Western Union locations in Albuquerque

Western Union offers convenient ways to send and receive money, including transacting in person through a Western Union agent. This can be convenient and gets you face to face service and support when you need to send or receive cash.

This guide walks through Western Union pick locations in Albuquerque which allow you to send or collect money, and also touches on alternatives like Wise and Remitly to avoid remittance taxes that might apply when sending your Western Union transfer.

From January 2026 there will be a new 1% remittance tax applied on international money transfers sent from the US when the sender pays in cash, with a money order or using cashier’s checks.

Using a fully digital provider like Wise allows you to pay for your international transfer from the US using ACH, a wire, or your debit or credit card. The remittance tax does not apply, and your currency will be converted using the mid-market exchange rate, with low, transparent fees.

Wise supports payments to 140+ countries, which can be fast or even instant*, for deposit to bank accounts and eWallets. It’s easy to register a Wise account with just your phone or laptop, to get started sending right away.

As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, from 1 January 2026, a 1% remittance tax will apply on payments sent overseas from the US, when the sender pays for them with cash, a money order or using cashier’s checks.

This tax is paid by the sender, and collected by the money transfer service which processes the payment. The money transfer service is then responsible for passing collected funds on to the US government.

This 1% tax will apply on all payments sent overseas, including those to countries like Mexico, India, and the Philippines, if the person arranging the payment uses cash, a money order or a check.

To give an example, if you’re using Western Union to send 1,000 USD to a loved one in the Philippines, from January 2026, this will cost you an additional 10 USD in tax. As a percentage cost, this can mount up pretty quickly if you’re sending higher amounts with Western Union for things like medical or education costs abroad, or if you make regular payments.

To avoid paying the 1% remittance tax you can choose to send your transfer using a different payment method. If you pay for your transfer using an ACH or wire transfer, or with a credit, prepaid or debit card, the 1% remittance tax does not apply.

Where does the remittance tax apply?

The 1% remittance tax does not apply to all transfers. This new tax will apply on payments made from the US to any country overseas, when the sender chooses to pay with:

• Cash: Any payments made in coins or bills

• Money orders: Any payments made using a money order - a printed payment order issued by a bank or the Post Office

• Cashier’s checks: Any payments made using a cashier check which is a printed guarantee of payment issued by your bank

How to avoid the 1% remittance tax 

You may be able to avoid paying the 1% remittance tax for your Western Union transfer if you avoid paying using cash, checks or money orders. Instead, you could arrange the payment online and pay with a card or bank transfer, or visit a retail location and pay using a card or a wallet like Apple Pay there instead.

Western Union also offers the Western Union Prepaid Visa Card which you can get in store, and load with cash. If you use this to pay for your overseas transfer, the payment is exempt from the remittance tax. However, bear in mind that a fee may apply when you load the funds onto the prepaid card.

You could also choose to use a fully digital provider like Wise or OFX to send your payment instead of Western Union. You’ll be able to pay for your transfer conveniently without leaving home, and as you’ll pay using an electronic method like a bank transfer or card, the 1% remittance tax does not apply.

Funds can be securely deposited into your recipient’s bank account, or to their eWallets in some cases if you’d prefer.

Western Union customer service 

You can get help from Western Union customer service by visiting your local store - check out our handy tools above, to check the location and opening hours of your preferred Western Union agent location.

You can also open an in-app chat to talk to someone from Western Union, or you can call their central customer service team on 1800 325 6000.

Does Walmart have Western Union?

Yes. You can find Western Union services in Walmart stores, to send and receive payments conveniently.

Bear in mind that payments sent overseas using cash, checks and money orders will be subject to 1% remittance tax from January 2026.

Does CVS have Western Union?

No. CVS does not have Western Union services available in store. Our handy location finder tool above lets you find the closest Western Union office to your location easily.

What is needed to collect money from Western Union?

To collect your money in cash from Western Union you’ll need to gather some documents and information and then head out to your local Western Union agent location.

Western Union accepts a range of documents in the US as proof of ID, including:

• Your US or international driver’s license

• Your passport

• Your State ID

• Your Resident Alien ID

• Your military ID

• Your Instituto Federal Electoral

• Your Consular Card

How long can you leave money in Western Union?

If someone has sent you money to the US to collect from Western Union in cash, you’ll have 90 days to collect your money.

If you are not able to get your money during that time the person sending the money will need to contact Western Union and ask for the transfer to be renewed so you can visit an agent and get your payment.

Can I pick up Western Union money anywhere in the US?

You can collect your Western Union cash payment anywhere in the state that the sender requested when processing the money transfer.

If you would like to collect your cash at a Western Union agent location in a different state, the sender will need to get in touch with Western Union to request a change to be made to the payment details.

Western Union cash pickup limits

The Western Union cash pickup limits which apply can depend on both the agent you’re collecting your money from, and the country from which the payment originated.

Within the US, customers can use Western Union to send payments of up to 50,000 USD once they have a verified account. However, Western Union agents may impose lower limits when you want to pick up your money in cash.

If you’re unsure whether or not a specific agent can help you with your payment, you can use the tools above to find their contact information and give them a call.

There are also other options to receive high value payments, including using a different provider which may have higher transfer limits. You could use Wise, for example, to have funds deposited to your bank account in the US, or to your Wise account if you have one.

Wise transfer limits vary by currency but are usually very high - 1 million USD or more - and there’s usually no limit to receive a payment to your Wise account.

Conclusion

Western Union offers handy in person services in Albuquerque which you can use to send or receive international transfers. It's important to know that from January 2026, a new 1% tax may apply on your Western Union transfer if you’re sending money overseas and choose to pay with cash, a cashier’s check or a money order.

Digital payments are exempt from this tax.

This means you could use Western Union but pay with a card or bank transfer - or choose a fully digital provider like Wise or Remitly, for a smooth transfer overseas which avoids remittance tax.

Pick a provider which lets you pay with ACH, wire, debit, credit or prepaid card, for example, and your payment can be processed without the additional tax. Plus if you use a service like Wise you’ll also unlock the mid-market rate and low, transparent fees, on speedy transfers to 140+ countries globally.

FAQs

Where can I collect money sent from Western Union?

You can collect money sent from Western Union at any Western Union agent in the state the sender requested when they arranged their payment. You can use the tools in this guide to locate the best agent for your needs.

How long does it take to receive money from Western Union?

The delivery times for Western Union payments depend on the service selected by the sender and how they pay. Some payments are available almost instantly, but some payments may take several days.

You can track your payment online or on the Western Union app by tapping the option to track a transfer and entering your tracking number (MTCN), which the sender can give you.

What is the maximum amount that can be sent by Western Union?

The maximum amount that can be sent by Western Union depends on the country the sender lives in. In the US you can send up to 50,000 USD from a verified Western Union account, but other countries may have different payment limits.

Does the remittance tax apply to money transfer apps like Wise and Western Union?

The 1% remittance tax will be applied on international money transfers sent from the US when the sender pays in cash, with a money order or using cashier’s checks, from January 2026. Wise does not accept these payment methods and so Wise payments will not attract the 1% remittance tax. Western Union remittances may incur this fee if you choose one of these payment methods to fund the transfer.