two firms can coordinate relevant information when appropriate.
U.S. matters → ICTS
Costa Rican matters → Accounting Services Costa Rica
Each firm provides its professional services separately within its respective area of expertise.
How it Works
01
Tell Us About Your Situation
Schedule an introductory consultation and tell us what brings you to Costa Rica—property ownership, rental activity, relocation, a corporation or a business.
02
We Review the Costa Rican Side
We identify the accounting, tax and compliance areas that should be reviewed based on your circumstances.
03
We Define the Scope
You receive a clear explanation of the services we can provide and the information we need from you.
04
We Coordinate When Needed
If you have a U.S. CPA, tax advisor or another professional involved, relevant Costa Rican accounting and tax information can be coordinated with them with your permission.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) I own a vacation home in Costa Rica. Do I automatically need monthly accounting? Not necessarily. The appropriate services depend on how the property is owned and used. A personal-use property may have very different requirements from an income-producing rental property. We can review your situation and determine what level of support makes sense.
2) My Costa Rican corporation only owns my house. Do I still need to worry about it? A corporation should not automatically be ignored simply because it has little activity. Its obligations depend on its situation and activities. We can review the Costa Rican side and explain what should be maintained locally.
3) I rent my property through Airbnb. Doesn't Airbnb handle the taxes? The platform may handle certain aspects of a transaction, but property owners should not assume that using a platform eliminates all of their own Costa Rican accounting, tax, registration or documentation responsibilities. We can review how your rental activity operates and what applies to you.
4) My property manager handles everything. Do I still need an accountant? A property manager and an accountant perform different roles. Your property manager may collect rent and pay expenses, while your accountant helps organize those transactions for accounting, tax and compliance purposes. We can work with information from your property manager.
5) Can you prepare my U.S. tax return? Our role on this page is focused on Costa Rican accounting and tax matters. U.S. tax and international reporting should be handled by an appropriately qualified U.S. tax professional. When useful, we can coordinate the relevant Costa Rican information with your U.S. advisor.
6) I'm thinking about buying property in Costa Rica. Should I speak with you before I buy? It can be helpful to understand the accounting and tax implications before deciding how the property will be owned or operated, particularly if you are considering rental activity or a Costa Rican corporation.
Have Questions About Your Costa Rica Property, Corporation or Business?
LET'S TALK
You do not need to figure out the Costa Rican system on your own.
Tell us what you own, what activity you have in Costa Rica and what you are planning to do.
We can help determine what accounting and tax support makes sense for your situation.
Accounting Services Costa Rica
Costa Rican Tax · Accounting · Bookkeeping · Payroll · Property & Rental Accounting
San José, Costa Rica
+506-8584-3299
admin@accountingscr.com
Accounting Services Costa Rica provides accounting and tax-related services within its professional scope in Costa Rica. Information on this page is general in nature and should not be considered individualized tax, legal, immigration, investment or U.S. tax advice. Requirements depend on each client's facts and circumstances.
Own Property in Costa Rica?
Buying a home or investment property in Costa Rica can be relatively straightforward. Understanding what happens after the purchase is often less clear.
Your responsibilities may depend on factors such as:
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Whether the property is held personally or through a Costa Rican corporation
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Whether it is used exclusively as a personal residence or vacation home
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Whether it generates rental income
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Whether you operate it as a short-term rental
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Whether a property manager handles income and expenses on your behalf
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Whether you maintain Costa Rican bank accounts or other local financial activity
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We help you understand which Costa Rican accounting and tax matters apply to your situation and what records should be maintained.
Property Accounting
Renting Your Property or Operating an Airbnb?
Rental Accounting
A property used solely for personal purposes and a property generating rental income are not necessarily the same from a Costa Rican tax and accounting perspective.
Once rental activity begins, there may be additional questions involving taxation, registration, invoicing, bookkeeping and ongoing compliance.
We can help with:
Rental Income Accounting
Organizing and recording rental income, including income received through platforms, property managers or directly from tenants.
Expense Tracking
Maintaining organized records for property management, maintenance, utilities, professional services and other business-related expenses.
Tax Compliance
Reviewing the Costa Rican tax obligations applicable to the rental activity and preparing the corresponding filings within our scope of service.
Electronic Invoicing
Assistance understanding and complying with Costa Rican electronic invoicing requirements when applicable.
Airbnb & Short-Term Rental Accounting
Helping owners maintain clear financial records for short-term rental activity rather than relying solely on platform statements or property-manager reports.
Already working with a property manager?
That is not a problem.
We can work with the financial information provided by your property manager while helping you maintain the accounting and tax records that belong to you as the property owner.
Does a Costa Rican S.A. or S.R.L. Own Your Property?
Many foreign owners hold Costa Rican property through a local corporation.
A common misconception is that a corporation has no responsibilities because it “doesn't really do anything.”
The appropriate treatment depends on the facts.
A corporation holding a personal-use property may have different considerations from a corporation that receives rental income,
operates a business, employs people or conducts other economic activity.
Accounting Services Costa Rica can help review your situation and assist with the applicable local accounting and tax obligations.
We can assist with:
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Costa Rican corporate tax compliance
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Accounting and bookkeeping
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Financial reporting
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Rental activity conducted through a corporation
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Payroll when employees are involved
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Banking and financial documentation support
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Ongoing accounting and compliance requirements
Costa Rican Corporation Management
Moving to Costa Rica?
Starting or Operating a Business in Costa Rica?
Relocating involves much more than residency and finding a place to live.
Your financial situation may include income from the United States, Costa Rican activities, property ownership, investments, local bank accounts or a Costa Rican corporation.
We help clients understand the Costa Rican side of that picture.
Depending on your circumstances, this may include reviewing:
Costa Rican Tax Obligations
Understanding whether your local activities create Costa Rican tax responsibilities.
Business or Self-Employment Activity
Helping establish the accounting and compliance processes needed when conducting economic activity in Costa Rica.
Costa Rican Corporations
Reviewing the local accounting and tax implications of entities you own or use.
Banking & Documentation
Helping clients organize financial information and support required for Costa Rican banking and accounting matters.
Coordination With Your U.S. Tax Advisor
Providing relevant Costa Rican accounting records and tax information so your U.S. professional has appropriate local documentation.
Creating a company is only one part of operating a business in Costa Rica.
Once operations begin, owners may need to deal with accounting records, tax compliance, electronic invoicing, payroll, financial reporting and banking requirements.
Accounting Services Costa Rica helps foreign-owned and locally operated businesses establish practical accounting processes and stay on top of their ongoing responsibilities.
Business services include:
Tax Compliance
Preparation and support for applicable Costa Rican tax filings.
Bookkeeping
Organized accounting records that give you visibility into your business.
Payroll
Payroll processing and related accounting support when employees are involved.
Financial Reporting
Financial information designed to help owners understand how the business is performing.
Banking Support
Assistance navigating accounting documentation and financial-information requests related to Costa Rican banking.