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From what I understand the only one that is able to attach your SS check is the IRS, of course once it is deposited it becomes fair game. One solution perhaps would be to have it deposited directly into a Philippine bank. Or perhaps into Paypal.

Thank you.  I think I will do that as soon as I get there,

ron2 wrote:

Has any American expats had any difficulty getting their monthly checks deposited in a U S bank, and any creditors garnishing their Social Security?

Mine is deposited in a U.S. bank with no trouble with the deposit or access to it. I have no creditors.

Mine is deposited to a US banque with no problems. I am limited as to how much I can transfer here in one day.  My problem has been trying to aids SSA  of my Philippine address. No problems with creditors, but I understand a creditor can garnish SSA benefits to a limit.

ron2 wrote:

Has any American expats had any difficulty getting their monthly checks deposited in a U S bank, and any creditors garnishing their Social Security?

No issues with garnishment of my SS or Navy deposits in a U. S. Bank, but I cannot think of any reason to pursue that with me.  If you have prior military time, I recommend  USAA, they are only bank that reimburses up to $15.00 of international atm fees (to my knowledge).  Also BPI allows you up to P20,000 for a single withdraw.

Along those lines, I bank with Wells Fargo in the USA and have found as far as transferring money their Express Send service is the cheapest I have found. I can transfer at night and pick up the next day at BPI, up to $3000 the cost is $5.00. Use this link to figure your cost;   hope it helps

Thank you for the info, and yes I was a Marine so will take your advice.

madhatter868 wrote:

Along those lines, I bank with Wells Fargo in the USA and have found as far as transferring money their Express Send service is the cheapest I have found. I can transfer at night and pick up the next day at BPI, up to $3000 the cost is $5.00. Use this link to figure your cost;   hope it helps

Todays rate, right now, is 45,934.90 PHP for US$1,000 (ie: 45.9349)

The street rate today is 46.9 for cash notes.

So the Wells Fargo cost looks like about $5 plus 1 peso (about 2%) in the dollar.

THe best thing for me with Wells Fargo is I transfer about 700 pm ( 200 am ca time), go to Bpi next morning and pick up my cash.

That is a good deal for larger amounts.  I can draw up to 3x per month (P60,000) and be fully reimbursed for the P600 international atm fees, so it is free.  My exchange rate is about the same as BPI or BDO when I take money through the ATM here.  Another way to do it free is to open a dollar account in a bank here and write a check on the usa bank, but it takes 25 banking days to credit. This involves no fees, other than the required balance in the dollar account.

Just went through a divorce and had these issues pop up.

Garnishment so SS is allowed by any creditor. 
VA disability can only be garnished for child support. Not even alimony
Not 100% dure about military retirement but as I recall it's open for interpretation by local courts even in a divorce. Lots of confusion on that one.

IL just issued new stats for USA citizens receiving Social Security benefits and having the money directly deposited into a foreign account.  They claim in 2003 it was 8,371, increasing to 16,808 last year.  Of course many expats have their benefits deposited into a home bank and then transfer to the Philippines as required.  Does anyone know how many USA citizens are currently living in the Philippines?

mugtech wrote:

Does anyone know how many USA citizens are currently living in the Philippines?

As at May 2010 the Philippines Census recorded 29,959 US citizens resident in the Philippines

Mugtech,
When I first came here in 2010 I read there were 250000 expats  living here. I am very sure that number has increased, On a different note I use Well Fargo and transfer enough to do what I have to each month

ron2 wrote:

Has any American expats had any difficulty getting their monthly checks deposited in a U S bank, and any creditors garnishing their Social Security?

None. My SS is direct deposited into my bank in NC. Every six months a drop a personal check into my BPI Dollar account. No fees either end. Takes about 28 days to clear....good to go

kennieb wrote:

Mine is deposited to a US banque with no problems. I am limited as to how much I can transfer here in one day.  My problem has been trying to aids SSA  of my Philippine address. No problems with creditors, but I understand a creditor can garnish SSA benefits to a limit.

