Can a bank revoke my US checking account if they believe I’m not living in the US?

Can a bank revoke my US checking account if they believe I’m not living in the US?

Yes. They can and will. A bank does not have to give justification why they close your account.

How can you prevent this?

1. Don’t tell them that you live abroad. If this comes up, you are on a business trip. Never tell a US Bank that you live abroad!
2. Don’t change your banking address to an overseas address.
3.  If you have a house or apartment in the US, just keep this as a banking address.
   You can ask friends, parents, relatives etc. But what if they move?
   Consider renting a mailbox/maildrop. Problem: Banks have databases of commercial mail receiving agents. You may in some cases manage to slip through, but likely this will be rejected or cause trouble.
   Solution: Separate home address from mailing address. Most banks have this option. Use the mailbox/maildrop as your mailing address. Don’t change anything if you leave the country.
4. A professional is somebody with a backup plan! Get a second bank account in the US.
5. The Times of using a Google Project Fi phone abroad are over. They will cut your service if you are too long abroad. Solution? Use a VOIP Number for your bank.  And yes, this supports receiving SMS either via forwarding to your local mobile or to your email.
6. For the professional: Use a VPN with a dedicated US IP-Address (Astrill VPN) when accessing your US online banking.
7. Withdrawing too much and too often cash at ATM abroad can cause problems. Solution: Use a wire of WISE to send money to your foreign bank account and withdraw locally.

What is your backup plan? Talk to us.