Dear Larry,
I am an Indian citizen, living and working in US on Green Card since 12 years. I have completed >40 credit. I want to go back to India now.
Will I be eligible for receiving social security benefits while staying in India once I turn 65? If so, what are the paperwork that I need to do before leaving the country?
Thanks,
Best, Mayank

Hi Mayank,

Yes, you'll be able to draw your Social Security retirement benefits even if you return to India. You could actually claim reduced benefits as early as age 62, but you could delay claiming benefits up until age 70 and your benefit rate would get progressively higher the longer you wait. You may want to strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully explore your options so that you can determine the best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

You can claim benefits up to 4 months prior to the month that you want to claim benefits, but there's no paperwork that you can do before then. If you're already living in India when it's time for you to apply, you should be able to file online on Social Security's website (https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/).

Best, Jerry