U.S. Social Security Deposit In Bangkok Bank New York Questions

[TravelerEastWest]

7 minutes ago, Reposed said:

I have SS deposited run BKK Bank. I take out in person, but also via ATM, transfers to others, and debit card charges on Lazada, etc.

 

I did not set up a "special account" as someone mentioned earlier. The branch bank manager signed off on a 15 year old existing savings account.

 

Manilla SSA is horrible: incompetent, unknowledgeable, and generally unresponsive. Their English is sub-standard. I'd suggest you continue having your benefits deposited stateside, and using Wise to transfer to BKK Bank every quarter. 

 

I am in the process of changing back to just that.

I agree with your comments about Manila.

 

I am going to change from a Thai bank to US bank but I will send teh money once a year as the transfer fees are too high....

[JimmyJ]

1 hour ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Thank you.

 

But how do I do this?

 

I am in Thailand and do not visit America.

Online,  as Reposed stated, or call and you will probably have the change effected a month earlier.

[JimmyJ]

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[JimmyJ]

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[TravelerEastWest]

10 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

Online,  as Reposed stated, or call and you will probably have the change effected a month earlier.

For me online is not possible - I got an error message that they could not match me to my social security or address or something like that - it wasn't clear...

 

I will try to call and if that doesn't work go through our friends in Manila...

[EVENKEEL]

Now that covid restrictions are dwindling applying for SS in the states and setting up your online account is a real good idea.

[TravelerEastWest]

Online accounts are not always easy to setup - at least not for me - I have an American passport and social security number and family house in the States (as well as a house in Thailand where my social security mail goes to) but do not have a current US drivers license which may be my problem? Anyway I can't do an online account as they say they can't verify me...?

 

Going to the states to do SS paperwork is not an option for me for more than one reason...

 

So I may have to use our friends in Manila again - slow and poor communication skills but in the end they get the job done...

[Pib]

16 hours ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Online accounts are not always easy to setup - at least not for me - I have an American passport and social security number and family house in the States (as well as a house in Thailand where my social security mail goes to) but do not have a current US drivers license which may be my problem? Anyway I can't do an online account as they say they can't verify me...?

 

Going to the states to do SS paperwork is not an option for me for more than one reason...

 

So I may have to use our friends in Manila again - slow and poor communication skills but in the end they get the job done...

Create a MySS online acct via ID.Me which is one of the three ways currently allowed by SSA to access/create a MySS acct....really in creating a MySS acct they are just verifying your identity. 

 

The three ways are the original way which is no longer available for new accts....this original way was when the SSA used one of the credit reporting agencies to verify your identity/create a MySS acct.  But now, to create a new acct you must use one of the other ways which are using the Login.gov and/or ID.Me portals....at this portals is where you verify your identity.

 

You do "not" need a U.S. driver license/state ID to create an acct if using ID.Me as ID.Me allows passports also.  Take a review of ID.me and it will make more sense.    However, the Login.gov does not allow passports as of now....a person must provide a state drivers license/state ID.  Login.gov is suppose to allow passport in the future but they've been saying that for years now.   Login.gov is run by the GSA of the U.S. govt and ID.me is a civilian identity verification company (the largest I think).

 

I too no longer have a valid state drivers license/state ID....only have my U.S. passport, U.S. passport card, and retired military ID.  I went the ID.Me method a few months ago when creating my "IRS" Online acct.  Although I've had an IRS online acct for a few years the IRS will require everyone to access their online acct thru ID.Me by late this late summers.   So, it's either lose my IRS online acct later this year or establish an IRS via the ID.Me portal.    And later this year/next year IRS will be also using Login.gov to access IRS online acct.

 

Anyway, I established an acct/verified my identity with ID.Me which gave me access to my IRS "and SS" accts via the ID.Me portal.  However, I still use my original MySS acct logoin credentials (i..e., the original way) since the MySS says a person "should" continue to use that method if already having an acct.   I used my U.S. passport to verify my identity along with a video chat session with a ID.Me rep....during the video chat the ID.me rep just asks you a few very basic questions and has you show your passport.....my identity was verified and access to several U.S. govt online acct like IRS, SS, etc., authorized after that identity verification....killed a couple of birds with one stone.  Worked out well.

