US ssa 2019 cola letter

[keithet]

Has anyone recieved their US ssa 2019 cost of living adjustment "cola" letter in the mail yet? I recall getting mine last year in December.

I'm hoping to get it soon so I can use if needed to prove my embassy income affidavit. 

[lexilis]

I came to TV just now to see if anyone was talking about this. I have not received mine either and was wondering.

[Jingthing]

I am new this year in the system.

I have a MySSA account and they posted the letter there which can of course be printed.

I haven't received anything in the mail either. They have my foreign address supposedly. For people that do have MySSA accounts and also know that S.S. has their Thai address, should we expect a hard copy letter sent to Thailand as well?

 

I don't really need the hard copy letter but I'm concerned that S.S. has my proper address for the annual proof of life letters. So any letters that they usually send and I don't get is a bad sign. I assume that proof of life letters are NOT sent instead to MySSA accounts, right?

 

To add to the O.P., the U.S. embassy has permanently stopped issuing income letters.

 

We've been talking about that issue for months now. Sorry. At the current time, there is no alternative to get income based applications without that letter. Going forward it looks like the alternative will involve monthly transfers of claimed income into Thailand (as opposed to non Thailand accounts).

Edited December 25, 2018 by Jingthing

[keithet]

9 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I am new this year in the system.

I have a MySSA account and they posted the letter there which can of course be printed.

I haven't received anything in the mail either. They have my foreign address supposedly. For people that do have MySSA accounts and also know that S.S. has their Thai address, should we expect a hard copy letter sent to Thailand as well?

 

I don't really need the hard copy letter but I'm concerned that S.S. has my proper address for the annual proof of life letters. So any letters that they usually send and I don't get is a bad sign. I assume that proof of life letters are NOT sent instead to MySSA accounts, right?

 

To add to the O.P., the U.S. embassy has permanently stopped issuing income letters.

 

We've been talking about that issue for months now. Sorry. At the current time, there is no alternative to get income based applications without that letter. Going forward it looks like the alternative will involve monthly transfers of claimed income into Thailand (as opposed to non Thailand accounts).

Thank you for your reply. Luckily I was able to get a appointment with us embassy for Dec 27. I made the appointment early in November. I hope I get the ssa letter in time. 

[Jingthing]

15 minutes ago, keithet said:

Thank you for your reply. Luckily I was able to get a appointment with us embassy for Dec 27. I made the appointment early in November. I hope I get the ssa letter in time. 

Oh, good. I had assumed they had stopped the service already, it being late December. So you don't really need the letter. You want to know the amount of the new benefit. Of course you could try to contact Manila FBU or the foreign service office in the U.S. but even if there wasn't a government shutdown the chances of getting that info that quickly is remote.

 

HOWEVER, you can calculate that yourself. From my online letter, the stated increase for 2019 is 2.8 percent.

Edited December 25, 2018 by Jingthing

[Mavideol]

9 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Oh, good. I had assumed they had stopped the service already, it being late December. So you don't really need the letter. You want to know the amount of the new benefit. Of course you could try to contact Manila FBU or the foreign service office in the U.S. but even if there wasn't a government shutdown the chances of getting that info that quickly is remote.

 

HOWEVER, you can calculate that yourself. From my online letter, the stated increase for 2019 is 2.8 percent.

that's correct, it's also in My SSA and their estimates are 2.8% for 2019, only received info on line no hard copy

[keithet]

I've never been able to log in to the online account from Thailand. 

I've always used Skype to call toll free and wait forever for someone during their business hours. Plus I forgot my log in info .

It would be nice to get my mailed in letter to present if asked for by Changwatana or embassy. 

Edited December 25, 2018 by keithet

[Jingthing]

18 minutes ago, keithet said:

I've never been able to log in to the online account from Thailand. 

I've always used Skype to call toll free and wait forever for someone during their business hours. Plus I forgot my log in info .

It would be nice to get my mailed in letter to present if asked for by Changwatana or embassy. 

I've had no trouble logging in from Thailand. I think I recall they require a password change every six months though so not sure what happens if the time passes and you haven't changed it.

Skype calls to Manila or the U.S.?

[keithet]

15 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I've had no trouble logging in from Thailand. I think I recall they require a password change every six months though so not sure what happens if the time passes and you haven't changed it.

Skype calls to Manila or the U.S.?

That's probably why I can't log in it's been years. When ever I have problems they can help over the phone. For example when my address changed they misspelled everything and I was surprised to even get mail from them. 

But yes I use the call feature on  Skype to call their 1-800 number during their hours of operations in the US. I think it's East Coast time. No cost and just leave on speaker max volume while I wait for the next available operater. 

[ubonjoe]

7 hours ago, lexilis said:

I came to TV just now to see if anyone was talking about this. I have not received mine either and was wondering.

Same for me.

Maybe it will show up this week.

[Nyezhov]

My SSA "messages" says 2.8%.

[keithet]

Hello

I just called ssa via Skype about my cola letter and the operater told me he has gotten calls last week  from people in the US that also haven't got their letters. And that they have been mailed out late this December. And for us in Thailand it can take 10-15 days for our mail. 

It's nice to talk to a actual person and said they will mail a new benefit letter approx 10 days. 

I just want to make sure I have something to show immigration if they ask to support my embassy affidavit.

[Nyezhov]

why dont y'all just download it?

[ubonjoe]

1 hour ago, Nyezhov said:

why dont y'all just download it?

