paying taxes in thailand as an american

[JohnnyBD]

7 minutes ago, newnative said:

    I have been following the discussion regarding SS and spouse benefits.  I wonder if anybody knows the answer to my situation.  I am an American citizen, age 72, legally married, in the US, to a Thai citizen, age 58, since 2016.  We live in Thailand full-time.  Thai spouse has a SS number but no SS work credits.   Would he qualify for spouse benefits when he turns 62 and survival benefits after I pass away?   We do not plan to live in the US for 5 years.   Thanks in advance if anyone has any information on this type of marriage situation.  

I am in the same situation as you. I am a US citizen, receiving SS, and have been married to a Thai citizen since 2017. My Thai spouse cannot collect SS spousal benefits or survivor benefits unless she lives in the US for 5 years or more. I confirmed this with the SSA when I applied for my SS beneift.

[atpeace]

2 hours ago, JohnnyBD said:

I am in the same situation as you. I am a US citizen, receiving SS, and have been married to a Thai citizen since 2017. My Thai spouse cannot collect SS spousal benefits or survivor benefits unless she lives in the US for 5 years or more. I confirmed this with the SSA when I applied for my SS beneift.

Is the requirement based on living in the USA or being a citizen while living in the USA for 5 years? 

Edited September 6 by atpeace

[atpeace]

2 hours ago, acepredator said:

You're 57 years old and you've been listening to what's been said about Social Security for the last 50 years? That means you took an interest in Social Security policy when you were only 7 years old. You must have been an extremely precocious child. When I was 7 years old, I was only interested in riding my Schwinn bicycle and blowing the biggest bubbles with my bazooka bubblegum. I may have started to take notice of these strange creatures called "girls." Many decades later, I am still trying to figure them out. 

 

Say you were to take benefits in 5 years at age 62. You might get about 800 dollars a month, which is 9,600 dollars a year. If, instead, you waited 8 more years until age 70, you would have given up 76,800 dollars. That's a sizeable chunk of money to walk away from. At age 70 you'd get 2,300 a month, which means that it would take 33 months to make up for the 76,800 dollars you didn't take. Therefore, you'd only start making money from Social Security when you were nearly 73 years old. That's 11 years of lost benefits. It's a precarious world, especially if you ride a motorbike in Thailand, as I do. A lot of dangerous, and potentially lethal, things could happen to you in the next 16 years, resulting in you getting nothing from Social Security at all.

 

The old expression says that "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." If I were you, I'd consider very carefully before deciding not to take that first Social Security payment the month of your 62 birthday.

 

 

 

 

OK, how about 45 years? Wow, that first paragraph above  was weird 🙂  I know you were just having fun so all is good 🙂  

 

Can't argue with your rationality for taking benefits early but we are different.  I don't need the money at 63(when I can take early benefits).  Your numbers above are off substantially but no big deal.  I would be getting around $1,400 at 63 and I think around $2,200 in todays dollars at 70.  Average age of death is 85 if you reach 65.  It is much better to wait if you can so you receive more money in total and also it is a great insurance if you get into your 90s.  Sucks to be old and broke.

 

 

 

 

[newnative]

5 hours ago, JohnnyBD said:

I am in the same situation as you. I am a US citizen, receiving SS, and have been married to a Thai citizen since 2017. My Thai spouse cannot collect SS spousal benefits or survivor benefits unless she lives in the US for 5 years or more. I confirmed this with the SSA when I applied for my SS beneift.

Thanks for the information.  

[acepredator]

3 hours ago, atpeace said:

OK, how about 45 years? Wow, that first paragraph above  was weird 🙂  I know you were just having fun so all is good 🙂  

 

Can't argue with your rationality for taking benefits early but we are different.  I don't need the money at 63(when I can take early benefits).  Your numbers above are off substantially but no big deal.  I would be getting around $1,400 at 63 and I think around $2,200 in todays dollars at 70.  Average age of death is 85 if you reach 65.  It is much better to wait if you can so you receive more money in total and also it is a great insurance if you get into your 90s.  Sucks to be old and broke.

