Last Updated on November 4, 2025 by Deborah Moore
The humidity was already thickening the air that Tuesday morning, the kind of Savannah heat that makes your shirt stick to your back before 10 AM. I was at my desk overlooking Broughton Street when a panicked call came in from a couple over in the Victorian District – they’d just had an offer accepted on a historic home, and their earnest money wire to the title company was stuck in some banking limbo. The closing was at the Chatham County Courthouse in 48 hours. You could hear the stress in their voices, that particular dread that comes when a massive amount of your money is just… gone somewhere in the electronic ether. We got it sorted, of course, but it taught me a lesson I’ve carried for a decade in this business: in a city built on global trade, moving money shouldn’t be the hardest part.
Honestly, that’s why I’ve been doing this for twelve years now. After seeing one too many Savannah residents and small business owners get tripped up by hidden fees, confusing codes, or just plain slow service for their wire transfers, it became a bit of a mission. Whether you’re a SCAD student receiving funds from overseas, a business owner in Pooler paying an international supplier, or a family buying a house in Ardsley Park, getting your money where it needs to go securely and on time is everything.
What It Really Takes to Wire Money From Savannah
Most folks think a wire is just a fancy electronic check. And to tell you the truth, that’s where the first mistake happens. A domestic wire, sent through the Fedwire system, is basically a nearinstant transfer between U.S. bank accounts. But an international wire? That’s a whole different beast. It travels through the SWIFT network, often bouncing between correspondent banks, each taking a little nibble out of it. I had a client in the downtown area, a gallery owner, who sent $10,000 to a sculptor in Italy. By the time it arrived, it was $275 lighter from various intermediary fees. He was furious, and rightly so. The truth is, the sending bank often only tells you about their fee, not the chain of costs down the line.
So here’s an insider secret I share with everyone: always, always ask your recipient to check with their bank for the “receiving fee” and to find out if there’s a specific correspondent bank their institution uses for U.S. dollars. This one question can save you a world of headache and unexpected costs. It’s a little piece of jargon that shows you know what you’re doing.
The Local Hurdle: It’s Not Just About the Banks
You’d think in a port city like Savannah, international finance would be seamless. But we have a unique local challenge that pops up, especially from June to November: hurricane season. Seriously. I remember back in 2019, when we had that close call with Hurricane Dorian, the entire financial district downtown was essentially making contingency plans. If the banks and their data centers have to shut down or go on generator power, wire processing can slow to a crawl or just stop. It doesn’t happen often, thank goodness, but when you’re on a deadline for a real estate closing at the Chatham County Clerk’s Office, that storm a hundred miles offshore suddenly becomes a very real financial problem. You learn to build in a buffer day during storm season. It’s just part of the local rhythm.
Your StepbyStep Guide to a Smooth Wire Transfer
Look, the process isn’t magic, but getting it right the first time requires some prep. Here’s what I walk my clients through:
- Gather Your Intel: This is more than just an account number. You need the full recipient name exactly as it appears on their bank statement, their full account number, and the bank’s routing number (ABA for domestic, SWIFT/BIC for international). For international, you’ll also need the recipient’s address and bank address.
- Call Ahead: Don’t just walk into a bank branch cold. Call your branch first. Ask about their daily cutoff times—miss it by 10 minutes and your wire sits until the next business day. Also verify the total cost, both for sending and any potential receiving fees on the other end.
- DoubleCheck Everything: I’ve made this mistake myself, so I know. A single transposed digit can send your money to the wrong account, and getting it back is a legal nightmare. Read the form back to yourself, out loud. It sounds silly, but it works.
- Get the Fed Reference Number: Once the wire is sent, you get a unique tracking number. Don’t leave the bank without it. This is your only proof and your tool for tracing the payment if there’s a delay.
Anyway, the biggest misconception is that once you hit “send,” your job is done. Actually, your job is to follow up. A domestic wire should land in a few hours. An international one can take 13 business days. If it hasn’t arrived by then, you need to start a trace with that reference number. It’s your responsibility, not the bank’s, to make sure it was received.
What This Actually Costs in Savannah
Pricing is all over the map, but here in Georgia, we’re generally in the mediumcost range. You won’t see the skyhigh fees of New York, but it’s not a bargain bin either.
