Starting a business in Mexico, if you are a norteamericano, is not for the faint of heart. It is a lot like bumping your way out of the Labyrinth of Deadalus. There are numberless rings to jump through, nests of red tape to untangle, networks of bureaucratic channels to penetrate, tedious bank lineups to weather, and bottlenecks of unresponsive governmental departments to endure. The rules and legalities are never made clear and even seem to change from one day to the next. Important information is left unsaid. And often officials materialize out of thin air to impose obscure assessments and fines for unverifiable branches of civic, state or federal offices. Once all of these things have been hurdled, the rapidly changing business laws will certainly prevent the small shop proprietor from becoming smug with accomplishment.

It's a good idea to enlist the services of a reputable accountant, one who keeps familiar with the latest shape of the tax laws. Rubber stamps are the officially favored instruments of bureaucrats in Mexico. An accountant can make sure the drumming of the latest stamps will properly march to victory your business documents.