good mail forwarding service from US??

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dj3642
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Posted

Hi all,

I plant to be moving to Philippines early next year.. and want to ask if anyone from US has a good mail forwarding service they would recommend..  I had found some place in Texas.. it was a website. But they gave you a physical address there and you could go online and look at your mail and click on what you wanted sent or deleted.. but now I cannot find it. Not sure what happened to my link I had saved..  so any help would be appreciated. As well as maybe an idea of how much it costs.. thanks much : )

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TimL
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Posted (edited)
4 hours ago, dj3642 said:

Hi all,

I plant to be moving to Philippines early next year.. and want to ask if anyone from US has a good mail forwarding service they would recommend..  I had found some place in Texas.. it was a website. But they gave you a physical address there and you could go online and look at your mail and click on what you wanted sent or deleted.. but now I cannot find it. Not sure what happened to my link I had saved..  so any help would be appreciated. As well as maybe an idea of how much it costs.. thanks much : )

I think the one to which you are referring in TX is called Global Mail. 

Costs and options are on the website.

Edited by TimL
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Tukaram (Tim)
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I use Traveling Mailbox. I picked them because they have a Dallas, TX address.  There are different levels of service, I pay $15 a month.  When I first moved I still got a bit of mail... now I could cut back to their free service, I guess.  They scan the mail in and post it online, or can send you a pdf as an email. They will store/forward/shred whatever you tell them to.  The forwarding charges seem a little high to me, but nothing has been lost in almost 6 years of using them, so it seems like a good service. 

One of the most useful things I have used it for is VA forms. I download/print the form as a pdf. Fill it out, scan it back into the computer, and email it to the VA the same day it posts to my mail box in Texas. No actual mail forwarding needed. Saves tons of time.

Most of the services seem to be about the same. I just picked this one because of the address options.

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JDDavao II
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6 hours ago, TimL said:

I think the one to which you are referring in TX is called Global Mail. 

Costs and options are on the website.

UG Global Mail. I've used them for five years now. I have no complaints. I don't get much mail but a few times a year I need to send some from there to here. I have them send via Fedex. It's around $45 - $47 a pop just for a FedEx envelope.

I have a delivery coming now with a couple of mail items from the US and I also used their consolidation services for the first time. I use Breathe Right Nasal Strips to help me breathe while sleeping and will run out by the time our BB box arrives. I ordered a bunch from eBay and asked USGM to discard both the mailing box and the manufacturer's box and put the strips (which look like band-aids or plasters) directly n the FedEx envelope. It cost me all of $2 but saved me heaps of money shipping the bix box.

So, no complaints.

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earthdome
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4 hours ago, dj3642 said:

thanks for the info all. yes it was global mail.. i really appreciate the help..  one more question sort of off topic.. do you know if H&R block is good at doing USA and philippine taxes for Expats??.. i was reading a book telling me to find a good US international  tax lawyer and also one that is versed on philippines?? any ideas on this?? i have so much to get ready for this move. 

Will you have a business located in the Philippines? Do you have a filipina wife who will earn income? Otherwise, why would you need to be concerned about this?

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hk blues
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9 hours ago, earthdome said:

Will you have a business located in the Philippines? Do you have a filipina wife who will earn income? Otherwise, why would you need to be concerned about this?

Both Philippines and USA apply global income rules for Nationals so that might be why it's relevant. And, he might be planning to run a business, work or his wife might be planning to do either. And, income from investment here is taxable so another possible reason. 

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AlwaysRt
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On 7/17/2018 at 11:58 AM, Tukaram (Tim) said:

I use Traveling Mailbox. I picked them because they have a Dallas, TX address.

Hey!!! We are neighbors!!! 3824 Cedar Springs Road... LOL

I agree, check out TravelingMailbox.com I have had my mail going there a few years. They scan your mail envelope and email notify you, then you have the option for them to open and scan the contents, forward 'now' or hold to send later etc. Works out great for me, I always get my mail within a day of it arriving and only a couple times needed the actual original forwarded to me. The rest I have read as pdf, saved or printed from my computer, and had the shred the original.

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Tukaram (Tim)
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2 hours ago, AlwaysRt said:

Hey!!! We are neighbors!!! 3824 Cedar Springs Road... LOL

Howdy neighbor! 

I requested my retirement paperwork and a HUGE packet went to my Traveling Mailbox.  I selected it for forwarding and it was going to be astronomically expensive. So I just saved the 47 page pdf, and will just take the 7 pages I need and get them printed. Faster than forwarding, and hella cheaper.  The pdf of all my mail is very convenient. :tiphat:

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AlwaysRt
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50 minutes ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

Howdy neighbor! 

I requested my retirement paperwork and a HUGE packet went to my Traveling Mailbox.  I selected it for forwarding and it was going to be astronomically expensive. So I just saved the 47 page pdf, and will just take the 7 pages I need and get them printed. Faster than forwarding, and hella cheaper.  The pdf of all my mail is very convenient. :tiphat:

How were you going to have them send it? I had my wife's VA health benefits book and authorization form forwarded here. Just did regular mail. Was like $7 and took 3 weeks or so.

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dj3642
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9 hours ago, hk blues said:

Both Philippines and USA apply global income rules for Nationals so that might be why it's relevant. And, he might be planning to run a business, work or his wife might be planning to do either. And, income from investment here is taxable so another possible reason. 

hi all.. no we wont be having a busienss right away.. but.. from what i understand. you STILL need to file a US TAX form i guess to let the IRS know you are still there. i am retired as well. we will be living mainly off savings... and hope to eventually start some sort of busienss. .. i dont know the requierments for expats in philippines that we need to do tax for liek the US or not. as i said this is all new to me.  i know sometjhing about .. i think its called FEIE?? but not a lot where you can make up to a certain amount of money before it being taxed.. 

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