Retiring Overseas? What You Need to Know About Getting Benefits Abroad
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: October 20, 2016
There 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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Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
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Randy
I recently got married to a Filipino and I would like to get dual citizenship but live full time In Philippines.. can my monthly ss check be direct deposited in a bank there? And if so is there a fee charged by us government??
Sonia B.
My parents were told by a relative that if they have property in Mexico they would not qualify for the full benefit. They plan to reside half of the year in Mexico and half of the year in the US. Will this affect their eligibility for retirement benefits?
Ray F.
Thank you for your question Sonia. The good news is that your parents may still be eligible to receive their Social Security benefits while living abroad. However, all Social Security beneficiaries living outside the U.S. are required to report their change of address, even if we are sending their payments to a bank or other financial institution. Our publication “Social Security — Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States” explains how being outside the United States may affect your Social Security payments. 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. We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact their local U.S. embassy or consulate for any assistance related to Social Security benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this information helps!
Sweden
Hi,I’m from Sweden so apologise for my bad English.
My friend is a citizen of USA and she is in prison.She will get paroled when she turns 65.She will do 25
years in prison and she have gave birth to 4 children.
As you can se,she will not have a lot of work experiense to talk about.And the plan is for her to move to Sweden when she get paroled.Will she get any social security benefit?If any,how much?
There is more but this would help us alot to know.
Sunshine
I am 56. I have been working last 26years.
If I have to move other country (Asia) for my spouse’s job, how/when and where can I apply my social security benefit?
I am thinking about early retirement as of 62.
Ray F.
For assistance related to your Social Security benefits while you’re outside the United States, we ask that you contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the area. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad. We hope this information helps.
Chris
I am a US 64 year old citizen living in Canada currently collecting Social Security. My question is whether my Canadian spouse who became a spouse after I moved to Canada and never lived with me in the US will be entitled to any Social Security benefits of any kind in the future for instance when she turns 62 or upon my death.
Ray F.
Thank you for contacting us Chris. Generally, individuals must be married for one year before they can get spouse’s benefits. An applicant for surviving spouse benefits must meet a 9 months duration-of-marriage requirement. In some cases, we may pay benefits to noncitizens living outside of the United States if they meet certain conditions. We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact their local U.S. embassy or consulate for any assistance related to Social Security benefits. You can also use the Canadian Service Area Directory to determine which Resident Office is near you. We hope this information helps!
Jim
I also have found email contact with SSA from abroad very difficult. It used to be impossible to even reach the SSA.gov website. That has been remedied, but there are still lots of obstacles. In the meantime, the overseas benefits units seem to be stretched thin. I cannot help but wonder if overseas Americans just are not a priority.
dani
” This post is invaluable. How can I find out more? ”
wretye5ryabcd.com
Patricia A.
I plan to try a 6 month trial living in Puerto Vallarta Mexico, am on a widows pension. Plan to use a relative In the states, am getting conflicting answers on can I live and retire full time in PV and still get my benefits? TIA
Ray F.
Thank you for your question Patricia. First, you can use our Payments Abroad Screening Tool to find out if you can continue to receive your Social Security payments if you are outside the United States. Then, read our publication “Your Payments While You are Outside the United States”. For more guidance on this matter, we recommend that you call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 and speak with one of our agents. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. We hope this information helps!
Albert
My mother is currently living in California. She worked in the US and Guam and is planning to Retire in the Philippines. Will her SSI benefits continue if she permenantly lives outside the U.S., and does she have to return to the U.S. at all to keep her benefits active?
Jenna Y.
Thanks for your question. Your mother’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits may be affected if she remains outside of the country for more than 30 straight days. For more information about what to report when you are receiving SSI, please visit: http://go.usa.gov/BBqT. We hope this helps!
Kahraman M.
Hi
I worked in the states 11 years and eligible for ss benefits according to my record.Now ı am living in Turkey.I am also US citizen. Would you please let me know what is the easiest way to transfer the ssi to my account in Turkey.What kind of information ı have to give to ss Office to transfer Money to my account in Turkey..I will be in the states in a month for social security retirement.
Thanks
Thanks.
Ray F.
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. If in the United States, click here, to find the nearest Social Security office in your area. Please visit our Retirement Planner for general information about your retirement benefits. We hope this information helps!