Navigating Mexico: An Incredible Senior Discount

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By JUAN DE JESÚS BREENE

Mexico does not have too many everyday senior discounts, like other countries do at restaurants and supermarkets.

But one great discount is free entrance to publicly funded museums, which most museums are.

And besides free metro rides in Mexico City and 50 percent off on public transportation in most other cities for seniors, Mexico does have a serious discount for seniors, which beats most other countries: the yearly property tax.

Property taxes in Mexico are relatively low on the international scale to begin with, but the senior discount calculated into the mix is something to write home about.

To begin with, a senior in Mexico is anyone who is 60 years old or older.

Because the property tax, called a predial in Spanish, is set and regulated differently in each municipality, the rate of discount is all over the place.

The bill arrives each January and must be paid for the year in course.

While most cities offer seniors a percentage discount, one of the best is in Mexico City.

As long as your assigned tax is not over 5,600 pesos, seniors are given a flat discount, paying 330 pesos, which can constitute close to a 95 percent discount for some.

Guadalajara offers those who are 60 to 74 years old a 50 percent discount, and those 75 to 79, a 60 percent discount. Those over 80 years old get an 80 percent discount.

In Monterrey, there is a straight 50 percent discount to those who are retired, handicapped or single mothers.

To get these kinds of special discounts usually requires a few hours in line at the local city hall, along with originals, and of course the two paper copies of the requisite documents to prove identity, age, property owner and proof that you are living in the property in question.

In the case of Mexico City, you can make the request at any time in the calendar year. Other cities only allow a certain period to request the discount.

Additionally, almost all municipalities offer some sort of discounts on the fines for unpaid taxes from previous years in January.

Those who have to pay full price are also offered incentives to pay in the first three months of the year, prorated by which month the homeowner pays.

So if you own property in Mexico and fall into any of the above-mentioned categories, it might be worth it to your pocketbook to read the fine print.

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