# Receiving Social Security



## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

Another question! My 62nd birthday is this August 15, and I am filing to receive my monthly Social Security benefit early. My original plan was to try to get closer to age 70, but you know how things are right now. 

Anyway, I have to decide whether to have my monthly benefit amount (a) deposited directly to my Mexican bank account, or (b) loaded onto a Direct Express card. What are your thoughts? 

I have heard that not all international banks are cool about receiving such direct deposits from the US, and that some require setting up a separate account for that purpose. But I have also heard that some people have had problems getting the Direct Express card to work internationally (although it is supposed to do so). Another conundrum!


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

For comments on Direct Express, take a look at:
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/credit_cards/direct-express.html

There are two very favorable reviews at the top of the page and five extremely negative reviews at the bottom of the page.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

TundraGreen said:


> For comments on Direct Express, take a look at:
> https://www.consumeraffairs.com/credit_cards/direct-express.html
> 
> There are two very favorable reviews at the top of the page and five extremely negative reviews at the bottom of the page.


Wow, thank you, all those horrifying one-star reviews are compelling evidence against Direct Express. Does anyone in this group use it? 

I believe that someone here once said that they receive their benefit payment into their Santander account every month, no problem?


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

PatrickMurtha said:


> I believe that someone here once said that they receive their benefit payment into their Santander account every month, no problem?



That someone was probably me. I've been receiving my monthly payment into my Santander account with no problems since 2007.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

Great, that is helpful! I am filling out the Social Security benefits application right this minute.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

PatrickMurtha said:


> Great, that is helpful! I am filling out the Social Security benefits application right this minute.


I believe you want to contact the Federal Benefits Unit at the Embassy in Mexico City and have them set it ALL up for you.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

lat19n said:


> I believe you want to contact the Federal Benefits Unit at the Embassy in Mexico City and have them set it ALL up for you.


Well, I finished the basic SS benefits application online today, including the banking info, but I believe I do have to fill out the SSA-1199 Direct Deposit Sign-Up form and submit it to the FBU as well. I’ll call the Social Security Administration on Monday to get precise instructions.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> That someone was probably me. I've been receiving my monthly payment into my Santander account with no problems since 2007.


Do you recall if you had to make a physical appointment at a US Consulate to set up the Direct Deposit? I filled out the online benefits application today, and I believe I need to fill out and submit a SSA-1199 form to the Federal Benefits Unit as well; but I am not sure about an office visit.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

PatrickMurtha said:


> Do you recall if you had to make a physical appointment at a US Consulate to set up the Direct Deposit? I filled out the online benefits application today, and I believe I need to fill out and submit a SSA-1199 form to the Federal Benefits Unit as well; but I am not sure about an office visit.


I can't remember if I did it while I was still in the States or was already in Mexico. If you call the FBU at the US Embassy, or send an email, they'll be happy to help you. It's a very efficient and friendly office, whose head is the husband of a friend of mine.


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## Stevenjb (Dec 10, 2017)

PatrickMurtha said:


> Do you recall if you had to make a physical appointment at a US Consulate to set up the Direct Deposit? I filled out the online benefits application today, and I believe I need to fill out and submit a SSA-1199 form to the Federal Benefits Unit as well; but I am not sure about an office visit.


You can do the SSA Direct Deposit info online at; you will need to create an account.

https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action

I was looking at Direct Express - had a hard time getting in touch with a phone rep - they don't make it easy. Asked about using the card out of the country and was told by a supervisor that they could not tell me if the card would work out of the country without my first being a member of Direct Deposit.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> I can't remember if I did it while I was still in the States or was already in Mexico. If you call the FBU at the US Embassy, or send an email, they'll be happy to help you. It's a very efficient and friendly office, whose head is the husband of a friend of mine.


That sounds good. I will be in touch with them next week.


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## PatrickMurtha (Feb 26, 2011)

Stevenjb said:


> You can do the SSA Direct Deposit info online at, you will need to create an account.
> 
> https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action
> 
> I was looking at Direct Express - had a hard time getting in touch with a phone rep - they don't make it easy. Asked about using the card out of the country and was told by a supervisor that they could not tell me if the card would work out of the country without my first being a member of Direct Deposit.


Ah yes, I had that account already, used it to make my benefits application today.


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Isla Verde said:


> I can't remember if I did it while I was still in the States or was already in Mexico. If you call the FBU at the US Embassy, or send an email, they'll be happy to help you. It's a very efficient and friendly office, whose head is the husband of a friend of mine.


