Joint bank account question

[venom123 32]

On 09/07/2017 at 10:38 AM, Lemonslice said:

It is ok to have joint savings, however you usually can't pay bills from a savings account, so it might make it harder to demonstrate you are comingling finance if you can't pay anything "together".

 

We have: 

Spouse A - Savings+Checking+IRA+other investments+credit card 

Spouse B - Savings+Checking+IRA+other investments+credit card

Joint: Checking where we each transfer some % of our income, credit cards, assets (real estate, car), insurance

 

Credit card recommendation: depends what you are looking for, many cards have no fee and still some rewards/cash back benefits.

Okay, I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to banking.

 

Spouse A - This is a separate bank account within the same bank?

Spouse B - Same as above?

Joint - Another separate bank account within the same bank?

 

I was under the impression all the accounts you mentioned were in the same bank account. I dont know if thats possible.

 

sorry for the basic questions

[Lemonslice 4,836]

46 minutes ago, venom123 said:

Okay, I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to banking.

 

Spouse A - This is a separate bank account within the same bank?

Spouse B - Same as above?

Joint - Another separate bank account within the same bank?

 

I was under the impression all the accounts you mentioned were in the same bank account. I dont know if thats possible.

 

sorry for the basic questions

All different bank accounts.  How did it work in the UK? 

I've lived in Switzerland and France and it was similar to here, i could get different bank accounts at the same bank.  

 

I personally have multiple accounts, some at the same banks, and others with different banks. It's irrelevant to immigration really.  What you should get ideally it's at least one checking for common expenses with your spouse.

Edited July 10, 2017 by Lemonslice

[venom123 32]

6 minutes ago, Lemonslice said:

All different bank accounts.  How did it work in the UK? 

I've lived in Switzerland and France and it was similar to here, i could get different bank accounts at the same bank.  

In England I could open multiple checking accounts in 1 bank account.

 

So they're all different bank accounts within the same bank?

 

Would it be acceptable for me to keep my bank account at my bank, my wife to keep hers at her bank, then we open a joint checking at Citi Bank that we deposit a bit into each week? (to pay credit card bills when we open an account)

 

 

Edited July 10, 2017 by venom123

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

33 minutes ago, venom123 said:

In England I could open multiple checking accounts in 1 bank account. Not possible here.

 

So they're all different bank accounts within the same bank?  Yes.

 

Would it be acceptable for me to keep my bank account at my bank, my wife to keep hers at her bank, then we open a joint checking at Citi Bank that we deposit a bit into each week? (to pay credit card bills when we open an account)  Sure, that's fine.

 

 

 

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

4 hours ago, WandY said:

Not true. You can get a SSN upon arrival in the U.S. My K-1 fiancee received one a few days after POE. She (obviously) didn't have a GC. However, she did need the GC for a driver's license.

True in the OP's case, he did not come on a K1.

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

To the OP:  This is how my wife and I are setting up our finances and bank accounts:

 

Bank A: My personal checking account which I opened 16 years ago.

Bank A: My wife and I opened a new joint checking account last week immediately after she arrived.

Bank B:  My wife opened a new personal checking account today. 

 

My wife and I share all household expenses. We will use our joint checking account for every day household finances.  We will both transfer money from our separate accounts into our joint household account as needed.  In two years, we will be able to provide proof of co-mingled finances with out joint checking account in bank A.

 

Note:  We were able to set up our new joint account at bank A and her personal account at bank B without any problems.  Both banks simply made copies of her Taiwanese passport and Social Security card.

Edited July 10, 2017 by missileman

[venom123 32]

14 minutes ago, Ebunoluwa said:

True in the OP's case, he did not come on a K1.

My lawyer advised me I can get my SSN after receipt of NOA-1. He's my lawyer, he's very knowledgeable and said he's had clients who have done this so I trust him.

 

Won't USCIS be suspicious that we have 3 bank accounts? Surely they want 1 co-mingled bank account?

 

Personally, I love the idea of 3 bank accounts. It'll make our life much easier and we have a separate account for shared expenses. Others on this board have told me that USCIS will ask why we dont co-mingle ALL of our finances and will get suspicious that we have 3 bank accounts.

Edited July 10, 2017 by venom123

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

4 minutes ago, venom123 said:

My lawyer advised me I can get my SSN after receipt of NOA-1. He's my lawyer, he's very knowledgeable and said he's had clients who have done this so I trust him.

 

Won't USCIS be suspicious that we have 3 bank accounts? Surely they want 1 co-mingled bank account?

I stated numerous times that it is a non issue to have 3 accounts, we have one each and one joint account.
Yes, they want one mingled one but that does not mean you can't have your own, there is nothing suspicious
about it and many do this.
 

[venom123 32]

1 minute ago, Ebunoluwa said:

I stated numerous times that it is a non issue to have 3 accounts, we have one each and one joint account.
Yes, they want one mingled one but that does not mean you can't have your own, there is nothing suspicious
about it and many do this.
 

Great, thank you. I feel much more at ease now!

 

I thought the requirement was for me and my wife to ditch our current bank accounts and have to open one completely co-mingled one!

 

So we're going to open 1 joint checking account at bank C. Is it advisable to take out a credit card with the same bank?

Edited July 10, 2017 by venom123

[venom123 32]

Also, our current banks are linked to my wifes moms address.

 

Would it be okay if our joint bank account is linked to her dads address?

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

2 minutes ago, venom123 said:

Great, thank you. I feel much more at ease now!

 

I thought the requirement was for me and my wife to ditch our current bank accounts and have to open one completely co-mingled one!

 

So we're going to open 1 joint checking account at bank C. Is it advisable to take out a credit card with the same bank?

You take out a credit card wherever you get the cheapest interest rates and as I said you may have to start with a secured one online because
your bank may not want to give you one due to having 0 credit rating.
You need to seek this out online and see which bank will give you one, you have to hunt around.
Capital One and Bank of America are usually easier than most others for this situation.

 

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

Just now, venom123 said:

Is it advisable to take out a credit card with the same bank?

Excellent question!  This morning, the lady at the bank where my wife opened her personal bank account asked us if we wanted to get a new credit card.  I said "No", but now I'm thinking it will be a good idea because it will:

1.  Show co-mingled credit

2.  Help build my wife's credit rating.

 

I think we will probably return and apply for the joint credit card.

[venom123 32]

Just now, Ebunoluwa said:

You take out a credit card wherever you get the cheapest interest rates and as I said you may have to start with a secured one online because
your bank may not want to give you one due to having 0 credit rating.
You need to seek this out online and see which bank will give you one, you have to hunt around.
Capital One and Bank of America are usually easier than most others for this situation.

 

Okay, but it would be a joint credit card. My wife already has decent credit as she has been leasing a car for about a year with all her payments on time.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

1 minute ago, venom123 said:

Also, our current banks are linked to my wifes moms address.

 

Would it be okay if our joint bank account is linked to her dads address?

Wherever you live should be the address. The more addresses the more you complicate your case.

[Ebunoluwa 6,136]

1 minute ago, venom123 said:

Okay, but it would be a joint credit card. My wife already has decent credit as she has been leasing a car for about a year with all her payments on time.

Each bank has their own rules and regulations but that should work, look out for cheap interest rate !