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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Tags: retirement benefits
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Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
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David K.
I am currently receiving SSA benefits. I am going to be living in Ecuador and am marrying an Ecuadorian national (a non US resident). If I die, will she be eligible to receive my SSA benefits after the age of 62 while living in Ecuador? If so, do I need to be receiving my benefits in Ecuador at the time? Please let me know of my options and what we need to do to allow this to happen. Thank you.
Oderay D.
I want to know how to access my SS account from the Republic of Panama. I already have an account but I moved to Panama. My phone number changed, and the system does not accept the new number from Panama.
V.V.
Hi Oderay. If you move, you are required to report your change of address to Social Security, even if we are sending your payments to a bank or other financial institution. Our publication, “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.
You may use our Payments Abroad Screening Tool to see if your benefits will continue indefinitely, stop after six consecutive months or if certain country specific restrictions apply.
To create and access your my Social Security account, you must have a valid email address and a U.S. mailing address.
George N.
How can I get the form to receive my SS payments overseas?
V.V.
Hi George, thanks for your question. If you move, you are required to report your change of address to Social Security, even if we are sending your payments to a bank or other financial institution.
Our publication, “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.
You may use our Payments Abroad Screening Tool to see if your benefits will continue indefinitely, stop after six consecutive months or if certain country specific restrictions apply.
We also recommend that individuals planning to leave the United States visit our Office of International Operations home page, which provides additional information for our customers living abroad. We hope this information helps!
Mohamed M.
My mother is currently receiving social security benefit as a survivor spouse by direct deposit in her bank account in New Jersey. She is now overseas in Alexandria Egypt. The question is, what is the procedure to have her benefits deposited directly to her bank account in Alexandria Egypt.
K.O.
Hello Mohamed. See our publication, “Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States”. It explains how being outside the United States may affect your Social Security payments. If your mother is a U.S. citizen, she may continue to receive payments outside the United States as long as she is eligible for payment, and she is in a country where we can send payment.
You may use our Payments Abroad Screening Tool to see if your benefits will continue indefinitely, stop after six consecutive months or if certain country specific restrictions apply.
We hope this information helps!
Joseane E.
Hi there. My father is a permanent resident and has been working in the US for approx 20 years. Does he qualified for retirement benefits even if not a citizen? Please let me know. Thank you.
R.F.
Hello Joseane. In order to qualify for almost any type of Social Security benefits, including Medicare, a person generally needs 40 credits, or at least 10 years of work, paying Social Security taxes.
Please see our web page “Benefits for Noncitizens” for information on this topic. Thanks!
Charleene` Y.
I’m not ready yet.
Victor D.
My Mother passed, shes overseas I’m the youngest son living in the United States. My older brother lived with Mom, but due to his pasted and the way he is, i do not believe he does not have intentions of notifying Social Security he does not have any source of income and neither does he have any retirement. So I’m taking upon myself to find out what to do since Mom pasted October 1st I don’t want anything to come back and bite me in the a__s excuse my french.Please notify me ASAP thank you.
V.V.
Victor, we are very sorry for your loss. You can report your mother’s death by calling our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If someone needs to report a death and they are outside the U.S., they may report her death by contacting their nearest Federal Benefits Unit. For more information, please read our publication, “How Social Security Can Help You When a Family Member Dies”. We hope this is helpful.
Cliff A.
I am getting impatient and even angry. I submitted to Social Security a Request For Reconsideration form SSA-561-US in May of 2018. I have never received a reply. I wanted to officially cancel my request for Medicare Part B, as I continue working at my own company and have full medical coverage for about two more years. Thereafter, I will want Part B. I am being billed for it but have not paid the invoice as I do not need the service. Meanwhile, the Part B has been suspended, but I am concerned that I will have trouble later when i actually need it. I have called 4 times to follow up, and was told the first three times to wait until the review panel gets back to me. The last time I was told I should download form CMS 1763 and say I wish to discontinue the service. I went on line and now find that form CMS 1763 deals with obtaining Social Security or Medicare benefits while living overseas. This is outrageous. Living overseas (or not) hasd nothing to do with my problem. I am disappointed with the assistance provided for my case. Please get someone competent and willing to help assigned to my case. Thank you.
R.F.
We apologize for any inconvenience, Cliff. Unfortunately, and because of security reasons we do not have access to personal records in this blog. Please call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later during the day or later in the week. Thanks.
Dennis L.
I am a US citizen living in Australia and receiving SSI benefits. My spouse, an Australian, was receiving SSI survivors benefits. We just received a letter stating that SSA cannot pay her any longer as she does not live in the US! My question is why after almost 2 years has SSA come to this decision?
My wife’s name is:
Christine Udy
SSN# *** – ** – ***
R.F.
Hello Dennis. We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact the nearest Federal Benefits Unit or U.S. Embassy in their area for assistance with their Social Security benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad.
Please be cautious about posting personal information on social media channels. Thanks!
Aurora N.
Do i have to pay taxes in Spain from my Social Secuity and from my retirement from the state of VA? i was a teacher in Chesterfield Co for 28 yeats.
My mother needs me and I am going to live there more than 6 months.
V.V.
Hi Aurora, thanks for your question. We cannot answer your question regarding Spain’s taxation policies. However, if you do move, you are required to report your change of address to Social Security, even if we are sending your payments to a bank or other financial institution.
Our publication, “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.
You may use our Payments Abroad Screening Tool to see if your benefits will continue indefinitely, stop after six consecutive months or if certain country specific restrictions apply.
We also recommend that individuals planning to leave the United States visit our Office of International Operations home page, which provides additional information for our customers living abroad. We hope this information helps!