Can You Collect Social Security if You Don’t Live in the U.S.?

Many older Americans are choosing to live out their retirement in another country because the cost of living is often much cheaper. It’s not a bad idea says The Motley Fool when you consider that you can still collect your Social Security retirement benefits — even if you do not live in the United States. It found that at the end of 2021, the Social Security Administration (SSA) was paying $386 million a month to 443,546 retirees living abroad.

The SSa’s policy states: “If you are a U.S. citizen, you may continue to receive payments outside the United States as long as you are eligible for payment and you are in a country where we can send payments.” The U.S. Treasury bans direct payments to Americans living in North Korea, Cuba, and some former Soviet republics.

The Seniors Trust is committed to improving the financial well-being of America’s retirees through passage of The Social Security Expansion Act. It will give retirees an immediate $200 per month (average) benefits increase, a fair annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), and increased minimum benefits.