International Programs - Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States (2024)

FAQs

Can I live outside the U.S. and receive Social Security benefits? ›

If you are a U.S. citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the U.S. as long as you are eligible for them. However, there are certain countries to which we are not allowed to send payments.

USCIS extracts information from USCIS Forms I-131 (Application for Travel Document) and I-157 (Notice of Removal) and sends it to SSA. The system compares the information with account numbers on the supplemental security record (SSR) and, if there are any matches, sends an alert to the FO for development.

If you leave the U.S., we will stop your benefits the month after the sixth calendar month in a row that you are outside the country. You can make visits to the United States for specific periods of time, depending on how long you've been outside, to continue receiving your benefits.

If you receive SSI, you will not continue to receive benefits while you are abroad. If you are outside of the US for more than 30 days your SSI benefit will stop. SSI benefits will restart once you return to the US and remain in the country for more than 30 days.

There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.

SSA pays Social Security benefits electronically through direct deposit. You can set up direct deposit through a financial institution in the U.S. or any country which has an international direct deposit agreement with the U.S. Get a list of countries and territories that allow direct deposit payments.

You must have worked and paid Social Security taxes in five of the last 10 years. If you also get a pension from a job where you didn't pay Social Security taxes (e.g., a civil service or teacher's pension), your Social Security benefit might be reduced.

You can also access your information with an ID.me account if you have one. Keep in mind: You must be 18 years of age or older and have a Social Security number (SSN). Many online services can now be accessed overseas with an ID.me account.

Social Security income can be taxable no matter how old you are. It all depends on whether your total combined income exceeds a certain level set for your filing status. You may have heard that Social Security income is not taxed after age 70; this is false.

What is the lowest amount you can get in Social Security? ›

Social Security's special minimum benefit pays at least $49.40 per month in 2023 and $50.90 in 2024. Social Security's special minimum benefit tops out at $1,033.50 per month in 2023 and $1,066.50 in 2024. You'll receive 100% of the benefit if you file at full retirement age or later.

The United States generally considers a person with dual U.S. and foreign citizenship a U.S. citizen for Social Security purposes. This does not apply if you are a U.S. citizen and a citizen of a country the United States has an international social security agreement with.

US citizens can live outside the country for as long as they wish — even for the rest of their lives — without a problem. A US citizen cannot be prevented from re-entering the US. You can stay out of the USA for as long as you'd like. You can renew passport as needed at the local US embassy or consulate.

If you're a U.S. citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the United States as long as you are eligible.

Has your income declined or have you experienced a loss of financial resources? You may be able to get additional income through the Supplemental Security Income program, which helps seniors and the disabled who have limited income and financial resources.

Generally, if you are a U.S. person, you are subject to U.S. income tax filing requirements and your worldwide income is subject to U.S. income tax, regardless of where you live. SSA will not withhold tax from your benefits if you are a U.S. person.