Banking woes

[ankle]

Yeah, am having the same problem with signitures. Have given up on cheque totally many many years' ago.

Also wanted to complain the quality of customer service of another local bank who couldn't even answer my query on the procedure of closing my investment acct. Asked me to call back office hour or visit the branch when the relevant dept is open. Never had the same problem with Citibank who was able to answer most of my queries at any hours I've called.

[JR8]

In this day and age it's worth avoiding cheques when possible, especially if it's cross-border (or even across State-lines in the US).

HMRC-IR do online refunds to your listed UK bank account. Alternatively, don't take the refund and leave it as a credit on your account for the next year. Any credit balance will also earn interest, though at a minimal level. Depending on the size of any refund, it might make more sense simply doing the latter than facing the hassle and fees of moving it somewhere more 'in hand'.

[Steve1960]

Thanks JR8 I intend to do that next year, have them bank transfer the money. It will be the last time anyway.

After next year it will not matter as all my company share options will be subject to Singapore tax not UK tax.

[nakatago]

In this day and age it's worth avoiding cheques when possible, especially if it's cross-border (or even across State-lines in the US).

I'm glad they're finally phasing out checks/cheques. Singapore institutions except IRAS would issue cheques for refunds...including the bank from which I already have an account. It was for a failed foreign transfer through them

Australian companies now send you a debit card (boo), would ask you to give them an account on which they'd deposit the money or just cancel any purchase/debit order on the card you used to transact with them. (No fees charged on my end)

Even my Philippine real estate developer now has an online payment; prior to the last payment and this recent development, I had to issue over 9000 post-dated checks just to get my installment payments in line. I had used up more than half of my checkbook which I had just gotten then.

I don't have to worry those checks/tick marks/asterisks/squiggles/cartoons I had to doodle on the corner/in the middle/along the margins of the check just to indicate if it's deposit only/cash withdrawal/Caiman islands wire transfer/withdrawal in only 2-dollar coins anymore.

[JR8]

Yes, then make might make best sense.

Having just done my latest tax return, I'm going through similar thoughts, plans... re: my home. Sell now, or face an additional GBP30-40k future liability on CGT for as long as I own it, but live abroad. It's regrettable how such things force decisions, especially when you do not feel entirely certain what future plans might bring. One for another topic maybe... ...