SS benefits application timeline

[Gecko123]

1 minute ago, gk10002000 said:

Haha so did Statefarm a few years back, who I have my car insurance with!    I have credit cards with citibank which is my prime as it gives the best cash back, Wells Fargo, just because I keep the brick and mortar bank and a senior checking account there, and Statefarm.  A mix of Mastercard and Visa as I think being on different card networks is a good idea.

I guess the smartest thing to do would be to take out as many credit cards as you can before you move over here. I'm seriously planning on repatriating sometime in the next four years and I'm starting to worry about things like credit scores and rental applications.

[gk10002000]

7 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

It never occurred to me to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA during the period between post-retirement but before starting to collect social security. I was starting to follow advice of a financial planner named Hammer who advocated slowly withdrawing from traditional IRAs prior to starting collecting social security so as to minimize AGI after you started collecting social security, but early conversion to a Roth IRA sounds even better. Thanks! I'm looking into this first thing Monday morning.

Hey, that 's what forums are for.  Definitely look into it.  Much depends on your tax levels, income levels, etc.  Keep the thesholds in mind.  And remember, one other thing about the ROTH IRA is, besides never counting as income for anything, ROTH IRAs have no RMD, required minimum distribution as traditional IRAs do.  So you control when and how much of your money to distribute and when.

 

  A few things about AGI and MAGI. 

 

When figuring how much social security is taxed, even tax free things are added in.  ROTH distributions would not be counted.

When figuring Medicare supplement costs, ROTH IRA distributions are not counted.

When figuring some VA Medical benefit qualification limits, ROTH IRA distributions are not counted.

 

  That is just my short list that kind of applies to me.  There are no doubt other income level things where ROTH IRAs get a plus.

[cmarshall]

2 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

Wells Fargo cancelled the credit card I had with them due to inactivity about five years after I moved to Thailand. Have made due with a Fidelity debit card stateside and BKK debit card in country. 

Having only one US card is kind of risky since if that becomes unavailable (e.g. Fido shuts you down) then you are SOL.

 

We have Amex Blue (for US purchases only), PenFed Visa and Capital One MasterCard, neither of which charge annual fees or foreign exchange fees.  We usually are able to have at least one charge per card per month to avoid inactivity complications.  I actually opened the Capital One Mastercard after I arrived in Thailand since one of my other cards shut down.  I was surprised that I was able to do so.  I filled out the online form and had to take a call from the online rep.  When he asked for my address I gave him my mail forwarder.  There was a pause and he asked, "So, this is your mailing address?" to which I answered, "Yes," expecting the next question to be for my physical address, but he didn't pursue it and I got the card.  So, it's worth a try.  

[cmarshall]

5 minutes ago, Gecko123 said:

I guess the smartest thing to do would be to take out as many credit cards as you can before you move over here. I'm seriously planning on repatriating sometime in the next four years and I'm starting to worry about things like credit scores and rental applications.

My advice is to apply for only as many credit cards as you can make monthly purchases on, to avoid getting cancelled for inactivity.  Make sure that they are no annual fee and no foreign transaction fee, such as Pentagon Federal or Capital One.

[gk10002000]

1 minute ago, Gecko123 said:

I guess the smartest thing to do would be to take out as many credit cards as you can before you move over here. I'm seriously planning on repatriating sometime in the next four years and I'm starting to worry about things like credit scores and rental applications.

Yeah, there can be issues if repatriating.  Some auto insurance companies really hate when you have a break in auto insurance coverage and may really price gouge you.  Be strong and do some shopping around.  Rental applications I would not worry too much about.  There are usually owners and house share things with private property owners that will work with you, maybe just asking for first and last and security deposit.  corporate rentals or apartment complexes can be nasty, but I avoid them anyway.  I have moved and rented all over the USA and of course many don't understand why I am "homeless" or on the road.  I smile and just try the next place.  Right now I am house shareing with  a nice gal in the san diego area.  No real formal application.  Sure I filled one out but it did not go anywhere and she made a few phone calls. 

 

  Some states are picky about declaring residency.  Like Florida you will want to get a driver license, but most states will require those new real ID compliant driver licences and will require two bills with your address on it, proof of citizenship and ID.  So have your passport ready, go online to your home state of birth and get a certified birth certificate copy, etc.  Do you have your social security card?  Get that or the one time copy when you can 

[Gecko123]

10 minutes ago, cmarshall said:

We have Amex Blue (for US purchases only), PenFed Visa and Capital One MasterCard, neither of which charge annual fees or foreign exchange fees. 

