If you open a USAA account there are minimum requirements that must be met as explained above. The minimum deposit for opening the account ts $25.

If you open a Charles Schwab Intenational Account, the minimum deposit is $10,000.

Just to be clear, Charles Schwab Bank is different from the brokerage. You can use the bank for deposits and loans just like any other bank.

I would always, if American, maintain a US address and all main banking for SS and other monthly deposits, and then transfer to Thailand as needed. I don't believe there is a minimum deposit in the US.

As an aside, I also do as much Thai business as possible in the US using a US visa card. For instance when I rented a car in Bangkok for April, I made the reservation with Avis in the US and paid in the US with US visa card. Had there been any rip off attempt in Thailand, (there wasn't) US consumer protection and general customer oriented business practices would have prevailed and Visa would have told them to shove it.

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If you open a USAA account there are minimum requirements that must be met as explained above.  The minimum deposit for opening the account ts $25.

 

If you open a Charles Schwab Intenational Account, the minimum deposit is $10,000.

be aware that USAA has recently changed membership requirements and honorably discharged does not seem to qualify anymore - must be veteran or active service if military it seems.

Citibank does not charge fees when using their ATMs in thailand with their card. the problem is that there are not many around. I use the one at Silom. Also, I am able to withdraw up to 30K at one time. Usually my limit is 15K

Edited November 18, 201312 yr by danmarnj

Just to be clear, Charles Schwab Bank is different from the brokerage. You can use the bank for deposits and loans just like any other bank.

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Yep, this is correct, but I (only my experience, others experience my be different) had to open a brokerage account to open a checking account in the US. Still no fee or minimun balance to open either account in the US. unsure of the $10,000 minimum International because well, i'm not interenational.

If you open a USAA account there are minimum requirements that must be met as explained above. The minimum deposit for opening the account ts $25.

If you open a Charles Schwab Intenational Account, the minimum deposit is $10,000.

be aware that USAA has recently changed membership requirements and honorably discharged does not seem to qualify anymore - must be veteran or active service if military it seems.

I'm a vet and already a member but I just checked their website and the requirements haven't changed there (maybe not just updated):

Tell us about your military affiliation.

Based on you or your family’s military service, you may have earned access to additional financial products and services.

Click all that apply.

I am or have honorably served in the U.S. Military (Includes the Guard or Reserves)

I am joining the U.S. Military (Includes having signed an enlistment contract or participating in a commissioning program.)

My parent has insurance with USAA.

My spouse has insurance with USAA.

My spouse has honorably served in the U.S. military.

None of the above.

I've never opened an account as I really don't see the necessity as I have no address or living relatives in the US, my only family is here in Thailand.

Just to be clear, Charles Schwab Bank is different from the brokerage. You can use the bank for deposits and loans just like any other bank.

Link

Yep, this is correct, but I (only my experience, others experience my be different) had to open a brokerage account to open a checking account in the US. Still no fee or minimun balance to open either account in the US. unsure of the $10,000 minimum International because well, i'm not interenational.

In response to a discussion in a recent thread regarding SSA payments, I entered the Schwab website and went through the process of setting up an account. It had to be an international account as I have no US address, nor do I want one. The required deposit to open the account was $10000. Maybe if you are in the US this amount is not required but it is if it is an international account.

Citibank does not charge fees when using their ATMs in thailand with their card. the problem is that there are not many around. I use the one at Silom. Also, I am able to withdraw up to 30K at one time. Usually my limit is 15K

Have you tried this recently? It was the way you describe until about 5 years ago, I used to go down to Silom to dodge the fee, just as you descibe. Then they slapped on the 3% fee, even at their own ATMs because they were outside the US -- maybe if I had a Citi account that I opened in Thailand the fee would be waived, dunno.

Citi's handful of ATMs in Bangkok USED TO NOT charge any 150 baht ATM fee even on non-Citi debit cards from the U.S. But then a year or so ago, suddenly, Citi's ATM's began charging what then was the normal 150 baht fee charged by all the other Thai banks for foreign ATM card use.

I've never tried a U.S.-issued Citi ATM card in their ATMs here in Bangkok. But since they're now charging the foreign ATM fee against non-Citi cards from the U.S., I wouldn't be surprised if they're charging it against Citi U.S. cards as well. That's kind of been their pattern about similar things in the past.

Being a U.S. Citi account holder here provided very few if any benefits, unless you had high-value deposit accounts like Citi Gold and above where the privileges are different from their regular banking accounts.