Reciving u.s. Social security retirement benefits

Hi, all. Does anyone receive U.S. Social Security retirement benefits BY DIRECT DEPOSIT INTO A THAI BANK account?

I know they can send paper checks. I know they can direct deposit to a U.S. bank.

Getting the $$ from the U.S. bank, however, entails not only the exchange rate loss, but either exorbitant ATM withdrawal fees, possible foreign transaction fees, and/or outrageous U.S. Bank wire transfer fees. (Doing the math with my U.S. bank, Western Freaking Union is actually cheaper).

Nothing I found online (including the Social Security website) indicates specifically if direct deposit is available to my Thai bank account, and if so, if significant wire transfer fees apply to such deposits.

Any advice would be most welcome.

Thanks -

They will not deposit into a non-US bank account as far as I know. It's the same for my USG monthly pension check. Direct deposit to US bank and then every few months do a $35 wire transfer.

^ I was thinking tomcat said he had his direct deposited. Maybe not...

Living in the US and I've started down the road of trying to get disability. My doctor advised me to pursue it.

Spent about 4 hours in the local SS office the other day. The people of Walmart have nothing on the people of the SS office. Jeezus help me...:(

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Originally Posted by SKkin

was thinking tomcat said he had his direct deposited.

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Originally Posted by tomcat

...Fred: I would suggest calling Manila SSA and talking to someone in an office there. This is what I did when i turned 62...my first check was deposited a month later.

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from this thread:

https://teakdoor.com/living-in-thaila...etirement.html

Check US Embassy website under News/Events for recent announcement on direct deposits for various federal pensions.

https://th.usembassy.gov/message-for...efit-payments/

^^Still a bit confusing. As the USG tends to be.....But, per Humbert's post, appears it can be done.

Yes it can be done. Go to US Embassy Bandkok. They will hook you up with what you need. It is processed by US Embassy in PI. Basically an account is opened in Bangkok Bank in NYC. SS direct deposits there and Bangkok Bank NYC does a monthly transfer to a Bangkok Bank in Thailand.

I use a company called TransferWise. I can pay my UK funds into their UK account, and they send it anywhere in the world in local currency. They charge a small fee, but nothing like the bank charges you have to pay in UK, US or local banks.
It’s a US company so maybe worth a look. Apart from very low charges, their exchange rates are excellent, and you can wait to transfer funds until the exchange rate is more favorable to you.

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Originally Posted by BallBreaker

Check US Embassy website under News/Events for recent announcement on direct deposits for various federal pensions.

https://th.usembassy.gov/message-for...efit-payments/

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Message for U.S. Citizens: Direct Deposit of Federal Benefit Payments

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The United States Department of the Treasury now offers direct deposit of federal benefit payments, including Social Security Administration (SSA), Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Office of Personnel Management (OPM), to banks in Thailand. The payments are automatically converted to Thai Baht (THB) at the international exchange rate before they are deposited in the account. U.S. dollar payments are not available. The United States Department of the Treasury does not charge fees to make the deposits. However, the Thai banks may charge fees.

Direct deposit is the safest, most convenient and reliable method of receiving your benefits. The payment is electronically transmitted to your bank account and you have immediate access to your funds by the payment date. There are no delays, including missing and stolen checks.

You do not have to do anything if you are currently enrolled in direct deposit. Your payments will continue to be sent to your current bank.

If you wish to sign up for direct deposit or switch your direct deposit arrangement to another bank in Thailand, please contact the agency listed below.


Social Security Administration
U.S. Embassy Manila
1201 Roxas Boulevard
Ermita 0930
Manila, Philippines
Email: FBU.Manila@ssa.gov
Phone No.: +63 2 301 2000 ext. 9 (from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Manila Time, Tuesdays and Thursdays except Philippine and U.S. Holidays)


Department of Veterans Affairs
Email: DIRECTD.VBAMUS@VA.GOV
Phone: +1 (918) 781-7550 (from 9:00am to 5:30pm, Eastern Standard Time, Monday through Friday)


Office of Personnel Management
Retirement Operations Center
PO Box 45
Boyers, PA 16017 U.S.A.
Email: retire@opm.gov
Phone: +1-888-767-6738 (from 7:40 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time)


By U.S. Embassy Bangkok | 18 April, 2019 | Topics: Alert, News, Notification, U.S. Citizen Services

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Originally Posted by SKkin

Message for U.S. Citizens: Direct Deposit of Federal Benefit Payments

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Thanks for the paste SK and thanks for the link BallBreaker. I will definitely look into this method of getting gov retirement money transferred here. Also will inquire if my private retirement funds managers can do the same.