 

Hahaha. Funny you mention Capital One. When I moved to Thailand, I had this 7 year bond ladder set up with them, earning some sweet 7% interest rates and when I called to change my address to Thailand they said foreign accounts not permitted, we'll have to cancel all your CDs (prevailing rates were much lower by then).  Just about gave me a heart attack. Only quick thinking and lying through my teeth saved me (gave them my brother's address), but they were like, 'you realize if we find out you're lying you could be charged with bank fraud, right?' Brings back memories.

Edited May 11, 2019 by Gecko123

[gk10002000]

1 minute ago, Gecko123 said:

Hahaha. Funny you mention Capital One. When I moved to Thailand, I had this 7 year bond ladder set up with them, earning some sweet 7% interest rates and when I called to change my address to Thailand they said foreign accounts not permitted, we'll have to cancel all your CDs (prevailing rates were much lower by then).  Just about gave me a heart attack. Only quick thinking and lying through my teeth saved me (gave them my brother's address), but they were like, 'you realize if we find out you're lying you could be charged with bank fraud, right?' Brings back memories.

Yep.  That Patriot act and agencies over reacting.  Pitiful

[Gecko123]

7 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

So have your passport ready, go online to your home state of birth and get a certified birth certificate copy, etc.  Do you have your social security card?  Get that or the one time copy when you can 

Fortunately, I have all that with me. What I'm worried about is that having been off the grid for so long, and hemming and hawing about not being able to remember prior home addresses is gonna make it look like I've been in prison for the past 15 years.

[cmarshall]

4 minutes ago, gk10002000 said:

Yep.  That Patriot act and agencies over reacting.  Pitiful

It's going to be harder to simulate a US presence going forward.  USAA Federal Savings Bank has a smartphone app.  You can do a SWIFT transfer from the app, so I decided to give it a try.  And then it ordered me to turn on the location service in the phone.  Uh oh.  When that requirement spreads to other functions, then it will be tough.  I'll have to go looking for an app to fake up Google location services.

[ThaiBunny]

1 minute ago, cmarshall said:

It's going to be harder to simulate a US presence going forward.  USAA Federal Savings Bank has a smartphone app.  You can do a SWIFT transfer from the app, so I decided to give it a try.  And then it ordered me to turn on the location service in the phone.  Uh oh.  When that requirement spreads to other functions, then it will be tough.  I'll have to go looking for an app to fake up Google location services.

A VPN like IP Vanish (which works on my iPhone) may help

[gk10002000]

1 minute ago, Gecko123 said:

Fortunately, I have all that with me. What I'm worried about is that having been off the grid for so long, and hemming and hawing about not being able to remember prior home addresses is gonna make it look like I've been in prison for the past 15 years.

i been through that.  I literally am the homeless millionaire.  As for prior addresses, that is sometimes maddingly.  I forgot my password the other day for my statefarm since I only go on twice a year to renew my insurance.  The damn security questions they asked had some residences from 21 years ago!  Jesus. And since I worked in so many states I got dozens of residences.  Now on a rental application it looks sick.  Worst was my SF 86 security renewal form that had to have all my travels addresses, landlords, agencies, physical places of work, agencies physical location etc.  140 freaking pages long, including my 13 trips to Thailand during that time and a laundry machine washed passport that was hard to read.  One can always rent an extended stay type of place or even monthly hotels in many cities that are pretty reasonable.  It won't take much to get bills in your name.  Get a AAA auto club card, get a pay as you go cell phone from Wal Mart, etc.  Many ways to establish a presence once you get back

[cmarshall]

3 minutes ago, ThaiBunny said:

A VPN like IP Vanish (which works on my iPhone) may help

Nope.  Won't help a bit.  Google location services uses cell phone towers and GPS, if turned on, but it doesn't pay any attention to the ip at the end of your vpn tunnel.

[Pib]

 

Quote

 

So, I applied for retirement benefits online in March, three months before my 70th birthday.  I understand that the first month for which I will receive benefits will be July and the first payment will be in August.  On ssa.gov I see my application status as "processing" and the state is "initial."  I gathered that they would contact me about 1 month before my birthday which was a week ago.  I haven't heard from them yet. 

 

1. I am not worried yet, but wonder how long I should wait before contacting them?

2.  If I do decide to contact them is just calling Baltimore the best way?

 

You could ask either Manila or Baltimore for a status update.  But if asking Baltimore since they are the ones processing/approving your application you'll probably get more details.   All Manila can do is to see what status the system reflects and/or send a request to Baltimore for status update. 

