# INAPAM cards - how used?



## Tucson (Oct 30, 2010)

In addition to some pharmacies offering discounts, reduced bus fares for non-commuter trips (like the ADO bus to the airport and back), and ferry rides to Cozumel, does anyone have info as to whether any grocery stores offer discounts? How else has the card been useful to readers on the ExPat forum? 

I checked the official government website and found it wasn't really current.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Tucson said:


> In addition to some pharmacies offering discounts, reduced bus fares for non-commuter trips (like the ADO bus to the airport and back), and ferry rides to Cozumel, does anyone have info as to whether any grocery stores offer discounts? How else has the card been useful to readers on the ExPat forum?
> 
> I checked the official government website and found it wasn't really current.


I've never seen discounts offered at food stores, but some movie theaters offer discounts along with many museums, at least in Mexico City this is the case.


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## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

http://www.inapam.gob.mx/es/INAPAM/Beneficios_Tarjeta_INAPAM


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

GARYJ65 said:


> INAPAM | Beneficios Tarjeta INAPAM


Thanks for posting this link, Gary. All of us older folks on the forum really appreciate it!


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## GARYJ65 (Feb 9, 2013)

Older? 
Classic
Seasoned


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

GARYJ65 said:


> Older?
> Classic
> Seasoned


I like seasoned, which also means tasty!


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## cuerna1 (Mar 7, 2015)

We use the INAPAM card perhaps twice weekly for free admission to the local 'ecology park'. Not a huge savings. We use it for bus trips into DF - 50% discount, Also as mentioned lots of museums in DF provide free admission. Free access to the Metro. 50% discount on Turibus.

And - whenever we have craftsman come and quote on projects I always as for the 'INAPAM discount' 

For pharmacy - we have specific discount card from the chain. (and IMSS).


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Many tours around Guadalajara are half price and Visas and Driver Licences don't work. Most Museums are free. 

A DIF card is State and INAPAM is Federal so check for different benefits in your area


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

cuerna1 said:


> . . .Free access to the Metro. . .


How could I have forgotten free rides on the DF Metro system? Probably because I don't take it very much.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

sparks said:


> Many tours around Guadalajara are half price and Visas and Driver Licences don't work. Most Museums are free.
> 
> A DIF card is State and INAPAM is Federal so check for different benefits in your area


Local buses in Guadalajara are half price as well. You have to buy transvales and they haven't asked to see my INAPAM card for years when purchasing them. Also the Tren Ligera (Gdl Subway) is half price, but you have to purchase a card and put money on it to get the discount.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

In Guadalajara, about 8 years back, I stayed 2 nights in a nice "older" hotel in the Centro for 1/2 price with my "new" card. I think the price was maybe 325, regular 650, a really good deal. Many SPAs give 50% off, but few farmacias do much, if anything. Dr. Simi (5%). I always ask on the road for a discount at hotels/motels and many times I get 10%.(won't buy breakfast, but coffee )


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## Jolga (Jun 5, 2012)

i used my INAPAM card to get a 50% reduction in our condo tax. Now that we are registered, we will get it automatically every year.

Heads Up!! This is Mexico, Chaos Theory in effect! Check with your local city hall tax office, it could be different. We are in Mazatlan, Sinaloa.


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## cuerna1 (Mar 7, 2015)

You are right. I forgot about that. In Morelos we got a sizable discount on our annual Predial with the INAPAM card.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

cuerna1 said:


> You are right. I forgot about that. In Morelos we got a sizable discount on our annual Predial with the INAPAM card.


In Jalisco, I have tried a several times to get a discount on my predial (property tax). Every time I have been told that it is only available to citizens. 

I tell people this is the reason I want to become a citizen: So that I can get 50% off on my property tax, and pay $50 usd/year instead of $100 usd/year. 

However, I do get a 15% reduction in my water bill for having an INAPAM card. This is on top of the 10% discount I get for paying it in advance annually instead of monthly.


