94 Year Old Father Moving to Thailand

[Jingthing]

1 minute ago, Sheryl said:

 

There is no law that requires a bank to cancel accounts with overseas addresses. Nor is it, as far as I know, a law that they must call you to prove you live where you live. There are requirements that banks perform due diligence but it is the bank's decision that this is how they want to go about it.

You might be splitting hairs here.

Banks are mandated to Know Your Customer.

When a bank suspects or confirms that you live abroad they do have the total legal power to decide that they don't want your business any longer. Of course there could be other reasons why they decide that. So what I'm saying is that its true that they aren't legally required to close expat accounts, they certainly can do so. They may also add restrictions on expats such as brokerage accounts at Fidelity.  Bottom line if they decide to kick you out you won't have grounds to sue them.

[Sheryl]

Just now, Jingthing said:

You might be splitting hairs here.

Banks are mandated to Know Your Customer.

When a bank suspects or confirms that you live abroad they do have the total legal power to decide that they don't want your business any longer. Of course there could be other reasons why they decide that. So what I'm saying is that its true that they aren't legally required to close expat accounts, they certainly can do so. They may also add restrictions on expats such as brokerage accounts at Fidelity.  Bottom line if they decide to kick you out you won't have grounds to sue them.

Of course they can. Some choose to, some don't. But it is not at all true that federal law requires them to.

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Of course they can. Some choose to, some don't. But it is not at all true that federal law requires them to.

Yes. I totally agree. Its up to the policies of the specific financial institutions but they have legal backing to reject expats based on the Know Your Customer mandate.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_your_customer

 

Not that I'm defending expats being treated badly but it isn't entirely unreasonable for financial institutions to conclude that clients living abroad adds a complication to following Know Your Customer. 

[Neal Hyman]

On 3/4/2021 at 11:13 AM, Ebumbu said:

 

Care-givers is a great idea. Father objects to it, for now. He says he doesn't need it. He does. 

Can do without negativity. I'm investigating options and responding to comments all over the map. Have a Snickers. 

If you are aware of a process that works, I'd be grateful if you shared it. No decisions have been made yet. 

I don’t see much info about yourself. So let me just throw this out there. If I were you and it were me, I would return to the US and oversee my dad’s care, possibly moving into his house. I couldn’t leave my 94 year old father alone and 10,000 miles away. I would also be concerned that the thoughts of the journey and new life could be too stressful for him. I don’t know anything about your situation, family in Thailand, business/jobs, etc. so these are the thoughts that I have. 

[elgenon]

22 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Of course the cany still retire in Thailand.

There is a way to get around the insurance requirements. They can apply for a tourist visa or enter visa exempt and apply for the non-o visa at immigration after putting 800k baht in a Thai bank account.

No insurance is required to apply for the visa or a one year extension of stay based upon retirement.

Thanks UJ, the post confused me. But then that's pretty easy these days.

[Ebumbu]

22 hours ago, BritTim said:

It depends on the "home". Being somewhere like Care Resort Chiang Mai, that provides as much or as little dedicated care as needed, combined with group activities, your own villa, and organised tours (as well as easy options to visit and stay) is not remotely comparable to being in a Western style elderly warehouse.

 

My thing with Chiang Mai is the air. And, as I understand it, it's gotten worse. Do they have industrial air filters in each room? At minimal, I'd need to buy a large air filter and have it maintained for his room. It really casts a shadow on the potential. 

[lopburi3]

39 minutes ago, Ebumbu said:

 

My thing with Chiang Mai is the air. And, as I understand it, it's gotten worse. Do they have industrial air filters in each room? At minimal, I'd need to buy a large air filter and have it maintained for his room. It really casts a shadow on the potential. 

Actually such filters cost less than 5k and only need an occasional vac clean like an AC filter.  But the main filter will require replacement about every six months and that will likely be a bit under 1k (my price based on Hatari unit I use 24 hrs a day).

As for the move itself a bit concerned that it might be a bit much - my wife is starting to have dementia and any trip outside of home is very hard on her as she does not understand why in hospital or who she is supposed to see (although explained every few minutes).  To me it seems contact with people of a like background might be more important and a retirement facility there might offer that better than alternatives here considering age factor as cost does not appear to be a major factor (although convincing him to part with the cash might be).  At any rate wish you both the best.   

[Captain Monday]

On 3/5/2021 at 12:14 PM, Sheryl said:

Of course they can. Some choose to, some don't. But it is not at all true that federal law requires them to.

 My checking account was frozen by B of A, maybe 13 years ago.  Left me hangin' with a useless ATM card. High level customer service in North Carolina turned it on, they confirmed there is no specific US rule that  non-residents can't have an overseas address.  Then it got frozen again,  although I had a direct number to  a certain person in the executive offices who helped me more than once, I just gave up and dumped them. Huge company with departments not working off same sheet of music. 