 

You can contact SS Baltimore at the numbers shown in below webpage.  Since your application might still be in the review process reaching the "If You Have Applied for Benefits" will probably be a LOT, LOT easier in getting a human on the line than reaching a human at the applicable "If You Are Already Receiving Benefits" number based on your SSN.

 

Just because you see your application is in the "initial" stage does not necessarily mean it not approved already....found that out when watching a family member's pension application as it was still reflecting "initial" in the member's SSA Online Account for months after already receiving benefits.  

 

Also, since you included a US mailing address that will probably be were all mail goes to and will be also probably used to determine the frequency of the "are you dead or alive letter" which would be never for a US address.   However, with a US mailing address although you also have given them your Thailand physical address that may stop you from enrolling in International Direct Deposit (IDD) and also your SS pension direct deposit not being in ACH "IAT" format which is not good if wanting  to have it sent to Bangkok Bank in the near future.   Address(es) on file with SSA is used to determine various things.

 

Baltimore Phone Numbers

https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/phones.html

 

 

[cmarshall]

3 hours ago, Pib said:

 

You could ask either Manila or Baltimore for a status update.  But if asking Baltimore since they are the ones processing/approving your application you'll probably get more details.   All Manila can do is to see what status the system reflects and/or send a request to Baltimore for status update. 

 

You can contact SS Baltimore at the numbers shown in below webpage.  Since your application might still be in the review process reaching the "If You Have Applied for Benefits" will probably be a LOT, LOT easier in getting a human on the line than reaching a human at the applicable "If You Are Already Receiving Benefits" number based on your SSN.

 

Just because you see your application is in the "initial" stage does not necessarily mean it not approved already....found that out when watching a family member's pension application as it was still reflecting "initial" in the member's SSA Online Account for months after already receiving benefits.  

 

Also, since you included a US mailing address that will probably be were all mail goes to and will be also probably used to determine the frequency of the "are you dead or alive letter" which would be never for a US address.   However, with a US mailing address although you also have given them your Thailand physical address that may stop you from enrolling in International Direct Deposit (IDD) and also your SS pension direct deposit not being in ACH "IAT" format which is not good if wanting  to have it sent to Bangkok Bank in the near future.   Address(es) on file with SSA is used to determine various things.

 

Baltimore Phone Numbers

https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/phones.html

 

 

Very helpful.  Thanks.  I'll call Baltimore on Monday.

 

Good to know the address implications, but I prefer deposit to my US bank account in any case.

[Rhys]

On 5/11/2019 at 7:11 PM, cmarshall said:

Very helpful.  Thanks.  I'll call Baltimore on Monday.

 

Good to know the address implications, but I prefer deposit to my US bank account in any case.

Was Baltimore helpful?

 

[cmarshall]

14 hours ago, Rhys said:

Was Baltimore helpful?

 

I called Baltimore and left a message with the required information.  They said they would get back to me within 48 hours and then... crickets.

 

So, just now I called Manila, which only takes calls from 8 - 11 on Tue and Thu.   The rep picked up after 3 rings.  I was shocked.  She looked up my information in her database and said that there were no problems flagged, which they would know about because any problems would be referred to Manila.  When I asked why I hadn't received a confirmation letter, she said they would send that when the application was approved, which she implied would be on or before June 1.

 

One new piece of information is that, although I supplied both a US mailing address and my physical address here in Bangkok, the SSA, in their wisdom, changed the mailing address to be Bangkok.  So they ignore US mailing addresses for expats.

[Pib]

1 hour ago, cmarshall said:

I called Baltimore and left a message with the required information.  They said they would get back to me within 48 hours and then... crickets.

 

So, just now I called Manila, which only takes calls from 8 - 11 on Tue and Thu.   The rep picked up after 3 rings.  I was shocked.  She looked up my information in her database and said that there were no problems flagged, which they would know about because any problems would be referred to Manila.  When I asked why I hadn't received a confirmation letter, she said they would send that when the application was approved, which she implied would be on or before June 1.

 

One new piece of information is that, although I supplied both a US mailing address and my physical address here in Bangkok, the SSA, in their wisdom, changed the mailing address to be Bangkok.  So they ignore US mailing addresses for expats.

And the crickets will continue in waiting for a return call from Baltimore.  Only when you can get a human on the line is when you can get some info/maybe get an issue answered.

 

You got kinda lucky in getting a human on the line with Manila based on their new phone hours of only Tue and Thr 8-11am.   Before when you could call them Mon-Fri during their entire business day it was easy to get a human on the line; but now with them making their call window much smaller getting a busy signal or being asked to leave a message/call back number is more common.

