Buying property, investing, running a business or facing a legal problem in Mexico can feel overwhelming when you don’t know the system or the language. At Cano & Asociados, we are a full-service law firm in Cancun that works with foreign clients in English, guiding you through Mexican law with clarity, transparency and no surprises.
And here is what makes us different from every “expat lawyer” in the Riviera Maya: we are attorneys AND certified public accountants in one firm. In Mexico, your legal questions and your tax questions are almost always connected especially when you buy, rent out or sell property, or when you start a business. Most firms only handle one side. We handle both, under one roof, so nothing falls through the cracks.
We serve clients from the United States, Canada, Europe and beyond whether you live in Cancun, spend part of the year here, or manage everything from abroad.
Why Foreign Clients Choose Us
- English-speaking service: consultations, WhatsApp, email and every document explained in plain English.
- Lawyers + accountants in one firm: legal strategy and Mexican tax compliance, fully integrated.
- Total transparency: written proposals with clear scope and honest fees before any work begins.
- Remote-friendly: most matters can be handled while you are abroad, through a power of attorney.
- Local experience: based in Cancun, serving Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres.
- Licensed and verifiable: our attorneys and CPAs hold official Mexican professional licenses (cédula profesional).
Buying Property in Cancun & the Riviera Maya
Real estate is the number one reason foreigners need a lawyer in Cancun and the number one place where things go wrong without one. We protect your purchase from start to finish:
- Fideicomiso (bank trust): as a foreigner, you can legally own coastal property in Mexico’s restricted zone through a bank trust. We structure it, review it and walk you through exactly how it works.
- Due diligence: before you sign anything, we verify the title, liens, debts, permits, the developer’s standing and the true legal status of the property.
- Pre-construction (preventa) purchases: we review the developer’s contract, delivery terms, penalties and guarantees before you commit your deposit.
- Contract review and negotiation: purchase agreements, reservation agreements and closing documents reviewed and explained in English before you sign.
- Escrow and payment protection: guidance on how and when your funds should be held and released, so your money is never exposed.
- Closing: we coordinate the entire process with the notario público and the bank, and represent your interests at the closing table.
- Condo regimes and HOA matters: bylaws review, owner rights, assemblies and disputes with the condo administration.
- Construction defects: claims against developers for delays, defects and unfulfilled promises.
- Wills and estate planning for your Mexican assets, so your property passes to your loved ones without a costly probate battle.
Renting Out & Managing Your Property
Many of our foreign clients own property they rent long-term or as a vacation rental. We keep your investment profitable and protected:
- Lease agreements drafted to protect the owner, in English and Spanish.
- Vacation rental compliance: the permits, registrations and rules that apply to short-term rentals in Quintana Roo.
- Rental income taxes: as CPAs, we register you with the SAT, calculate and file your taxes fully compliant, no surprises.
- Tenant problems and evictions: recovering your property and unpaid rent through the correct legal process.
- Property management agreements: reviewing or drafting the contract with your property manager, so responsibilities and money flows are clear.
Mexican Taxes for Foreigners: Our Specialty
This is where most foreign property owners and investors get hurt and where our firm is truly different. If you rent out your condo, run a business or sell property in Mexico, you have Mexican tax obligations. Handled late or incorrectly, they turn into fines, withholdings and painful surprises at the closing table. Because we are both lawyers and CPAs, we manage the full picture:
- Tax registration (RFC) and compliance for foreigners with income in Mexico.
- Rental income taxes: if you rent your property (including Airbnb and vacation rentals), we calculate, file and keep you compliant.
- Selling your property: capital gains planning ahead of the sale, so taxes and withholdings don’t take you by surprise.
- Accounting and tax filings for your Mexican business or corporation.
- Defense before the SAT (Mexican tax authority): audits, tax assessments and disputes our founder has professional experience inside the SAT itself.
Investing & Doing Business in Mexico
Mexico welcomes foreign investment, but the structure you choose on day one determines your taxes, your liability and your peace of mind for years. We help you do it right:
- Company formation: incorporating a Mexican company, in most industries with 100% foreign ownership.
- The right structure: choosing the correct entity for your business, structured legally AND fiscally from the start.
- Buying an existing business: due diligence on the company, its debts, employees and licenses before you pay.
- Contracts: commercial agreements, partnerships, leases and service contracts, drafted and explained in English.
- Trademark registration: protecting your brand in Mexico.
- Corporate compliance: corporate books, shareholder meetings, foreign investment registry and ongoing obligations.
- Full accounting service for your company: bookkeeping, payroll and tax filings everything in one firm.
Timeshare Cancellation in Mexico
Cancun is the timeshare capital of Mexico and high-pressure sales rooms lead many visitors to sign contracts they regret. If that’s you, act fast: under Mexican consumer law, you generally have a five-business-day cooling-off period to rescind a timeshare contract and recover your money. And even after that window, contracts obtained through misrepresentation or containing abusive clauses can be challenged. As a licensed Mexican law firm not a “timeshare exit company” we review your contract and fight for the best possible outcome:
- Rescission within the legal cooling-off period (time-critical contact us immediately if you signed in the last few days).
- Cancellation claims after the window, based on misrepresentation, false promises or abusive clauses.
- Formal complaints before PROFECO, Mexico’s consumer protection agency.
- Negotiation with the resort or developer to exit the contract and recover payments.
- Honest advice on the consequences before you stop making payments so you don’t damage your position.
- If you were scammed by a fake “cancellation company”, we help you pursue the fraud.
Legal Disputes & Protecting Your Investment
If something has already gone wrong, we fight for you. Foreign clients most often come to us with:
- Real estate and developer disputes: delayed or failed pre-construction deliveries, breach of contract, deposit recovery.
