Using Thai Address with US Social Security

[OliverKlozerof]

Is this a bad idea? If so, why?

Thx, DP

[Mansell]

I assume you are getting payments from them. If so and you want to receive it here, then you will have to register this with Bangkok Bank and open a no ATM card account. The bank will have you fill out the form and they will mail it to Social security. It is Bangkok Bank because they have a branch in New York and your money will come through them to your local branch.

Then each month when the money comes in you will get a text informing you it has arrived. At least that's how it works for me with Bangkok Bank. Then at some point you will need to go in and transfer the money into an account with an ATM card so you can access it. This usually takes a few minutes.

some people say you will get a letter each year you have to sign and send back to prove you are alive....but I have never received one. Being as you will be the only one to sign for the money when you transfer it into the other account, they know you are alive as nobody else can do this. I don't know how that works for folks disabled or bedridden. Good luck.

[Mel52]

No not a bad idea but you should talk to a guy who goes by the screen name ubonjoe or pib. I’m retired military but I only use my va pension as my income because I’m 100% disabled I don’t use my military retirement pay. My wife will start receiving her Social Security next month which will go to our bank in the states with my military retirement pay. I only have my va pension sent to Thailand via the new International Direct Deposit (IDD) system the rest we save in our US bank including my wife’s Social Security income.

 

However you should just keep one thing in mind. Every year you will receive what’s referred to as “a are you dead or alive letter” I’m sorry but I don’t know the correct term for the letter. So make sure you are on the lookout for that letter once a year because if you don’t receive it and don’t respond to it they will eventually stop your payments after I believe 3 or 4 months I’m not exactly sure about the time frame. I think they send it in May every year but I’m not exactly sure. I might have some information I can send you from the Manila Social Security Office. So just don’t forget about those letters once a year if you don’t receive them call them because that Manila Office sucks about responding to emails. Or rather call and email them so you have an electronic record. Other than that it’s nothing to worry about you can use your Thai address for Social Security and you probably should so you don’t miss any unexpected mail they might send you. I would and we’re using our Thai address for my wife’s Social Security.

 

The only downside is that the Manila Social Security Office sucks but in their defense they are the only Social Security Office for this entire region as in ALL OF ASIA and they take care of an entire continent from just one small office at the United States Embassy in Manila so obviously they must be extremely busy.

 

But yes using your Thai address with Social Security is perfectly fine and you probably should if you live here full time.

 

 

 

 

[OliverKlozerof]

6 minutes ago, Mansell said:

I assume you are getting payments from them. If so and you want to receive it here, then you will have to register this with Bangkok Bank and open a no ATM card account. The bank will have you fill out the form and they will mail it to Social security. It is Bangkok Bank because they have a branch in New York and your money will come through them to your local branch.

Then each month when the money comes in you will get a text informing you it has arrived. At least that's how it works for me with Bangkok Bank. Then at some point you will need to go in and transfer the money into an account with an ATM card so you can access it. This usually takes a few minutes.

some people say you will get a letter each year you have to sign and send back to prove you are alive....but I have never received one. Being as you will be the only one to sign for the money when you transfer it into the other account, they know you are alive as nobody else can do this. I don't know how that works for folks disabled or bedridden. Good luck.

Thanks for the info. Well, I feel stupid for the situation I find myself in (so no one needs to say, 'gee you're stupid,' thank you). I'm (obviously) not real concerned with keeping an eye on my bank accounts...but anyway, I was looking at my Bank of America online statements last night and realized that I haven't received a social security transfer since January (i.e., I received in January, but not since). I just started receiving last year when I turned 62. Payments were coming in regularly since April last year. (I don't get as much as some, but a few hundred dollars each month is still nice.)

As far as I know, the Soc Sec Admin has always had my Thai address, but I still got the pmnts sent to my US Bank of America acct (which has been fine by me).

Well, they're closed on weekends, but Monday I'll have to call them to find out exactly why my pmnts were stopped. I told this to a good American friend, who said, "Several years ago they told me because I had a foreign address I had to report to them every 90 days or they would stop the S.S. payments. So I changed my address to my daughter's home in CO. Problem solved."
I can easily use my sister's address in the US. Sure wish I knew about this before. 

Also, I don't know if I was even informed by them that this could happen. I suppose it's possible that, seeing an email from them, I figured it was unimportant (since everything seemed to be coming in regularly), and deleted it?