 

Regarding the address on file with SSA that affects the ACH payment format, whether you get paid in ACH Domestic or ACH IAT format.  I think you said earlier in this thread you will have your benefit direct deposited to a US bank so an ACH Domestic format payment is fine, but if you ever wanted the benefit to go to Bangkok Bank (or any Thai bank like for IDD) you would need to have your Thailand address on file with SSA as your mailing address which would also probably be your residential/physical address.  Your payment to your US bank will most likely arrive in ACH IAT format since you have a foreign address onfile with SSA.  US banks can receive ACH IAT format payments no problems....been able to do so since around 2009-2013...it just they do not send/transfer using ACH IAT...instead they use the pricey SWIFT method for transfer of funds leaving the US.  If the payment description on your bank account starts off as Social Security Administrator then it was sent in IAT format; if the deception starts off as SSA Treas 310 then it was sent in domestic format.

 

For over six months I tried to get SSA to change a family member's payment format from ACH Domestic to ACH IAT....members payment was going to Bangkok Bank and as you know they will soon only accept ACH IAT format payments.  Member had both residential/physical address on file with SSA "and" a military APO address here in Thailand....an APO address is an official USPS address for active duty/retirees outside the U.S.   Anyway, after six months of calls, emails, letters, etc., to Manila and Baltimore in trying to get the payment format changed to ACH "IAT" format, I was met with total failure.  Then it was announced the APO will close Oct 19 so member notified Manila to just delete the APO address as the mailing address and that will only leave only the member's Thailand residential/physical address on file.  The following month member's payment format changed to ACH IAT format.  Having the APO address mailing address....a USPS mailing address....had been the problem in not being able to change to ACH IAT format....once the APO address was deleted the payment automatically changed to ACH IAT format.

 

Additionally if you possibly decide to switch from ACH payment to IDD payment to a Thai bank you must have your Thailand/foreign address onfile with SSA as IDD can only be used for payment to beneficiaries with foreign addresses.   So, with your Thailand address onfile with SSA, apparently as both your physical/residential and mailing address you should be good-to-go for getting paid in ACH IAT format or via IDD.

 

Edited May 16, 2019 by Pib

[cmarshall]

That's quite interesting.  The IDD transfer method would seem to me to have multiple disadvantages and only the one advantage of saving the $20 SWIFT transfer fee from my US bank.  If it becomes necessary for the monthly transfer method of visa renewal, then maybe I'll consider it.  Having to show up at the bank to access the money seems too much of a nuisance.

 

It's too bad that the SSA doesn't accept my US mailing address.  I worry that the SSA will truncate the Thai address and it will get lost.

[Pib]

25 minutes ago, cmarshall said:

That's quite interesting.  The IDD transfer method would seem to me to have multiple disadvantages and only the one advantage of saving the $20 SWIFT transfer fee from my US bank.  If it becomes necessary for the monthly transfer method of visa renewal, then maybe I'll consider it.  Having to show up at the bank to access the money seems too much of a nuisance.

 

It's too bad that the SSA doesn't accept my US mailing address.  I worry that the SSA will truncate the Thai address and it will get lost.

The IDD transfer method, not to be confused with the ACH transfer method, should not have any disadvantages if it turns out when using IDD your funds can go to "any" Thai bank regular bank account which comes with debit card and no requirement to physically show up at a branch to withdraw/transfer money "in comparison" to the Bangkok Bank special Direct Deposit account to receive US govt payments via ACH.  And IDD will probably have a better exchange rate with no intermediary bank fees...but there may still be a receiving bank fee like for current international payments/transfers.  And only Bangkok Bank has the capability to receive ACH payments....gives Bangkok a captive audience for US govt "ACH" payments....but any IDD participating Thai bank can receive IDD payments since IDD payments are made via SWIFT.

 

Well, there may, repeat, may be one downside for IDD....yet to be determined.  And that is how the coding will appear on a person's Thai bank account for the payment/transfer.  When using ACH to Bangkok Bank you will get "FTT/International Transfer" coding which makes it clear it was a foreign transfer...very important for those wanting to use immigration new monthly income method which require Thai bank confirmation the monthly transfer were international transfers.   It's yet to be determined what processor/contractor/intermediary bank the US Treasury will use to make IDD payments to Thai banks.  That processor/contractor/intermediary bank "might", repeat, might use SWIFT routing which goes through the Bank of Thailand BAHTNET system since BAHTNET directly interfaces with SWIFT which means the coding appearing on a person Thai bank account might end up being BTN/BAHTNET which does not clearly indicate it was a foreign transfer as BAHTNET can be used for foreign or domestic transfers.  

 

 

Edited May 16, 2019 by Pib