Bank Requires Utility Bill for Proof of Home Address

[Lou]

Hi all!

I'm about to go full time in my travel trailer and intend to domicile in Texas. I'm planning ahead and discovered one of my banks requires a utility bill with an address that corresponds to my new Livingston address, in order to verity/prove my new address. Obviously, I won't have any utilities associated with my new address. Do you know if the Livingston Escapees can provide a document like this? Or, is there any work-around that you might know of?

Thanks,

Lou

[Kirk W]

My suggestion is that you should probably move your bank account to a TX bank if it isn't already in one. Banks in Livingston are all familiar with how this is done. There are alternatives from the rule that your bank is going by and if you need to, contact the Escapees business office for assistance. Have you joined the club yet?

[Lou]

Thanks for your prompt reply!

Yes, I just joined and signed up for the basic email forwarding service. I'll continue to do research on this. My bank says it understands that many utility bills go to a P.O. box, so if the underlying Livingston address has a utility bill sent to it, that should work.

I guess in that circumstance the bill would function as if I was renting an apartment and the bill went to the "landlord's" address. As long as that address matched mine (which it would, except for the part that functions as an apartment number) all should be well. Does that make sense?

I'll take your advice and call the business office. Thanks again!

[Kirk W]

2 minutes ago, Lou said:

I guess in that circumstance the bill would function as if I was renting an apartment and the bill went to the "landlord's" address.

The issue is that the Patriot Act made it a requirement for financial institutions that they have a physical address and not just a PO box. The mail service is not the same as a PO box but it is a "Private Mail Box" service and are very regulated by the USPS. The USPS regulations can be read if you visit their site.

Quote

Private companies offering mailbox rental services to individuals and businesses are considered commercial mail receiving agencies (CMRA). Addresses on mail received at a CMRA must adhere to specific requirements in the use of their private mailbox number (PMB). Mail sent to an addressee at a CMRA must include either the PMB identifier or the #, followed by the appropriate private mailbox number. Use of any other identifier is prohibited. 

The key is that the Patriot Act regulations do state that they must have proof of a physical address initially but farther into it the act does allow for an alternate method. Unfortunately, most banks do very little business with fulltimers outside of Livingston or Texas. Is your bank in TX? If it is not you may have difficulty dealing with their regulations and need to contact the club business office for assistance. But domicile is much more than where you get mail and register vehicles do be sure that you understand. I suggest that you read "The Issue of Domicile" before you get too far into the change.

[Lou]

Thanks Kirk. I'll continue to look into that.

BTW, I see you've had submarine service. I'm near Groton and have been using the Groton sub base as my BX and Commissary for nearly 30 years now.

[Kirk W]

Are you retired military? I didn't stay to retire but did do 8 years. Went to subshool there in 1961 and then was back for Nuclear welding school followed by 3 patrols on the SSBN600 in 63/64.

[RV_]

6 hours ago, Lou said:

Thanks Kirk. I'll continue to look into that.

BTW, I see you've had submarine service. I'm near Groton and have been using the Groton sub base as my BX and Commissary for nearly 30 years now.

My hometown before a 27 year USAF Career is Stamford CT. Always good to meet a fellow Connecticut Yankee from the Constitution state. 😊

[bigjim]

I have not had to deal with this. (yet)  One thing I though about is some rv/mobile home parks and some apartments are utility bills paid.  There is bound to be a work around but it may depend on how willing your bank is to sort it out from their prospective.

[kb0zke]

Another idea is to get the loan for the FT rig while you are still in the S&B. That way you have all the paperwork they require.

Others have used various loan agencies that cater to full-timers, and are aware of how to use some of the lesser-known parts of the Patriot Act.

[jjwicklund]

My wife's investment broker moved from one brokerage house to another.  They were very insistent that she needed an address other than our PMB.  It took awhile but providing mail from SS administration,  Medicare billings, they finally decided if her/ our address was good enough for  the Federal Gov it was good enough for them. 

Remember the government works for us, not us for them. Two thousand page pieces of legislation are written by bureaucrats only concern is to keep their direct deposits coming.