# Getting Mail From US



## chulor (Aug 19, 2013)

A Few Questions:

How do most US Expats get their mail? 

1. Thru an email service that transmits it to you? Which one(s) do you recommend?
2. Do I need to keep a PO Box here in US?
3. Do I need to keep a physical address for state taxes? If so, what state?
4. And for Medical and future Medicare services?
5. And do I need to keep a bank acct here AND have one there?

thanks!!!


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

chulor said:


> A Few Questions:
> 
> How do most US Expats get their mail?


I have a post office box at my local branch of Correos Mexicanos and receive mail that way.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

chulor said:


> A Few Questions:
> 
> How do most US Expats get their mail?
> 
> ...


:welcome: to the Mexico Forum!

1. Where will you be living in Mexico? In some of the communities where many non-Mexican North Americans are living (i.e., Lakeside communities at Lake Chapala; San Miguel de Allende; Alamos) it's commonplace for expats to receive mail in the USA at a Mail Boxes Etc./United Parcel office after which someone acts as a courier to bring the mail to you on a regular basis (for a fee). When I lived in Mexico I maintained a post office box to which all of my mail was delivered. 

2. Will you be relocating permanently to Mexico never to return to the USA? Is there no mail someone or some business/government entity will ever send you once you leave the USA?

3. My impression is that many of the expats in Mexico maintain a USA or Canadian address, for various reasons. Sometimes they use the address of children, sibilings or parents, sometimes friends, and sometimes they find a way to establish a residency in, say, South Dakota - a state which has some sort of system allowing people who live abroad to register as residents.

4. I'm not 100% certain, and I'm shy of the age when I can apply for such benefits, but my understanding is that neither Medicare nor Medicade benefits are allowable for otherwise eligible persons who reside in Mexico. I know of many people who return to the USA for important/major medical issues. Private healthcare insurance is available for purchase in Mexico and Mexico has a couple of schemes for government-assisted/paid for healthcare to which some expats are eligible ... but existing conditions are frequently, maybe most always excluded. I'm of the belief expats are best protected by purchasing privately-offered healthcare insurance in Mexico. With the exception of one or more areas just inside Mexico along the USA/Mexico border where Blue Cross/Blue Sheld may be honoring its healthcare plans (primarily ones issued in the state of California), I don't believe USA healthcare insurers will provide coverage/benefits to someone who has become a resident of Mexico. All of this depends upon how long each year someone is residing in Mexico. A snowbird or full-time.

5. I believe there more expats from the USA and Canada who continue to maintain a home-country bank account than there are those who only have an account at a Mexican bank. Many expats have both. The bulk of their funds are held in protected accounts in their home country, while a Mexican bank account is established/maintained so that certain things can be paid for in Pesos. I also believe that most USA/Canadian banks require a home country address in order to maintain an account. Banamex/Citibank had, and maybe still has, an account which many expats utilize. It's been a long time since I've had a Mexican bank account, banking practices have changed and others here will offer better, current advice than I can.


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## chulor (Aug 19, 2013)

*Thanks!!!*

Yes, I will be in the Lake Chapala area. I see there are US services online that will "email your mail" to you. Do you know of any? I can then keep my po box here, have my mail electronically sent and do all my business online.

I will keep an Obamacare (?) plan in US to cover pre-existing condition-- and in few years Medicare trips back if needed. (But have a Mexican plan for routine things for me & my wife).

I can then e-transfer funds that are automatically deposited into my us bank acct (SS-Pension) to my Mexican bank acct to cover my living expenses.

Does that sound like a plan?

Also, with the value, if you take say, 1000 and deposit it into a MX bank, isn't it automatically worth more. (in Pesos)?

cj


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Longford said:


> 4. I'm not 100% certain, and I'm shy of the age when I can apply for such benefits, but my understanding is that neither Medicare nor Medicade benefits are allowable for otherwise eligible persons who reside in Mexico.


Your understanding is correct. That's why I declined to have payments for Medicare Part B deducted each month from my US Social Security pension check.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

chulor said:


> I can then e-transfer funds that are automatically deposited into my us bank acct (SS-Pension) to my Mexican bank acct to cover my living expenses.
> 
> Does that sound like a plan?
> 
> ...


