Fastest Way To Receive Usa Mail In Cebu Area?

[gibsonMan]

Hello,

very soon i will be retiring with Soc Security pension, the USA SS Admin office informed me they will send an annul letter to verify my status and that I have 30 days to respond or else benefits are stopped,  I sent a simple letter to my fiance in Liloan over 2 weeks ago and stil she has not received it. What can I do ? Is it better to rent post office box - if such a thing exits?  Any good ideas much appreciated.

[MikeB]

Unless the policy has very recently changed, you have 60 days not 30 to get it back. There may be some leeway given there, I don't know. I've received 2 of these letters from SS, both in between 2 and 3 weeks. The problem is getting them back because the return is a PO box and LBC won't deliver to them. I LBC it to a friend and he sends it US mail from NJ. I don't think a PO box in Liloan would help if most of the delay is in Manila. 

[earthdome]

Does the SS office send a letter to every person receiving benefits? Or just to those with an address outside the US? If just to those with an address outside of the USA, change your address to a mail forwarding service in the USA.

 

Does the SSA send these letters if you have your checks deposited in a foreign bank? If so, continue to use a USA bank and just transfer the funds you need to a Philippine bank.

 

All of my USA based correspondence goes to a mail forwarding service in the US which will store the mail and scan the envelope.

They notify me when I have new postal mail and I login to their website to check the mail. At my request they can open and scan

the contents of letters, forward them to me anywhere and shred the mail once I am done with it.

 

The mail forwarding service has what is considered a street address so it works for banks and other financial institutions which

need a street address for mail.

 

Rarely do I need anything physically forwarded to me. Usually it is good enough for me to view the postal mail. Sometimes I may need to download the contents of the letter (scanned in as a pdf) and print them out.

 

I also changed as many things as I could to send me things via email or do them online to minimize to the best I can the need to use postal mail.

[MikeB]

I don't know the criteria for receiving these letters, my SS address is in the Philippines and the deposits go direct into a US bank. I've received 2 letters the previous 2 years and expect to receive them annually. Because I have a dependent I wasn't able to use the US mailing address or I would have. But you still have to physically sign the form and send it back. I've read that you're legally required to tell them if you're living overseas but I don't know if that's so.

To the OP - if you list your address in the Phils, pay a visit to the local post office and tell them where you live, etc. Maybe tip them for gas when they deliver. When in Rome...

[Guy F.]

We have found it takes about 3 weeks for mail to travel between Wyoming (USA) and Liloan. It's been reliable. I can't recall the last time anything was lost.

[gibsonMan]

thank you all for the replies and information.

Perhaps it is 60 days to reply - I hope so - but I was told 30 days by the Social Sec Preople themselves ..as any of you likely know, there is only one '1-800' phone number for all of the USA to call to talk to SS ..the only exception being my 'case worker' in Phildelphia. As for anuaul letter of verification that purpose is basically to ascertain if are still alive etc .... it is not sent every year IF you live in and have your retirement funds deposited into a USA bank but if you live overseas the law is you are 'supposed' to inform the SSA. Yes I have considered using a US bank and mail forwading service but my primary purpose in retiring to be done with all the bureacuratic hassles and expecialy dealing with banks and all their rules and procedures and the expense of transferring funds and maintaining US based mail service in NOT in my budget ... I have learrned that Citi Bank will transfer funds from a US Cit Bank to a Philippines Citi bank for no charge ... BUT the Citi Bank's in Philippines or any other country are independent and require a new account opened there ... finally to get a valid ARC card, or a Philippines Drivers License, work, or establish credit (like to refinance a condo or home) buy a car etc ....  requires showing recurring deposits directly into a Philipines bank and not simply transferred from a US Bank.

My thanks again to forum members for the responses.

[MikeB]

Perhaps it is 60 days to reply - I hope so - but I was told 30 days by the Social Sec Preople themselves

It wouldn't surprise me that a bureaucrat doesn't know current policy for his/her own agency. Or maybe it's been changed since my last letter and that is current policy. You should also be skeptical of advice given on forums. Check as many sources as possible. I can only tell you what my 2 letters said - 60 days.

there is only one '1-800' phone number for all of the USA to call to talk to SS ..the only exception being my 'case worker' in Phildelphia.

If you list your residence outside the US or it's territories you will not be able to use the SSA website to modify direct deposit payments, update information, etc. You have to do everything through the Manila SSA office by phone or email. Something to consider but they say that will be changed at some point.

Yes I have considered using a US bank and mail forwading service but my primary purpose in retiring to be done with all the bureacuratic hassles and expecialy dealing with banks and all their rules and procedures and the expense of transferring funds and maintaining US based mail service in NOT in my budget

Severing all ties with US banks would not be my choice. Most of them don't want your business if you're overseas. With FACTA reporting requirements for US citizens, the foreign banks are becoming more reluctant as well. I have found the mail-forwarding service w/street address to be a necessity. One of the many hidden costs of living overseas. And I can personally attest to the fact that the Philippines has some "bureacratic hassles" of it's own. 

finally to get a valid ARC card, or a Philippines Drivers License, work, or establish credit (like to refinance a condo or home) buy a car etc .... requires showing recurring deposits directly into a Philipines bank and not simply transferred from a US Bank.

Unless policy has changed recently you don't need to show recurring deposits to get an ACR or a DL.

[chico2663]

JUst a suggestion. Seen it onlife . He stated that he opened a account in philipine bank but kept his regular bank in the usa. He writes a check out of american account and then deposits it into his philipine account, He says in takes about 3 weeks before it clears. That is what I plan on doing. Just one man's opinion.

[Czechman]

I have been here for around 5 months, and in December '14, I sent to "FBU.Manila@ssa.gov" some info regarding my Cebu address, but I also told them that I have a US mail forwarding address as well. Within a day, they (FBU.Manila@ssa.gov) sent me an email verification that they have received my info but, I still haven't heard anything back addressing my concerns of: 1) using my "Cebu address" for my official SS address, or 2) using my "US mail forwarding address" (in the US of course), for my official SS address. Currently, I have my official SS address set to my US mail forwarding address - until I hear differently from them soon. Hopefully, they get back to me that is...

 

I'd hate to experience that SS "dead or alive form/letter" based on this experience with their email service.

[MikeB]

I have been here for around 5 months, and in December '14, I sent to "FBU.Manila@ssa.gov" some info regarding my Cebu address, but I also told them that I have a US mail forwarding address as well. Within a day, they (FBU.Manila@ssa.gov) sent me an email verification that they have received my info but, I still haven't heard anything back addressing my concerns of: 1) using my "Cebu address" for my official SS address, or 2) using my "US mail forwarding address" (in the US of course), for my official SS address. Currently, I have my official SS address set to my US mail forwarding address - until I hear differently from them soon. Hopefully, they get back to me that is...

 

I'd hate to experience that SS "dead or alive form/letter" based on this experience with their email service.

I would call them. I think they only answer the phone between 2 - 4pm M-F. That's the way it used to be. The number I have is 02 301-2000 and use the prompts. You may have to leave a v/m but they should call you back in the next day or so.