[BritTim]

4 hours ago, Ebumbu said:

 

My thing with Chiang Mai is the air. And, as I understand it, it's gotten worse. Do they have industrial air filters in each room? At minimal, I'd need to buy a large air filter and have it maintained for his room. It really casts a shadow on the potential. 

 

I am unsure about in room air filters. I agree they are important for periods of unhealthy external air. As I recall, Mae Rim (where Care Resort Chiang Mai is located) has serious problems at certain times of day and seasons. However, much of the time, the air quality there is quite OK. That is critical as a good quality of life means spending much of your time outside.

[Ebumbu]

3 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

 My checking account was frozen by B of A, maybe 13 years ago.  Left me hangin' with a useless ATM card. High level customer service in North Carolina turned it on, they confirmed there is no specific US rule that  non-residents can't have an overseas address.  Then it got frozen again,  although I had a direct number to  a certain person in the executive offices who helped me more than once, I just gave up and dumped them. Huge company with departments not working off same sheet of music. 

 

I see. Am about to open a business account. But I do have a US address  and phone number (both virtual). They don't have the tech to detect that. Hmmm... I also have a US LLC. It's a pain to set up wire transfers because banks require an OTP to a US phone. B of A will send OTP to Google Voice or Skype without a problem. 

[Jingthing]

1 hour ago, Ebumbu said:

 

I see. Am about to open a business account. But I do have a US address  and phone number (both virtual). They don't have the tech to detect that. Hmmm... I also have a US LLC. It's a pain to set up wire transfers because banks require an OTP to a US phone. B of A will send OTP to Google Voice or Skype without a problem. 

I assume you still have a still valid U.S. driver's license for I.D., correct?

Firms that allow Google Voice numbers have been known to change their policies. 

 

BTW, it is my impression that Bank of America is an expat unfriendly bank. You're fooling them for now. I have banked with them before but closed with them before I moved abroad for unrelated reasons. 

 

[Ebumbu]

13 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I assume you still have a still valid U.S. driver's license for I.D., correct?

Firms that allow Google Voice numbers have been known to change their policies. 

 

BTW, it is my impression that Bank of America is an expat unfriendly bank. You're fooling them for now. I have banked with them before but closed with them before I moved abroad for unrelated reasons. 

 

 

No, I have a passport only. OK, I will open two accounts (B of A and Wells Fargo) so I have backup. Since I already have an account with them both, I figured less BS to open another one. I have an RSA device to send wires with Wells.  If that breaks or gets lost, they would send another device to my US mail servic. They do not send OTPs to Google Voice. 

[Huckenfell]

On 3/4/2021 at 10:38 AM, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

Much kudos to you for wanting to help your dad like this. I was my grandpa’s caregiver in his final years and similarly watched him go. TV all day, back and forth to the kitchen and toilet, often not making it. It really was no way to live. Adapting to life in another country will be difficult, but here in Thailand he’ll have better options.

 

You could get him out for some travel and activities, see what there is to be seen, other than his currently depressing surroundings. I sorely regret not being able to do that for my grandpa. Most importantly, his dollars in savings and social security would go a lot further here than in the US. He could afford travel, hired help, and a nicer place to stay.

 

Many caring, qualified ladies in much need of employment, who’d be satisfied with a modest salary. You could even be a bit generous with them and it’d still be much cheaper than those options in the US. I met several older expats at the lssan watering holes who did just this. Just be sure to get a somewhat older lady with experience, and don’t get taken in by eye candy. Haha. Best of luck to you.

What do you consider a modest salary ?

[Huckenfell]

On 3/4/2021 at 1:53 PM, Ebumbu said:

 

I talk with him every few days. I expect discussions to last many months. My purpose here is to gather options and ideas about the practical challenges of such a move. His USA situation is becoming untenable. The next step would be a nursing home in the USA, which would be a very poor quality of life compared to what's available here, along with family (me) to advocate and take care here. 

I am 85 and cannot wait to get back. I think that you would both benefit from a move to Los, just "take the bull by the horns"  and do it .

[tifino]

On 3/6/2021 at 2:32 PM, Ebumbu said:

 

My thing with Chiang Mai is the air. And, as I understand it, it's gotten worse. Do they have industrial air filters in each room? At minimal, I'd need to buy a large air filter and have it maintained for his room. It really casts a shadow on the potential. 

considering you earmark CM, and have noted the air pollution

 

now come forward to him in LOS:

 - So he's now in CM, and no longer wanting to stay inside forever any longer, as LOS is apparently so much less of a Covid threat to his health...

 

Your Inside Air Filtration is going to be great!

 - BUT that 'outside' pollution will be his nemesis, every single time he goes out...