 

[Pib]

Just additive info/graphics/links to my above post....link to ID.Me and where it talks social security online acct....that is, create an ID.Me acct and get verified for a MySS acct....see first snapshot below. 

 

 Now if starting off at the SS login webpage (see 2nd snapshot) you can logon via Login.gov and/or ID.me  (and also the original method).  But if you click "Create An Acct" it will take you to only Login.gov to create an acct/identity verification....apparently SSA prefers Login.gov over ID.me to create a MySS acct. However, as mentioned already, if you start off at the ID.Me website (first snapshot) you can create an ID.Me acct which also allows creation/identity verification for a MySSA acct.  

 

First Snapshot...starting off at the ID.me webpage for a MySSA acct.

https://www.id.me/government

 

 

Second Snapshot...starting off at the SSA MySS login webpage.  Shows the three methods to login...the original method for acct created before 18 Sep 2021 and the two other methods of via the Login.gov and ID.Me portals.

 

https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action

 

[TravelerEastWest]

ID.me was not possible for me as I don't have a document in English to prove my current address. My Electric bill etc are in Thai.

 

But I recently got a Social security letter in english with my Thai address perhaps taht will worK?

 

 

 

"A document that provides/proves your current address, matches with what you submit for verification (Unfortunately, this is going to be one of the more difficult documents to submit as the document needs to be in English or provide an English translation)"

 

[Pib]

11 hours ago, TravelerEastWest said:

ID.me was not possible for me as I don't have a document in English to prove my current address. My Electric bill etc are in Thai.

 

But I recently got a Social security letter in english with my Thai address perhaps taht will worK?

 

 

 

"A document that provides/proves your current address, matches with what you submit for verification (Unfortunately, this is going to be one of the more difficult documents to submit as the document needs to be in English or provide an English translation)"

 

I used my U.S. mailing address (a mail forwarding address) vs Thai address and submitted a monthly statement from one of my U.S. banks.   On most of my U.S. bank accts I still use my U.S. mail forwarding address vs Thai address.

 

You could get 3 to 12 month statement from your Thai bank in English....only costs around Bt100.   A couple years ago I was apply for an acct with a money transfer service and I was using my Thai address...and just like you almost all my monthly Thai bills were either in my wife's name and/or in Thai.   My DTAC mobile bill came in English but a mobile phone number was not acceptable to the money transfer service to prove residence....but a landline telephone bill would have been...but our landline bill from TOT was in the wife's name and in Thai.  Yea, I understand your problem in having a Thai doc "in English" which is formal enough/acceptable to the service you are signing up for.   

 

So, I went to Bangkok Bank and said I want a 6 month statement.  This kind of statement is a formal statement, comes on bank letterhead with bank rep signature, has your full name and "full" address, etc; it's not like the redacted/slimmed down online statement a person can easily get in seconds by setting behind their keyboard.   This formal statement is very similar to a U.S. bank monthly statement...all official looking with full name and address.   

 

But to get the statement in English I also had to have the bank update/enter my address in English also....after all of these years of being with Bangkok they only had my address in Thai loaded in their system....now it;s loaded in Thai "and English."  It only took the bank 15 minutes or so to load my address in English also.  After getting my acct to have the address loaded in English and Thai, I then requested a 6 month statement in English.   Got that statement in about 30 minutes because I was using the main Bangkok Bank branch in Bangkok on Silom Rd in the HQ Bangkok Bank building..... and the money transfer service accepted it as proof of address ( my Thai address).

