More people are leaving the United States than moving into it. According to a report by The Motley Fool, the United States will experience negative net immigration in 2025 for the first time in 90 years. This means that by 2025 more people will leave the country than settle there. The last time this happened was in 1935 during the Great Depression, when more than 100,000 Americans emigrated in search of work.
Many retirees who plan to live outside the United States often wonder whether they will still receive Social Security benefits. The answer depends largely on which country they move to.
Most Americans can still collect benefits abroad
The good news is that most U.S. citizens can continue receiving Social Security benefits even after moving to another country. In most countries around the world, social security payments continue uninterrupted. However, The Motley Fool lists a number of states that do not allow Social Security payments.
U.S. Social Security benefits generally cannot be sent to people who live in the following countries:
- cuba
- north korea
- Azerbaijan
- belarus
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- moldova
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
- Ukraine
- Uzbekistan
To find out where Social Security benefits are available, you can check with the screening tool.
Foreign work experience can help you qualify
Some Americans may not have enough U.S. employment credits to receive Social Security retirement benefits. Others may also not have enough credits to receive disability benefits. In this case, work credits earned in another country may help them qualify. This is possible because the United States has signed social security agreements with several countries starting in the late 1970s.
As The Motley Fool points out, these agreements connect the U.S. Social Security system to similar retirement systems in partner countries. These arrangements allow certain workers to combine work records from different countries when determining eligibility. SSA maintains list of countries with bilateral social security agreements with the United States
You can apply for and manage overseas benefits
Americans do not need to physically reside in the United States to apply for Social Security benefits. Applications can be submitted online. Once benefits begin, payments can be sent electronically. Beneficiaries can choose to have their payments deposited into a U.S. bank account
In some cases, payments can also be made directly into a bank account in the retiree’s country of residence. According to The Motley Fool, this option is only available in countries that allow U.S. Social Security direct deposits. Retirees can check the SSA’s official list of countries and territories that allow direct deposit payments.
why this is important
Social Security income remains a major part of many Americans’ retirement plans. The Motley Fool reports that retirees who rely on monthly Social Security checks often continue to receive payments even after moving overseas. Understanding the rules before moving can help retirees avoid unexpected problems with benefit payments. For most retirees, moving abroad does not automatically mean losing Social Security benefits. Key factors are the country of destination, eligibility status, and whether the country has the required agreements with the U.S. Social Security system.
