cusanus

It's certainly an uneasy feeling knowing SSA was supposed to mail the 7162 in early June after Musk and Rump laid off thousands of workers and totally gummed up SS offices throughout the country. Certainly an explanation of the late forms would be given if the late mailing was an honest mistake, but you won't find one. Of course the intention is to stop payments to as many SS recipients as possible, and they'll be looking for ways to stall benefits to expats and destroy the system. I think it not advisable to just stew about it, so I scanned a copy of last year's form (to preserve the barcode) and blanked out the old signature and date, printed, signed and dated for myself and two friends and sent those yesterday to Wilkes-Barre common mail. In a month I'll email Manilla and ask if it was received and attach a scanned copy of the signed forms. Usually, they will confirm it was received and have previously accepted scanned copies and marked them received w/o further ado. Well, we'll see now. If they haven't gotten recorded by October, rinse and repeat.

I see on web an implant for 29,000 by Granddent, but it doesn't specify the brand. It's probably a Korean brand and the price is for a ceramic or mixed cap and not all zirconia. I had several Osstems at 35,000 9 nears ago but they were 50,000 with zirconia caps. Recently made appointment for Neobiotech implants (Korean like Osstem) zirconia caps 39,000 which I think cannot be beat. I doubt they aren't as good as Osstem which have lasted me nine years without any trouble at all, saved my life. DentalExcellence by LERTS at Sri Phoom corner Chiang Mai, AC is a little cold, bathroom upstairs.

Uh oh. I found a copy of my 7162 for 2024. It was mailed from US June 6 and received in Chiang Mai and mailed back in the envelope June 16. I'm going to use it as a template to make a new one with barcode for 2025 with Photoshop and mail it asap. Yeah, the comment is a good idea, too. I hoped to Google comments from other countries to see if this is a problem outside Thailand but draw a blank except Mexico hasn't gotten them either. The mail to US is also flakey this year for the first time for me since 2005, so it seems best to send it now to avoid cessation of payments in February. I'll email Manilla with an attached scanned PDF in a few weeks to see if it's there. If Manilla doesn't confirm receipt I'll send another one to Wilkes-Barre. There used to be a fax number, too, but I doubt it still works.

Uh oh. I found a copy of my 7162 for 2024. It was mailed from US June 6 and received in Chiang Mai and mailed back in the envelope June 16. I'm going to use it as a template to make one for 2025 and mail it asap. Or I'll fill in a blank if it doesn't look good enough.

Mine came early June every time from 2009-covid. I marked it and plopped it in the mail and never gave it a 2nd thought. I admit to being upset with US politics the last few years and on the paranoid side. I've helped friends who for some reason couldn't get forms or correspond with the US government at all. DOGE has made a mess of SS and that could make them late this year but I don't think they're going to cut off expats. I'll fill in a blank 7162 if I don't get the form by mid July, then if it comes later use the printed envelope and mail it again, NO EMS or registered, then email Manilla in September for confirmation as I've done the last few years. I don't expect any trouble, but if they don't have it by then, I'll send it again, maybe also to Manilla as a PDF scan attached to an email. I believe they can ensure it gets to the right place. All these extra precautions probably add to the current heavy workload, but many of us are on edge and would be badly hurt w/o the checks. I must say Manilla has always been helpful though harder to reach by phone than it used to be. Hopefully, I can avoid the temptation to rile folks as I too often do.

Try a sense of humor.

Personally, I've never had a problem in 20 years, however it does appear that Melon Musk and Agent Orange are doing their best to muck up the system. Most years I got the form by end of June. When a friend did not by end of July, we filled out and mailed in the blank form (don't forget to put in SSN# top right). If the form finally arrives later, use the enclosed SASE and send it again to make sure. Do not use EMS or registered mail, because those may sit forever before getting a signature. In a couple of months email Manilla asking to let you know the status. It may take a couple of weeks to get a reply but usually only a day or two. Most likely, it's recorded as received. You can try calling, but it may be difficult getting through. If you're still unsure come October, fill out and mail yet one more, wait a couple months and query Manilla again. If you're still not recorded, well, the plane crashed or the fascists may have achieved their goal to suck up the taxes you paid for retirement all your working life. Hopefully, you've saved enough to get by.

I buy 19 whole grain bread from Makro once a week. Tastes great.

Very concerned Melon Musk and Agent Orange have made a mess of SS. I usually get the form by now and in 20 years have never had a problem. I'll wait for a week and then fill in and mail a blank form (DO NOT FORGET TO WRITE IN YOUR SS# upper right). If the form comes later, I'll mail that one, too, but I don't think EMS is worth it since it has to be signed and may delay the process. If you can't get through telephone service which is likely now that the fascists are shaking us down then Manilla's email usually works to confirm it has been received. Calls may or may not get through. Email them around September. If you don't get an answer, send in a 2nd or 3rd form. Please let us know if when you get your 7162 in Chiang Mai. Good luck, boys.

This is Chiang Mai. It's always been the same here as general national rules,

I made the trip, hit by truck near the gas station. Lucky, minor damage to knee and Rebel side panel. Traffic insane. I spoke to the same man I see every year for document inspection pre visa extension. He's extremely particular about those same things. He said there is no rule change, same two bank letters as last year and prior years.

