SSA payments to Thailand

[1FinickyOne]

I would assume if you file a tax return then you don't need to deal with the alive letter?

 

Is that so? 

 

Also, my SS is direct deposited to my bank in USA

[unblocktheplanet]

Baseball...been bery bery good to me! $17 a month!

[The Theory]

Is it possible to claim for SSA benefit from Thailand trough Manila, but using US address and US bank account ?

[Pib]

5 minutes ago, 1FinickyOne said:

I would assume if you file a tax return then you don't need to deal with the alive letter?

 

Is that so? 

 

Also, my SS is direct deposited to my bank in USA

Whether or not you file a tax return each has no bearing on whether the SSA will send you an Are You Alive letter.  Although  the Are You Still Alive  In A Foreign Country letter primary purpose is to help confirm you are still kicking it also asks several other questions related to possible change of citizenship since you are living overseas, any changes to marriage/divorce  status, possible employment, other issues that may affect your benefits.   

 

Many people do not file tax returns simply because they don't have to because of income level or just choose to not to.....to each his own when dealing with Uncle Sam.  Plus govt agencies like the SSA and IRS really don't share a lot of info.

[Pib]

30 minutes ago, The Theory said:

Is it possible to claim for SSA benefit from Thailand trough Manila, but using US address and US bank account ?

You can file directly online at the main SSA website....no need to directly apply thru Manila.  What address you provide on that govt benefits application where you are suppose to be truthful will be up to you.

 

However, if in your application you say you are living in Thailand then HQ SSA may get the Manila SSA Office involved in the review/approval of your application....and of course the address you put on the application will be the address the SSA puts on-file for you.   Each person's life story is different when it comes to applying for SS benefits....if you apply directly at the SSA main website whether SSA will need to get the Manila SSA Office involved will vary....no involvement may be necessary...or it may be.

 

But if you don't live in Thailand then you should apply directly at the main SSA website or at the nearest SSA office where you live....like if you lived in Las Vegas just for example you should apply at the Las Vegas office if you didn't want to apply directly online at the main SSA website.   However, just because you live in Thailand does "not" mean you must apply directly with Manila---as mentioned earlier you can apply directly at the main SSA website.  SSA encourages people to apply online versus going to their local office which is just basically going to help them complete the same application while setting in front of a SSA employee.

 

Plus, the Manila SSA Office is responsible for SS beneficiaries living in this part of the world...around 40 or more countries I think.   So, when you do need assistance with a SS matter (either before or after benefits begin) if you are living in this part of the world (i.e., Thailand or thereabouts) but you don't want to tell Manila you are living in this part of the world, well, Manila probably will not offer any significant help simply because you are saying you don't live in this part of the world they are responsible for.  It would kinda be like me living in Bangkok wanting to get SS benefits help from the Las Vegas, Atlanta, Denver, etc., local area SSA office.

 

Regarding which bank account you use, even when living outside the U.S. you can use a U.S. bank account....many, many most beneficiaries do.  I do although I have my Thailand address onfile with the SSA.

 

Summary: using the Manila SS office is optional but if you had a problem with benefits Manila would be easier and faster to deal with than trying to deal with the main international office in Baltimore.  Yea, I'm sure you've read many negative comments about the Manila office, but it still better/faster to deal with them on most problems than trying to deal directly with the main office back in the U.S.

 

 

Edited July 22, 2022 by Pib

[flexomike]

22 hours ago, wpcoe said:

When I lived in Thailand (up until 2020) I would get the annual letter mailed to my Thai address from the SSA asking me to reply or they would suspend my benefit.  I never had the SS payments made to Thailand – I always have had it direct deposited to my USA bank.  I did, however, have my permanent address in the SSA system as Thailand, so I think it's not only folks with ACH transfers to Bangkok Bank.

The bank that you have is irrelevant, you had a registered address in Thailand and that is why one was sent

[JustThisOnePostOnly]

20 hours ago, Pib said:

However, just because you live in Thailand does "not" mean you must apply directly with Manila---as mentioned earlier you can apply directly at the main SSA website

Only if you have a working U.S. phone number and apparently things like Google Voice or Skype don't pass muster for some complicated reason.

[Pib]

3 hours ago, JustThisOnePostOnly said:

Only if you have a working U.S. phone number and apparently things like Google Voice or Skype don't pass muster for some complicated reason.

