Australian non tax resident- non-financial issues.

[CaptHaddock]

Have any of you American expats who have applied for SS benefits while living abroad using a mail forwarding address in the US as your only address when applying? If feasible, this would mean that one could sign up for benefits via the SS website and avoid the paperwork with Manila? Does the SSA recognize mail forwarding company addresses and refuse to accept that as the residential address?

Edited June 25, 2013 by CaptHaddock

[Lefty]

I applied and received SS benefits over the internet while working in Kuwait.All can be done online--at least in 2009. I don't see an issue with mail forward.You do need a a bank account for direct deposit. No more paper checks.

Lrfty

[CaptHaddock]

I applied and received SS benefits over the internet while working in Kuwait.All can be done online--at least in 2009. I don't see an issue with mail forward.You do need a a bank account for direct deposit. No more paper checks.

Lrfty

Did you have a US address at the time?

[givenall]

I applied and received SS benefits over the internet while working in Kuwait.All can be done online--at least in 2009. I don't see an issue with mail forward.You do need a a bank account for direct deposit. No more paper checks.

Lrfty

I also applied from Thailand over internet and I got a letter couple week later providing all the information about my benefit and when I start getting. Hassel free. The Manila office also called and competed my application for my daughter and over the phone. everything was completed and she will also get benefit same time as me

[Nowhereman60]

I did it using my ex-wife address applied for the benefits at the time I was also going back to the states for my grandchild birthday. Had no problems while I was in the states the letter came to her house with the approval. After I return to Thailand I gave SSN my address overseas and had no problems got my benefits on time.

[puyaidon]

I applied here for benefits using my local address. As I was prior military, I only needed my birth certificate and retirement paperwork. Originals were sent back and copies were kept. The Manila office is very efficient but they do have a lot of recipients due to the large number who worked in the Philippines. I applied three months before my benefits would start and they started on time.

[Lefty]

I applied and received SS benefits over the internet while working in Kuwait.All can be done online--at least in 2009. I don't see an issue with mail forward.You do need a a bank account for direct deposit. No more paper checks.

Lrfty

Did you have a US address at the time?

I used my daughter's address.

Lefty

[IMA_FARANG]

Here's the problem I had establishing a personal SSA online account with them.

To start your personal on-line SSA online account (so you can directly access your own records), you need to get a password from the SSA.

To do this you give them a mailing address where they send a temporary password to you.

This temporary password allows you to get into the SSA computers and then set a private permanent password that gives you access to your own personal SSA account.

But this temporary password is good for only 15 days before it expires.

I was trying to get the temporary password sent to my Thai mailing address ..... and the mail took about 1 month to get to me in Bangkok.

So every time I got my temporary password, it was already expired by the time I received it.

Therefore I had a h_lll of a time trying to get my personal SSA account established.

I finally solved the problem by using my brother's US mailing address. My brother sent me the temporary password by email.

I used that temporary password to establish my personal SSA account.

Then, after my personal SSA account was finally established, I changed my mailing address to my Bangkok mail address.

It worked.

The SSA is still not really into the digital email and on-line age.

They are getting better, but they haven't yet caught up with the 21st century .... there mindset is still in the 1990's at best.

Like insisting on sending passwords by snail mail.

[WhizBang]

In my case I had to report to SSA in person. Something about not being able to verify my records. My SSA office is in Florida. Fortunately I was going to be in Florida at the time. I was in and out in 30 minutes and got my approval letter within two weeks.

[Sebastianred]

I get my SSI over here each month because I have a Thai wife and a daughter. When I was back home last year, I went to the SS office and explained to them the situation and showed them a copy of our marriage certificate and a photo.

They said it would not be a problem.

[Langsuan Man]

I get my SSI over here each month because I have a Thai wife and a daughter. When I was back home last year, I went to the SS office and explained to them the situation and showed them a copy of our marriage certificate and a photo.

They said it would not be a problem.

Having a wife and child in Thailand has no effect on your US Social Security payments. Unlike taxes, you get nothing extra for having a wife and child. They, on the other hand may have some benefit of your being on Social Security when you die

[Pib]

I get my SSI over here each month because I have a Thai wife and a daughter. When I was back home last year, I went to the SS office and explained to them the situation and showed them a copy of our marriage certificate and a photo.