Makes sense for me and others. No need to have a US bank account at all.

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Originally Posted by BallBreaker

Check US Embassy website under News/Events for recent announcement on direct deposits for various federal pensions. https://th.usembassy.gov/message-for...efit-payments/

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As I posted before, this was in the making for a while. Now other banks in LOS can offer the same service that Bangkok Bank has had exclusively. This whole process is not rocket science but it seems people try their damnedest to make it so. Just contact the SS office in the Philippines to get the ball rolling.

Interesting thread. Learn something new every day.

^ Wonder if it helped the OP...

Hello, all. Just wanted to update you. First, thanks for the link to the U.S. announcement that ALL Thai banks are now available for direct Social Security deposit. Of course, it will surprise no one here that, opening my Krungsri Bank account in Pattaya today, nobody in the branch had a CLUE as to what I was talking about, and swore that all deposits into my account must be done by SWIFT wire transfer. Word should trickle down to them eventually. The fact that I may not have that many good years left doesn't seem to matter to them. ;-)

Anyway, we'll keep chugging along. Sabai Sabai.

P.S. not my call, and I wouldn't know where to suggest it...but the info in this thread was very helpful to me, and seems like it might be to a lot of others. Maybe it could be made into one of those threads that hangs around?

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Originally Posted by SKkin

Living in the US and I've started down the road of trying to get disability. My doctor advised me to pursue it.

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Have been advised that as of July 2, 2019 my application for disability has been approved. A detailed notice has been mailed.


Happy days for former trucker. :)

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Originally Posted by SKkin

Have been advised that as of July 2, 2019 my application for disability has been approved. A detailed notice has been mailed.


Happy days for former trucker. :)

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Congratulations!!!
As soon as I finish a couple of on going work related projects that I have started for the company I work for and can't leave them midstreen, I will applying also.

Nice windfall for you SKkin. Hopefully enough to more than cover your exchange rate losses of late.

^ & ^^ Thanks BB and Norton.

A pleasant surprise it was. I expected to be denied the first time through. A second surprise, there's already a pending SS deposit into my account for July 5th. First month's payment I guess.

None of my biz but is your disability related to truck driving? My brother's is. Nasty back pain.

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Originally Posted by Norton

None of my biz but is your disability related to truck driving? My brother's is. Nasty back pain.

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Partially, degenerated discs and pinched nerves in my lower back. To go along with that, have severe arthritis in back, hips and knees.

But yeah, years of trucking are not good for your back.

If your receive date falls on a Sunday, as mine is next month, via Bangkok Bank, will I get my benefits Sunday?

IMPORTANT UPDATE: I have been receiving U.S. Social Security benefits into my Krungsri Bank account for about 6 months now. No problems on the Thai end. HOWEVER...BEWARE! Once you change your address with U.S. Social Security to confirm the deposit to your Thai account at your Thai address, THERE IS AN ENTIRE CASCADE OF PROBLEMS awaiting you!!! First, if you have Medicare Supplemental or prescription drug insurance, it is VIRTUALLY CERTAIN you will receive a letter notifying you that your coverage will be TERMINATED in 1 year because you are no longer in "their service area." There is NO WAY to have Social Security list an American address for Medicare purposes. Medicare supplemental insurance companies go by the address in the Social Security system. CRITICALLY IMPORTANT: if you should allow your supplemental coverage to LAPSE, THERE WILL BE SEVERE PENALTIES FOR RE-INSTATEMENT IF, INDEED, YOU CAN EVER GET RE-INSTATEMENT if and when you return to the U.S. The penalties increase with the amount of time you are "out of coverage." Once out of coverage, to be re-instated, insurers may apply pre-existing conditions and other clauses, making you effectively UNINSURABLE unless you are so rich as to not need health insurance at all. Don't say you haven't been warned.

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Originally Posted by fredwiggy

If your receive date falls on a Sunday, as mine is next month, via Bangkok Bank, will I get my benefits Sunday?

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I have been using SS IDD to my Kasikorn account for over a year. It works like clockwork . The exchange rate is the official rate and there are no transfer fees. The only problem (minor) is that it comes as a "bahtnet transfer" from Citibank and not as a foreign transfer. Kasikorn emails me a "Credit Advice" to show immigration the money is a foreign transfer. I use this to satisfy Thai Immigration extension requirements. Works great for me.

Sign up with Wise or Revolut. Wise at least is UK based and protected for fraud. Revolut is Lithuania and not so good. You get real account in US. But might end soon so get your accounts now.