How to sign up wife for American S.S. payments after death.

[FarmerJoe]

Hi, I was hoping some fellow Americans out there might be able to point me in the direction of signing up my Thai wife to collect partial payments. Do I do this before I take the dirt nap or does she do it after? Anyone done it with success?

Much appreciated.

F.J.

[Jotnar]

First she needs a SS#.   If she doesn't have or qualify for that, then she'll receive pretty much nothing.  

 

If she has never lived or worked in the USA, then she probably won't qualify.

 

 

[FarmerJoe]

20 minutes ago, Jotnar said:

First she needs a SS#.   If she doesn't have or qualify for that, then she'll receive pretty much nothing.  

 

If she has never lived or worked in the USA, then she probably 

Oh, ok. I thought she was entitled to half the benefits after my passing. Even if she never set foot in the states.

[lopburi3]

2 minutes ago, FarmerJoe said:

Oh, ok. I thought she was entitled to half the benefits after my passing. Even if she never set foot in the states.

Unfortunately not true for SS.  I do not have SS so have not researched but as said for monthly benefits she would have have to have lived in USA for a period of time.  Suspect you can find information with Google search of SS foreign spouse. 

[Jotnar]

11 minutes ago, FarmerJoe said:

Oh, ok. I thought she was entitled to half the benefits after my passing. Even if she never set foot in the states.

I wish.  If she's never been to USA, then not entitled to bennies.  Maybe that $255 one time death payment, if that is even still on the books.

 

Why many Thai wives to Yanks want to have children.  That's good for about 20 yrs of steady income.????

[gamb00ler]

39 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

Unfortunately not true for SS.  I do not have SS so have not researched but as said for monthly benefits she would have have to have lived in USA for a period of time.  Suspect you can find information with Google search of SS foreign spouse. 

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf

 

A little hard to decipher but complete and accurate.

[lopburi3]

4 minutes ago, gamb00ler said:

https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf

 

A little hard to decipher but complete and accurate.

Key seems to be that Thailand not being a listed country - so no exemption to the 5 year residency in USA requirement unless:

Quote

Your entitlement is based on the
record of a worker who died during
U.S. military service or as a result of a
service-connected disease or injury.

 

[FarmerJoe]

Thank you all for the replies. The link was very helpful. Guess she's out of luck. ????