 

The only documents I uploaded to ID.me for my verification were my passport main page, a selfie, my SS card , and a monthly bank statement (a U.S. bank).  As you many have seen by now from review of ID.Me, a lot of different docs qualify for verification and will vary from person to person as to what docs they want/need to upload.  And whether or not you pass their facial recognition check will also determine what docs you many need to upload....I did "not" pass their facial recognition test probably because my passport picture was 9 years old at the time (guess I aged over 9 years)....so, I ended up doing the video chat with an ID.me where they could see me and compare my passport main page to little ol' me.   If a person is lucking enough to pass the facial recognition test where facial recognition software matches your selfie to the photo on your passport/U.S. driver's license then that streamlines the verification process...less docs to upload and not video chat required...but as mentioned I didn't pass the facial recognition test and ended up in needing to do the video chat with an ID.me rep.  Don't sweat the video chat with the rep as it will be short and sweet (only a few minutes)...the rep will ask a few basic questions such as asking to to state your name and address, SSN, ask to hold the passport up close to the camera so they can ensure it matches little ol' you, and then the rep takes an online selfie of you.  You will now be verified....good to go.   The most important step in this whole verification process is matching your face to your U.S. drivers license/passport....providing a doc with your SSN and address is secondary (but required) and but is kinda like icing on the cake in the verification process.

 

As to what are acceptable primary  and secondary docs to ID.Me you just need to look at the list of docs that are acceptable...it's a pretty big list and will vary from person to person as to which docs they will have.  See list at below ID.me weblink.

 

https://help.id.me/hc/en-us/articles/360017833054-What-is-a-Primary-or-Secondary-Identification-Document-

 

 

 

 

[TravelerEastWest]

Many thanks for your detailed reply.

 

I got up to the point just before the video.

 

They agreed that I didn't have what they need on that day.

 

But I didn't think about my annual Bangkok Bank statement. I usually get one to renew my marriage visa. Also I do have my recent Social Security award letter which is in English and addresses to my Thai address - so perhaps that will work?

[Pib]

49 minutes ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Also I do have my recent Social Security award letter which is in English and addresses to my Thai address - so perhaps that will work?

I doubt a "letter" from SSA would be good enough but you could ask. 

 

However, a SSA 1099 Form should work as that listed on ID.me secondary docs list.  A SSA-1099 is the tax form the SSA sends you each year for income tax filing purposes.   

 

Or a Non-SSA 1099 Form should work as that's listed on ID.me secondary docs list.  To the best of my knowledge/googling a "non" SSA 1099 is a 1099 Form a civilian financial institution like a mutual fund company, bank, etc., reporting dividends/interest earned for tax filing purposes.

 

[cnx1204]

JUST RECEIVED TODAY FROM SSA MANILA IN RESPONSE TO MY QUERY

If you apply for direct deposit of your SS benefits in a Thai bank through SS Manila, they want a For SSA-1199-OP107 (Thailand specific).   If your bank has no experience with that form and refused to fill out section 3, Manila will accept it anyway as long as the name on the account matches the beneficiary and the address of the bank is provided along with the account number and routing number/swift code.  The U.S. govt still requires accounts receiving govt monies directly deposited must be account with over the counter withdrawal only, no ATM allowed

[TravelerEastWest]

Not sure about the no ATM rule for direct deposit as I just started receiving earlier this month a SS direct deposit to a  normal Bangkok Bank savings account which allows ATM cards.

 

As for filling out the form as with most things in Thailand you just need to politely patiently talk to teh bank - ask for teh manager if staff don't understand...

[TravelerEastWest]

4 hours ago, Pib said:

I doubt a "letter" from SSA would be good enough but you could ask. 

 

However, a SSA 1099 Form should work as that listed on ID.me secondary docs list.  A SSA-1099 is the tax form the SSA sends you each year for income tax filing purposes.   

 

Or a Non-SSA 1099 Form should work as that's listed on ID.me secondary docs list.  To the best of my knowledge/googling a "non" SSA 1099 is a 1099 Form a civilian financial institution like a mutual fund company, bank, etc., reporting dividends/interest earned for tax filing purposes.

 

Just started this month getting SS so no 1099 yet... But the letter looks very official maybe it will work along with another form/letter from my old home state with an absentee ballot form which has my name and address.

 

Either way I can wait its not urgent...

[cnx1204]

17 hours ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Not sure about the no ATM rule for direct deposit as I just started receiving earlier this month a SS direct deposit to a  normal Bangkok Bank savings account which allows ATM cards.

