Foreign Pensions

Hi Larry,
I was born in the UK and worked there (for a US airline) since the 90's and paid into the UK system. I got married and became a US resident and for the last 4 years have been paying FICA (I'm now 51). I'm eligible for pension in the UK and will be eligible for pension in the US by the time I am of retirement age. How does totalization affect me? Can I use the years of paying into the UK system and add them to my SSA benefits? OR do I collect pension from both countries? Very confusing... Any help would be appreciated!!

Hi,

Hello Larry et al!

Hoping for some direction!! Hold onto your hats for this (seemingly complicated) series of questions!

If my Japanese wife draws both Japanese social security and claims spousal US social security, will her US spousal benefits be reduced?

Hi,

No, receipt of a Social Security benefit from Japan would not affect U.S. Social Security spousal benefits.

Best, Jerry

I am a 61-year old widow. My husband of 30 years passed last April, 2018 from cancer. I am collecting his SSI-Widow's Benefits here in the USA. I am American, he was from England, and always maintained his British citizenship. He came here in 1985 and has worked and lived here up until 2018. Question: Can I collect both SSI-Widow's Benefits here in the USA and also collect my husband's UK Pension? He worked in UK for about 15-17 years before moving to USA. I am in process of applying for his pension in UK as he had wanted me to do before he passed.

Hi Larry!

My wife is drawing ss from Switzerland as a result of her working and living there for 20+ years (Swiss citizen). She has also worked in the US and paid FICA in 7 years since she came to the US. In only 3 years did she earn more than 10k$ (some of the other 4 years was 200$ and one was 2k$). If she applies at her age 66 for spousal benefits on my record when I begin to draw my age 66 FRA benefit, will she be be "deemed" using both her US work record and her spousal application on my work record in determining her spousal benefit or will she simply get 50% of my benefit?

I am a US citizen and lived and worked in the UK for 38 years. Was eligible for UK pension at 60. Decided to defer to age 70 as I want to take the 10 year balance as a lump sum which is possible in the UK. I returned to the US in 2010 and as I had not worked here am in the process of accruing the 40 units necessary for medicare and social security. Will I be entitled to get social security here at 70 when I have accrued the necessary 40 credits? even though I will also be claiming a UK pension? Question Number 2.

Dear Larry, I filed for spousal benefits online following the information that you gave me regarding my UK Pension. I quote your reply :- Your UK pension would have no bearing on your eligibility for spousal benefits nor your benefit rate. Foreign pensions are not considered as government pensions for purposes of the GPO provision, as is specified in the first bullet of section B of the following reference from Social Security's operations manual : https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0202608400 .

i receive a pension of now 174 euro per month since about2010 for when i worked in germany for 11 years from about 1958 / 1969,that includes my 3 years as apprentice to learn my craft .also i get ss ,part of my husbands ss benefit, had not enough quarters to draw my own ,now i do, since i worked the last 10 years and paid into the system i got a letter requesting info for foreign pension.what is this about.i no longer have some of the paperwork they request, my german pension is paid into my german bank acc thank you so much edeltraud

Hi Edeltraud,

My wife is Canadian and worked in Canada for 20 years. We married and have lived in the states together for 5 years. She is a permanent resident and might apply for citizenship. I’m 33 and she is 44. Some questions:
1. When she turns retirement age (assuming it will be 62), will she be eligible for US social security?
2) will she be eligible for Canadian social security?
3) when will she be eligible for the spousal benefit?

Thanks

Hi,