#Interested #Collecting #Social #Security #Benefits #Qualify
More than 760,000 people receive Social Security benefits while living abroad each year, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). However, not every potential beneficiary is eligible to receive payments abroad.
If you plan to retire or live abroad, you’ll need to know if you can still collect retirement, disability, or Social Security survivor benefits. The rules vary depending on the type of benefit, your citizenship status, and your country of residence. Here’s what you need to know.
Key takeaways
- If you are a U.S. citizen who qualifies for retirement, disability, or survivor’s benefits, you can generally collect them while you live outside the United States
- However, benefits cannot be paid to beneficiaries who live in certain countries, such as Cuba and North Korea.
- For non-US citizens, the rules depend on your country of origin and the type of benefit.
- Supplemental Security Income, which is based on resources rather than your work record, is generally limited to U.S. residents.
Who is eligible for Social Security benefits outside the United States?
Whether you are eligible for Social Security benefits while you live outside the United States can depend on whether you are a U.S. citizen or a non-U.S. citizen. Here are some basics:
If you are a US citizen
The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers you “outside the United States” if you have not been located in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa for at least 30 consecutive days.
Generally, if you are a U.S. citizen, you can collect retirement, disability, or survivor’s benefits while abroad as long as you meet the usual criteria for eligibility. However, Social Security will not make benefit payments to beneficiaries in some countries, such as Cuba, North Korea and some former Soviet republics. In many cases, if you reside in one of those countries, your unpaid benefits will be paid to you when you enter a country where payments can be sent.
Social Security Administration Overseas payments screening tool It can help determine if you are eligible for benefits outside the United States
important
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a different matter. SSI, which is based on income, resources, and disability, is different from SSDI, which is based on work history and disability. You can collect SSDI while living abroad. However, you can only collect SSI if you live in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, or the Northern Mariana Islands.
If you are not a US citizen
Non-US citizens may be subject to another set of rules, depending on which country they are a citizen of, where they live, and what type of Social Security benefits they claim.
These rules are in many cases determined by so-called “inclusion agreements” between the United States and 30 other countries. You can find a List of inclusion agreements And links to them on the Social Security Administration website.
If you receive dependent or survivor benefits, you may need to meet additional residency requirements. For example, you may need to prove that you have lived in the United States for at least five years and that you had a qualifying family relationship with the primary beneficiary.
In some cases, Social Security will stop paying benefits to beneficiaries who leave the United States for six months or more, but will resume them if the person later returns for at least a full month.
advice
Non-US citizens can also use the Social Security Administration Overseas payments screening tool To determine whether they are eligible for benefits outside the United States
Keep your information up to date
The Social Security Administration periodically sends questionnaires to beneficiaries who reside outside the United States. These questionnaires are designed to help the agency determine whether they are still eligible. The questionnaires ask for updated information about any work you have taken abroad, marriage, death, divorce, change of address, change of circumstances, and eligibility for a pension not covered by the Social Security program.
Failure to return the requested information will result in the cessation of benefits. You are also required to report any of the listed events to Social Security when they occur regardless of whether you received a survey or not.
Can I get Social Security benefits if I move to another country?
In most cases, you can collect retirement, disability, or Social Security survivor benefits if you are retired or living abroad. Social Security will not make benefit payments to Cuba, North Korea, or some former Soviet republics. If you live in one of these countries, you will not be eligible for benefits during your stay there. However, you may be eligible for back payments once you leave, depending on your citizenship status and the country in which you lived.
Can non-US citizens get Social Security abroad?
Different rules apply to non-US citizens. The rules vary depending on where you live, the country you are a citizen of, and the type of Social Security benefits you claim.
Can I collect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) abroad?
You cannot collect Supplemental Security Income (SSI) while you live in another country. This program provides income to elderly or disabled people who have little income or resources. However, you can collect Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments outside the United States, provided you qualify.
Bottom line
If you’re thinking about moving abroad and collecting Social Security, research your eligibility and benefits carefully. Pay attention to the exceptions, including where you plan to live and how your citizenship status affects whether you can collect. Don’t forget to keep your information up to date.
#Interested #Collecting #Social #Security #Benefits #Qualify