- Domestic Outgoing Wires: Most folks here spend around $25 to $35 per transfer. Some credit unions might do it for $20, while the big national banks can creep up to $40 or $50.
- International Outgoing Wires: This is where it gets pricey. Expect a base fee of $40 to $75 for the transaction itself. But remember those intermediary fees I mentioned? They can add another $15 to $50 on top of that. And the exchange rate markup is where banks really make their money—it’s often 24% worse than the midmarket rate you see on Google.
- Incoming Wires: Many banks charge $10 to $20 just to receive a wire, especially an international one. Always warn the person sending you money so they can send a little extra to cover it.
Funny thing is, people will spend hours couponing to save $5 at the grocery store, but then they’ll blindly wire $50,000 without asking about fees. It’s the Savannah charm, I suppose—we’re a trusting bunch. But a little skepticism can save you hundreds.
Beyond the Big Banks: Local & Specialized Options
Based on actual local presence, here are some established providers in Savannah:
SouthState Bank — Multiple branches throughout Savannah and a strong regional presence for domestic wires.
Truist (formerly BB&T) — Serves the downtown and midtown areas with full international wire services.
Cornerstone Bank — A local community bank with a focus on personal service, great for straightforward domestic transfers.
Wells Fargo — Has a major operations presence in the area, with branches all over town, including near the Gateway and southside regions.
And then there are the nonbank players like Wise (formerly TransferWise) and CurrencyFair. For recurring international payments, especially in foreign currencies, they can be a gamechanger with much better exchange rates. But they’re not always the best for oneoff, timesensitive, large transfers like a house down payment. For that, the traceability of a bank wire is still king.
Playing by the Rules: Savannah & Federal Regulations
This is the part everyone glosses over, but it’s critical. Every single wire transfer over $10,000 is reported to the federal government under the Bank Secrecy Act. It’s not a suspicion of wrongdoing—it’s just automatic. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) gets a log. This is why your bank asks so many questions about where the money is coming from and what it’s for. They’re legally required to.
Wait — actually, let me rephrase that more clearly. It’s not just single transfers over $10k. If you’re doing a series of smaller wires that look like they’re structured to avoid that threshold, that’s called “smurfing,” and it’s a massive red flag that will get your accounts frozen faster than you can say “Savannah River.” Just be transparent. If you’re sending money for a legitimate purpose, like buying a boat from a guy in Brunswick or paying for your kid’s semester abroad, just say so. The paperwork is there to protect the financial system, and by extension, you.
For verifying the legitimacy of a financial service provider, you can always check with the Georgia Department of Banking and Finance. It’s a simple step that gives you peace of mind.
Answers to the Questions I Hear Every Day
How long does a wire transfer take from Savannah?
Domestic wires are usually sameday if you get them in before the cutoff (often 2 or 3 PM local time). International wires typically take 13 business days, but I’ve seen them take a week if they get held up for compliance reviews or hit multiple correspondent banks.
Can I cancel a wire transfer?
It’s incredibly difficult. Once it’s left the sending bank, it’s like trying to recall an email that’s already been delivered. You can try, but success is rare. This is why that doublechecking step is nonnegotiable.
What’s the difference between a wire and an ACH transfer?
ACH is like a slow train—it’s batchprocessed, takes 13 days, and is much cheaper (often free). Wires are like a private jet—fast, secure, and expensive. Use ACH for things like paying your monthly bills; use a wire for timesensitive, large, or international payments where the certainty of arrival is paramount.
Are there alternatives to wiring money for international payments?
Yes, and they’re getting better all the time. Online money transfer services (Wise, OFX) are fantastic for most personal and small business needs due to better exchange rates. But for a sixfigure house down payment here in Savannah? I’d still recommend a traditional bank wire for its security and traceability.
That one still stings, thinking about that couple in the Victorian District all those years ago, the fear in their voices. But it’s a good reminder. This work isn’t just about moving digits on a screen. It’s about helping people close on their dream home, get a business off the ground, or support family across the ocean. It’s a thread in the fabric of this city. If you’re in Savannah and you’re looking to move money, start by talking to your banker, asking the right questions, and giving yourself the gift of time. It makes all the difference.