If you are talking that you now need a SSA MyOnline acct to apply online for benefits/pension that only applies if you will be using a U.S. address on the applications.   If you live outside the U.S., like in Thailand,  you do not need a SSA MyOnline acct to apply for benefits. 

 

But if having a U.S. address/using a U.S. address on the application they want you to create an SSA MyOnline acct which now means identity verification via ID.me or Login.gov for new SSA online accts where a U.S. mobile number may be needed during the identity verification process.

 

Like shown in the first two snapshots below if you select you do "not" have already have a SSA MyOnline acct and select you live outside the U.S. when your click Next (Snapshot 1) the next screen shown (Snapshot 2) is the first part of the application.

 

But if selecting you already have a SSA MyOnline acct they don't ask where you live now (Snapshot 3) and when clicking Next it takes you to the MyOnline login screen where you logon or start the create acct process by creating an acct on ID.me and/or Login.gov where a U.S. mobile number can come into play. 

 

See snapshots below to include the additional info/notes I included on the top of some snapshots.

 

Snapshot 1 below

 

Snapshot 2 below....after clicking Next in above snapshot...it takes you right to page 1 of the applications.

 

 

Snapshot 3 below...you say you already have a SSA MyOnline acct which changes the online application process where you need to log onto your SSA MyOnline acct.

 

Snapshot 4 below..after clicking Next in above snapshot...here you either logon to your MyOnline acct if you already have one "or" create one via ID.me or Login.gov identity verification to continue the online benefits application. Now with ID.me you can obtain identity verification without having a U.S. phone (requires upload of some identity docs and probably a online video chat with an ID.me rep where that rep looks at you, takes a snapshot of you holding your ID document like passport next to your face, and asks a few simple questions....I've done this process).  But with Login.gov you'll probably require a U.S. drivers license/State ID and a U.S. phone number.....Login.gov does not have video chat verification capability.   ID.me has more capability to verify U.S. folks who live outside the U.S. than Login.gov.....and ID.me does allow foreign mobile numbers and VOIP numbers (like Google Voice) for Two Factor Authorization (2FA)/logon....I know that for sure since I use my Thai mobile and GV numbers for 2FA login with ID.me.   However, even with Login.gov it's the online acct provider (SSA in this case) that dictates the Identity Verification requirements (which vary among the govt agencies) and what type of phone numbers are allowed for 2FA login, such as a VOIP number.   I also have a Login.gov  acct for a govt agency and while I could not use my GV number when getting ID verified thru Login.gov, "after that verification" was completed I was then able to use my GV number or Thailand DTAC number for 2FA to that govt agency online acct thru Login.gov. 

 

Basically, although a U.S. number may be required with some Identity Verification agencies (like login.gov)  "during the identity verification process, after that process VOIP numbers and/or foreign numbers may be allowed for 2FA login....there is no standard answer.  

 

 

[JustThisOnePostOnly]

22 hours ago, Pib said:

Basically, although a U.S. number may be required with some Identity Verification agencies (like login.gov)  "during the identity verification process, after that process VOIP numbers and/or foreign numbers may be allowed for 2FA login....there is no standard answer.  

I went down this rabbit hole once more and followed your advice about the U.S. address but, alas, the site rejected me because the information I gave didn't match what I had given previously during my first attempt.  I'm guessing I tried to use my U.S. mailing address before and that messed it all up.

 

I already have an appointment with Manila where they call you up at a specific time and date and they even sent me a confirmation letter.  I only made this  last effort at signing up online based on explicit instruction contained in that letter that signing up online was still possible and even preferable, and only to call them to cancel the appointment should the sign up be successful.

 

The takeaway: I will never, ever be able to get an online account at SSA because of this flawed first attempt.  I gave the address that they were previously using to send me correspondence, and the address which I use to deal with the IRS; a  perfectly reasonable choice and indeed, my preference, given my lifestyle of moving from one place to another.

 

But no.  No, the government knows better.  Got this one all figured out, they do.

[Pib]

30 minutes ago, JustThisOnePostOnly said:

I already have an appointment with Manila where they call you up at a specific time and date and they even sent me a confirmation letter. 