 

As for filling out the form as with most things in Thailand you just need to politely patiently talk to teh bank - ask for teh manager if staff don't understand...

If you contact the Bangkok Bank main office in Bangkok and ask the question, you will find out ATM access not allowed. You probably do not want to change so you might not want to ask.

 

The requirement was imposed on every bank that wants access to the U.S. banking/financial system and direct deposits from the govt.  Way back when, the govt discovered that too many American with direct deposit died and their non-qualified wives, girl friends, helpers, whomever would just continue to use the ATM to withdraw money monthly. 

 

One woman I helped with SS benefits had to get her invalid husband into the car and then get the branch manager when she got to the Bank.  He/She to come out to the car, verify he was still alive, and have him thumb stamp the withdrawal slip.  In this case, while both were Thais, both were eligible for SS benefits so that, when he died, she got widow benefits.

[EVENKEEL]

1 hour ago, cnx1204 said:

If you contact the Bangkok Bank main office in Bangkok and ask the question, you will find out ATM access not allowed. You probably do not want to change so you might not want to ask.

 

The requirement was imposed on every bank that wants access to the U.S. banking/financial system and direct deposits from the govt.  Way back when, the govt discovered that too many American with direct deposit died and their non-qualified wives, girl friends, helpers, whomever would just continue to use the ATM to withdraw money monthly. 

 

One woman I helped with SS benefits had to get her invalid husband into the car and then get the branch manager when she got to the Bank.  He/She to come out to the car, verify he was still alive, and have him thumb stamp the withdrawal slip.  In this case, while both were Thais, both were eligible for SS benefits so that, when he died, she got widow benefits.

When did the rules changes, my SS benefits have been direct deposited into Bangkok Bank for a year now and I have an ATM for the account.  I guess I asked too soon.

[Pib]

19 hours ago, TravelerEastWest said:

Not sure about the no ATM rule for direct deposit as I just started receiving earlier this month a SS direct deposit to a  normal Bangkok Bank savings account which allows ATM cards.

 

As for filling out the form as with most things in Thailand you just need to politely patiently talk to teh bank - ask for teh manager if staff don't understand...

You signed up for IDD which uses the SWIFT transfer system and allows payments to be sent to a regular, unrestricted savings acct at any Thai bank (i.e., Method 2 talked in one of my earlier posts in this thread).   

 

But if signing up for ACH which uses ACH transfer system and  routes the payment thru the Bangkok Bank NY branch,  then you would have had a Bangkok Bank restricted acct which does not allow a debit card or online withdrawal/outbound transfers....and withdrawal/outbound transfer must be done by visiting a branch (i.e., Method 1 talked earlier).  And no other Thai bank can receive payments via ACH.

 

The ACH method has been around for decades; the IDD method for Thailand only since 2019.

 

[TravelerEastWest]

9 hours ago, Pib said:

You signed up for IDD which uses the SWIFT transfer system and allows payments to be sent to a regular, unrestricted savings acct at any Thai bank (i.e., Method 2 talked in one of my earlier posts in this thread).   

 

But if signing up for ACH which uses ACH transfer system and  routes the payment thru the Bangkok Bank NY branch,  then you would have had a Bangkok Bank restricted acct which does not allow a debit card or online withdrawal/outbound transfers....and withdrawal/outbound transfer must be done by visiting a branch (i.e., Method 1 talked earlier).  And no other Thai bank can receive payments via ACH.

 

The ACH method has been around for decades; the IDD method for Thailand only since 2019.

 

Correct - I understand...

[Jaybott]

18 hours ago, Pib said:

You signed up for IDD which uses the SWIFT transfer system and allows payments to be sent to a regular, unrestricted savings acct at any Thai bank (i.e., Method 2 talked in one of my earlier posts in this thread).   

 

But if signing up for ACH which uses ACH transfer system and  routes the payment thru the Bangkok Bank NY branch,  then you would have had a Bangkok Bank restricted acct which does not allow a debit card or online withdrawal/outbound transfers....and withdrawal/outbound transfer must be done by visiting a branch (i.e., Method 1 talked earlier).  And no other Thai bank can receive payments via ACH.