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## cuerna1 (Mar 7, 2015)

Unfortunately our property taxes are higher than that. But - still a lot lower than they were in the States.

Do you have a CURP ?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

cuerna1 said:


> Unfortunately our property taxes are higher than that. But - still a lot lower than they were in the States.
> 
> Do you have a CURP ?


I do have a CURP and also an RFC. Property taxes are incredibly low in Guadalajara.There is also a 10% or 15% discount for paying in cash before the end of February, I think it is, every year.


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## cuerna1 (Mar 7, 2015)

I'm no expert but I truly believe that the only difference between a permanent resident and a citizen is the right to vote.

As for the RFC - everyone we have spoken to has said - don't go there if you don't need to. All our financial accounts here have the same truncated RFC. We have no earned income in Mexico.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

TundraGreen said:


> In Jalisco, I have tried a several times to get a discount on my predial (property tax). Every time I have been told that it is only available to citizens.




I have a feeling that that is a "rule" that they made up (but it may be also in writing). I would ask to see the "law". That may help your cause. If you can own property and be subject to all the regs, then you should be eligible for the benefits, no? 

(check what the law says about a "permanent resident")


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## Jolga (Jun 5, 2012)

TundraGreen said:


> I do have a CURP and also an RFC. Property taxes are incredibly low in Guadalajara.There is also a 10% or 15% discount for paying in cash before the end of February, I think it is, every year.


I have a CURP too. We also have the 10% early pay discount in Mazatlan. So the total makes a nice tidy discount of 60%.

What's really funny is that we quite unsure if we could really get the discount and when I gave my card to the clerk she looked at me as if there was a problem and went to see her boss to have a long discussion. We thought we we were toast when she came back and said "I'm sorry" However, she continued to say "I'm sorry you can't get the 80% discount for Mexican pensionados as you worked in Canada not Mexico".

We breathed a sigh of relief, as we are more than happy with 60% off.:cheer2:


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

My father-in-law gets about 80% discount on his in Guanajuato. He pays a little over 200p on a tax bill of a little over 1000p.


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

In La Paz the INAPAM card is good for a 50% discount on water bills and property taxes. For property taxes we already get a discount of up to 35% for paying early and can't take both together. It's one or the other. I don't have the INAPAM card but my 2015 property taxes were about USD $37 with the early payment discount. With INAPAM there are also discounts on car registration and I believe driver's license fees. City Club pharmacy offers a discount, but I'm not sure about others. Never heard of a discount at grocery stores.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

The discount on the predial applies to lower value houses as far as I know. I am a citizen , hav INAPAM and CURP and I only get the early payment discount..but it also depends on your location ach municipality have their rules.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

citlali said:


> The discount on the predial applies to lower value houses as far as I know. I am a citizen , hav INAPAM and CURP and I only get the early payment discount..but it also depends on your location ach municipality have their rules.


Citlali, did Spencer ever respond to this question about the discount? I know he is younger, but one would think that he is able to find out "the real truth" here. Such a "large" variance here. (actually, NOB, state taxes vary quite a bit also).


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## cuerna1 (Mar 7, 2015)

citlali said:


> The discount on the predial applies to lower value houses as far as I know.


That is not true in Morelos.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

cuerna1 said:


> That is not true in Morelos.


Nor in Guanajuato.


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

citlali said:


> The discount on the predial applies to lower value houses as far as I know.


Actually the opposite seems to be partly true here. According to a mailbox flyer distributed by the Ayuntamiento de La Paz, this year the early payment discount for all was 30% if paid before the end of November, plus an additional 5%. But the fine print for the extra 5% excluded certain classes of property as well as seniors and others paying discounted rates.** My property is classified as "urbana", which apparently means that I'm already taxed at a low rate. So I got the 30% discount but not the extra 5%.

* "No aplica para los contribuyentes de tasas preferenciales como propriedad rústica, propriedad urbana, así como pensionados y jubilados, personas con discapacidad y personas de la tercera edad a quienes se les aplica ya un descuento de 50%."