They said it would not be a problem.

Having a wife and child in Thailand has no effect on your US Social Security payments. Unlike taxes, you get nothing extra for having a wife and child. They, on the other hand may have some benefit of your being on Social Security when you die

^^^^What Langsuan said. I expect the SS Office person just thought that's nice but it has no effect on your SSI payment....then he/she went on to process the paperwork with your Thailand address.

[CaptHaddock]

So, the answer is that no one has experience using a mail forwarding address as the address of record with the SSA.

[Doc50]

I get my SSI over here each month because I have a Thai wife and a daughter. When I was back home last year, I went to the SS office and explained to them the situation and showed them a copy of our marriage certificate and a photo.

They said it would not be a problem.

Having a wife and child in Thailand has no effect on your US Social Security payments. Unlike taxes, you get nothing extra for having a wife and child. They, on the other hand may have some benefit of your being on Social Security when you die

I have to disagree with that. If your daughter gets a US passport, you can receive a check up to 50% of the amount you get from SS for her.

Doc

[Pib]

I get my SSI over here each month because I have a Thai wife and a daughter. When I was back home last year, I went to the SS office and explained to them the situation and showed them a copy of our marriage certificate and a photo.

They said it would not be a problem.

Having a wife and child in Thailand has no effect on your US Social Security payments. Unlike taxes, you get nothing extra for having a wife and child. They, on the other hand may have some benefit of your being on Social Security when you die

I have to disagree with that. If your daughter gets a US passport, you can receive a check up to 50% of the amount you get from SS for her.

Doc

Yes a spouse (say a wife) can get an amount up to 50% of what the other spouse (say the husband) receives in a SS "pension"....it this case the husband had enough work credits (at least 40 credits/10 yrs of contributing to SS) where the wife did not...since the wife didn't qualify on her own work credits she can still get an amount of up to 50% of what the other spouse gets...basically she is qualifying under the husband's work record. Say the husband gets $1000/month in SS pension; then the other spouse could get $500 in SS pension...or a total of $1500 for the husband and wife combined. But that $500 is given under the wife's SS account...the check issued/deposited in her name....it's really not extra money for the husband...if the wife dies that $500 pension stops.

Maybe you are thinking about SS "survivors or disability benefits" which are different from "pension" benefits...in this case surviving spouses and/or children can possibly receive SS survivor/disability benefits depending on the situation.

[Doc50]

I get my SSI over here each month because I have a Thai wife and a daughter. When I was back home last year, I went to the SS office and explained to them the situation and showed them a copy of our marriage certificate and a photo.

They said it would not be a problem.

Having a wife and child in Thailand has no effect on your US Social Security payments. Unlike taxes, you get nothing extra for having a wife and child. They, on the other hand may have some benefit of your being on Social Security when you die

I have to disagree with that. If your daughter gets a US passport, you can receive a check up to 50% of the amount you get from SS for her.

Doc

Yes a spouse (say a wife) can get an amount up to 50% of what the other spouse (say the husband) receives in a SS "pension"....it this case the husband had enough work credits (at least 40 credits/10 yrs of contributing to SS) where the wife did not...since the wife didn't qualify on her own work credits she can still get an amount of up to 50% of what the other spouse gets...basically she is qualifying under the husband's work record. Say the husband gets $1000/month in SS pension; then the other spouse could get $500 in SS pension...or a total of $1500 for the husband and wife combined. But that $500 is given under the wife's SS account...the check issued/deposited in her name....it's really not extra money for the husband...if the wife dies that $500 pension stops.

Maybe you are thinking about SS "survivors or disability benefits" which are different from "pension" benefits...in this case surviving spouses and/or children can possibly receive SS survivor/disability benefits depending on the situation.

Maybe the problem here is he wrote SSI when he meant some other program from Soc Sec.

SSDI or SS retirement?

Since SSI is not payable at all outside the USA. So can't see him going to SS office and them saying no problem.

Perhaps he could chime back in.

