Feb 10

Pension refund check in yen – Advice?

Advice Comments Off on Pension refund check in yen – Advice?

The below question was posted to the JETAA DC email list:

I just returned in August of ’08 and filed for a pension refund around  October. Today I got a check in the mail from the social insurance  department of Japan! Except the check is in yen.

Have other people been  confronted with this situation? Is the best course of action to cash  the check into dollars and then deposit it? Should I deposit it via my bank and allow them to take out commission and give me a crappy exchange rate? Should I bring it to American Express and get it transferred to traveler’s or cashier’s checks? Any other advice?

What would you do?  Please post your comments, suggestions and advice below.