 

The ACH method has been around for decades; the IDD method for Thailand only since 2019.

 

As I mentioned earlier, I have my SS and FERS/OPM retirement direct deposited into Bankok Bank, NY via ACH and I do not have any restrictions. I have a Bangkok Bank debit card associated with the account, which also gives me full access to ATM's.  

[cnx1204]

Apparently many branches are unaware of the Bangkok Bank requirement prohibiting ATM cards on US govt direct deposit accounts.   Here is a quote from the Bangkok Bank web site    

 

Conditions

Bangkok Bank cannot authorize the withdrawal of funds from your direct deposit account by an appointed representative, or via ATM or any other electronic channel. You must appear in person at a Bangkok Bank branch to withdraw the funds. You can, however, open a normal savings or current account and transfer the funds from your direct deposit account to this account. You may then withdraw your funds as usual via ATM or any other electronic channel.

You can also choose to directly contact the relevant US government agencies to send funds into your savings account with Bangkok Bank. However, we still need to request that you change your savings account to a Direct Deposit account. Failure to comply will result in Bangkok Bank not being able to deposit funds transferred from the relevant US government agency into your account.

[Pib]

9 hours ago, Jaybott said:

As I mentioned earlier, I have my SS and FERS/OPM retirement direct deposited into Bankok Bank, NY via ACH and I do not have any restrictions. I have a Bangkok Bank debit card associated with the account, which also gives me full access to ATM's.  

Consider yourself lucky....have dodged the bullet so far.  Numerous years back when first retiring to Thailand I decided to have my DFAS/military retirement pension go to my regular Bangkok Bank savings acct.  Went to my online acct for military retirement and entered the Bangkok Bank NY ACH routing number and my in-Thailand Bangkok Bank acct.   No problem. 

 

That was accepted and my pension started going to my Bangkok Bank regular savings acct....but that joy only last 2 or 3 months. Around the 4th month my pension was late (it happened to be my July payment).  With the 4th of July holiday in the U.S. I thought that maybe the holiday had just slowed down the payment being posted/transferred by Bangkok Bank.  Around 8 July I decided I would contact Bangkok Bank to ask do they know where my payment is as my military online acct showed it had been paid out.....but before I called the bank that day a letter from Bangkok Bank showed up in my mailbox.

 

The letter said my payment was hold since it was a reoccurring U.S. govt payment and I needed to come to the bank within two weeks to open a restricted saving acct to receive such payments....and if I didn't do it with two weeks they would send the payment back to the U.S. govt.   

 

I went to my branch (the main branch in the HQ Bangkok Bank building on Silom Rd in Bangkok), opened the restricted acct, Bangkok Bank released the on-hold payment into that new acct, and then I went and updated my new acct number at my military online acct.  I had no more problem in receiving the monthly pension for the next six months or so.   At that point I switched to sending the pension to one of my U.S. banks and moving money into Thailand a different way.  To this day I still have that restricted acct (among other regular accts at Bangkok Bank) in case it might become of use again some day....in case using ACH becomes a better deal again.

 

Yeap, I tried to have my pension sent to my regular/unrestricted Bangkok Bank savings acct and it worked fine for a few months....then Bangkok Bank spotted it was a reoccurring U.S. govt payment/pension and threw a monkey wrench into the works...had to open a restricted acct to get the wrench out of the machinery.

 

 

[Jaybott]

26 minutes ago, Pib said:

Consider yourself lucky....have dodged the bullet so far.  Numerous years back when first retiring to Thailand I decided to have my DFAS/military retirement pension go to my regular Bangkok Bank savings acct.  Went to my online acct for military retirement and entered the Bangkok Bank NY ACH routing number and my in-Thailand Bangkok Bank acct.   No problem. 

