Social Security & Benefits

Americans living abroad can generally continue receiving Social Security retirement, disability, and survivor benefits in most countries worldwide. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA Publication 05-10137), U.S. citizens can receive payments in nearly all countries, with notable exceptions including Cuba, North Korea, and certain former Soviet states where Treasury Department restrictions apply. The SSA's Payments Abroad Screening Tool helps beneficiaries determine eligibility based on citizenship status and country of residence. The landscape of international benefits changed significantly with the Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law on January 5, 2025, which repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). This means Americans who also receive foreign government pensions through totalization agreements will no longer see their Social Security benefits reduced — a major win for the estimated 3.2 million affected beneficiaries. The U.S. currently maintains 30 bilateral totalization agreements that prevent double taxation and allow workers to combine credits earned in both countries to qualify for benefits. However, other federal benefits are far more limited abroad. Medicare provides virtually no coverage outside U.S. borders, and VA healthcare is restricted to service-connected conditions through the Foreign Medical Program. Americans considering retirement abroad must carefully plan for healthcare gaps and understand how foreign employment may affect their benefit calculations and eligibility.

Key Points

• 1U.S. citizens can receive Social Security payments in most countries, but benefits cannot be sent to Cuba or North Korea due to Treasury restrictions. Withheld payments can be collected upon moving to an eligible country (SSA Publication 05-10137).
• 2The U.S. has 30 totalization agreements (with countries including Canada, UK, Germany, Japan, Australia, and France) that prevent dual Social Security taxation and allow workers to combine credits from both countries to qualify for benefits.
• 3The Social Security Fairness Act (signed January 5, 2025) repealed the WEP and GPO provisions, meaning Americans who receive foreign pensions will no longer have their Social Security benefits reduced.
• 4Medicare generally does not cover healthcare outside the U.S., its territories, and possessions. Limited exceptions exist only for emergencies near the Canadian or Mexican border, or on a ship within 6 hours of a U.S. port. Some Medigap plans offer emergency coverage abroad with a $50,000 lifetime cap.
• 5The Foreign Work Test reduces Social Security benefits for beneficiaries under full retirement age who work 45+ hours per month outside the U.S. This test does not apply once you reach full retirement age (currently 67 for those born in 1960 or later).
• 6VA disability compensation is payable worldwide regardless of where you live. However, VA healthcare abroad is limited to the Foreign Medical Program (FMP), which only covers service-connected conditions. VA home loans cannot be used to purchase property outside the U.S.
• 7Non-U.S. citizens face stricter rules: benefits may stop after 6 consecutive calendar months outside the U.S. unless they are from a country with a totalization agreement or meet specific treaty exceptions.