A US TD Bank ? Anyone heard of it or tried them?

[Udella&Wiz 325]

http://www.tdbank.com/index.cfm?s=1

Just curious if anyone has given this particular bank a try? It appears to be the former Commerce banks which switched over Nov 1 of this year. I'm curious just how connected they are to TD canadatrust....they do have refernces to being owned by Toronto Dominion bank.

I am ready to switch to any bank that has the abiity to do a money order in Canadian funds or exchange cash when I have a visitor. I am sick of getting a song and dance at Wachovia - we tried to exchange money once and got some silly ####### about how they have to send away for foreign funds, takes 2-3 weeks etc etc.... ok, but uh - you're like a BANK!!!!.

RANT starts here ->

I also had to grab a money order this weekend to pay my Canadian taxes (or the balance which for some reason I now owe - yes, another story for later today) and my gawd - there is just no one (not Post Office, not my bank) who can do a money order in Canadian funds....they can only do it in US dollars....although I could have sworn they did it 6 months ago at the PO.

The guy at the PO kept saying - yes, we do INTERNATIONAL money orders...which to me meant they plugged in the amount, it did the exchange rate and I paid...but no...it's just a different form then a US money order - still calculated in US dollars and who ever receives it can cash it at their own bank (say in Canada) and their OWN bank will do the exchange from US dollars to Canadian - gee I hope the exchange rate stays relatively the same until they cash my moeny order.....

In some respects I miss Canada - I could walk into the TD (or any bank) in Kitchener Waterloo ON...buy US currency, Euro's etc on the spot....do a money order in a variety of currencies and no one blinked an eye. worst came to worst, I dropped by the exchange place in the mall. I didn't live particularly close to the border, although maybe things are a tad less straight forward in say Nunavut, dunno.

I was pi$$ed at the PO and told the guy I was sick of American's narrowemindedness thinking everything is just in US dollars and why wouldn't you be able to spend them elsewhere..he could NOT understand what I was asking for, there was some kind of stumbling block - had he explained properly, at least I would have say...that's ghey, but oh well....he gave me such a load of attitude, I was ticked off - I'm not normally like that. He talked down to me as if I was some pathetic foreigner, not familiar with English...GRRRRR

That was when Don stepped in and said, look dude....I am American and I think you don't quite understand what my wife is looking for and you're being rude to her....and that was that

End of rant

Sigh - I ended up crying when I got home - because I just miss the simple everyday things you take for granted. When will I feel 'AMERICAN'???? I've been here for year already and still feel like an alien.

I'm done for now

[trailmix 77]

Hi there,

You probably won't ever feel like an American, so just enjoying your Canalienism

I am not familiar with this new U.S. TD bank, however my Sister banks with TD Bank North (you'll see a link to their page on the page you provided).

Apparently this is an amalgamation of TD Bank North and Commerce bank. Interesting!

Here is the thing though.

She has zero local ATMs and does pay after a certain number of transactions - she has no local bank, if she has a hard copy cheque she has to mail it in to them. So basically they would be zero help in getting a Canadian money order (not sure where you live or if there is a branch near by)

Anyway, this is interesting, I am going to check them out, however - as much as RBC annoys me, at least they have a branch down the street here, as opposed to TD that only seems to have reached the Southeast area of Florida.

Edited December 1, 2008 by trailmix

[thetreble 19]

Actually the former commerce banks that were recently taken over by TD are TD Banks, not TD North. The amalgamation is actually Commerce bank and TD North together, which has in turn, turned them into TD Bank. So yes, they are Toronto based.

I don't know if this will make any canadian bank transactions any easier. I have been wondering that myself.

As far as my knowledge goes, this is only in NJ, NY, PA. DE, DC, FL and CT. I believe commerce is still operating as commerce in other states.

No bank, to my knowledge, will exchange your Canadian funds here because as I have experienced, no banks carry Canadian funds on hand. It is not like Canada, where banks have US funds stocked in the bank.