Yes - once you are INSIDE Embassy the folks are real friendly. It must have been in lead up to my wife's claiming SS that we both sat down with a very nice FBU lady who kind of explained things and 'greased the path'. We let them handle the whole enrollment and they were very proud to do it. In follow-up I received an unsolicited lengthy phone call 3 months prior to my 62nd birthday where they laid out all my options. I decided to hold off until 70 - but it was VERY nice of them to reach out.

Still we did have a hiccup or two with my wife's enrollment. We have a long standing Mexican bank account where I am the titular and she is the co-titular. Our names are very non Mexican. When the Treasury sent her first check (obviously using her name) the deposit was rejected by our bank because it was not in MY name. (That still seems crazy). 

We are Premier customers at the bank and I called Mexico City. They went out of their way to set my wife up with her own Premier account (where I am the co-titular) for free and waived all the normal deposit requirements. To this day the account has 5,000 pesos. We gave the FBU that new bank account info - but then after maybe another 2-3 months her SS deposits miraculously started showing up in my bank account. I guess it is a good thing we had savings to live on in the interim.

But my point is - the very friendly folks at the FBU were extremely helpful and held our hands through out the process. They owned it. I'm not sure if that would have been different had we attempted to complete the process on our own.


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## Lawgrrl (Apr 24, 2015)

If you look at the FAQ page on the Direct Express website, you'll see that the fees are *high for use outside of the US, i.e., 3% of the purchase amount to use at a foreign merchant and $3.00 plus 3% of amount withdrawn to use a foreign ATM. https://www.usdirectexpress.com/faq.html
Personally, we have our SS benefits deposited with Schwab International and move money here to Mexico when needed and/or when exchange rates are good. We were able to change our direct deposit info with the FBU at the Consulate in Guadalajara by email only, without an appointment or physical visit.*


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

Lawgrrl said:


> Personally, we have our SS benefits deposited with Schwab International and move money here to Mexico when needed and/or when exchange rates are good.


We also have a Schwab International account and when they dropped the interest rate to 0% on our residual cash I once again opened an account with Fidelity. They had no concern that we have a Mexican address. 

I've never been very good at timing the market - especially the forex market. In peso terms - my wife's monthly SS deposit has varied as much as $750 USD this year ! Had I been telling myself wait, wait, wait - I doubt we could have done better.

I invested today in some 1 yr US T-Bills. They will yield 0.17%.


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## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

BOY.. Do you guys have a lot of faith in the US Government that is now run by a guy who hates Mexico, Mexicans [unless they work without over-time at his resorts] I wish you luck Patrick...but UNLESS you get lucky [the others ALL applied for SSA benefits prior to "pumpkin-head" and are thus, pretty much safe.
My wife filed last year at 62... we went to a SSA office in El Centro CA - AFTER opening her a US bank account... and had the direct deposit done... We both use our ATM cards to get what cash we need when we want... and so far, I figure I am near 10% a head on the exchange rate... Santander seems to have one of the best over-all rates of exchange....PLUS.. when you bank in the US, you can use your debit card to buy what you want shipped to you from the US for dollars and not take a "hit" on the exchange rate! Today, Mexico is FAR from stable... please remember that in the past the Mexican government just seized all "foreign owned bank account"... and I fiugure you are like me.. need every damned dollar I can get!


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## lat19n (Aug 19, 2017)

alan-in-mexicali said:


> Today, Mexico is FAR from stable... please remember that in the past the Mexican government just seized all "foreign owned bank account"


Now Alan - I'm not sure you are being fair there. Perhaps you can do a better job in describing EXACTLY what happened ?


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## alan-in-mexicali (Apr 26, 2018)

Please take the trouble to check the "Mexican Bank" history... You will find that on at least one occasion ALL "foreign" owned accouts were sized by the government....
I had a contract with the Mexican government to supply goods and services for a geothermal project..... and payment was specified in pesos...I had outstanding invoices due me.. the government "changed" the rules and stopped my payments due invoices WHEEN I got paid I was paid 10% of what I was owed! Take it or leave it! PLUS they added a "government penalty" clause which I would have to pay IF I did not complete the contract! NO CHOICE ON MY PAR..government mandate!
I am ahpppy for you that you receive your SSA with not issues... BUT what will happen to you IF they do it again... the dollar to peso rate is climbing... and the government does it's best to protect MEXICANS... and the only one who lsoes will be folks like you... sorry but THAT is their history!


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