APO closure for US military retirees

[Danthai]

APO services for retired Military ending Oct 1, 2019.

 

[ubonjoe]

Not specific for Chiang Mai so moved to here.

[Pib]

It was good while it lasted in so many ways....US address for all types of accounts to include financial accounts...able to receive and send documents thru the US mail system (which also gave a person a warm fuzzy the mail would be received coming and going), etc. 

 

I'm already scoping out change of address notification procedures with my various accounts....just anyone I need to notify of address change.   When a person takes a good look at everywhere your address exists such as financial companies/banks, govt agencies, insurance companies, airlines, subscriptions, and just a whole bunch of possible places changing/updating your address takes some effort and can come with some pain.  

 

Fortunately, now days change of address can be accomplished online from the comfort of a person's keyboard in many cases. Not to imply changing to a foreign address may be accepted on all accounts or possibly not come with unexpected results especially with some financial accounts.   Also, now days/over the last decade much, much less correspondence comes via snail-mail; much more by e-correspondence (i.e., sent to your email or viewed online).   But some very important docs like the annual social security Are You Dead or Alive Letter, debit/credit cards, etc., still come by snail mail.

 

I did scope-out a couple of my key financial accounts this afternoon to see if I could update my address online and to a foreign address--and I could---but I didn't make any changes just yet....just wanted to check.  I'll wait until mid year before changing my address with some but I do plan to change immediately for others (most US govt agencies) who I know will have zero issues with a foreign address like DFAS, SSA, OPM, VA, IRS, etc....etc....etc.

 

And for many military related organizations when a person updates DEERS that will update your address with a variety of DOD/govt agencies.   Additionally, when you file your federal return it uses the address on the return to update your address with the IRS...I hadn't filed mine yet since I owe them a little money so I will include my foreign address when filing.

 

Yes, it was great while it lasted.  Too bad DoD, DoS, and USPS couldn't agree to continue the APO.  I expect the core disagreement was between DoD and DoS as to who supports/funds what.