 

Manila's telephone interview is pretty painless as they ask very basic questions, name, address, SSN, date of birth, some questions about any unrecorded income, married/single/divorced, bank acct info to sent benefits to, etc.   They basically cover the questions/info needed for an online application.  A Manila telephone interview was how the wife and I signed up years ago.  

 

I only have one recommendation for the interview and it regards the "Benefits Begin" Date (month) which is the date you want to start earning benefits with the first payment occurring on the 3rd of the following month.  Like if you want the Benefits Begin date to be Nov 2022 then you start earning a pension on 1 Nov and then paid for the month of Nov on 3 Dec. 

 

And that recommendation is double, triple check with the SSA rep during that interview that they correctly recorded the date you want the benefits to begin.   While they got my begin date correct during my application/interview for the wife's they messed up her requested begin date (they made a typo) and started the pension several months earlier due to a typo the Manila rep made.  By starting the benefits earlier than requested over the years it added up to some significant money....plus the SSA had to recall those early payments before being able to correct to the requested date.   All due to the Manila rep;s error/typo, which they admitted to,....and it took the SSA Baltimore Int'l Ops around 4 months to get corrected in their system as correcting the Benefits Begin date after payments had been made turned out to not be an easy task in their system.  Manila couldn't make the correction; only the Baltimore main office could.   But it did get corrected after around 4 or a little more months of numerous follow-ups (many emails and phone calls).

 

So, just be sure they get your Benefits Begin date correct if you have a specific desired month as many people plan years in advance in wanting to start their SS benefits "on a specific month" for various reasons.  At least when a person does an online application if the Benefits Begin date gets entered wrong its due to the individual and not a SSA rep.

 

Edited July 24, 2022 by Pib

[Jingthing]

On 7/22/2022 at 11:49 AM, wpcoe said:

It's not only "American expats with addresses outside the USA and receiving their SS benefits in the foreign country," It's "American expats with addresses outside the USA."  I had my Thai address on file with the SSA, but always had my SS checks direct deposited to my US bank, never overseas, and I got the annual "are you still alive?" letter.

Yep. Me too.

[Jingthing]

On 7/22/2022 at 8:01 PM, 1FinickyOne said:

I would assume if you file a tax return then you don't need to deal with the alive letter?

 

Is that so? 

 

Also, my SS is direct deposited to my bank in USA

There is no connection between filing tax returns and that form.

It's about whether Social Security thinks you live abroad which you are required to tell them if you do. 

[Pib]

45 minutes ago, JustThisOnePostOnly said:

I went down this rabbit hole once more and followed your advice about the U.S. address but, alas, the site rejected me because the information I gave didn't match what I had given previously during my first attempt.  I'm guessing I tried to use my U.S. mailing address before and that messed it all up.

Was that first attempt years ago before SSA started using ID.Me or Login.gov for identify verification, OR was it recently using ID.Me or Login.gov?   

 

And if ID.Me or Login.gov which one did you try?   

 

ID.Me seems to be more flexible in verifying identity since they can use a video chat to assist in overcoming some identity verification obstacles....like maybe the one you ran into.   But Login.gov does not offer video chats to assist with identity verification and also require a valid (not expired) U.S. state ID/driver's license which people who live overseas may no longer have...login.gov will not accept a U.S. passport like ID.me will.  

 

Now in the good ol' days the SSA didn't use ID.me or Login.gov along with uploading identity docs like a drivers license, passport, etc., to verify identity/create a SSA online acct.  Instead, the SSA used a Q&A process using credit reporting agencies (i.e., TransUnion, Equifax, Experian) data with no upload of identity docs. 

 

But identity verification is tougher now days compared to years back....and each person's identity verification can easily be different based on their life story/address history/work history/available IDs/etc...etc...etc.

 

 

 

 

[gamb00ler]

On 7/23/2022 at 9:34 PM, Pib said:

If you are talking that you now need a SSA MyOnline acct to apply online for benefits/pension that only applies if you will be using a U.S. address on the applications.   If you live outside the U.S., like in Thailand,  you do not need a SSA MyOnline acct to apply for benefits. 

 

But if having a U.S. address/using a U.S. address on the application they want you to create an SSA MyOnline acct which now means identity verification via ID.me or Login.gov for new SSA online accts where a U.S. mobile number may be needed during the identity verification process.

 

Like shown in the first two snapshots below if you select you do "not" have already have a SSA MyOnline acct and select you live outside the U.S. when your click Next (Snapshot 1) the next screen shown (Snapshot 2) is the first part of the application.

