Did you know that you can still collect Social Security benefits if you are living abroad? It’s true, outside of a few specific countries: Cuba, Ukraine, North Korea, or Vietnam or if the country has differing Social Security policies in place (like Lithuania and Monaco). To check if the country would pay you your Social Security visit:

https://www.ssa.gov/international/payments_outsideUS.html

Who Is Eligible?

American citizens are able to collect Social Security, disability, or survivor’s benefits while living overseas. If you are a citizen of Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you should also be able to receive your benefit abroad regardless of how long you are outside the US. Other countries residents may lose benefits after residing outside the country for six consecutive months, there are exceptions to that rule based on work history, military service, or citizenship with a country the US has a Social Security agreement with. Still, other countries, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan

can collect benefits under strict conditions, one of them is having to appear at a US embassy every six months.[i] The majority of recipients collect their benefits to a US bank or a foreign bank that the US has a direct-deposit agreement. Foreign banks that do not have direct-deposit agreements with the US may charge fees for international transactions for which the beneficiary is responsible. Regardless of country, the amount will be calculated in US dollars.