Voluntary Disclosure
October 15, 2009 is the current deadline for taxpayers to take advantage of some incentives offered by the IRS.
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Citizen Services
Important Service Regarding Your Social Security and Other Federal Benefits of the U.S. Government
We are pleased to be able to offer you a convenient and safe Direct Deposit program for your Social Security and other Federal Benefits checks. By signing up for this new program you can avoid concerns about delays in receiving your funds and totally eliminate the risk of possible loss or theft of your check.
What is Direct Deposit?
With Direct Deposit your payments will be electronically transferred to your bank account in Chile. It is the most convenient, safest and fastest form of payment because your checks do not have to be physically transferred from the U.S. to Chile by postal authorities.
Your funds will automatically be sent to your account on the 3rd day of each month, unless that day is a non-business day in which case payment will be made on the next business day. Your money will, therefore, be available to you for withdrawal on the 4th or 5th day of each month.
How Do I Enroll?
You may set up your Direct Deposit with either BancoEstado or Banco de Credito e Inversiones (BCI), both of which have branches throughout Chile. To do so, you need to obtain from the Consular Section, U.S. Citizen Services the following documents:
- A consular letter showing your name, address, and your Social Security number.
- Form SF 1199A Direct Deposit Sign-Up.
- Information brochures for both banks.
Take these documents to any branch of either bank where the bank officials will assist you in establishing your Direct Deposit U.S. Dollar account. They will assist you in completing the SF 1199A Form and will give you a copy of the completed application. The bank will forward the necessary information to our office to complete your enrollment.
Bank services and account fees for Direct Deposit may not exceed U.S. $6.00 per month.
When Do I Have to Enroll?
We recommend that you subscribe to the Direct Deposit program as soon as possible to avoid delays in the implementation of your automatic fund transfer.
What if I Choose Not to Enroll?
Public Law 104-134 (Omnibus Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996, as amended) strongly recommends for purposes of costs, efficiency, safety and convenience that all Federal pensions including Social Security be paid through Electronic Funds Transfer/Direct Deposit (EFT/DD). In compliance with this recommendation, in the future, we will no longer be able to send you your checks through post office registered mail service. If you decide not to use Direct Deposit, your checks will be sent by regular international mail and subject to possible delays or loss.
What If I Have Questions?
If you have questions about the Direct Deposit program, you may call us at 330-3021 from 14:00 to 16:00 Monday through Friday.
Federal Benefits Unit
Consular Section
U.S. Embassy Santiago, Chile