 

 

 

 

Yes, I was just kidding around. I couldn't imagine meeting a 7 year old kid who was worried about his future Social Security benefits, or even a 12 year old kid for that matter. In fact, I wasn't even that worried when I was 36 years old. That was my age when I left America to go teach English in South Korea. I never worked in America again. I made a <deleted>load of money in Korea, but, much to my regret, none of my earnings went into the American Social Security system. I did pay into the Korean system, but I just got a lump sum payment when I left in 2010. That's when I moved here to Thailand. 

 

As I mentioned in my previous post, it's a precarious and dangerous world that we live in. I admire your optimism in planning on living into your 90s. I'm just hoping to make it to 70. Best of luck in what will be, I hope, your long, happy, and successful future. I'll send you a birthday card on your 90th birthday.🎂🙂

[Mike Teavee]

30 minutes ago, acepredator said:

I left America to go teach English in South Korea. I never worked in America again. I made a <deleted>load of money in Korea, but, much to my regret, none of my earnings went into the American Social Security system.

Asking purely out of curiosity... Are there any options to pay into US Social Security when you're working overseas?

 

In the UK we can pay into the State Pension at reduced rates (Something like 1/6th) if we're working fulltime overseas.

[acepredator]

16 minutes ago, Mike Teavee said:

Asking purely out of curiosity... Are there any options to pay into US Social Security when you're working overseas?

 

In the UK we can pay into the State Pension at reduced rates (Something like 1/6th) if we're working fulltime overseas.

As far as I know, there are no options to pay into the US Social Security system while working anywhere outside of the United States. It certainly was not possible while I was working in Korea or here in Thailand. Having said that, a quick Google search has revealed that people working for American owned companies must pay Social Security tax even while working in a foreign country. It wouldn't be a matter of choice. In my own case, I only worked for Korean or Thai universities or private language schools, so I did not have the option to pay into the American Social Security system.

[JohnnyBD]

20 hours ago, atpeace said:

Is the requirement based on living in the USA or being a citizen while living in the USA for 5 years? 

A non-US citizen Thai spouse can qualify for SS spousal and survivor benefits baseed on their US citizen spouse's record after living in the US for 5 years. The Thai spouse does not have to be a US citizen.

Edited September 7 by JohnnyBD

[jwest10]

On 8/31/2024 at 1:30 PM, jwest10 said:

Totally diofferent what they have told me and several times!!! And not American who seem to get all the breaks!!!

As usual and we fund all the world wars for them and fight along side them and just saying

[JimGant]

20 hours ago, JohnnyBD said:

A non-US citizen Thai spouse can qualify for SS spousal and survivor benefits baseed on their US citizen spouse's record after living in the US for 5 years. The Thai spouse does not have to be a US citizen.

Plus, must be married for those five years to the spouse from whom you're deriving the spousal benefit.

[gamb00ler]

On 9/6/2024 at 8:37 PM, acepredator said:

As far as I know, there are no options to pay into the US Social Security system while working anywhere outside of the United States. It certainly was not possible while I was working in Korea or here in Thailand. Having said that, a quick Google search has revealed that people working for American owned companies must pay Social Security tax even while working in a foreign country. It wouldn't be a matter of choice. In my own case, I only worked for Korean or Thai universities or private language schools, so I did not have the option to pay into the American Social Security system.

If a US citizen is self-employed overseas they are also supposed to pay SE tax.

[placnx]

On 8/31/2024 at 3:37 PM, CMBob said:

Understand you're saying that nobody at RD requested a US tax clearance certificate from you when you filed a Thai tax return in February of this year (2024); however, given the alleged new rules about remitted income don't apply to income remitted prior to 1/1/24, I'm a bit puzzled as to why you bothered to file a Thai tax return (unless you have other income in Thailand or, perhaps, you were seeking return of withheld tax relating to bank funds).

The rule concerning remitted income (not savings) has been in effect for many years, and I have been filing for that reason.

Edited October 11 by placnx

[placnx]

On 8/31/2024 at 3:21 PM, flexomike said:

Can you explain how the DTA was claimed on your return. Are you also working in Thailand where you are required to pay taxes. My money transfers this year were entirely from direct social security deposits to my Bangkok Bank account. Really hope they come up with a statement that they will not be taxing US Social Security deposits.

I am not working in Thailand. The RD instructed my accountant how to fill out the special forms which they provided. You might look at the Treaty to see how Social Security is handled. The technical explanation is an easier read.