Avoiding compulsory pensions contributions

How about just ignoring for as long as you can until somebody from the State actually taps on your door which may never happen....My policy is to not volunteer anything to the guv.......just do what you want until youre forced to comply, and then just play dumb........Ohhhhh, I didnt know that. Nobody told me......besides Im not really making any money yet, blah, blah, blah.........I promise I will never do it again......scouts honor..........

I don't think you can avoid making the payments - unless you want to eventually pay a fine.  Colombia does not give exceptions to these rules just because someone doesn't want to do it.  I don't think it's good advice just to ignore it.

Nevertheless many small businesses do operate under the radar.  But there is now an increased emphasis on collecting monies due to the government, and there are increased penalties for evasion.

https://www.gerencie.com/sanciones-que- … -ugpp.htmlhttp://www.solucionesinteligenteskpo.co … afiscales/https://www.incp.org.co/ugpp-alerta-eva … sanciones/

Osage

That is the most naive misleading post you have ever made

Sometimes I wonder if you actually live here

Like the laws in Colombia are ever enforced? What a joke!!

I know many homeowners who havent paid their predial for 10 or 20 years and nothing happens.. and business owners who havent done a " declaración de renta" for decades.. nothing happens..

And they are all Colombians

Colombia has a plethora of laws, but is basically a lawless country

Quechimba wrote:

Osage

That is the most naive misleading post you have ever made

Sometimes I wonder if you actually live here

Like the laws in Colombia are ever enforced? What a joke!!

I know many homeowners who havent paid their predial for 10 or 20 years and nothing happens.. and business owners who havent done a " declaración de renta" for decades.. nothing happens..

And they are all Colombians

Colombia has a plethora of laws, but is basically a lawless country

I do not now live in Colombia.  I first visited there in 1996, have been there numerous times, speak near-perfect Spanish since living in Quito, Ecuador as a child and I have been married to a colombiana now for 18 years.

You are entitled to your opinion - but to counsel anyone, especially a foreigner, to ignore and break the laws of his host country, is irresponsible and just plain stupid - and to do so in this public forum, to advocate ignoring and breaking laws, is quite foolish.

The links I provided - all from reputable Colombian sources - point out the penalties.  It's up to you to obey the law - it's your foolish choice not to do so.  But from many of your posts, which are indeed quite foolish,  it is completely in character for you.  A palabras necias, oídos sordos.

Everything that Quechima said was true.......what problem do you have with the truth Osage? And why worry about chit that doesnt matter and most likely will never affect you? I prefer the pragmatic approach.......more in line with reality.......

All I will say is, based on your posts, you and Quechimba are certainly kindred spirits...

Hahahaha...........well its nice to see you have a sense of humor.....and generally I do appreciated the content of your posts and responses......I just think youre trying to be a bit too politically correct on this one.........

I wasnt advocating breaking the law.. I was just saying facts.the way it is in real.life...take them or leave them..its Up to the individual to do what they want..

I will quote Martín Luther King through.. who said " Everything that Hitler did was legal'

Hi lake6876

I live in Armenia. Gonna visit Manizales in a week. Never been there and is on my bucket list.
Consider you want everything squeaky clean on your next VISA application. I don't intend on leaving the country when immigrante Visa expires in 2021. And i don't intend on having any hassles which could happen if I don't walk the straight and narrow.
All the advise is correct. BUT! think carefully.
I was lucky to be retired and Colombia makes it pretty easy for us pensioners. You are on a different VISA because you are likely not retired yet. So you started a business in order to stay. That's good. Adapting is good.
Consider the 150,000 as a payment to stay. Probably worth it. Don't risk deportation because Colombia is beautiful in so many ways. I was a government official during my career. I took note of my clients who had at least made an effort to comply.
Quechimba is correct about lack of enforcement. But you aren't a Colombian and Colombians don't risk deportation if they screw up.

Good point.........Im just saying dont worry about it until your business is off the ground and running.......and youre makin a little bit of money......Until then theres more important things to think about besides that . Give yourself 6 months to a year to see how it goes.....If its workin then maybe its time to think about chippin to the pension system........

Only guys I ever heard getting  deported were guys   with underage women, dealing drugs or otherwise broke a real criminal law.

Most guys  I know who left  Colombia because the US government was after them or Colombians or other Gringos they crossed were after them..nothing to do with the  Colombian government.

Each foreigner brings thousands of needed dollars into the country. Why would the government want to deport them.on a minor technicality?

If anyone has heard of someone being deported or visa being  denied for a minor infraction ir civil court case, I would like to hear about it. Because I never have.

Heck, I have lived in 8 countries and Colombia is the only one  I know of that doesnt demand a police report in your home country before you are granted a visa.

As a Master of fact, I know of a lot of ex criminals who came to Colombia to get out of the limelight. Colombia Jake being a.prime example.

Having said that since this is directly related to the OPs  company which is directly related to the visa I would just pay the 150 k per month. ..but I am probably in a different financial situation thank you are.

Or talk to an accountant  or lawyer but that will cost you more$

Thanks for all the replies. Avoiding it isn't an option as the companies I invoice for my services ask me for proof of payment, I wanted to check on here as I'd heard getting an exemption was possible if you can show you're making pension contributions in your home country.

I always try and do things legally here as I have plans to settle down and don't want to ruin them- it's just from my life experience until now I think of pensions as being something voluntary. I'd be more willing to think of it as a cost of staying in this incredible country, but I already pay tax at 34% as well as all the other assorted ways they have of getting money out of you over here- I guess the pension payment is another example

Still hopeful someone can help me out, it'd be greatly appreciated