 

That was accepted and my pension started going to my Bangkok Bank regular savings acct....but that joy only last 2 or 3 months. Around the 4th month my pension was late (it happened to be my July payment).  With the 4th of July holiday in the U.S. I thought that maybe the holiday had just slowed down the payment being posted/transferred by Bangkok Bank.  Around 8 July I decided I would contact Bangkok Bank to ask do they know where my payment is as my military online acct showed it had been paid out.....but before I called the bank that day a letter from Bangkok Bank showed up in my mailbox.

 

The letter said my payment was hold since it was a reoccurring U.S. govt payment and I needed to come to the bank within two weeks to open a restricted saving acct to receive such payments....and if I didn't do it with two weeks they would send the payment back to the U.S. govt.   

 

I went to my branch (the main branch in the HQ Bangkok Bank building on Silom Rd in Bangkok), opened the restricted acct, Bangkok Bank released the on-hold payment into that new acct, and then I went and updated my new acct number at my military online acct.  I had no more problem in receiving the monthly pension for the next six months or so.   At that point I switched to sending the pension to one of my U.S. banks and moving money into Thailand a different way.  To this day I still have that restricted acct (among other regular accts at Bangkok Bank) in case it might become of use again some day....in case using ACH becomes a better deal again.

 

Yeap, I tried to have my pension sent to my regular/unrestricted Bangkok Bank savings acct and it worked fine for a few months....then Bangkok Bank spotted it was a reoccurring U.S. govt payment/pension and threw a monkey wrench into the works...had to open a restricted acct to get the wrench out of the machinery.

 

 

I guess I lucked out so far.  I retired December 31, and began SS in February.  Another thing though, when still working, I had a $100 allotment per pay period sent from DFAS to my Bangkok Bank account.  I hope I can stay under the radar.  Thanks for the information.  

 

[TravelerEastWest]

This has been a very helpful thread - many thanks to all the posters.

 

In the ned I changed to have my SS monthly payment sent to my American bank account and there is now zero fee withheld. As needed I now send a wire from my Schwab account to my local BKK account $15 Schwab set fee and about $5 local Thai fee works out well. Fast easy and a reasonable set fee.

 

Not sure if my exchange rate is good or not - local Thai Bangkok bank rate. Anyone know if this is a good rate?

 

Also a side question I use my American Visa card at Bangkok Hospital on occasion and they always ask me if I want the charge in Dollars or Baht - so far I select Thai baht. Is that a good idea??

[Reposed]

All I have to say is the people working at Manilla are retarded. Hence, worthless. They don't have any idea how to deal with any issue other than run around it. My senator is now involved.

 

I am in the process of switching back to my US institution, and using Wise every quarter or so to transfer here. Much better control of the exchange rate, too.

 

 

[Skeptic7]

53 minutes ago, TravelerEastWest said:

they always ask me if I want the charge in Dollars or Baht - so far I select Thai baht. Is that a good idea??

Yes...always take the THB option. Your CC bank will give you a better rate and you'll save yourself some money over choosing USD 

[patekatek]

I started this topic and thought I would update it to let you know that I was successful in getting my direct deposit sent to the Bangkok Bank, N.Y.  I used SSA-1199-OP107 (03-2020) the direct deposit sign up form for Thailand. 

I had the bank here fill out their portion and I filled out the rest.  Scanned the first page and emailed to S.S. Manila.  My first deposit was successful within the first couple of days this month.  ATM usage is no issue.

 

Good luck to those making the switch or are already in the process.

[TravelerEastWest]

2 hours ago, Skeptic7 said:

Yes...always take the THB option. Your CC bank will give you a better rate and you'll save yourself some money over choosing USD 

Many thanks!

 

Good to have confirmed what i was just guessing about...

[TravelerEastWest]

2 hours ago, Reposed said:

All I have to say is the people working at Manilla are retarded. Hence, worthless. They don't have any idea how to deal with any issue other than run around it. My senator is now involved.

 

I am in the process of switching back to my US institution, and using Wise every quarter or so to transfer here. Much better control of the exchange rate, too.

 

 

Is Wise better than using a bank/ stock broker? I pay a flat $15 plus the local Thai bank fee, about $4.50... I send Dollars which are converted here in Thailand.