International Bank recomendations? - not HSBC

[Olivero]

I am looking around for a new Bank. The people at HSBC have been so useless it is getting beyond comical.

I spend most of my time in the US, some in the UK and the rest all over.
Barclays had been good in the UK but have no branches in the US or Argentina.
HSBC have branches all over the place and should be perfect. Hampered by their staff.

Any recommendations?

[gck303]

Olivero said:

I am looking around for a new Bank. The people at HSBC have been so useless it is getting beyond comical.

I spend most of my time in the US, some in the UK and the rest all over.
Barclays had been good in the UK but have no branches in the US or Argentina.
HSBC have branches all over the place and should be perfect. Hampered by their staff.

Any recommendations?

I lived in the US for a few years so have been through this. The integration between UK and US banks in non-existent. HSBC the global bank? Hah! That have almost no branches in the US, and the ones that do are ran as totally separately to the UK.

It depends on what state you spend most of your time. I was in WI so found a small local bank was great, but didn't have that many branches.

Hope that helps.

On the other hand, Chase had loads of branches but were impossible to deal with.

[Newc]

I'd take a look at Citibank. I use them in UK, US, and Asia. Don't know about LatAm. I found them generally better than HSBC, but I would say there is no bank that offers a genuinely single global customer offering - they are all operated as confederations of separate businesses.

[jeff m2]

I would go for the bank that offers the best hours and handles incoming wires without grabbing a bit for themselves in each country.

The big Banks don't always have branches dotted all over, although you are in NY! Once out in boondocks you will will find Mellon doesn't doesn't have a whole lot of branches

You may have to look further than just the basic checking account. I just changed to a Premier account so my incoming wires are free. ($2,500 min bal with TD Bank.)

I would look for plenty of free local ATMs and cheap fees because at present banks are scrambling to increase their charges.

[Stu R]

Citibank are OK at best.

Personally I'd just get a separate US bank account with a local credit union or a smaller bank and use a currency broker to move money around as and when you need it. Works for me

[Helicopter123]

Have you tried Barclays Wealth rather than Retail? The proper private bank does have operations in the US and should be able to help.

Coutts?

[DonkeyApple]

Your main problem is that you spend a lot of time in the US.

When you open an account at a US bank via the UK or any of their overseas operators when on US soil you are really not seen as a client by local branches.

It's a royal PITA.

I use Citibank as I mainly move around the UK, EU and US but much beyond paying basic bills it's a pain getting decent cash and if anything goes wrong then it's the same rubbish as any other bank.

Private banking isn't really any better as most offers aren't really private banking at all, not in the sense they want you to think.

Any reason not to apply for a social security number etc and get an account locally?

[Bing o]

DonkeyApple said:

Your main problem is that you spend a lot of time in the US.

When you open an account at a US bank via the UK or any of their overseas operators when on US soil you are really not seen as a client by local branches.

It's a royal PITA.

I use Citibank as I mainly move around the UK, EU and US but much beyond paying basic bills it's a pain getting decent cash and if anything goes wrong then it's the same rubbish as any other bank.

Private banking isn't really any better as most offers aren't really private banking at all, not in the sense they want you to think.

Any reason not to apply for a social security number etc and get an account locally?

Worried about paying US tax if he isn't already? FATCA a concern?