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I used to get a 50% discount uin San Cristobal and nothing in Chapala outside of the early payment discount. Now I get no discount but the 15% early payment discount in San Cristobal and same here..Since I did not get any younger and my house has not changed, I assume there was a change in San Cristobal but considering my payment I am not going to lose any sleep or any time investigating..

Each municiapity does whatever and there is nothig we can do so be it.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

makaloco said:


> In La Paz the INAPAM card is good for a 50% discount on water bills and property taxes. For property taxes we already get a discount of up to 35% for paying early and can't take both together. It's one or the other. I don't have the INAPAM card but my 2015 property taxes were about USD $37 with the early payment discount. With INAPAM there are also discounts on car registration and I believe driver's license fees. City Club pharmacy offers a discount, but I'm not sure about others. Never heard of a discount at grocery stores.


That reminds me. I also got a discount on my Jalisco drivers license with my INAPAM card.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

*Other differences, Citizen vs Permanent Resident rights*



cuerna1 said:


> I'm no expert but I truly believe that the only difference between a permanent resident and a citizen is the right to vote.
> 
> As for the RFC - everyone we have spoken to has said - don't go there if you don't need to. All our financial accounts here have the same truncated RFC. We have no earned income in Mexico.


Another difference is that citizens can participate in public demonstrations and sign political petitions. PRs cannot legally do so.

Citizens do not have to tell INM if and when they move locations. PRs do.

I'm fairly certain that there are more differences.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Yes that is what they used to say abut the reen card in the US so why bother becoming a ctizen,,,
Well now that I am retired and living away from the States the bank have to withold 30% from my money when I pull from the IRA´s , my husband who is a US citien gets 10% withheld. Yes I can get some back evetualy but I cannot file until the last minutes because the forms I need to claim my money are not available until the last minute so I end up having to wait 6 month to a year to get the money back. Meanwhile I need to withdra 30% than what I need so the IRS can keep that money up to a year...in the US that is a difference between being a citizen and an alien.

Having lived a large part of my life as a foreigner in various countries I learned that citizens are not subject to the whims of the immigration policies. What is true today is not necessaraly true tomorrow.

US and Canadians can run back to their countries if there are problems fairly easily, If I had to get out I would have to go back to France which is not nearly as easy or whould have to apply for another green card from the US or get a 10 year visai. Getting a visa puts you back under immigration and that is one thing I have no intention of ever doing.


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## cuerna1 (Mar 7, 2015)

I am not an accountant - but I do complete my own tax return. Take my thoughts with a grain of salt.

Even we US citizens may get hit with that 30% penalty if we have not completed a w-9 with the Mexican banks we deal with OR if we have been found to have screwed up and not reported all interest or dividends we have received.

Have you provided your US bank with a W9 ? 

I'm finding some US financial institutions easier to deal with than others. Some don't seem to mind as much that we are residents of Mexico while others (that we have accounts with for over 30 years) treat us like we have the plague.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

cuerna1 said:


> I am not an accountant - but I do complete my own tax return. Take my thoughts with a grain of salt.
> 
> Even we US citizens may get hit with that 30% penalty if we have not completed a w-9 with the Mexican banks we deal with OR if we have been found to have screwed up and not reported all interest or dividends we have received.
> 
> ...


IMHO, banks are BIG business now, not the friendly, neighborhood establishment we grew up with. And, because there have become so many people taking advantage of tax laws and situations and underreporting, those people have been the cause of many problems and new regulations that are now forced upon all of us, by the government, through the banking system. I choose to put the blame for this where I think it belongs, on those people who "cheat" and cause the rest of us harm. I am so glad the government FINALLY is making an effort to get their cheating asses! I am sick and tired of what they, cartels, and money laundering have done to our banking system. Just my 2 pesos.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

cuerna1 said:


> I am not an accountant - but I do complete my own tax return. Take my thoughts with a grain of salt.
> 
> Even we US citizens may get hit with that 30% penalty if we have not completed a w-9 with the Mexican banks we deal with OR if we have been found to have screwed up and not reported all interest or dividends we have received.
> 
> ...


