Contacting social security

[steveb6]

   Sent e mail to us embassy Manila and took over 2 weeks for reply. Gave them required information and after 1 week no reply. Tried calling us number but 1 hour on hold.

   Anyone know how to get in touch with them? I tried to make an account online but got locked out. Need some information.

    

[ubonjoe]

Phone number for Manila is on the page. https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/social-security/

The last time I contacted with them by email was to change my address. Sent email and did not get a least an acknowledgement that they received it. After a couple of additional email they finally wrote back to say it was done.

[Pib]

My experience with Manila regarding them answering email has ranged from non-responsive to fast....seems to depend on the issue and if it was addressed to a specific office rep  working your issue or just an email to their general/catch-all email address.   And yea, calling them can result in short or long hold times. 

 

But they are a busy office....small number of people covering approx 50 (fifty) countries.  A Manila SS rep told me that on the phone once.   Yeap, around 50 countries on this side of the world...you can go to this social security webpage which lists various countries and it will show which office is responsible/which one to contact....the Manila office is listed for "many" countries.    I scanned the list of countries for which Manila is responsible for and my count was around 40 (forty), but I expect there are some places of responsibility not listed.

 

Even having a Social Security online account may not help you depending on what you want to change/update...could very well still require direct contact with a social security office.

 

Yeap, sometimes it can be tough to get a quick (or any) response from Manila...you may have to be persistent. 

 

[Rhys]

Time has come, will begin the processing for SS.. any tips along the way?

[gk10002000]

21 minutes ago, Rhys said:

Time has come, will begin the processing for SS.. any tips along the way?

1:  Create your account online at the social security website.

2:  Look over the salary and wage information they list there.  Try to correct if data seems wrong.

3:  Run the benefit calculator to be sure you are content with what you get and when you get it.

4:  By most accounts it is best to keep everything pointed to the USA if possible:  your address, your bank account you want funds to be direct deposited to, etc.

5:  Medicare B premiums apparently are automatically deducted from Social Security?

6:  Be aware of how your MAGI is used and how that affects how much of your social security is subject to taxation, especially if withdrawing money from an IRA, or if you have other income.  You may or may not want to alter how and when you get our money, consider converting traditional IRA to ROTH IRA to avoid imminent Required Minimum Distributions, etc. 

 

  Many of the expats here can discuss details about foreign addresses, mail, calling for help,  "are you alive" correspondence, etc. when over seas.

[Langsuan Man]

9 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

Be aware of how your MAGI is used and how that affects how much of your social security is subject to taxation

MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) only effects your Medicare Part B premiums, go over a certain amount and your premiums go up. It is called Income-Related Monthly Adjustments Amounts (IRMAA)

 

Has nothing to do with your Social Security payments

 

Here is the chart for 2018:

 

[Rhys]

9 hours ago, gk10002000 said:

1:  Create your account online at the social security website.

2:  Look over the salary and wage information they list there.  Try to correct if data seems wrong.

3:  Run the benefit calculator to be sure you are content with what you get and when you get it.

4:  By most accounts it is best to keep everything pointed to the USA if possible:  your address, your bank account you want funds to be direct deposited to, etc.

5:  Medicare B premiums apparently are automatically deducted from Social Security?

6:  Be aware of how your MAGI is used and how that affects how much of your social security is subject to taxation, especially if withdrawing money from an IRA, or if you have other income.  You may or may not want to alter how and when you get our money, consider converting traditional IRA to ROTH IRA to avoid imminent Required Minimum Distributions, etc. 

 

  Many of the expats here can discuss details about foreign addresses, mail, calling for help,  "are you alive" correspondence, etc. when over seas.

Thanks this is great advice.  I was thinking that was the best thing to do to keep a US Address, can do.  Thanks again will be in touch..

