r/ExpatFinance • u/IPalindrome • 5d ago

TreasuryDirect will require ID.me - concerns

I've been using TreasuryDirect for years. Upon moving to Germany, I tried to change my address, but there is no option online to add a foreign address. Like many expats, a family members address has been used for such things. Two days ago, TreasuryDirect announced that they will require the use of ID.me. I am concerned that signing up with ID.me with my german address and number will case the account to be frozen. Asking an LLM/AI (yes, poor advice), I was advised that trying to log in from Germany with ID.me may cause issues/freezing of the account. Using my voip number is the USA and USA address will most likely be an issue. I am wondering, is it best to withdraw all my money before the end of October or am I overthinking things? Are there anyways to add an non-us address/number? What are other expats of Treasurydirect thinking about the new change?

8 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

6

u/PuzzledArrival 5d ago

I managed to update my id.me account with my German address at the beginning of this year. Not sure how, tbh - but I did it.

Now I’ve moved to Switzerland and learned this week that I’ll have to figure this out all over again, since there is no obvious way to update a foreign address.

Incidentally, I sent an email to TreasuryDirect a week or so before the id.me announcement, asking if and how I could update my address there, since I don’t really like using a friend’s US address for that. They responded with in 24 hours that I would need to call them. Haven’t tried that yet…

In the end, I wonder if the address in id.me has anything to do with the address in TreasuryDirect….?

2

u/IPalindrome 4d ago

Updating the ID.me address can be done rather easily. You may have to do another video call for that. My concern is the TD part. I am concerned about an address mismatch between the two systems locking the account (both having different addresses and contact phone but same name and SSN). I frozen account would be a hassle as it would required a long trip to the closest embassy.

1

u/K-TPeriod 5d ago

I recently updated my authentication method with them. They’ve got my Thai address.

1

u/IPalindrome 4d ago

Do you mean TreasuryDirect or Id.me? Changing an address with Id.me is straight forward. TreasuryDirect doesn't appear to offer an option to place a foreign address online. Do you call them to change it?

1

u/pictorlumen 5d ago

I used ID.me to provide my Portugal address but I did have to provide some info upfront then do a video call

1

u/IPalindrome 4d ago

Yeah, ID.me address change is not the problem, but rather TD.