Social Security For Thai Wife

[tomahawk]

Perhaps an American on forum can answer this question. If I marry woman in Thailand, would she be entitled to my social security benefits when I die? Thank you.

[ProThaiExpat]

In order for a wife to "inherit" your SSA benefit upon your death, she must have lived in the US for at least five years prior to your death. I am not sure if you must cohabitate during those five years of US residency but the details can be found by reading the SSA website which covers the issue. Also of interest to you is determining if once she has lived in the US for the required five years, if she can then leave and remain away for years prior to your death or not and still qualify.

[tomahawk]

Thank you very much prothaiepat.

[BarnicaleBob]

I'm on social security and currently married to a Thai also. I researched this some time ago and at that time I was told that my wife would have to meet three conditions in order to collect on my SS.

1. She must have been married to me for at least 10 years.

2. She must have lived in the US for at least 5 years.

3. Even after all that she can only collect a social security benefit after she reaches retirement age under my SS if she is living in the US, if she returns to Thailand the payments will stop.

Now, if you have a child in common with a Thai lady, the child will be eligible to receive a SS benefit until age 18.

I did not want to move back to the US and have no kids with my wife so she will not get anything from SS if I pass on. That is why I have made other arrangements to take care of her basic needs.

[flying]

One other thing.......

The above about the 5 years in the US is correct but also most Thai girls who move to the US like to work.

The US is happy to give them their own SS card & work permit even before they qualify for a green card..

(duh...wonder why as it gives the govt tax $$$$)

So the girl is in fact generating her own SS & if she does stay 5 years legally. If she does qualify on her own that SS benefit should be collectible even if one day she does retire back to Thailand.

I know a Thai man who worked in the US all his adult life for Campbell Soup. He now is retired in Thailand getting both a pension & his Social Security.

The only thing I am not sure of is do they need to become US citizens ( dual citizenship) I do know the man did become a US citizen.

Sorry to go slightly off topic but felt it was of interest to those with wives in the US paying in & will someday may retire back to Thailand

Edit: Looks like you do need to be a citizen to collect outside of the US

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.html

Edited November 16, 2010 by flying

[lanny]

A Thai spouse living in Thailand can collect survivor benefits on three conditions:

1. He/she lived in the US for at least 5 years

2. He/she was married to the deceased during at least 5 years while living in the US

3. He/she has reached the appropriate retirement age

This is from the Social Security website: www.ssa.gov

[flying]

Additional residency requirements for dependents and survivors Edited November 16, 2010 by flying

[puyaidon]

I can't answer the writer's question but the Social Security office for this area is in the US Embassy, Manila, Republic of the Philippines.

When the US military was in the Philippines, I was told that because of WWII, the Filipinos employed on the bases were entitled to Social Security as part of the bases agreement. Employment on the bases was a benefit that the local economy could not provide. I believe the same rules apply to them as stateside rules apply to us.

There were some strange rules for wives who could collect their husband's benefits if they stayed over here. I don't know if that has changed but one of the rules is the wives got only 30% of the benefit per month. That was twenty years ago and maybe some Americans can provide a more up-to-date answer.