U.S. SSA Form 7162 delivery difficulties

[Pronto2]

Has anyone else had difficulty recently in successfully delivering the U.S.  Social Security Form 7162 to the SSA p.o. box in Wilkes-Barre, PA?  Some months ago, I (like most other U.S. retirees) received the form, signed it, and put it into Thai Post EMS.  With tracking I could note when it reached the U.S., but there it sat in "international arrivals" or some such designation, just collecting dust.  Thai Post did fine; but the pathetic USPS simply lost the envelope or just gave up.  

 

Now, of course, I've received the "second notice" from SSA, and now after the month(!) it took to arrive here, I now have 15 days to get this second one over to them in Wilkes-Barre.  Has this happened to anyone else and, if so, what deliverly method did you use?  I understand that the couriers (DHL, FedEx, etc.) will not / cannot deliver to post office boxes.  I have actually found the physical address of the SSA in Wilkes-Barre and am wondering and considering courier-ing it to the office rather than the po box.  Thanks for any help from anyone else who has run afowl of the bumbling USPS.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

 

I once had a registered letter to Wilkes Barre returned as undeliverable even though I used the envelope that came with the 7162 form. It got as far as the USPS facility in New York and was then sent back to me. 

 

Back in July, I emailed the FBU in Manila with a scan of my completed 7162 attached and mentioned that I was going to send the original by post to Wilkes Barre. They replied that it was not necessary to send the original. You might try emailing them with a scan along with an explanation of your situation. Perhaps also send a copy by regular airmail to Wilkes Barre.

 

[email protected]

[noise]

Etaoin Shrdlu's advice is the best method to submit it.  

[HuskerDo2]

Can you FedEx it to a friend in the US and just have them drop it in the US mail for you? It should get to the P.O. Box with no issues.

[HuskerDo2]

The National Number for the SSA is 1-800-772-1213. Might be worth a call to explain the situation and find a resolution.

[RhodeIslandRed]

I have sent the first SSA form a few months ago by registered mail from BKK and the SSA never picked it up until 2 months later as I had tracking on it. In the meantime I sent a copy of the same form by regular air mail and told them this was a duplicate since they didn't pick up the first one on time. Now a few days ago I get a second notice to send it in again which I did yesterday by airmail again but not registered....BTW Fed Ex will take a PO Box as long as you have a local phone number for the recipient.

All in all I think the SSA is not picking up their mail or are short staffed and therefore the computer generated mailings just go out as timed. So, I have sent 3 forms to them hoping one of them has been accounted for........another mess in the US just like the IRS....and I don't think Manila will be much help either

[Jingthing]

58 minutes ago, HuskerDo2 said:

The National Number for the SSA is 1-800-772-1213. Might be worth a call to explain the situation and find a resolution.

I doubt it.

 

[RhodeIslandRed]

7 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I doubt it.

 

I agree ...you will never be able to talk to a live person...only a phone menu

[Jingthing]

Manila has this formal form now to initiate contact. Form 7162 issues is an option on the drop down menu but there isn't a way to include a file there. I think it might be good to start with the form and then hope they reply and if they want a scan, they would presumably email and request it. 

 

 

FBU Inquiry Form - U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (usembassy.gov)

[HuskerDo2]

2 hours ago, RhodeIslandRed said:

I agree ...you will never be able to talk to a live person...only a phone menu

Wrong. I've called a few times and the longest I've had to wait to talk to someone was about 20 minutes. Twice I had a live person on the line in under 5 minutes. Depends on when you call. If you call on a Monday or Friday morning you will wait maybe an hour or more.

[HuskerDo2]

3 hours ago, Jingthing said:

I doubt it.

 

And I doubt you ever tried to call them.  You are too negative.

[Jingthing]

34 minutes ago, HuskerDo2 said:

And I doubt you ever tried to call them.  You are too negative.

I have actually.

But issues with this form are not really their area.

I think the place to go with such problems is MANILA FBU.

[rwill]

The wife and I have never received this form.  So far no interuption in our payments.  Should I submit one anyway?

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

 

I once had a registered letter to Wilkes Barre returned as undeliverable even though I used the envelope that came with the 7162 form. It got as far as the USPS facility in New York and was then sent back to me. 

 

Back in July, I emailed the FBU in Manila with a scan of my completed 7162 attached and mentioned that I was going to send the original by post to Wilkes Barre. They replied that it was not necessary to send the original. You might try emailing them with a scan along with an explanation of your situation. Perhaps also send a copy by regular airmail to Wilkes Barre.