You better get that address updated. Every year I get an update request. The original form has to be completed and mailed back in the envelope provided. If not returned I can possible have my benefit interrupted.

Thank you for your reply.  I just arrived in Cebu last Thursday and needed to hear something good.  I am hoping to be able to pay off bills with the savings in lower cost of living here and still have somewhat of a good life.

ron2 wrote:

Thank you for your reply.  I just arrived in Cebu last Thursday and needed to hear something good.  I am hoping to be able to pay off bills with the savings in lower cost of living here and still have somewhat of a good life.

Ron, it is entirely possible.  I allocate about 40% of my monthly pension to debt reduction and still live comfortably.  Enjoy your journey!  If you come to Bohol, I will buy you lunch.

Richard

Thank you for the great advice and invitation.  I have never been to Bohol but hope to visit and now have a reason to visit.  Is it possible to live comfortable on around 60000 pesos per month?

It is entirely possible.  It is really about the choices that you make.  If you eat more like a Filipino and less like an American, you will save money.  You could be paying anywhere from P10K to P30K in rent.  If you eat out all the time, you will spend more.  It also depends on how many people you are feeding. There are many variables.

ron2 wrote:

Is it possible to live comfortable on around 60000 pesos per month?

Define "comfortable".

Some say you can, without a doubt.  Some say no, as they have different comfort levels.

According to a survey of over 100 expats living in the Philippines:

About half spend upwards of 92,000 pesos per month
About one third spend under 65,000 pesos per month
About one third spend over 115,000 pesos per month

i think this goes beyond the concept of "comfort". That survey puts me in the lower one third.  my guess would be that many expats (and I have met them) in the upper two thirds are really overpaying for many things because they try to do things themselves or the people they choose to trust should not have been trusted.  if you look carefully into the eyes of many merchants or landlords, you can watch their pupils change to the shape of dollar signs.  this is pervasive from government officials to tricycle drivers.  any expat here must avoid the middle man in any transaction, everyone gets a piece of the pie.  hide your face and let your gf/wife do the dealing.

roundhead1952 wrote:

i think this goes beyond the concept of "comfort". That survey puts me in the lower one third.  my guess would be that many expats (and I have met them) in the upper two thirds are really overpaying for many things because they try to do things themselves or the people they choose to trust should not have been trusted.  if you look carefully into the eyes of many merchants or landlords, you can watch their pupils change to the shape of dollar signs.  this is pervasive from government officials to tricycle drivers.  any expat here must avoid the middle man in any transaction, everyone gets a piece of the pie.  hide your face and let your gf/wife do the dealing.

Level of comfort is a choice, and it has a price.

I am in the middle third, through choice. Some people keep saying I am being ripped of, and I am a fool, because I spend more than them.

I must admit that I am getting a bit fed up with these people, who state that I am a fool for wanting to shop in SM, instead of local Filipino markets, for wanting to go to decent restaurants, instead of the cheap ones. Or just for wanting a higher quality of life.

You can't really negotiate the prices in most shop, or in Pizza places or Racks Restaurants, etc.
But you can Choose to eat in cheaper places, if you need to.

You can't negotiate the price of Electricity, but you can choose to use less, No air con for example.

You can't negotiate the price of your imported foods, cheese, steak, cornflakes etc, but you can choose to not buy or eat them.

Rents in prime locations are rarely negotiable, but you can choose to live in a not so prime location.

It is ALL down to CHOICE, in buying the normal quality of things that we are used to in our country, or buy the same as Filipinos. And that determines our level of comfort.

Some people have experienced higher comfort levels than others, and that must be considered also.

Before I came here, I believed those that told me that I can live like a King on 80,000 peso per month, BUT, they didn't explain what that really meant.

