Thai/American widow in need of help

[hml367]

Unfortunately I can't agree. That same spouse could move back to the USA and then perhaps qualify for SS because they were resident.

Your advice and mine are dead on in one respect. Call Social Security

That goes for the guy asking about children also.

You are correct, and the regulation specifically addresses just that kind of situation and what and when that person may be able to begin receiving benefits again. I don't recall saying they could not if they returned to the US.

There is a lot of information on the Social Security web site. It is hard to find and confusing.

Contacting Social Security is the best.

I'm not sure what you don't agree with. I put the link to the regulation which seems to address everything you have mentioned.

[Mike45]

Asked:

My wife also is worry what she needs to do if I pass away. I am an American and she is Thai, not an American citizen, do not speak English, and dot have US SS number. She will need my modest retirement to keep life going...Can you tell me what you did to help your wife in the same case? Thank you.

Sam

Saudade53 at hotmail

Not much you can do unfortunately. THe rules for US SS is that for a wife to receive survivors benefits she must have resided in the US for I think it's 2 years and have a SS #. No exceptions. Looked into this in detail about 3 years ago for a friend that died here who had married a THai lady just 6 months before he passed away.

She has to have resided in the USA for 5 years living with you as your spouse ..... If thats not the case all she can get is one time death benifits ............

For Rama,

I believe BB is right. In addition:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/404/404-0460.htm As far as I read the regulation, I don't recall it mentioning a surviving widow. However, I got to the regulation through a survivor's questions regarding benefits. These online questions referred to this regulation. The questions are in the PAYMENTS ABROAD SCREENING TOOL on the SS web site.

You really should contact SS to get your answers. You can probably contact SS in Manila.

We are in agreement on the important points.

I however do not want to advise anyone with any negative news when it may only apply in a certain circumstance and can possibly be remedied by some action on their part.

I don't want to say anything to anyone that may discourage them from talking to SS and applying for benefits.

The statement above by BB:

"She has to have resided in the USA for 5 years living with you as your spouse ..... If thats not the case all she can get is one time death benifits ............"

May discourage some from contacting SS and finding out what ALL their options are.

[Mike45]

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[hml367]

Good information, Mike45. Can someone create an account now if they are accessing the SS web site from outside the USA? In the past, I was not allowed to do that.

I tried to create an account this morning (15Sept2013) and it will not display the page.

Edited September 15, 2013 by hml367

[Mike45]

Good information, Mike45. Can someone create an account now if they are accessing the SS web site from outside the USA? In the past, I was not allowed to do that.

I tried to create an account this morning (15Sept2013) and it will not display the page.

I'm no expert but I would try using a USA based VPN while accessing the site. I've used hotspotshield

[Rama]

One caution when signing up for SS. If you use an overseas address as your home address when signing up, they will send you a letter every year that says you have to respond to verify that you are still alive to continue getting benefits. If you use a US address as your home address, they don't do this.........................

[NancyL]

But, you can't make your initial application over the phone with Manila from here and ask that they use a U.S. address. We use a mail forwarding service in Florida and the SS guy on from Manila who called us with the phone appointment to set up Hubby's new SS said he'd have to go to Florida to set up the benefit with a U.S. mailing address.

It's really odd -- no problem with Manila arranging for direct deposit to a U.S. bank account (the account is even in my name, not Hubby's!), but all the correspondence must come to our Thai address. So, twice now we've had mess-ups due to the Thai mail system or mail distribution within our condo.

That's why I started a thread earlier this year when Hubby received his "are you still alive?" form because others in CM were receiving theirs at the same time. Seems they sent them at the same time to everyone in Chiang Mai, maybe even in Thailand. That's because a few months later, several people I know had their SS payments stopped (on the same month) because the form hadn't caught up with them and/or they're too disorganized/demented to fill out and return the form.

At least Americans don't have to have someone with authority witness the "are you still alive?" form like the Brits. And the British form has the scary name "Proof of Life".