 

[email protected]

I emailed FBUManila in July 2022 about emailing or mailing my 7162 to them. Response was it must be mailed to Wilkes Barre. No email accepted. So I mailed it EMS (tracked only to US port of entry) to Wilkes Barr. Today I received my Second Notice to file.

[bunnydrops]

28 minutes ago, rwill said:

The wife and I have never received this form.  So far no interuption in our payments.  Should I submit one anyway?

I think I received one maybe 15 years ago. I believe that are sent out random or may maybe special cases. As long as they have your contact address you don't have to worry.

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

1 hour ago, rwill said:

The wife and I have never received this form.  So far no interuption in our payments.  Should I submit one anyway?

You won't receive a 7162 if the address you have on file with the SSA is a US address and your payments are sent to a US bank. If you use a Thai address, you'll get one every year under normal circumstances.

[M Cannaday]

Hello everyone,

I too have been doing the mail in form #7162 dance. Mailed it out twice since July, 1 sent via registered mail, 1 sent standard mail.

Received confirmation of delivery dated Oct. 4th., presumably from the registered mail one.

However I still received the dreaded letter from the SSA, stating that my form had not yet been received, with the request to resubmit.

I called every phone number that is possible, with zero results, never could get through to anybody.

Literally hundreds of calls to the direct line, dozens more to the 1-800 line.

So I moved to the fallback position, and called my former local SSA from Washington State.

While that office was not able to actually do anything related to the form #7162, they were able to access my account and look at it's current configuration. It was confirmed that the form HAD been received AND had been entered into my electronic file. Furthermore, they were able to confirm that my benefits status was still active.

So if you have a USA based phone or use Google Voice (via a sign up service that's free) you can call your former local SSA office and get at least some information.

Hope this helps some of you out!!!!

 

 

[swm59nj]

I sent the form by Thai Post Registered Mail.  It  took a l while to get there.  But arrived no problem.  
I suggest you go to the US Embassy website in Bangkok.  They have an SSA office in Manila.  You can email them explaining the issue. 

[HappyExpat57]

9 hours ago, HuskerDo2 said:

The National Number for the SSA is 1-800-772-1213. Might be worth a call to explain the situation and find a resolution.

My experience with folks at that number - once you explain to those <deleted><deleted><deleted> you live in Thailand, their instant response is you have to deal with the PI office. I called several times, thinking a different agent might help me. Nope, typical overworked underpaid bureaucrats. And they were RUDE about it!

[HappyExpat57]

Curious - can you give power of attorney for just this issue to a family member so they can send it in each year?

[DineshR]

I don't have this problem yet but after receiving benefits I suspect I will start to have this problem every year. Here are some lessons I have learned recently through my process of initiating retirement benefits from Thailand.

 

1. In order to get through to a live agent at the 1-800 SSA number, the only way to get around the automated system is to repeatedly ask for an agent. After 2 or 3 tries it will ultimately connect you with an agent. However, depending on when you call, you could wait quite a while before you actually get to speak with an agent - in my case, both times I called, it took about 30 mins.

 

2. The best way to connect with FBU Manila in my opinion is to send them an inquiry - https://ph.usembassy.gov/services/fbu-inquiry-form .  It may take a while for them to respond but in my experience, they do respond to inquiries received via this link.

 

A couple of things learned from prior posts here.

 

1. Keep the US address on my Social Security account.

 

2. Keep some local contact numbers of Social security offices near my US address

 

3. Consider sending the form to a friend and have them mail it to the required address.

 

 

 

[Srikcir]

8 hours ago, RhodeIslandRed said:

I have sent the first SSA form a few months ago by registered mail from BKK and the SSA never picked it up until 2 months later as I had tracking on it. In the meantime I sent a copy of the same form by regular air mail and told them this was a duplicate since they didn't pick up the first one on time. Now a few days ago I get a second notice to send it in again which I did yesterday by airmail again but not registered....BTW Fed Ex will take a PO Box as long as you have a local phone number for the recipient.

All in all I think the SSA is not picking up their mail or are short staffed and therefore the computer generated mailings just go out as timed. So, I have sent 3 forms to them hoping one of them has been accounted for........another mess in the US just like the IRS....and I don't think Manila will be much help either

There might be a deeper issue with USPS delivering SS forms timely.

 

The USPS Board of Governors is made up entirely of former POTUS Trump appointees. This Service leadership led by Chairman Louis DeJoy has known connections with Trump and the Republican Party. 

