SSA Benifit Check

@CHRISTOPHER DAVID56

hi i dont thinknis posible because if u have ssa and u or more than 30 days in the country ur benefit may be discontinue and if they don’t find out when you come back to the US, they will take out a 10% of your monthly payment

yeap, i just have mine sent from my bank via caribe express directly to my home, I just setup BHD de leon to send via remitly to my scotiabank, i hope is fast

anyone else with this scenerio?

Great question.  I plan on moving to the DR in April and I too receive ssa direct deposits to my U.S. bank.  Couldn't you just keep your Domestic bank account open and continue receiving payments there or would they need to go through a Dominican bank after a period of time?

I asked SSA and Boeing for international deposits, the answer was nope.

@nairoviinfante30 actually that's incorrect, that's only if you get ssdi .this is the retirement benifit.

Already verfied with SSA as thousands of xpats retire out of usa

But thanks for the feedback

Just so I'm clear.

SSA does provide EFT to the Dominican Republic to an established dollar account. You contact the USA Embassy in Santo Dominican, SSA division.

They sent me the form to complete and return to them The then will set it up in the SSA system for direct deposit.

I was inquiring if anybody had this setup already and they encountered any delays or issues.    However, SSDI and SSI may not qualify it all depends on the individual case

@dwightjackson53

Yes,  you can also use that option.

However, if I am not mistaken you (law) cannot be a legal resident of USA and Dominican Republic at the same time. Maybe that's changed

We all know there are work arounds.

cool, thanks for the info

@Oscarsahony Sanchez

I remember reading a SSA site that had Caribbean banks that could accept SSA direct deposits, but the Dominucan was not on the list.

@CHRISTOPHER DAVID56oh ok dorry about that

@ckhii Banco Popular and now BanReserve since there is a branch in NYC

good to know!

well, that takes care of SSA, Boeing tol me nope so i guess I will stick caribe express for that.

thanks guys

So when are going to organize a group spring gathering?

We can select a middle of the road for everyone and make a day out of it.

any ideas?

    @dwightjackson53
Yes,  you can also use that option.
However, if I am not mistaken you (law) cannot be a legal resident of USA and Dominican Republic at the same time. Maybe that's changed
We all know there are work arounds.
   

    -@CHRISTOPHER DAVID56

You can certainly be a US Citizen and a Dominican Resident at the same time.

@CHRISTOPHER DAVID56

https://faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-02537.  This SSA web article explains about SSA payments

I have my SSA direct deposited to my USA checking account and write myself a check and deposit into my Scotiabank USD account.  No fees, no hassle.

@Alfonso Ayala BOOOOOOOOOM !!...💯💯💯

@ddmcghee yes and agree you can and did not say citizen, said resident , and mentioned was not sure.

However, I found each country has various rules/laws regarding dual permindent residence status In two countries. All depends on your home country Regulations.

I'm good on my question and answers to dual  residence.

@ckhii thanks for the information.

I am already now set up with now SSA direct deposit to my Banco Popular dollar account.

All is good

@CHRISTOPHER DAVID56 note; also, some countries dont allow dual citizenship. Again, all depends on home country laws, and regulations and your individual circumstances.

Off topic from this original post. Enjoy your day

Chris

so you have direct deposit frkm usa bank to pooular dollar to dollar?

that would be ideal for me

thanks guys

@Oscarsahony Sanchez no it's directly deposited from SSA to Banco Popular dollar account.

However, check out Fedility Investiment banking. Not promoting Fedility, but many free features ATM international and internacional wire transfers free. Works for me..

i personally wouldn’t give up my American bank account  or fidelity investment account ….  chase bank  charges me like $2 in exchange fees because all my bills here are paid by credit card every month on auto pay , Like if you want to transfer money  write yourself a check or use your debit card… its easy enough

For those who deposit US checks here, how long does it take for your funds to be available? Particularly at Banco Santa Cruz!

I deposit US checks at Scotiabank in Río San Juan and they post in 12 business days. Funds available 12 business days.

@Alfonso Ayala

This does seem like the simplest, least-complicated way. 

@ddmcghee banco popular 10 days

    I have my SSA direct deposited to my USA checking account and write myself a check and deposit into my Scotiabank USD account.  No fees, no hassle.
   

    -@Alfonso Ayalad

This is the way to do it.  Do not direct deposit into a DR bank if at all possible to avoid.