Edited December 1, 2008 by thetreble

[Udella&Wiz 325]

Actually the former commerce banks that were recently taken over by TD are TD Banks, not TD North. The amalgamation is actually Commerce bank and TD North together, which has in turn, turned them into TD Bank. So yes, they are Toronto based.

I don't know if this will make any canadian bank transactions any easier. I have been wondering that myself.

As far as my knowledge goes, this is only in NJ, NY, PA. DE, DC, FL and CT. I believe commerce is still operating as commerce in other states.

No bank, to my knowledge, will exchange your Canadian funds here because as I have experienced, no banks carry Canadian funds on hand. It is not like Canada, where banks have US funds stocked in the bank.

VA as well - quite a few popped up here...Centreville being the one around the corner from us! You would think in the really metropolitan areas or closer to the Can-US border, they would stock it, but nope

I was fantasizing that I would have seamless transfers between my Candian and US accounts - pipe dream, I know

Edited December 1, 2008 by Udella&Wiz

[trailmix 77]

Actually the former commerce banks that were recently taken over by TD are TD Banks, not TD North. The amalgamation is actually Commerce bank and TD North together, which has in turn, turned them into TD Bank. So yes, they are Toronto based.

I don't know if this will make any canadian bank transactions any easier. I have been wondering that myself.

As far as my knowledge goes, this is only in NJ, NY, PA. DE, DC, FL and CT. I believe commerce is still operating as commerce in other states.

No bank, to my knowledge, will exchange your Canadian funds here because as I have experienced, no banks carry Canadian funds on hand. It is not like Canada, where banks have US funds stocked in the bank.

VA as well - quite a few popped up here...Centreville being the one around the corner from us! You would think in the really metropolitan areas or closer to the Can-US border, they would stock it, but nope

I was fantasizing that I would have seamless transfers between my Candian and US accounts - pipe dream, I know

As annoying as they sometimes are...RBC does have seamless transfers between Canadian and U.S. accounts - I can view both online (granted not at the same time), transfer between them etc etc.

Plus, when I called customer service the other day I was actually speaking to someone in Winnipeg - so they really are a Canadian/American bank.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Ya, I have seen a few TD banks pop up here in the Arlington area. I'm quite happy with my USAA banking. and if I have any Cdn cash, I either keep it or mail it back to my folks to deposit it into my CDn presidents choice acct, then use Customhouse to transfer.

[Sprailenes 47]

I was a commerce bank customer prior to the corporate change. My husband has banked there forever so I just went there too.

My husbands uncle worked for Commerce bank as a mortgage specialist and he said that ever since TD took over, they have treated their employees much better. I kind of feel better going to a bank that treats its employees well, regardless of whether its Canadian or not. I know when it was commerce it was strict with its employees.

I have no idea about Canadian funds, but I know I have done a Canadian money order in CDN funds from Commerce prior to it being a TD so I am sure you can do it now however... theres a fee or there was. About changing your American money to Canadian money, they charge a huge fee like 30% I believe, again this was when they were commerce.

But a Canadian has taken over Commerce bank and now the owner of Commerce is starting a new bank... go figure. A couple of Canadians have joined the Country Club I work at, they are TD big wigs and have relocated from Toronto.

Edited December 1, 2008 by Sprailenes

[thetreble 19]

As annoying as they sometimes are...RBC does have seamless transfers between Canadian and U.S. accounts - I can view both online (granted not at the same time), transfer between them etc etc.

Plus, when I called customer service the other day I was actually speaking to someone in Winnipeg - so they really are a Canadian/American bank.

That is very cool, actually. But since I have no cash coming from Canada any more, it doesn't matter for me. My husband always banked with Commerce until a friend of ours started working at WaMu. I've thought about going back to them now as a TD customer.

[Gypsyangel 11]

My hubby was a Commerce Bank customer, so now we're TD Bank customers - America's Most Convenient Bank! I wonder what people would think if they knew TD stood for Toronto Dominion.

They're a pretty good bank as far as I can tell, but i haven't tried to get Canadian funds from them. I bet they'd look at me like I was a Canalien if I tried!