Thanks. Turns out he using the fixed orange passbook; however, he uses an agent and it's the agent telling him it's a new rule. I guess I'll have to drive to Immigration and ask for myself if there's a new rule or my two letters will work come January.

I've never been required a 12 month statement nor several of my friends. Perhaps the 1st letter of the two in my above post is the 12 month statement. I think that's right because it used to be only one letter required, then the 2nd which probably is just one line because there's no activity, but it is NOT a 12 month statement from Bangkok, just the local branch. My friend is upset because suddenly he's asked for a 12 month from the home office and I'm guessing it's because he has a non fixed account.

Ok, so tell me if I've got it. The 12 month statement is for non fixed accounts (in some instances only), but not required for the fixed deposit. Just to make sure so I don't have a problem come January, THANKS!

So when did the 12 months bank statement get added on? I've been doing two bank letters of verification from the local branch for many years, no 12 month statement required. Are you saying we do need a 12 month statement now for a 800,000 baht fixed account?

From Bob, 15 October. "I went to Bangkok Bank to get verification of 800,000 acct for immigration. My agent told me there is a new rule stating we need a hard copy from Bank in Bangkok and that It would take 12 days (I assume working days) to receive it. So, I am on hold. Luckily my one year visa doesn't end until middle of November Are you aware of this or have you done it already?" Sounds fishy to me. The bank didn't tell him that, just the agent. Anyone know about this one?

Any recent information, please. My Thai wife just bought a Mazda 3 with one key only. She ALWAYS loses her keys, so it's very important I get a duplicate somehow. Is The Tesco place still there? My Honda Brio key is also falling apart.

This might help you or someone. I could NOT log in from my PC as it kept saying my account was CLOSED! I was having a fit and can't call help at night. So, went to the app on my android phone and it instead said the account was FROZEN! To unfreeze it, I had to use the fingerprint sensor. That did it. Now it's not closed on the PC. Other than that, I do get kind of tired of these traffic light and crosswalk puzzles to log in, but this is the first time the CLOSED message appeared and Google was no help.

Didn't think a will was necessary for me. As I understood it, half of my two Bangkok bank accounts would go to my (Thai) wife and half to the children. Having just suffered a heart attack, I'm now wondering what qualifies as "children." My kids are in their forties. I don't know where two of them are myself and don't want them to get anything or for my wife to have to wait for that to get ironed out. Do I have to draw up a Thai will to make sure Meaw has quick access to the money when I'm dead? Having a will, I could also add her as a cosigner on the accounts in case I'm languishing in a hospital. If nobody has an answer here, guess I should bring this up at the branch office.

I don't believe you can make an account unless you have a US resident address. I could use one of my kids, but isn't that saying your address is not in Thailand? I'd rather not take that chance. A friend has one, but he made it before moving to Thailand.

Things used to run quite smoothly before covid except for rare mail issues. It should be back to normal next year unless certain politicians find a way to kill Social Security. For fifteen years I received the mailer on time, returned the SASE ordinary postal and forgot about it. I knew one person who could not receive mail from the IRS or SS for several years, but that was fixed this last year finally.

We forget about the fax number. What's wrong with using that? Anyway, it's not necessary to use a fax machine. On your computer you can go to HelloFax (Google it). It works great, keeps a record of past faxes, received or not, etc. Been using it for years, even for SSA a few years back. Not sure if it works with Android. The fax number I used back then was 410-966-6782, no idea if it still works. Thanks for the new number.

Mine was sent 15 June, processed 29 June. Record time.

Too early? If you call outside the EST window that's all you would ever get, so how does *67 cause them to beam up all dressed up and instantly appear at work in the middle of the night? if your POTS number was assigned to Montana, you'd have to make sure it was in the EST window, no problem. Well, that used to work until recently, but no longer I find. The SSA senses it doesn't originate from the EST area even if the time is okay, yeah, weird, so I had to use a VPN, but that didn't work until I used a New York server. Using *67 might work, but you didn't explain how. Maybe tell us that. Maybe you should try again and see if it still does.

Maybe I can help clear up some things if you haven't read my last message or two. Most everyone whose form was processed seems to be getting a second notice that they shouldn't. There was never a problem for most before covid, so try to be patient. Also, if you have a VPN and set the server for New York (try another if that fails) you will get answered by a human who can tell you if your form is processed. Use Skype, Google Voice, all work fine if using the right VPN server. The special operations number wasn't taking calls last week so I used 1-800-772-1213 . If your 7162 was NOT received, the SSA changes your address to match your last IRS 1040, YES they do, so it's a good idea to file a 1040 even if you don't have to, also so you can collect stimulus payments by direct payment to your bank. When you call it takes several minutes wait listening to boilerplate BS before a person answers. If you're not hooked to the right VPN server, they'll say it isn't during working hours, so change servers and try again. I'm not defending the system, but it works super well normally, PO is 99.99% reliable, no need for tracking, no need to bother, but it's easy to call if you know how. My friend I care for is good now, too, finally receiving mail even though the last form sent is wrong, I'm sure her's was processed along with mine since I sent them in together. Don't let this get under your skin. If you don't have a VPN or know how to do that, find a computer geek friend who can help, sit down about 8PM over a cup of coffee while calling up using Skype or Google Voice or Magic Jack and you'll get confirmation. If you send in a filled in blank 7162 w/o barcode, don't forget to add your SS# in the box at right and COC code 929. This about covers it.