Transfer of funds will cost somewhere between 35 and 45 usd per transfer unless your bank in the US will do it for free. Plus the exchange rate of wire transfers is notorious less than ATM withdrawals. ATM rate are very close to interbank rate, i.e., the best exchange rate. Today the exchange rate is 13.3936 pesos to the dollar. No, it isn't worth more. It is worth 13.3936 pesos. You will probably get close to this with an ATM withdraw while the wire could be around 13.00.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

Isla Verde said:


> Your understanding is correct. That's why I declined to have payments for Medicare Part B deducted each month from my US Social Security pension check.


To be clear, you mean you cannot use Medicare while you are in Mexico, but you can register for it and use it when you are in the US even if you normally live in Mexico. Correct? I believe I had to give them a US address for mail.


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## makaloco (Mar 26, 2009)

TundraGreen said:


> To be clear, you mean you cannot use Medicare while you are in Mexico, but you can register for it and use it when you are in the US even if you normally live in Mexico. Correct? I believe I had to give them a US address for mail.


Correct. As for mail, even though I have Parts A and B, Social Security and Medicare use my Mexico address.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> To be clear, you mean you cannot use Medicare while you are in Mexico, but you can register for it and use it when you are in the US even if you normally live in Mexico. Correct? I believe I had to give them a US address for mail.


Sorry. What I meant is that you cannot use Medicare benefits for medical care in Mexico. Of course, you can return to the US for medical care and use those benefits there.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

There are multiple mail services in the Chapala/Ajijic area. We use Sol y Luna, which can be found online and which we have found to be very reliable. It provides us with a Laredo, TX address and physical delivery of mail to their local office here.


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## limeyboy (Jun 10, 2013)

We will be using these people they came recommended by friends

travelingmailbox.com


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## kito1 (Aug 4, 2012)

limeyboy said:


> We will be using these people they came recommended by friends
> 
> travelingmailbox.com


I would read this thread if you are interested in exactly how this company is run:

Mail Forwarding services - FlyerTalk Forums


*I had a horrible experience with them and I would strongly suggest you check out other companies....*


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## limeyboy (Jun 10, 2013)

kito1 said:


> I would read this thread if you are interested in exactly how this company is run:
> 
> Mail Forwarding services - FlyerTalk Forums
> 
> ...


 Care to PM me the experience?

Interesting thread thank you for the heads up will be checking into more forwarding options for our mail


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## kito1 (Aug 4, 2012)

limeyboy said:


> Care to PM me the experience?
> 
> Interesting thread thank you for the heads up will be checking into more forwarding options for our mail



No need for a PM I am happy to publicly tell how they behaved. They did not scan mail in a timely manner as promised, it was normally over a week and some was not scanned at all. The owner of the company then refuses to accept responsibility and blames the customer for being too picky. When I called to cancel the service he basically told me to go F' myself. 

As seen on the other website, they are willing to lie and deceive to try and get business. Not a company I would ever recommend.


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## kito1 (Aug 4, 2012)

moso123 said:


> i had an accident at work and been disabled for 7 years am on ssdi and mi 3 kids get a small amount to but im planning to move to Baja the sonest mi case settled( work comp) but im afraid to lose mi kids ssi checks they getting that because im disabled and they only 3;5;6 years old any body knows anything abuot that or some one on the same situacion?


You should start a new thread so it will be seen easier, here it is getting mixed up with an existing thread.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

kito1 said:


> You should start a new thread so it will be seen easier, here it is getting mixed up with an existing thread.


Done!


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## cj007 (Sep 10, 2013)

Isla Verde said:


> I have a post office box at my local branch of Correos Mexicanos and receive mail that way.


I have a post office box at a mail service place and once a month they bulk ship everything I need.

But in general to a great extent I try not to receive mail of any kind that would be time sensitive. Online accounts and email are best whenever possible. Otherwise an address for time sensitive documents should be used for someone you trust who can open and tend to time sensitive matters in your behalf or after consulting you same day by phone.

:fingerscrossed:


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