- Contract disputes: vacation, rental and service contracts that were breached or misrepresented.
- Accidents and damages claims: if you suffered an accident or property damage in Mexico, we pursue fair compensation.
- Insurance claims: when a Mexican insurer delays or refuses to pay what it owes you.
- Debt collection: recovering money owed to you or your business in Mexico.
- Civil litigation: property conflicts, damages and breach of contract lawsuits.
- Defense against Mexican authorities: fines, closures or administrative acts against your property or business including the amparo, Mexico’s powerful constitutional protection that can stop an authority’s act immediately.
Family, Estate & Personal Matters
Life happens in Mexico too. We assist foreign clients, with discretion and sensitivity, in:
- Divorce in Mexico involving foreign spouses, including division of Mexican assets.
- Child custody and family agreements.
- Mexican wills and inheritance: essential if you own property here.
- Probate of Mexican assets for heirs living abroad.
- Criminal defense: if you or a family member face an accusation or detention in Mexico, we act immediately to protect your rights and your freedom.
Can’t Be in Mexico? We Represent You Remotely
Most of our foreign clients handle everything from abroad. Through a power of attorney which you can sign in your home country with an apostille, or at a Mexican consulate we can legally act on your behalf in Mexico: closings, filings, lawsuits and tax matters. You stay informed by email, WhatsApp and video call, in English, every step of the way.
How We Work
- Tell us your situation: Write to us by WhatsApp or email, in English, and we’ll schedule a consultation.
- Clear proposal: After reviewing your case, you receive a written proposal: what we will do, how long it takes and what it costs. No hidden fees, no surprises.
- We execute: We handle the legal and tax work end to end, and keep you updated in plain English.
- You stay protected: Whether it’s a one-time matter or ongoing service, you have a trusted firm in Mexico looking after your interests.
Why Cano & Asociados
Our firm is led by Manuel Uitzil, who holds two professional licenses attorney at law and certified public accountant and brings professional experience from inside Mexico’s tax authority. Our team covers every major area of Mexican law: real estate, corporate, tax, civil, commercial, labor, family and criminal defense, plus full accounting services. For a foreign client, that means one firm, one point of contact, and no gaps between your legal and financial protection in Mexico.
Areas We Serve
We are based in Cancun and serve clients throughout the Riviera Maya: Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Puerto Morelos and Isla Mujeres as well as clients abroad with interests in Mexico.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Yes. Foreigners can own property in Mexico. In the “restricted zone” (within 50 km of the coast, which includes Cancun and the Riviera Maya), ownership is held through a fideicomiso a renewable bank trust that gives you full rights to use, rent, sell and pass on the property. We structure and review fideicomisos for foreign buyers every step of the way.
A fideicomiso is a Mexican bank trust created specifically so foreigners can hold coastal property. The bank holds the title as trustee, but you are the beneficiary with full control: you can live in, rent, remodel, sell or inherit the property. It is a standard, legally established structure the key is having your own lawyer review it, independent from the seller or developer.
Yes. We work with foreign clients in English consultations, WhatsApp, email and clear explanations of every Spanish document before you sign anything.
Yes. Through a power of attorney (signed abroad with an apostille or at a Mexican consulate), we can legally represent you in Mexico for closings, lawsuits, tax matters and more. Most of our foreign clients manage everything remotely.
Yes but the clock is ticking. Mexican consumer law gives you a cooling-off period of five business days after signing to rescind the contract and get your money back. If you’re within that window, contact us immediately. If the window has passed, cancellation may still be possible depending on how the contract was sold and what it contains.
Sometimes, yes. Contracts sold through false promises, misrepresentation or with abusive clauses can be challenged, and exits can often be negotiated. Every contract is different we review yours and give you an honest assessment of your real options before you spend anything more.
Be very careful. Many so-called exit or cancellation companies charge large upfront fees and deliver nothing some are outright scams that target people who were already misled once. Work with a licensed law firm you can verify. Our attorneys hold official Mexican professional licenses, and you’ll always know exactly who is handling your case.
Yes rental income from Mexican property (including Airbnb and vacation rentals) is taxable in Mexico. The good news: handled correctly and on time, it’s manageable. As lawyers and CPAs, we register you, calculate and file your taxes, and keep you fully compliant.
Selling Mexican property can trigger significant taxes and withholdings, and the final amount depends on factors that can often be planned for in advance. The biggest mistakes happen when sellers find out at the closing table. Talk to us before you list the property planning ahead makes a real difference.
Yes, through the correct legal process never by changing locks or cutting services, which can expose you to liability. We handle evictions and recovery of unpaid rent for property owners.
Yes. In most industries, foreigners can own 100% of a Mexican company. We incorporate your company, structure it correctly for taxes, and provide the full accounting service it will need to operate.
Don’t sign anything new or accept a “solution” under pressure. Gather your contract, receipts and communications, and contact us. Depending on the case, we can negotiate, file a formal claim or sue for breach of contract and recovery of your money.
It is strongly recommended. A Mexican will covering your Mexican assets makes inheritance far simpler and cheaper for your family. Without one, your heirs may face a long, expensive cross-border probate. We draft Mexican wills for foreign owners.
With total transparency. After understanding your case, you receive a written proposal with the scope, timeline and fees before any work begins. No hidden costs, no surprise invoices.
Contact us immediately and do not sign or declare anything without a lawyer present that is your right. We provide criminal defense and act urgently to protect your freedom and your rights.
What Our Clients Say
Talk to a Lawyer in Cancun Today
Whether you’re buying property, canceling a timeshare, investing, facing a dispute or just need straight answers about Mexican law and taxes talk to a firm that speaks your language and covers both the legal and the financial side. Contact us today.