I am paying into a 401A for my new employer but no social security. I am new in the US but worked a year and a half paying into SS before starting this new job. How does this affect retirement and are there any advantages/disadvantages for paying into one vs. the other?

Hi,

My only area of expertise is Social Security benefits, and since I don't know anything about your 401a plan I have no idea how it would compare to Social Security. In any case, though, you aren't allowed to pay Social Security taxes voluntarily. So, if your employer is exempt from paying Social Security taxes, you probably won't qualify for Social Security unless you change employers or become self-employed.

Normally, you must have at least 40 quarters (QC) of U.S. Social Security coverage to become eligible for Social Security retirement benefits. However, if you have credits under another country's Social Security program and if that country has a totalization agreement with the U.S. Social Security program, then you may be able to qualify for U.S. Social Security benefits with as few as 6 U.S. QCs. For more information about totalization agreements, refer to the following Social Security website: https://www.ssa.gov/international/agreement_descriptions.html.

Best, Jerry