Retirement

Retiring Overseas? What You Need to Know About Getting Benefits Abroad

October 20, 2016 • By

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Last Updated: October 20, 2016

retire-overseasThere are a number of people who choose to live their retirement years in places outside of the United States. Perhaps retirement in Thailand or Portugal is in your plans. Maybe you plan to split your year between Central Europe and Central Asia. In many cases, it’s still possible to receive your retirement benefits while living abroad. Our website can help you navigate your benefit eligibility while living overseas.

If you’ve worked in both the United States and another country, it may be possible for your credits to combine for a larger benefit. Currently, there are 25 countries with such international agreements with the United States. To find out if you have qualifying work in a country with such an agreement, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/international.

You can receive benefits in many countries. To find out whether you can receive your benefits in the country where you are retiring, you should use our Payments Abroad Screening Tool at www.socialsecurity.gov/international/payments_outsideUS_page10.html.

There are easy ways to get in touch with us and report changes to Social Security if you live overseas. You can contact your local U.S. embassy, write to us by mail, or call us at 1-800-772-1213. You can find other information in regards to living overseas at www.socialsecurity.gov/foreign.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications

Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications

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Comments

  1. Stephen M.

    I am living France. I have been trying without success to log on to my SS account for over a year. The web-site will not recognize my SS # or birthdate. I have tried to call SS in the States and they pass me off to numerous operators none of whom are helpful.

    I would like to update my personal information.

    I would appreciate any advise you might have.

    Thank you,

    Stephen K.

    • J.Y.

      Hi Stephen. The “my Social Security” authentication system requires address verification as one of the essential criteria for creating or accessing an account. People with APO/FPO/DPO addresses can create an account overseas, but our system does not support registration and account creation for users with a foreign address yet. For assistance related to your Social Security benefits, please contact your local U.S. embassy or consulate. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more contact information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this helps.

  2. Roseann

    My husband and I are receiving social security benefits as we are in our late 60’s. We have Medicare which is deducted from our checks. If we move to costa Rica to live would we be able to stop paying for Medicare since we could no longer use it?

    • R.F.

      Hi Roseann. Medicare benefits are generally available, only for medical services provided in the United States. However, since this is a serious decision, our policy requires a personal interview be conducted with everyone who wants to terminate their Medicare Part B benefits. Representatives at your local Social Security office will help you complete the required Form CMS-1763, “Request for Termination of Premium Hospital and /or Supplementary Medical Insurance”, but we need to speak to you personally before we terminate your Medicare benefits to be sure that you fully understand the consequences of doing so. We do not offer Form CMS-1763 online. For further assistance or to make an appointment, call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Also, see our publication “Social Security — Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States”.
      Thanks!

  3. Gina

    Hi, My husband is 64yo this year. He became disabled in 2011 and is still collecting SSD. We have been talking about a move out of the US, Mexico etc, or to US owned locations, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands etc. What will happen to his SSD if we move and no longer have a US address. We could not get by without his check and don’t want to make bad move by relocating and loosing his benefits. Thank You

    • R.F.

      Thank you for your question Gina. Your husband may still be eligible to continue to receive his payments outside the United States. Please read our publication “Your Payments While You are Outside the United States” for more information.

  4. Margarita

    I have a friend who was permanent resident of usa for more of 10 years and worked all those years here, but he returned to Colombia and lost his status of permanent resident. Right now, he has the age to claim his retirement. Does he can claim it? and how can he claim it? Can he give me an authorization to process it for him?

    • R.F.

      Thank you for your question Margarita. Generally, to be eligible for Social Security benefits, an individual must be either: a U.S. citizen, or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence. However, in some cases, we may pay benefits to non-citizens outside of the United States if they meet certain conditions. For payments to non-citizens living outside the United States, go to our Frequently Asked Questions web page. In addition, you friend will have to make direct contact with the U.S. Embassy in Colombia, for further assistance. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist individuals living abroad. We hope this information helps.

  5. Ron

    Can you comment on why the COLA are applied as a percentage of each recipient’s individual benefit and based on the average recipient’s benefit. This procedure provides less in actual dollars to those on the lower end of the scale and more to those on the upper end, thus increasing the benefit gap between them. Is not the theory behind COLAs that if the price of a gallon of milk goes from $3.00 a gallon to $3.30 then the COLA is intended to cover that increase? Why then do some beneficiaries get as much as a three times greater amount than others…do they pay more for than milk than those at lower benefit levels? I think not.