[Mel52]

Here’s some information that I believe is related to the annual “are you dead or alive letters” that Social Security should send you once a year if you have a foreign address:

[Mel52]

I hope that helps.

 

 

 

 

[NCC1701A]

13 minutes ago, OliverKlozerof said:

but Monday I'll have to call them to find out exactly why my pmnts were stopped.

did you receive and return form SSA 7262? Should have been about this time last year.

 

 

[Mel52]

did you receive and return form SSA 7262? Should have been about this time last year.
 
 

Is the SSA 7262 the “are you dead or alive letter” that they send to people with foreign addresses? That’s what I was talking about above.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, OliverKlozerof said:

Thanks for the info. Well, I feel stupid for the situation I find myself in (so no one needs to say, 'gee you're stupid,' thank you). I'm (obviously) not real concerned with keeping an eye on my bank accounts...but anyway, I was looking at my Bank of America online statements last night and realized that I haven't received a social security transfer since January (i.e., I received in January, but not since). I just started receiving last year when I turned 62. Payments were coming in regularly since April last year. (I don't get as much as some, but a few hundred dollars each month is still nice.)

As far as I know, the Soc Sec Admin has always had my Thai address, but I still got the pmnts sent to my US Bank of America acct (which has been fine by me).

 

Here's what happened since you said you had your Thai address onfile. 

 

An Are You Dead or Alive letter was sent to your Thai address in May/Jun 2018.....the letter would have said respond within 60 days. 

 

Come Sep 18 if you hadn't responded to the first letter you were sent another one saying you need to respond within 45 days.

 

 Come early Jan 2019 if SSA hadn't got a response from you they send out a notice saying your benefits will be suspended unless you respond immediately/ASAP....and the first benefit payment that is suspended is for the January benefit month paid out in early Feb 2019.

 

So, now you need to get with Manila or Baltimore to satisfy them you are still breathing and then they will start paying your again....to include the suspended back payments.

 

[OliverKlozerof]

6 minutes ago, Pib said:

 

Here's what happened since you said you had your Thai address onfile. 

 

An Are You Dead or Alive letter was sent to your Thai address in May/Jun 2018.....the letter would have said respond within 60 days. 

 

Come Sep 18 if you hadn't responded to the first letter you were sent another one saying you need to respond within 45 days.

 

 Come early Jan 2019 if SSA hadn't got a response from you they send out a notice saying your benefits will be suspended unless you respond immediately/ASAP....and the first benefit payment that is suspended is for the January benefit month paid out in early Feb 2019.

 

So, now you need to get with Manila or Baltimore to satisfy them you are still breathing and then they will start paying your again....to include the suspended back payments.

 

I think you have nailed it. Breathing somewhat better now. 

The good news is I got to Arles, France yesterday where it’s a beautiful sunny day today and am on my bike exploring the town. So things aren’t all bad. ;-) 

[Pib]

And at below SSA webpage it provides full info on the SSA Foreign Enforcement Program....SSA's fancy name to ensure folks with foreign addresses are still alive....if you ain't alive they stop your payments.  Just click on the individual sections at the webpage for full details.

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0302655000

 

 

[Mel52]

I might have missed some of the op’s initial post because I’m currently following a radical new treatment prescribed by my Scottish Therapist Phil McKcrakan right now. He calls it getting “piss drunk”. It’s actually working really well to.

 

 

 

 

 

[mtls2005]

You could download the form, complete it, mail to Wilkes Barre, all from the Côte d'Azur, dismount first.

 

There are benefits and drawbacks to maintaining a U.S. or Thai addresses with SSA. I'd say if you don't need to use MySSA, and have reliable mail delivery (1099-SSA, annual benefits letter, 7162), then a Thai address may be better? You can have your benefit deposited into BofA regardless of your physical address.

 

 

 

You can always download the form, and mail it in, maybe add a cover letter or note advising on your current address?

 

(the address on my return envelope)

 

Social Security Administration

PO Box 7162

Wilkes Barre, PA 18767-7162

United States of America

 

 

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms/images/SSA7/G-SSA-7162-OCR-SM-1.pdf

 

 

[Mel52]

I actually learned about these letters by reading a post on this forum a while back so I’m glad I found out about it ahead of time because my wife’s Social Security starts next payday. So next year I’ll be sure and keep an eye out for that letter from Social Security. My wife’s Social Security is just gonna go into our bank in the states along with my military retirement pay, we only use my VA pension as income which I have deposited into my Thai bank via international direct deposit every month. But we do still have a Thai address so I’m sure my wife will still have to respond to those letters once a year so I’ll mark that on my calendar wouldn’t want to forget about that.