[gk10002000]

10 minutes ago, Langsuan Man said:

MAGI (Modified Adjusted Gross Income) only effects your Medicare Part B premiums, go over a certain amount and your premiums go up. It is called Income-Related Monthly Adjustments Amounts (IRMAA)

 

Has nothing to do with your Social Security payments

 

Here is the chart for 2018:

 

I did not say MAGI affects the payments.  I said it affects how much of the benefit is subject to taxation

[Pib]

Medicare Part B enrollment is only automatic in certain cases.    See below Medicare.gov webpage pdf document for more info...enrollment is talked in Section 2 where it explains when sign-up is automatic and when it's not.   

 

Enrolling in Medicare Part A & Part B

https://www.medicare.gov/Pubs/pdf/11036-Enrolling-Medicare-Part-A-Part-B.pdf

  

[steveb6]

Does it make sense to pay for part b living in thailand? Do most people pay part b ? I would like to have it as a backup and wonder is it worth the monthly payments. Also can someone suggest how to start the registration process. I will be 65 in May

[gk10002000]

1 hour ago, steveb6 said:

Does it make sense to pay for part b living in thailand? Do most people pay part b ? I would like to have it as a backup and wonder is it worth the monthly payments. Also can someone suggest how to start the registration process. I will be 65 in May

There are discussions in some other topics about this.  There are a few pros and cons.  I can be VA medical eligible and there are similar discussions about this in relation to that.  Several veterans I know, do not plan on Getting med sup B.   One thing to keep in mind is if you don't start it when you are first eligible, there is penalty that gets applied in later years if you ever do sign up for it.  So Uncle Sam is setting a bear trap and as I recall the penalties for signing up later increase your payments like 10% for every year you were not enrolled.  I pasted a somewhat official sounding answer below.

 

https://www.medicare.gov/your-medicare-costs/part-b-costs/penalty/part-b-late-enrollment-penalty.html

 

"In most cases, if you don't sign up for Part B when you're first eligible, you'll have to pay a late enrollment penalty. You'll have to pay this penalty for as long as you have Part B. Your monthly premium for Part B may go up 10% for each full 12-month period that you could have had Part B, but didn't sign up for it. Also, you may have to wait until the General Enrollment Period (from January 1 to March 31) to enroll in Part B. Coverage will start July 1 of that year.  Usually, you don't pay a late enrollment penalty if you meet certain conditions that allow you to sign up for Part B during a Special Enrollment Period.  If you have limited income and resources, your state may help you pay for Part A, and/or Part B. You may also qualify for Extra Help to pay for your Medicare prescription drug coverage."

[Pib]

1 hour ago, steveb6 said:

Does it make sense to pay for part b living in thailand? Do most people pay part b ? I would like to have it as a backup and wonder is it worth the monthly payments. Also can someone suggest how to start the registration process. I will be 65 in May

If you "truly plan to live in Thailand for the rest of your life and would not go back to the States for medical treatment if you came down with a serious disease/injury," then it would probably be wasted money because Medicare does not provide any coverage outside the U.S.   

 

But at some point you you might change your mind about living in Thailand and decide to go back to the U.S. to live.  Well, you would probably want Medicare in the U.S. since it would provide you necessary medical coverage.  But as talked earlier in this thread if you say waited 10 years past 65 to signup, then your monthly premiums would be  increased 100% above the premium for someone who did signup at 65...an example of the penalty for signing up late.

 

And for military retirees who utilize Tricare medical coverage which is the medical coverage for active duty and military retirees "worldwide" (even in Thailand), if a military retiree who turns 65 wants to keep Tricare he must sign up for Medicare Part B.  By paying the Part B premium it allows him to keep his Tricare coverage.  Lot of military retirees live in Thailand...one of them is me.   Basically that military retiree is playing for Medicare coverage he can not utilize outside the U.S. "however, but," it allows him to keep Tricare coverage (75% medical reimbursement) which does cover him outside the U.S./anywhere in the world or universe....even in the little universe called Thailand.  And, whenever he goes back to the States he has "both Medicare and Tricare coverage"....Medicare picks up the first 80% and Tricare picks up the remaining 20% which basically provides 100% reimbursement of the military retiree's medical costs.  So for a military retiree living in Thailand signing up for Part B when he turns 65 "in order to maintain Tricare coverage" makes a lot of sense.