Anyhoo, I hope they make some changes. I was excited to sign up for on-line bill payments (hubby is still into writing cheques and mailing them ... I haven't done that for years) but get this ... this is how on-line payments work ... you pay your bill on-line ... then the bank processes your payment and MAILS the company a cheque, so you have to allow 10 days for processing time and mail time. It's kinda cute and annoying at the same time. I never thought I'd miss Canadian banks.

[trailmix 77]

My hubby was a Commerce Bank customer, so now we're TD Bank customers - America's Most Convenient Bank! I wonder what people would think if they knew TD stood for Toronto Dominion.

They're a pretty good bank as far as I can tell, but i haven't tried to get Canadian funds from them. I bet they'd look at me like I was a Canalien if I tried!

Anyhoo, I hope they make some changes. I was excited to sign up for on-line bill payments (hubby is still into writing cheques and mailing them ... I haven't done that for years) but get this ... this is how on-line payments work ... you pay your bill on-line ... then the bank processes your payment and MAILS the company a cheque, so you have to allow 10 days for processing time and mail time. It's kinda cute and annoying at the same time. I never thought I'd miss Canadian banks.

RBC U.S. does this too - but only for some stuff. For instance I can pay my electricity bill and they use an electronic payment, but when paying my cable bill they post them off a cheque - why can't they all just get along haha

I am amazed at how backward some banking stuff is here in the U.S.

[xtinab 0]

I was also surprised about the cheques here. A friend of ours pays at target and Kroger and such with them. The first time I saw it I was very confused! Same thing with paying bills by cheque. I found that very odd, yet Im still trying to convince him to send all the papers back that they send with the bill IN with his payment. Way too much garbage being mailed to us!! Take it back!

[payxibka 10,045]

No bank, to my knowledge, will exchange your Canadian funds here because as I have experienced, no banks carry Canadian funds on hand. It is not like Canada, where banks have US funds stocked in the bank.

True, you will typically need to seek out the larger "money center" banks to see if they have an "international teller" or foreign exchange desk. Wells Fargo is one that deals in 14 different national currencies, but I know they do not have a significant presence in the east coast.....(until they finsih absorbing Wachovia).

Edited December 1, 2008 by payxibka

[Flames9_RN 358]

I exchanged $$$at Wachovia once, maybe i was lucky they had Cdn $$ on hand

[payxibka 10,045]

I exchanged $$$at Wachovia once, maybe i was lucky they had Cdn $$ on hand

I think you were lucky...

From Wachovia website.....

1. Where can I obtain foreign currency?

Visit any of our financial centers to place a currency order. You can also order currency by calling 800-WACHOVIA (800-922-4684), and we will send the currency to the financial center of your choice. If you order directly at a financial center, the currency will be delivered in 24 to 48 hours. If you order over the phone before 1:00pm local time, the currency will arrive at the financial center within 24 to 48 hours, or you can specify that it be delivered to your home. Foreign currency is no longer held at any financial centers, so allow yourself ample time for it to be delivered.

[~Nini~ 2]

I was also surprised about the cheques here. A friend of ours pays at target and Kroger and such with them. The first time I saw it I was very confused! Same thing with paying bills by cheque. I found that very odd, yet Im still trying to convince him to send all the papers back that they send with the bill IN with his payment. Way too much garbage being mailed to us!! Take it back!

Same here! The concept of paying by cheque at a store boggles my mind, but it's a common thing in these parts. My husband still pays his bills by cheque, through the mail. I chortled when I saw him with his chequebook, stuffing envelopes

I dunno, I guess I've just been spoiled with my Canadian bank back home and how accommodating everyone was back there that I feel nothing will live up to it. That, and I'm just very unfamiliar with how things operate here. I am a little intimidated to open a bank account, to be honest - the recent events with the economic crisis and the various banks going under or needing bailouts have left me pretty leery. TD Bank is probably the one that I'd go to, from what I've heard Canadian banks have been one of the steadiest in the crisis thus far and unfortunately there isn't an RBC near us.

We've been a little unimpressed with the international services at Commerce Bank, but I'm hoping from what you guys mentioned that the service will get a little better.