    Therefore, it seems logical, reasonable and fair that the COLA increases ought to be calculated as a percentage of the average benefit and every beneficiary paid that calculated dollar amount. Again, who should some beneficiaries receive an increase of, for example, $30/month while others receive, $90 to pay for that same gallon of milk?

    • R.F.

      Thank you for your comment Ron. The Social Security Act provides for how the COLA is calculated. To read more, please visit http://www.socialsecurity.gov/cola.

  6. Mike

    Thanks for the assistance. Now, if I could just get the IRS to be so helpful.

  7. Mike

    I appreciate the use of this blog. Lots of interesting posts and nice to get a response to queries.

    I live overseas and have for many years. I am a recipient of SSA benefits as well as my dependent children. My wife is their Payee Representative. I am also federal government annuitant under the Civil Service Retirement System (NOT FERS).

    When my SSA benefits were determined, I received a reduced amount because I was a federal annuitant. I think it was referred to an offset.

    I am assembling some info for my wife about how to report my death and if my children are still eligible (age) to make a claim for them. We know to use the US Embassy to file the claim.

    My wife is not eligible to receive a survivor benefit as she is not a US citizen and will remain living overseas. That is our understanding.

    However, my question is….will the survivor benefit for the children also have an “offset”?

    • R.F.

      Thank you for your question Mike. Based on the information you provided, it appears that the reduction (or offset) to your Social Security benefits are based on the Windfall Elimination Provision(WEP). The WEP may cause the amount of your Social Security benefit to be reduced when you received a pension based on work that was/is not covered by Social Security (for example, Federal civil service and some State or local government agencies). However, the impact of WEP does not continue after your death. Upon notification of the worker’s death, we do a re-computation of benefits without applying the WEP effect, which may result in a higher benefits for the surviving (eligible) children. Also, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions web page to learn more on how non-citizens living outside the United States could receive Social Security benefits. We hope this information helps!

  8. michele s.

    I am really stuck. Please help! A couple of months ago I applied online for my ss retirement benefits. Unfortunately I answered the question about disability with a “yes”. I found myself in the disability section applying for disability benefits. I wrote in the comments section that I had made a mistake and just wanted my retirement.
    I was block from re-entering the site.
    I called the Embassy in Paris (I now live in France) and was told to call ss in the US. I tried. The first time, I was told to just type in my ss number. That didn’t work. Then I was told to contact the Consulate in Marseille. I left 4 messages on the phone at the Consulate but heard nothing back.
    Through a personal contact, the head of the Consulate Monique Quesada very kindly said she would refer my problem to the American Citizen Service. I’ve no contact and it’s been a month now. I tried emailing citizenformarseille@state.gov but the address doesn’t work. I left 2 more message last week on the phone at the Consulate but have has no reply. Help!!! I really don’t know what to do.

    • R.F.

      We apologize for the inconvenience Michele. For your security, we do not have access to information about your account in this venue. We will forward your inquiry to our office of International Operations, requesting their assistance. In the meantime, continue to contact the Federal Benefits Unit in France. Thanks.

      • michele s.

        Many, many thanks for your help Ray. What a great relief it’s been to ask for help and actually get it! I don’t know what I would have done without your intervention. Thanks again. – Michele

  9. Peter

    I plan on applying for social security payments this coming May 2017 at age 67. I left the US over 10 years ago and have been living overseas. Can I apply for ss payments in the Dominican Republic to be deposited into my Dominican bank account?

    • R.F.

      Thank you for your question Peter. If you are a U.S. citizen, you may continue to receive payments outside the United States as long as you are eligible for payment and you are in a country where we can send payments. If you aren’t a U.S. citizen, you must meet one of the conditions for payment described in this publication: Your Payments While You are Outside the United States. For any assistance related to your Social Security benefits, please contact your local U.S. embassy or consulate. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this information helps.

  10. Amalia

    Estoy retirada. En temprana edad 62 años..sigo trabajando un partime..y hago mis taxes todos los años ademas pago una multa por el seguro obligatorio de Obama…con la nueva gobernacion. Seguira siendo obligado el seguro medico…me haran el descuento directo a mi compensascion ssa?

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