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Table of Contents
Social Security
Social Security Administration (SSA)
ssa.gov
Social Security Number (SSN)
Social Security Card
Login via ID.me
Typically, renouncing U.S. citizenship does not automatically disqualify someone from receiving Social Security benefits if they have already earned credits for those benefits.
Social Security lawyers appear to work only on disability claims. I don’t see anyone working on foreign residency issues.
RS 02655.001 The Foreign Enforcement Program (FEP)
https://secure.ssa.gov/POMS.NSF/LNX/0302655001
SSA-7162-INST
https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/ssa7162inst.pdf
The instructions for SSA-7162
SSA-7162
https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/ssa7162ocrsm.pdf
The form is mailed to non-residents every one or two years, in May or June, and a completed form in reply is expected within 60 days.
Per Grok: Wait to receive the form. If you do not receive it, and are unsure about your situation, reach out to the SSA or FBU for guidance rather than sending it unsolicited. (Example: if you did not receive the form last year, or you have moved recently, you maybe should expect to receive the form this year.)
“Your payments while you are outside the US” booklet
https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf
Section “Questionnaires”
Describes the mailing a questionnaire every 1 or 2 years which must be completed and returned. I assume this questionnaire is the form SSA-7162.
Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate
There are multiple benefits from the SSA: retirement, SSDI, SSI, and disability.
Mine are called retirement benefits.
https://www.ssa.gov/retirement
Web Interface
It is possible to deal with SSA via phone and postal mail, but of course much more convenient to use the web.
Branded mySocialSecurity.
For contact and login info, see SSA in the address book.
Statistics
Number of US citizens:
| receiving Social Security | 50 million |
| residing abroad | 5.7 to 9 million |
| receiving SSA outside the US | 760,000 |
| receiving SSA administered from Philippines FBU | 90,000 |
Getting Social Security benefits if you are living outside the U.S.
Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States
https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf
“If you are a United States citizen, you may continue to receive payments while outside the U.S. as long as you are eligible for payment and you are in a country where we can send payments.“
Foreign Country Service Information
https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/foreign.htm
A list of countries and the US Embassy containing the Federal Benefits Unit for each country.
For example:
- Thailand and 40 other countries in SE Asia are supported by Philippines.
- Portugal supports Portugal and 8 former colonies including Brazil, Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea Bissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe.
- Poland supports Poland, Russia, and 12 other countries.
History
Social Security was originally a retirement pension plan.
In 1970 the trust fund assets were stolen, and the system was converted to a Ponzi Scam.