Perhaps because they have not been able to set up a My SSA account to do it.

I cannot do it because I don't have a verifiable US address to do the enrollment.

[Pib]

Got it last week on mySSA account.   

[racyrick]

I am also waiting as well.

I have a Thai address only, so I need the hard copy.

[Jingthing]

I do have a Thai address as well and also a Myssa account which I initially setup with a US address. I don't really really need the letter as I have it from the myssa account and don't use an income method. However as someone new in the system I want to get the hard copy letter to verify that they have a Thai address that works. So on that point for those that do have a.Myssav account but you have updated the system to your Thai address should you expect these Cola letters sent hard copy or not?

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[ubonjoe]

12 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

So on that point for those that do have a.Myssav account but you have updated the system to your Thai address should you expect these Cola letters sent hard copy or not?

If you are using a Thai address for your residence address you should should get the letters.

Including the annual address confirmation (aka are you alive) form in June.

[Nyezhov]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

Perhaps because they have not been able to set up a My SSA account to do it.

I cannot do it because I don't have a verifiable US address to do the enrollment.

Ah. Got it.

[Kasane]

I am not sure how to add my Thai address as residential address. The only option in personal contact info is a US address. Can I add Thai address to my SSA account?

[Jingthing]

I am not sure how to add my Thai address as residential address. The only option in personal contact info is a US address. Can I add Thai address to my SSA account?

I did I think on initial sign up. You could add two addresses. They messed up the Thai address formating so had to call them to fix it. Later for an actual address change such as moving within Thailand you need also to contact Manila fbu or the international service office in the US.

 

So the Thai address isn't already in there you can't add it online.

 

Sent from my Lenovo A7020a48 using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

 

 

 

 

 

[keithet]

9 hours ago, Kasane said:

I am not sure how to add my Thai address as residential address. The only option in personal contact info is a US address. Can I add Thai address to my SSA account?

Down load I believe a ssa_21 change of foriegn address. 

I filled out mine on pdf filier and signed or you can scan a written one and send to ssa Manila filipines email with a scanned copy of your passport photo page. 

I use to do with embassy email and they would forward it to Manila but they stopped and we have to send to Manila ourselves. 

The info and email to manilla is in the US embassy website. 

[keithet]

1 minute ago, keithet said:

Down load I believe a ssa_21 change of foriegn address. 

I filled out mine on pdf filier and signed or you can scan a written one and send to ssa Manila filipines email with a scanned copy of your passport photo page. 

I use to do with embassy email and they would forward it to Manila but they stopped and we have to send to Manila ourselves. 

The info and email to manilla is in the US embassy website. 

Do as soon as possible so you can get in mid June the "I'm still alive" form in the mailing address in Thailand. 

[ubonjoe]

3 hours ago, keithet said:

Down load I believe a ssa_21 change of foriegn address. 

I don't think that is the correct form number. It is titled "SUPPLEMENT TO CLAIM OF PERSON OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES" and is about 4 pages long.

A looked through the forms and saw nothing related to an address change. Then searched using address and it took me to this page stating it can be done online or by contacting the SSA by phone. https://faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-01711

When I changed my address here I sent an email to Manila with only my name, SSN and new address on it.

[keithet]

4 hours ago, ubonjoe said:

I don't think that is the correct form number. It is titled "SUPPLEMENT TO CLAIM OF PERSON OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES" and is about 4 pages long.

A looked through the forms and saw nothing related to an address change. Then searched using address and it took me to this page stating it can be done online or by contacting the SSA by phone. https://faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-01711

When I changed my address here I sent an email to Manila with only my name, SSN and new address on it.

You're right that is what the title of the form is and on each page at the very bottom left hand side it's labled ssa 21

SSA-21 FORM.pdf

Edited December 28, 2018 by keithet

[ubonjoe]

40 minutes ago, keithet said:

You're right that is what the title of the form is and on each page at the very bottom left hand side it's labled ssa 21

What I meant was that it is not the correct form to do an address change.

As I wrote you don't any form to do the address change since it can be done online or by telephone.

[keithet]

12 minutes ago, ubonjoe said:

What I meant was that it is not the correct form to do an address change.

As I wrote you don't any form to do the address change since it can be done online or by telephone.

Sounds simple I thought I had to use the form the last 4 times I moved. Sent via email to embassy "which they don't do now" and they sent to Manila. 

So I read your other reply you just send a email to Manila with your name ssn and type your new address that you want to change to? 

[USNret]

On 12/25/2018 at 2:22 PM, keithet said:

I've never been able to log in to the online account from Thailand. 

 

Install a VPN on your computer or smart phone. I used VyprVPN. It's not free, but it's very good & stable and with a single purchase I can install on 2 computers and 2 iPhones. 

[ubonjoe]

16 minutes ago, keithet said:

So I read your other reply you just send a email to Manila with your name ssn and type your new address that you want to change to? 

That is exactly what I did. If I recall correctly that was what the US embassy website said to do when I did it which is no longer on the site.

I assume you could also call Manila to do it.

[keithet]

7 minutes ago, USNret said:

Install a VPN on your computer or smart phone. I used VyprVPN. It's not free, but it's very good & stable and with a single purchase I can install on 2 computers and 2 iPhones. 

Yes I tried but I think my online acount is no longer actavated because I didn't use for a few years. So to start another one I need a US address which I don't have. And plus my thai address is already on file for mailing address so I'm not sure if using a family address is legal or may cause confusion.