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[Mel52]

And at below SSA webpage it provides full info on the SSA Foreign Enforcement Program....SSA's fancy name to ensure folks with foreign addresses are still alive....if you ain't alive they stop your payments.  Just click on the individual sections at the webpage for full details.
https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0302655000
 
 

I just read the link you posted great information thanks. It says, “SSA mails FEQs in May through June of each year. Recipients are required to respond within 60 days.” Is that the “are you dead or alive letter”? Is that the only letter you have to respond to once a year from SSA?

I need to mark that on my calendar for next year because my wife’s Social Security will start being paid next payday. Her Social Security is just gonna go to our bank in the states along with my military retirement pay anyway because we only use my VA pension as income here which I have sent to my Thai bank via IDD. Regardless we do still have a Thai address obviously so I’m sure my wife will probably have to respond to these letters once a year as well.

[Mel52]

And thanks for posting that I saved that website link. I also just read the whole thing and it sounds like the SSA gives you more than enough time to respond. It says they send them in May through June and if you don’t reply within 60 days they send a follow up in September which you have an additional 45 days to respond to. That doesn’t sound so bad.

 

 

[Mel52]

Oh and Pib you can disregard my two questions above the SSA website link you posted just answered all my questions for my wife so thanks for that information I appreciate it.

 

 

 

 

[Pib]

.... It says, “SSA mails FEQs in May through June of each year. Recipients are required to respond within 60 days.” Is that the “are you dead or alive letter”? Is that the only letter you have to respond to once a year from SSA?

Yep...that's the letter some of us affectionately refer to as "The Are You Dead or Alive Letter." While you may get other "informational" letters during the year the Are You Dead or Alive Letter is the only one mailed to folks with foriegn addresses that requires your response or your SSA payments gets suspended starting for the Jan benefit month which is paid early Feb.

[Mel52]

Yep...that's the letter some of us affectionately refer to as "The Are You Dead or Alive Letter." While you may get other "informational" letters during the year the Are You Dead or Alive Letter is the only one mailed to folks with foriegn addresses that requires your response or your SSA payments gets suspended starting for the Jan benefit month which is paid early Feb.

Thanks Pib sounds like SSA gives you plenty of time to respond to it as in several months but I’ll still mark it on my calendar for my wife’s Social Security

[Mel52]

Thanks for the info

 

 

 

 

[Jingthing]

The idea of downloading the form from the website if you didn't get the letter is interesting.

Does anyone know if that will REALLY be accepted?

Obviously they will be able to see that it has been mailed from Thailand but that doesn't seem to fully meet their purpose, to verify that you actually live at the address they have.

As we know there are sometimes mail delivery issues here.

I was reading about another country where mail from the U.S. reportedly takes MONTHS to arrive. 

So it would be great if they would accept downloaded form, but the question is, DO THEY?

[Mel52]

The Manila Office should be giving people a heads up on that when they first begin receiving social security overseas. Like I said my wife’s Social Security begins being paid next payday and the Manila Office didn’t even let us know about it. I helped get it set up for my wife earlier this year and hers will start getting paid July 1st. And the Manila Office didn’t bother to inform us to except this next year but we know now thanks again.

 

[Mel52]

The idea of downloading the form from the website if you didn't get the letter is interesting.
Does anyone know if that will REALLY be accepted?
Obviously they will be able to see that it has been mailed from Thailand but that doesn't seem to fully meet their purpose, to verify that you actually live at the address they have.
As we know there are sometimes mail delivery issues here.
I was reading about another country where mail from the U.S. reportedly takes MONTHS to arrive. 
So it would be great if they would accept downloaded form, but the question is, DO THEY?

Well if you don’t receive the letter just call and email the Manila Office and tell them you need it until they respond anyway. Just be sure and contact Manila if you don’t receive it by say the middle of June maybe.

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Mel52 said:

 

Well if you don’t receive the letter just call and email the Manila Office and tell them you need it until they respond anyway. Just be sure and contact Manila if you don’t receive it by say the middle of June maybe.

 

Sounds naïve to me. Manila is notoriously SLOW and often never responds at all. In my opinion they would ignore such a communication but might pay attention after you didn't receive the SECOND letter. 

