doctorbailey

Hi, You will need to visit the SSA website and carefully read. Benefits depend on length of marriage, age, children, and work history. Other people have posted some good links such as collecting Social Security abroad. I have attached a link geared toward women but would apply to widowers as well. In Thailand you have to go through the US Embassy in Manila for benefits and they don't take calls despite saying Tuesday and Thursday mornings. You have to email them and then they will set up a time for a teleconference in the months ahead. They are stretched beyond thin... A friend recently passed and his widow is 55 years old. She is eligible for the $255 lump-sum survivor benefit now and a widow's monthly benefit of 71% of her husbands benefit when she reaches 60 years of age. She is also a dual USA Thai citizen and worked 40 units in the USA. She will be able to collect the higher of her own benefit or her former husband's starting at 62+, I believe their is an increase at age 67 for the surviving widow's benefit. It would have been nice for her if they had continued to pay into a life insurance plan to get her through until then. Something folks might want to consider. You wouldn't need a crazy expensive and dangerous policy, just something to hold folks over until benefits start if a significant age gap. I recommend all Americans and their wives get an email account in their name, set up a SSA online account with address and bank details, learn the multistep verification processes, and log in regularly to see what the benefits are and when they become available (IDme and Login.gov). It takes a fair bit of effort but that is the only way. https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10044.pdf https://ph.usembassy.gov/services/social-security/ <fbu.manila AT ssa.gov>