 

But if selecting you already have a SSA MyOnline acct they don't ask where you live now (Snapshot 3) and when clicking Next it takes you to the MyOnline login screen where you logon or start the create acct process by creating an acct on ID.me and/or Login.gov where a U.S. mobile number can come into play. 

 

See snapshots below to include the additional info/notes I included on the top of some snapshots.

 

Snapshot 1 below

 

Snapshot 2 below....after clicking Next in above snapshot...it takes you right to page 1 of the applications.

 

 

Snapshot 3 below...you say you already have a SSA MyOnline acct which changes the online application process where you need to log onto your SSA MyOnline acct.

 

Snapshot 4 below..after clicking Next in above snapshot...here you either logon to your MyOnline acct if you already have one "or" create one via ID.me or Login.gov identity verification to continue the online benefits application. Now with ID.me you can obtain identity verification without having a U.S. phone (requires upload of some identity docs and probably a online video chat with an ID.me rep where that rep looks at you, takes a snapshot of you holding your ID document like passport next to your face, and asks a few simple questions....I've done this process).  But with Login.gov you'll probably require a U.S. drivers license/State ID and a U.S. phone number.....Login.gov does not have video chat verification capability.   ID.me has more capability to verify U.S. folks who live outside the U.S. than Login.gov.....and ID.me does allow foreign mobile numbers and VOIP numbers (like Google Voice) for Two Factor Authorization (2FA)/logon....I know that for sure since I use my Thai mobile and GV numbers for 2FA login with ID.me.   However, even with Login.gov it's the online acct provider (SSA in this case) that dictates the Identity Verification requirements (which vary among the govt agencies) and what type of phone numbers are allowed for 2FA login, such as a VOIP number.   I also have a Login.gov  acct for a govt agency and while I could not use my GV number when getting ID verified thru Login.gov, "after that verification" was completed I was then able to use my GV number or Thailand DTAC number for 2FA to that govt agency online acct thru Login.gov. 

 

Basically, although a U.S. number may be required with some Identity Verification agencies (like login.gov)  "during the identity verification process, after that process VOIP numbers and/or foreign numbers may be allowed for 2FA login....there is no standard answer.  

 

As usual, @Pib has provided a very detailed explanation of how to get your mySSA account set up from Thailand without a US mobile number.

 

Were you an investigative reporter in your previous life?

[cdemundo]

On 7/21/2022 at 7:42 PM, Pib said:

OP,

  Other than being new info to you there is nothing new about the annual/biennial SSA mailing of "Are You Still Alive" forms (form number 7161 or 7162) if you have a foreign address on-file with the SSA.  This has been occurring for decades.   It's formal name is called the Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire (FEQ) Program...readup about it at below SSA weblink.

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0302655000e

 

  And no new law....nothing new about being required to use a special/restricted Bankgok Bank acct "if", repeat, if you have your SSA benefit paid through the Bangkok Bank New York Branch (ABA routing number 026008691) using that branch's ACH/ABA routing number to send to your in-Thailand Bangkok Bank acct special/restricted acct.  Or said another way you pension is being paid through the U.S. Automated Clearing House (ACH) system.  Bangkok Bank is the only Thai bank with the ability to receive payments via the ACH system and to receive reoccurring U.S. govt payment it had to be to a special/restricted account.   Nothing new....been used for decades. 

 

  Additionally, in 2019 the U.S. Treasury Department implemented a new rule requiring all U.S. banks to utilize the "International ACH Transfer (IAT)" transfer format for funds leaving the U.S.....like a person initiating a transfer from their U.S. bank acct to their Bangkok Bank acct.  Since very, very few U.S. banks offer ACH "IAT" transfer format (because they use the standard/domestic ACH format) this pretty much stopped all "personal transfers" going from U.S. banks to Bangkok Bank.  HOWEVER, U.S. govt payments like SSA payments which still use the standard/domestic ACH format are waived for now from this Treasury requirement as the SSA and other U.S. govt agencies develop ACH IAT transfer capability in their financial systems.

