Social Security & Benefits

American citizens can take their Social Security retirement, disability, and survivor benefits almost anywhere in the world. According to SSA Publication No. 05-10137, 'Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States,' U.S. citizens remain eligible for payments in nearly every country, with the U.S. Treasury prohibiting payments only to Cuba and North Korea (withheld payments are restored to U.S. citizens once they move to a payable country). SSA considers you 'outside the United States' once you have been away from the 50 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa for at least 30 consecutive days. Non-citizens face stricter rules: benefits generally stop after six full calendar months abroad unless an exception applies, such as residence in one of the 30 countries with a U.S. totalization agreement. Totalization agreements — bilateral treaties SSA has maintained since 1978 — serve three functions for Americans abroad: they eliminate dual Social Security taxation when working overseas, they let workers combine U.S. and foreign coverage credits to qualify for benefits (a minimum of six U.S. credits is required), and they permit unrestricted payment of benefits to residents of either country. The landscape improved dramatically in January 2025, when the Social Security Fairness Act repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset retroactive to January 2024. Foreign pensions from non-covered work no longer reduce U.S. Social Security benefits — a change SSA implemented ahead of schedule, completing more than 3.1 million adjustment payments totaling $17 billion by July 2025. The critical gap for retirees abroad is health coverage. Original Medicare pays essentially nothing outside the United States, Part D does not cover prescriptions filled abroad, and only narrow Medigap foreign-travel-emergency riders offer partial protection. Veterans fare better: VA disability compensation and pension are payable worldwide, and the Foreign Medical Program reimburses care for service-connected conditions in any country. Also note that as of September 30, 2025, SSA no longer issues paper checks — beneficiaries abroad must use direct deposit (including International Direct Deposit to foreign banks in participating countries) or an electronic payment card.

Key Points

• 1U.S. citizens can collect Social Security in nearly any country; the only absolute Treasury restrictions are Cuba and North Korea, where payments are withheld until you move to a payable country. Use SSA's Payments Abroad Screening Tool to confirm your situation.
• 2Non-citizens generally lose benefits after six consecutive calendar months outside the U.S. unless an exception applies — such as citizenship in or residence in a totalization agreement country. 'Abroad' means 30+ consecutive days outside the 50 states and U.S. territories.
• 3The U.S. has totalization agreements with 30 countries (including Canada, the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Brazil, and Uruguay). They prevent double Social Security taxation and let you combine U.S. and foreign work credits to qualify for benefits, provided you have at least 6 U.S. credits.
• 4The Social Security Fairness Act (signed January 5, 2025) repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset retroactive to January 2024 — foreign pensions from non-U.S.-covered work no longer reduce your Social Security benefit, an average increase of about $360/month for those previously affected.
• 5Medicare provides essentially no coverage outside the U.S. — only rare exceptions (e.g., emergencies in Canada while traveling between Alaska and another state, or a foreign hospital closer than the nearest U.S. one). Medigap plans C, D, F, G, M, and N cover 80% of foreign travel emergencies in the first 60 days of a trip after a $250 deductible, up to a $50,000 lifetime maximum. Part D never covers prescriptions purchased abroad.
• 6If you work abroad before full retirement age in a job not covered by U.S. Social Security, the Foreign Work Test withholds your benefit for any month you work more than 45 hours — regardless of how much you earn. At full retirement age the test no longer applies.
• 7Full retirement age is 67 for everyone born in 1960 or later (66 and 10 months for 1959). Claiming at 62 cuts benefits by up to 30%; delaying past FRA adds 8% per year until 70. You can file from abroad through SSA's Federal Benefits Units at U.S. embassies and consulates.
• 8Veterans keep VA disability compensation, pension, and most other benefits worldwide, with International Direct Deposit available to foreign banks. The VA Foreign Medical Program reimburses treatment for service-connected conditions abroad — no pre-authorization required, and as of 2025 FMP claims are paid by direct deposit rather than paper check.