I agree with you on some people putting prices up to foreigners, trikes are a common one (I walk everywhere and avoid them), but fixed prices for everyone, in many shops, are a choice to buy or not.

I married a Filipino in 1990.  I know how things work.  But I choose to live a Western style life.

Many people choose this, but a number also choose the cheaper life, and that's fair, if it suits them. If it is what they want.

One size does not fit all.  And I would not want to put down anyone that did not want to live my style of life, a similar life that I have always lived, although not quite as good as it was.

ron2 wrote:

Thank you for the great advice and invitation.  I have never been to Bohol but hope to visit and now have a reason to visit.  Is it possible to live comfortable on around 60000 pesos per month?

We live in a province in the bush. we own our home. we feed 7 mouths, 2 dogs, 1 cat. we have only a trike for transport. we have sat tv, wifi broadband, and there is 3 cellphones and an energy bill at about P3600 monthly including electricity and 1 gas bottle for cooking. we have 2 kids in private school, we have 1 kid in university. we dine out for birthdays only. we do minor repairs here and there on the house. we do it on P44,000 per month. I have a good nest egg for emergencies.  there is always a little left over to put back for a rainy day. My wife does work, mainly for the medical card, ss and mutual fund.The rest of her salary is saved. We live within our means, not lavishly, but comfortably,sensibly.

It's all about the life style you choose.

Thank you for sharing your life style.  It sounds like you are enjoying life and that is what my goal is to get off the racetrack and enjoy what time I have left on this earth.

A few weeks ago I had the same thought concerning Social Security payments.  I did a Google search and found lots of good information on that topic.  This link is a good place to begin.

foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2011/11/02/can-your-social-security-check-be-garnished/

Only a thought, why ask the question about garnishment unless you think someone is going to come after your money? Best advice I can offer is pay your bills and clean up your accounts BEFORE you come to he Philippines. Never know when you will need the credit of need to come back.

If you owe child support it can also be taken

I've been on social sec since 2009 and that is illegal, no creditor can touch your SS. The IRS can only garnish 33% per month....child support depends on your home state.

Thank you for info.

Always interesting to read the many post here, they provide me a good laugh sometimes which is always needed. I posted early about my trials with the Manila embassy addressing the benifits for my son born 2015. I am happy to say that as of today I received an email from a lady at SSA Manila. Whom I had read about as being very helpful to others on this site " Ms Rose Cario". When she was unable to contact my child's mother directly for her interview, she included me on a email. She by all accounts is the norm of the people, I have met at the Embassy over the past year. She is seems professional as a LLS and knowledgeable about SSA protocol,praying this will end my road to complete his benifits and get on with building and completing my life in the Philippines.

My wife and I live very well on about 70,000 per month give or take. Currenly paying 17,000 rent for a very nice 1 bedroom furnished with a pool Internet and electricity and still is less than 20,000
Currently building a very nice 140 square meter house on a 2,300 square meter lot and our total investment will be 50,000 U.S. $ including the land and finished in very nice tile, granite all the western conforts of home. There's some very good opportunities for rent or purchase just take your time and be careful.

Hey Mix,
I had daughter born here in Manila in January. I live here with my fiancé.

May I ask what are trying to get for your son?

It might help me, with any information I can get. I receive 100% service connection and disabled widowers benefit from ex spouse now deceased thru SSA.
Thanks bro!

Mahlon in Quezon City

Hi brother think we met at the embassy that day you where there I just want his SSA dependent benefits about 1,200.00 per month or half my monthly SSA payment it does not affect my payment because it can be up to 130% of my monthly hope that helps

No problems with USAA bank and they are one of very few who will send a replacement card upon expiration.
Lot of banks will not send overseas.
Only IRS can garnish for tax bills. Creditors don't have that ability... Yet...

USAA does that $15.00 ATM payback from fees and they are one of very few banks that will send you your replacement card. BDO does accept USAA at ATM but you have a max of 10,000 php per withdrawal and 20,000 php max per day