Sep. 9, 2020

Here Are All The Postal Service Leader's Ties To Trump and the GOP

https://www.forbes.com

 

Recall that the GOP opposes mail in voting ballots and supports dissolution of social security. To that end it would be consistent with GOP political agenda that the USPS leadership would slow mailings or "lose" them in connection with absentee voting and social security mail-ins. The mailer envelopes for these mails are distinct and unique.

 

POTUS Biden cannot remove any of the Board members, only the board can aside from any successful federal criminal conviction.

[Pronto2]

9 hours ago, HuskerDo2 said:

Can you FedEx it to a friend in the US and just have them drop it in the US mail for you? It should get to the P.O. Box with no issues.

This is something that I am considering, actually.  By chance and luck, a friend from the U.S. will visit next week for a short vacation.  I had been thinking of asking him to carry it back with him and put it in the mail there.  I'm wondering if the actual post mark (then being the U.S. and not Thailand) would raise their eyebrows any.  Yes, I know - maybe a bit odd to worry about that, but with their quite confused operation, who knows!

[PattayaKevin]

Www.letterstream.com has options to send regular or certified. What you do is upload your documents and where to send them they then print out the documents and send them to the address. You get the tracking numbers. I have used them a lot here for mail in the United States ships from Phoenix Arizona so should take about 4 days or so to get to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania 

[Pronto2]

9 hours ago, RhodeIslandRed said:

BTW Fed Ex will take a PO Box as long as you have a local phone number for the recipient....and I don't think Manila will be much help either

I did not know this about FedEx - I did not see anything on their website that indicated it.  And, I agree about Manila.  When the tracking for my first submission showed the mailing to have stopped at the international arrival place in the U.S., I emailed Manila.  Their reply was basically - 'sorry, can't do anything to help'.

[Pronto2]

8 hours ago, Jingthing said:

Manila has this formal form now to initiate contact. Form 7162 issues is an option on the drop down menu but there isn't a way to include a file there. I think it might be good to start with the form and then hope they reply and if they want a scan, they would presumably email and request it. 

 

 

FBU Inquiry Form - U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (usembassy.gov)

Thanks!  Will give it a try for sure!

[Pib]

2 hours ago, rwill said:

The wife and I have never received this form.  So far no interuption in our payments.  Should I submit one anyway?

I'm going to guess you do "not" have your Thailand address on-file with the SSA; but have your U.S. mailing address on-file with SSA. 

 

If so, that's why neither of you have been getting the annual 7162 since the 7162 is sent to those with overseas addresses on-file.   Those with U.S. addresses do not get the annual form unless maybe you are at least 90 years old.

[lopburi3]

Have not read all thread but had bank deposit letter held up for several weeks using EMS in the past - such mail must have postmasters signature at destination PO Box and if he is not present will not be delivered.  I know normal mail has not been much of an option during covid but perhaps now available again.  But using a US service to send regular mail such as above Www.letterstream.com seems to be the best bet.

[Pib]

 

Quote

 I understand that the couriers (DHL, FedEx, etc.) will not / cannot deliver to post office boxes.  I have actually found the physical address of the SSA in Wilkes-Barre and am wondering and considering courier-ing it to the office rather than the po box.  Thanks for any help from anyone else who has run afowl of the bumbling USPS.

Make sure you are not sending the form to the local SSA office in Wilkes Barre...it needs to go to the 7162 Processing/Data Processing office in Wilkes Barre.  

 

See below weblink for some address/options to get the 7162 to Wilkes Barre to include delivery by private delivery service

 

 

https://pasoamjournal.blogspot.com/2020/07/options-for-submitting-your-7162-proof.html

 

Courier the Form SSA-7162
Private Delivery Service (FedEx (Air-21), UPS, LBC, etc.)
 

Social Security Administration
Data Operations Center
Attn: SSA-7162 Process
1150 E. Mountain Drive
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18767-7162
U.S.A.

 

[thirdculture]

I sent it EMS tracking in mid-August...it languished in International (United States) for TWO MONTHS until finally on 10/20 it was delivered!!  What the...!!!

In the meantime, like so many others I called US SS and my local SS in US.  I contacted Manila.  I had the Thai post office track it and they reported it was lost.  Time, time, time and worry! :(

Can I now assume all is well or should I verify with someone that my 7162 is received e.g. my local SS in US (they were quite responsive when I called them on 11/3 - they looked in their system and reported to me my 7162 was not received)?