 

   BUT, in 2019 the SSA also began International Direct Deposit (IDD) to Thailand which uses the SWIFT versus ACH transfer system.  You now have two methods to have U.S. govt pensions paid to Thailand....ACH and IDD.  If having your SSA pension sent via IDD you can have it sent to "any Thai bank and to a regular saving acct"....no restrictions...not special....to any Thai bank...to include a Bangkok Bank regular acct which has zero restrictions....no need to personally visit a branch to withdraw/transfer money.  The SSA/U.S. Treasury does the exchange on their end and send baht instead of dollars.   Other U.S. govt agencies also offer IDD.  The IDD exchange rate averages out to be about 0.25% lower than the Bangkok Bank TT Buying Rate used for incoming foreign funds like a SSA payment made in dollars.  But the IDD method has lower fees....only one fee of Bt100 which is a BAHTNET system fee if you live in the metro Bangkok area.  If living outside the metro area and depending on your Thai bank there may be another  inter-province fee of around Bt75.   Total IDD fees are less than the total ACH method fees where Bangkok Bank NY branch typically takes a $5 or $10 slice and your in-Thailand Bangkok Bank branch takes a 0.25% (Bt200 min, Bt500 max) receiving fee.  

 

  Considering exchange rate and fees if your govt pension is approx $1150 or more you will get more baht in your acct if using the ACH method but as mentioned earlier only Bangkok Bank offers the ACH method which requires the special/restricted acct.    But if  you receive less than approx $1150 then you will be better off using the IDD method in terms of most baht in your acct....and you can have the pension sent to any Thai bank regular acct.....even a Bangkok Bank regular acct.    Also, you will receive different coding on your Thai bank acct....for ACH Bangkok Bank will issue FTT/International Transfer Coding;  for IDD Thai banks including Bangkok Bank will issue Local/BAHTNET coding which makes it appear the funds came from within Thailand versus originating outside Thailand....this coding may be of concern for those using the monthly transfer method for extension of stay purpose.

 

    Yeap, nothing new....no new law.

 

 

 

 

" if your govt pension is approx $1150 or more you will get more baht in your acct if using the ACH method but as mentioned earlier only Bangkok Bank offers the ACH method which requires the special/restricted acct.    But if  you receive less than approx $1150 then you will be better off using the IDD method in terms of most baht in your acct."

 

How much is the difference for greater than $1150?

Is it in the less than 1% range or is it substantial?

[wpcoe]

3 hours ago, Pib said:

Was that first attempt years ago before SSA started using ID.Me or Login.gov for identify verification, OR was it recently using ID.Me or Login.gov?   

Do you need to use ID.me or login.gov to access/service your SSA account?  I still go directly to the https://www.ssa.gov/site/signin/en/ page and click on "my Social Security" for entry. 

 

My pension, however, is administered by the PBGC (another federal agency) and they now require use of login.gov, and it requires a US landline phone in the users name to register. (!)  No way around it.  They made this change about two years ago (?) so I've lost online access to my pension information, can't request tax forms, etc.  I mean, in this day and age, how many people have land lines in their name.  e.g. Husband and wife, even if they have a land line, only one of their names can be on it, so how does the other person get their login.gov credentials?

[JustThisOnePostOnly]

11 hours ago, Pib said:

Was that first attempt years ago before SSA started using ID.Me or Login.gov for identify verification, OR was it recently using ID.Me or Login.gov? 

I think I tried both at different points; after seeing the first require the U.S. phone number, I went on to the next.

 

Never completed either application of course, but obviously they remember the mere effort.

 

I'm used to being treated like a second class citizen by the banks while overseas, it's just startling to see the same mentality on display by a government that, after all, expects me to pay taxes while overseas.

[Pib]

8 hours ago, wpcoe said:

Do you need to use ID.me or login.gov to access/service your SSA account?  I still go directly to the https://www.ssa.gov/site/signin/en/ page and click on "my Social Security" for entry. 

 

My pension, however, is administered by the PBGC (another federal agency) and they now require use of login.gov, and it requires a US landline phone in the users name to register. (!)  No way around it.  They made this change about two years ago (?) so I've lost online access to my pension information, can't request tax forms, etc.  I mean, in this day and age, how many people have land lines in their name.  e.g. Husband and wife, even if they have a land line, only one of their names can be on it, so how does the other person get their login.gov credentials?