If that is the case.

In the USA or Thailand anyone receiving SS can get up to 50% more for the child.

It is extra money for the parent as the SS check for the daughter comes to you for her.

The wife being Thai and not having lived in the USA for 5 years is not eligible.

see this: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10085.pdf

Doc

[bunnydrops]

One problem with the mail forwarding. At random, SS sends a form out that can't be forwarded. This form is a questionnaire, but the real reason is to see if you are still at this address and that "YOU" are still alive and receiving the money yourself If they don't get the form back from you, your monthly check will cease, until they hear from you.

[Pib]

Maybe the problem here is he wrote SSI when he meant some other program from Soc Sec.

SSDI or SS retirement?

Since SSI is not payable at all outside the USA. So can't see him going to SS office and them saying no problem.

Perhaps he could chime back in.

If that is the case.

In the USA or Thailand anyone receiving SS can get up to 50% more for the child.

It is extra money for the parent as the SS check for the daughter comes to you for her.

The wife being Thai and not having lived in the USA for 5 years is not eligible.

see this: http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10085.pdf

Doc

Thanks for the clarification...I learn something new everyday. I think this Link which just links to your above link/PDF helps to summarize the benefit.

[smooth expat]

I'm trying to apply for disability benefits here from Thailand. Anybody successfully done it before over the internet??

[Langsuan Man]

I'm trying to apply for disability benefits here from Thailand. Anybody successfully done it before over the internet??

No experience, but since disability is based upon a medical condition I wonder how you would have a US Social Security approved doctor certify that you are in fact disabled here in Thailand ?

[CaptHaddock]

Thanks. This is the kind of information that I was looking for. Will forget about the mail forwarding option.

One problem with the mail forwarding. At random, SS sends a form out that can't be forwarded. This form is a questionnaire, but the real reason is to see if you are still at this address and that "YOU" are still alive and receiving the money yourself If they don't get the form back from you, your monthly check will cease, until they hear from you.

[Pib]

Thanks. This is the kind of information that I was looking for. Will forget about the mail forwarding option.

One problem with the mail forwarding. At random, SS sends a form out that can't be forwarded. This form is a questionnaire, but the real reason is to see if you are still at this address and that "YOU" are still alive and receiving the money yourself If they don't get the form back from you, your monthly check will cease, until they hear from you.

Yeap...on page 13 of this SS booklet regarding SS payments when "outside" he U.S., it talks about that questionnaire they will periodically send out to check your eligibility (i.e., are you still alive, etc); no response to the questionnaire and the payments will stop. Link

[CaptHaddock]

Thanks. This is the kind of information that I was looking for. Will forget about the mail forwarding option.

One problem with the mail forwarding. At random, SS sends a form out that can't be forwarded. This form is a questionnaire, but the real reason is to see if you are still at this address and that "YOU" are still alive and receiving the money yourself If they don't get the form back from you, your monthly check will cease, until they hear from you.

Yeap...on page 13 of this SS booklet regarding SS payments when "outside" he U.S., it talks about that questionnaire they will periodically send out to check your eligibility (i.e., are you still alive, etc); no response to the questionnaire and the payments will stop. Link

But if I applied using a US mail forwarding address, I would not be outside the US for SS purposes. I would register online like any other American living the US. The SSA would pay directly into my account at my US bank. I am assuming that the random letter that Bunnydrops described could go out to any SS recipient whether US-based or an expat. If those letters only go out to expats, then my original method of applying online with a US address should work like it does for any US-based retiree.

Do you know if all SS beneficiaries are liable to get such a letter or only expats?

[Pib]

I don't know...I'm not drawing SS yet...but edging closer everyday.

But this Living in Greece web site indicates the questionnaire is sent out every year to expats and you have 45 days to respond. Link. But it may be dated info...SS uses the "periodic" word which could mean almost any time period.

Here's another link to an American Consulate talking about the periodic questionnaire if having a foreign address. Link.

And here's a link to the form they send you...it says return within 60 days. Link. The wording of the questionnaire is definitely focused towards folks living outside the U.S.

Edited July 2, 2013 by Pib