[flexomike]

14 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Sounds naïve to me. Manila is notoriously SLOW and often never responds at all. In my opinion they would ignore such a communication but might pay attention after you didn't receive the SECOND letter. 

letters come from Wilkes Barre PA and have to be sent back there

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

PO BOX 7162

WILKES BARRE PA 18767-7162

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 

 

 

[Mel52]

Sounds naïve to me. Manila is notoriously SLOW and often never responds at all. In my opinion they would ignore such a communication but might pay attention after you didn't receive the SECOND letter. 

 

Yeah I get that but I was able to get in contact with them via email and on the phone multiple times over the past year for my wife. (I receive my own separate pensions I’m retired military and from the VA). I understand that the Manila Office is bad but if you stay on top of them relentlessly you will get a response. If I can do it so can you and anyone else, that office is bad but not that terrible. If they don’t respond to your email there are certain days that they will take phone calls and if they don’t then call the main embassy phone number in Manila and tell them to patch you directly through it to the Social Security Office just tell them it’s an emergency if they are reluctant to transfer you to their office. I actually had to do it that way myself a few times for my wife’s Social Security. Bottom line just relentlessly keep bothering them and sending them the same email multiple times a day every day and calling and eventually they will respond if you are persistent enough. You are right about that Manila Office but I assure you that you can get in contact with them it can be difficult but you can do it I did several times. You just have to stay on top of them and they’ll reply to you. In their defense they are the only Social Security Office for this entire continent of Asia so obviously they are probably extremely busy, they are taking care of people eligible for social security for this entire region out of just one little office in Manila at the embassy in the Philippines. The lady I dealt with in Manila for my wife via email and phone was slow but she eventually took care of us.

 

I only use my VA income that I bring in to my Thai bank via IDD since I’m 100% disabled. And we just save my military retirement pay in our bank in the states which is also what we’re gonna do with my wife’s Social Security as well just save that half of our income (my military retirement pay and my wife’s Social Security) and I only have my VA pension direct deposited into my Thai bank every month.

 

But anyway it’s not naive, I understand that they are slow believe me I definitely know that because I’ve been dealing with them since early this year for my wife. Yes they are extremely slow you are right about that but you can get a response from them you just have to stay on em and don’t easily give up.

[Mel52]

letters come from Wilkes Barre PA and have to be sent back there
SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION
PO BOX 7162
WILKES BARRE PA 18767-7162
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
 
 
 

Ohhhhh yeah, that’s right! Another great point thanks for pointing that out that is very true. But if you don’t receive it you still might have to contact Manila and if that’s too difficult for some people you could try calling them directly back in the states. Very good point!

[Mel52]

This is all great information and very helpful!

 

 

 

 

[mtls2005]

2 hours ago, Mel52 said:

Is that the “are you dead or alive letter”?

Yes.

 

2 hours ago, Mel52 said:

Is that the only letter you have to respond to once a year from SSA?

Yes.

 

 

Assumes your address of record with the SSA is your Thai address.

 

Most make a week-long reminder, first week of June.

 

 

 

[Mel52]

Yes.

 

 

Assumes your address of record with the SSA is your Thai address.

 

Most make a week-long reminder, first week of June.

 

 

 

 

Yes, thanks, Pib already explained it to me and posted the SSA website with all the information about it above so now I fully understand how it works. But I appreciate it this has all been very helpful. I have already posted it on my calendar for next year between mid May and mid June 2020.

 

I was helping my wife with her Social Security I don’t personally receive social security I’m retired military (21 years) and a 100% disabled veteran. So my wife’s Social Security begins in July next payday and we save my military retirement pay and we will also save my wife’s Social Security both in our bank in the states. I only use my VA pension as our income in Thailand for actual monthly income and for immigration retirements for monthly income as it is paid monthly because my VA pension is about 102,000 baht a month alone depending on the current months exchange rate of course. So I have my monthly VA pension sent to my Thai account via IDD. The rest of our income such as my military retirement pay and my wife’s Social Security we just save in our US bank. We never spend my military retirement pay and we will not spend my wife’s Social Security when that begins being paid next payday either we just save that and we just use my monthly VA pension payments only. We’ve been living here for 5 years now so we have a pretty good system and now that my wife is going to begin receiving her Social Security that’s extra money we can save each month. But yes we do use our Thai address. Thanks for your reply anyway though I appreciate it.