I directly login using the credentials before the SSA switch to requiring ID.me or Login.gov for new accts created on/after 18 Sep 2021.  However, if I desire I can also login to my SSA online acct via ID.me since I had  to get identity verification via ID.Me to login into my IRS acct as the IRS said sometime this summer people will need to create new login accts via ID.me...and they will be adding Login.gov sometime soon. 

 

Anyway, if you pass IRS Identity Verification with ID.me to login to your IRS acct, by passing that Identity Verification it will also allow you to login other U.S. govt sites where ID.me is used.  Now some U.S. govt sites like some VA website have less stringent identity verification requirements so qualifying to log into a certain VA benefits site probably will not verify you to also login into your IRS or SSA online acct.

 

I need to point out that it is "not" ID.me or Login.gov that sets "all" the Identity Verification requirements to login into a certain website like the PBGC....it's the agency/company like PBGC that tells ID.me/Login.gov the "core" Identity Verification requirements..  Like maybe the person must have a U.S. landline or mobile number which can be queried...and that query comes back saying the number is assigned to Mr Wpcoe of 123 Groundhog Street,  Lick Skillet, Kentucky.  But for such info to come back from a phone number query that means the person must has a fully registered landline or a "postpaid" mobile number.  Preaching to the choir when I say a lot of people don't use postpaid mobile numbers but use "prepaid" mobile U.S. mobile numbers which may not reflect any info on you such as name or address.  And landlines will probably only be registered in one person's name who lives in the household.  The query can also determine if a number is  "real" landline or mobile number versus a "VOIP" landline or mobile number like Magic Jack, Google Voice, etc.  

 

Other core requirements that the agency/company may require is scan/upload of certain identity docs like a U.S. drivers license/state ID, U.S. passport, a utility electric/gas bill showing your address, a bank statement showing your address, or other type docs used to help confirm your identity and where you live.   Agencies/companies like the IRS and probably SSA require stringent verification while other agencies/companies may require much less...may only require a certain membership number/card which a company/school may issue out.  

 

Now although the "core" Identity Verification requirements will be set by the agency/company/school/etc., ID.me and Login.gov have different "capabilities" in being able to verify people.  Login.gov which is a GSA U.S. govt agency relies on using a U.S. mobile or landline number along with a U.S. drivers license for strict verification simply because it makes it a lot easier for them to verify you.  Login.gov has been saying for years they plan to also allow U.S. passports in the near future vs just U.S state IDs but that has yet to occur....typical U.S. govt agency taking forever to develop a capability which probably requires additional funding from Congress. 

 

However, ID.Me, a civilian company, has different policies and more procedures to verify a person's identity....they will even do a video chat to verify you.  That is, after you have attempted their automated methods like face scan trying to match your face to your passport/drivers license photo if those methods fail (which do for many people....did for me since my passport photo was 9 years old at the time) then a video chat can be done to hopefully clear-up the identity verification obstacle---that's what I had to do...and it worked out well for me....your results may verify.

 

But since the PBGC only uses Login.gov for their identity verification and login service and assuming the PBGC has strict core identity verification requirements combined with Login.gov wanting to use a U.S. postpaid mobile number or real landline (versus prepaid mobile and/or VOIP) in the verification process that can make it really hard to get verified with Login.gov.  

 

Now over the last few months the U.S. govt Thrift Saving Program (TSP) switched to using only Login.gov and since I had a TSP acct I figured I was going to be screwed in ever being able to log onto my TSP acct again since I probably couldn't pass Login.gov verification requirements since I no longer had a valid U.S. drivers license, have prepaid phone numbers, etc. 

 

HOWEVER, the TSP set core identity requirements which didn't absolutely require me to have a U.S. landline line or U.S. mobile postpaid number....the TSP desired that but if a person didn't have such Login.gov offered me a Q&A test based on credit reporting agency data....just like how sites like SSA, IRS, etc., use to verify a person.  I was asked a series of questions which supposedly only I would know the answer to and if I answered them right I got verified...I passed that Q&A and login.gov verified me for login to my TSP acct.  This is an example of where the agency/company you are trying to get verified for set the "core" identity verification" requirements and not the Identity Verification service such as Login.gov/ID.me. 