If you have your SSA money direct deposited in a DR bank, you will get periodic mailings by snail mail from SSA that you have to send back via snail mail to verify you are alive. This can mean missing payments.   Do what Alfonso does and avoid that.   

Set up a checking account with Charles Schwab where you have your SSA payments sent , write checks and have them deposited into the DR bank of your choice for your expenses here.  Charles Schwab is good to have because you can take money from your US account with them and they refund the ATM fees.  Or just any other US checking account to do the same.

Any bank in the US with the same name, like Banco Popular or BanReservas will operate under US banking laws so it really doesn't help the above situation.   

@Christopher David56 I read all the posts in this thread and here is my scenario and question. I have SSA disability direct deposited into my US bank checking account. Do you or anyone know if Banco Popular charges any fee or tax if you deposit checks from your US checking account into a Banco Popular Dollar Account? Also, does Banco Popular charge any fee when you withdraw funds from your Banco Popular account via their ATM's? I appreciate all answers. Thank you.

@dwightjackson53 I would just leave it the same my card still works and set up an account there and transfer

@Alfonso Ayala dam!

    @Christopher David56 I read all the posts in this thread and here is my scenario and question. I have SSA disability direct deposited into my US bank checking account. Do you or anyone know if Banco Popular charges any fee or tax if you deposit checks from your US checking account into a Banco Popular Dollar Account? Also, does Banco Popular charge any fee when you withdraw funds from your Banco Popular account via their ATM's? I appreciate all answers. Thank you.
   

    -@Nanosaso

BPD does not charge any fee for you to deposit USD checks into your USD BPD account, nor to withdraw USD in cash.

I don't have an ATM card for them.   I use a Schwab card for ATM's here.

You wpuld transfer dollars from that account to a peso account.  Then withdraw at ATM of banco popular without a fee.  But you will lose a bit on the exchange rate!  They are always behind other banks on the rate.  To avoid go into the bank and take out dollars.  Go exchange elsewhere. Depending on volume and hassle may not be worth your time.

    @ckhii thanks for the information.I am already now set up with now SSA direct deposit to my Banco Popular dollar account.All is good        -@CHRISTOPHER DAVID56

As I mentioned, I do not recommend this method fo SSA deposited directly to a DR bank .

I recommend depositing US checks to a dollar account in a Dominican bank. 

Otherwise you will trigger periodic mailings to see if you are still living by that direct deposit into Dominican Bank.

@windeguy

i’m moving from Oakland to Las Terrenas in April and i currently receive monthly SSA payments. I like the idea of writing checks from my current US to a DR bank account.  Can you tell my how long checks are held in your DR account before the funds are available?

@windeguy to be clear for me and after visiting the US Embassy in SDQ Federal Benifits section.

There are no restrictions or roadblocks by SSA for the Dominican Republic to have your SSA check EFT to a dollar account in the DR for any legal Xpats in the DR.

However, SSA does have certain restrictions for certain countries.

SSA  took my address here in the DR and has me as xpat in there system.

My SSA check is EFT into my dollar account at BPD.

BPD deducts 450 peso for the EFT transaction into my dollar or about 7 bucks.

I also use Fedility Investiments Banking in the US

1. They do not charge any fees for wires under 100k

2. They reimbursement of all ATM fees within 48 business hours back into my account for international ATM withdraw.

3. At the ATM and all purchases I select withdraw/tender in PESO not dollars when given the option to select. You get a better conversion rate by the US  bank.

I have had no issues for me but we all know different banks have different fees and process established.

@CHRISTOPHER DAVID56

I fully understand that it would be easy to set up SS payments via EFT. No issues are involved in general with the initialization and payments to start that way.

My point is that it sets you up to having to respond, potentially,  to snail mail requests to verify you are still breathing and thus worthy of further payments.

How long have you been getting payments?  If just for a couple of years, the confirmation system might not have kicked in.

I had seen SS regulations that mentioned such snail mail confirmations are every three years, while others said it was annual. I  have no knowledge of the US Embassy registration procedure you did.  Perhaps they have a way to track your pulse rate now. I am just kidding.

From my end, I am most comfortable leaving my assets in the US and only having the minimum I need in the DR at any given time. But that might just be me.   

@windeguy understood each persons has individual needs and requirements. All good...thanks!