Using American Credit Cards In Argentina

[Girino]

That doesn't make much sense if an Argentine national or a US citizen with US cards doesn't want to call attention to any assets overseas.

So you think the IRS is googling your passport number and keeping track of your COTO expenditure? ROTFL!

 

[MorganF]

No No, I'm more curious about whether the AFIP does!

 

[summysammy]

I had a merchant once tell me they only care to look at the number signed when they have fraud issues. and that really she didnt care what I wrote down. Obviously i have not idea what is true or not.

 

[Silvie]

At Zara's they required me to show a USA i.d. along with my credit cards.

 

[Girino]

Once you get a fidelity card and use them, they associate your purchases to you and your details. If you pay cash over a certain amount (was 1000 pesos when I arrived here in 2014) you are required to show an ID and the cashier input that number in the machine. I don't think they go as far as supermarkets to track your expenditure.

Also, I don't see the point in not having a basic monotributo to cover yourself. It looks like every expat in argentina is a narco hiding in South America.

 

[MorganF]

Serafina,

What does having a monotributo have to do with the question? I, for example, have a monotributo and the process works fine!

Morgan

 

[Girino]

Serafina,

What does having a monotributo have to do with the question? I, for example, have a monotributo and the process works fine!

Morgan

I suppose people who are so freaked of giving their DNI when they go grocery shopping are afraid of the AFIP tracking their spending.
Let's say that if you are unregistered with AFIP it is not a good start. It is always better to start from a non-compliant position than a totally-off-the-book one.
However, starting from this year AFIP announced they are re-arranging monotributo categories based on the actual spending of the individual.
Let's say you are registered in the lowest category, categoria A (gross income up to 7000 ARS per month) but register incoming money on your account for 20%+ than that (20% is the tolerance set by AFIP). AFIP will change your assigned category.
If you are already enrolled, AFIP will do a Recategorizacion de Oficio based on its internal data (no details about where they were sourced).
Anyway, every year in September you will be asked to confirm you will stay in the same category or if you need to move to a different category.
Also, little by little they are adopting digital payment for the monotributo tax (debit or credit card, wire transfer).
Finally, monotributo owners are required to accept debit card as a method of payment.

There are still uncertain points:

1. What if the income on your account is coming from different businesses? E.g. salary but also independent work. Or what about if you realize an occasional sale of a car or other good?
2. What data will AFIP be using? The balance of your bank account? Your spending with e-payments? Or the number and kind of properties under your name?

 

[chris]

I suppose people who are so freaked of giving their DNI when they go grocery shopping are afraid of the AFIP tracking their spending.
Let's say that if you are unregistered with AFIP it is not a good start. It is always better to start from a non-compliant position than a totally-off-the-book one.
However, starting from this year AFIP announced they are re-arranging monotributo categories based on the actual spending of the individual.
Let's say you are registered in the lowest category, categoria A (gross income up to 7000 ARS per month) but register incoming money on your account for 20%+ than that (20% is the tolerance set by AFIP). AFIP will change your assigned category.
If you are already enrolled, AFIP will do a Recategorizacion de Oficio based on its internal data (no details about where they were sourced).
Anyway, every year in September you will be asked to confirm you will stay in the same category or if you need to move to a different category.
Also, little by little they are adopting digital payment for the monotributo tax (debit or credit card, wire transfer).
Finally, monotributo owners are required to accept debit card as a method of payment.

There are still uncertain points:

1. What if the income on your account is coming from different businesses? E.g. salary but also independent work. Or what about if you realize an occasional sale of a car or other good?
   
2. What data will AFIP be using? The balance of your bank account? Your spending with e-payments? Or the number and kind of properties under your name?

Isn't it wonderful how the country's technology is improving? Things are so much better nowadays.