 

 Heck, you or me could setup some website and decided we wanted to use Login.gov/ID.Me to verify the new members for login.....well, Login.gov/ID.me would first ask us what the core identify verification requirements must be...once we identify those requirements that's what Login.gov/ID.me would use to verify us. If we said we wanted identity verification based only on have a U.S driver license and a real U.S. phone number then that's what Login.gov/ID.me would use......if we set less strict core requirement not requiring upload of any ID docs but requiring a Q&A test then that what Login.gov/ID.me would use.

 

Yeap, I now another person here in Thailand who ran into the same PBGC and Login.gov problem.  And until the PBGC possibly offers more ways to verify your identity with them and/or Login.gov starts offering more ways to verify identity you probably will not be able to log onto your PBGC online acct again.   Yeap, once moving outside the U.S. it can make a person feel like a second class citizen back in their home country....and lord knows Thailand can make a farang feel like a second class human/walking ATM sometimes. 

 

 

[Pib]

11 hours ago, cdemundo said:

" if your govt pension is approx $1150 or more you will get more baht in your acct if using the ACH method but as mentioned earlier only Bangkok Bank offers the ACH method which requires the special/restricted acct.    But if  you receive less than approx $1150 then you will be better off using the IDD method in terms of most baht in your acct."

 

How much is the difference for greater than $1150?

Is it in the less than 1% range or is it substantial?

Take a look at my below June 2020 post (and chart contained within that post) where I posted the results of tracking/comparing the IDD exchange rate to the TT Buying/ACH exchange rate over a 12 month period/12 monthly SSA pension payments.   And although I was saying in above post the crossover was around $1150...based on review of my older posts I should have been saying around $1,125.

 

And once again for all listening in, the U.S. govt/its contractor bank determines the IDD exchange rate several business days before actual payment (i..e, they convert your dollars pension payment to baht several days before actual payment)....and that IDD is not posted anywhere....you must determine it based on your actual  net monthly payment in dollars compared to baht received adjusted for fees.  Whereas, when you get payment via the ACH method that exchange rate is determined by Bangkok Bank on the day of posting to your Bangkok Bank acct.

 

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See below post for explanation....lot of words.

 

 

 

[flexomike]

On 7/22/2022 at 8:01 PM, 1FinickyOne said:

I would assume if you file a tax return then you don't need to deal with the alive letter?

 

Is that so? 

 

Also, my SS is direct deposited to my bank in USA

if you are not registered with SS as living in Thailand or any other foreign country you would not be getting the form

 

[wpcoe]

On 7/24/2022 at 10:55 PM, Pib said:

Yeap, I now another person here in Thailand who ran into the same PBGC and Login.gov problem.  And until the PBGC possibly offers more ways to verify your identity with them and/or Login.gov starts offering more ways to verify identity you probably will not be able to log onto your PBGC online acct again.

The infuriating thing about the PBGC/login.gov debacle, is that PBGC introduced this just about two years ago.  Yep, in the century of the cell phone, they decided to not only (a) require a going-obsolete land-line verification, but (b) essentially eliminate access for non-residents of the USA.  There may be one or two retirees (PBGC is a pension agency) who choose to live their golden years overseas, no? ????

[DJ54]

July 30 2022 received 7162 Kumphawapi district Udon Thani Province (Northeast) date on form is  June 27 2022…. one month later but glad I got it… 

[Pib]

2 hours ago, DJ54 said:

July 30 2022 received 7162 Kumphawapi district Udon Thani Province (Northeast) date on form is  June 27 2022…. one month later but glad I got it… 

From looking thru this and the other 7162 related threads for those that identified the date the "7162 was generated" and "when received" it seems everyone said their form was generated 27 June and the earliest anyone received it in Thailand was o/a 8 July which is when the wife and I received ours here in Bangkok along with some other folks.   

 

Assuming the forms were mailed same or next day of generation  27/28 June (which could be a big assumption) for people in Bangkok to get the form o/a 8 July but forks upcountry like in Udon o/a 30 July that means it took and extra three weeks to get from Bangkok to Udon "if", repeat, "if" all forms generated o/a 27 June did get mailed out at the same time and all entered Thailand about the same time like a day or two  before 8 July. 

 

Ah, since there are no date stamps on the incoming envelope (or at least not on the ones the wife and I received) to indicate when the form was actually mailed in the U.S./received in Thailand we can only make assumptions whether all the forms were actually mailed o/a 27 June and if mail takes an approximately another 3 weeks to reach upcountry Thailand.

 

Edited July 30, 2022 by Pib