HSBC has told me that they are compliant with FATCA and if they need me to give them a w9, they'll let me know. So far nothing.

How big of a burden is this?


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## cuerna1 (Mar 7, 2015)

HSBC Mexico ? If so we have very very different experiences. The woman who handles our account has had us complete so many W9s this past year we all had to laugh. She wanted all the ducks in a row so they could never "lock" an account while they addressed some missing paperwork. She is a smart woman and had our backs.

I 'insist' on completing a W9 for every financial account we open in Mexico. btw - it is a trivial form to complete.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

What I have not received so far has nothing to do ith W9.

I need a 1042 S which is I still do not have. 
1042 S is for non US citizens residing abroad whohave received US benefits so I do not thing you would be concern with that for if you are a US citizen. That is where the 30% come from. The 30% are withdrawn from my IRA money when I pull it and I need the 1042S in order to claim some of it back.


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

citlali said:


> What I have not received so far has nothing to do ith W9.
> 
> I need a 1042 S which is I still do not have.
> 1042 S is for non US citizens residing abroad whohave received US benefits so I do not thing you would be concern with that for if you are a US citizen. That is where the 30% come from. The 30% are withdrawn from my IRA money when I pull it and I need the 1042S in order to claim some of it back.


All IRS forms should be downloadable (along with instructions) from the Internet, no?


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

I keep a w9 in English and Spanish on Google Drive ready to print just in case its needed.

Sent from my XT919 using Expat Forum


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## cuerna1 (Mar 7, 2015)

joaquinx said:


> I keep a w9 in English and Spanish on Google Drive ready to print just in case its needed.
> 
> Sent from my XT919 using Expat Forum


Cool. I'm not trying to tell you what to do. I'm just telling you what we do.

Saludos


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## coondawg (May 1, 2014)

joaquinx said:


> i keep a w9 in english and spanish on google drive ready to print just in case its needed.
> 
> Sent from my xt919 using expat forum


Si, Era Penal !


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

yes the form can be downloaded but it is more complicated than that for us and we need info we hav not received yet.. Net net we are still waiting for info to be able to file and meanwhile we cannot get the refund , that is te second year this is happening.


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## michmex (Jul 15, 2012)

joaquinx said:


> HSBC has told me that they are compliant with FATCA and if they need me to give them a w9, they'll let me know. So far nothing.
> 
> How big of a burden is this?


BBVA Bancomer told me the same.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

It is a burden because I cannot have access at the money that the government owes me and is sitting on for the last 6 months.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

citlali said:


> It is a burden because I cannot have access at the money that the government owes me and is sitting on for the last 6 months.


This is part of the taxation system in the US. The federal government gets an interest free loan from its citizens in the form of overpayment of taxes. It repays the loan once a year but never pays interest. And it ensures that people err on the side of overpayment by levying fines plus interest on anyone who underpays. It hardly seems fair, but I doubt that it is going to change anytime soon. And, if it did change, our taxes would have to go up, because the government must be counting on this interest-free loan from millions of tax payers every year.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

TundraGreen said:


> This is part of the taxation system in the US. The federal government gets an interest free loan from its citizens in the form of overpayment of taxes. It repays the loan once a year but never pays interest. And it ensures that people err on the side of overpayment by levying fines plus interest on anyone who underpays. It hardly seems fair, but I doubt that it is going to change anytime soon. And, if it did change, our taxes would have to go up, because the government must be counting on this interest-free loan from millions of tax payers every year.


Many people in the US consider this a "forced savings plan." They rejoice the bonus from the government.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

Just saying that is you are not a citizen the witholding is 30% rather than 10% .The government holds the banks responsable for the withholding up to 30% so to be safe they withold 30% ...They only withold 10% on US citizens . I am speaking of withholdings on IRA money kept in US investment houses. 
This is a difference between a legal alien and a US citizen.

Citlali


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