- Thread starter SKY
- Start date
Social Security payments suspended for Americans abroad
I haven't lived in the states since 2006. I really don't think they care. The only question anyone ask me when I visit is what type of work I do and/or whether or not I have a connecting flight to catch.
I've got well over a decade before I can start looking at S.S. and honestly it's not something I am counting on as I've learned never to trust or believe anything the US government tells me.
Exactly what I have been saying since I opened this thread........Also signing up with the US Embassy's "Help" Emails, or renewing your passport here..............They are locating themselves by their actions.............
I get SS to my bank in US then I wire them over to Banco de Reservas with no problem. It's not SSI, it's the death & retirement benefits so that it's the whole different story. You need to follow their guidelines to ensure you will be eligible to get the benefits or you'll lose it.
There was a famous gentleman here (RIP) who swore by writing a personal check to a local cambio and getting his ca$h that way.
Well, to many's defense, not everyone is trying to hide from or scam the US authoritative bodies. Albeit, if you're looking for that demographic, you'll certainly find quite a few on these boards.
It's true. I've done it several times myself. Not all cambios will do it and you will probably have had to have changed money there before so that the owner has gotten to know you personally. It will probably be impossible for the average tourist. You will also take a hit on the exchange rate. It cost me one peso. A friend of mine in Sosua said the cambio he used only charged him a half peso, but he was cashing checks there monthly for years.
I've lived here full time for 6 years now, but for all intents and purposes I live in a mailbox in south Florida, all financials are in the US, and I can get dollars here for a 2% 'vig'; works well so far
I just had a debate with a friend about this very item. First, my situation: I have lived in the D.R. for 16 years, I'm here for life (what's left of it at 71), and I am a foreigner non-resident. Uncle Sam does not know I am here. Additionally, when I applied for SSA I read the document pertaining to Americans living in foreitn countries. There are no issues with Americans receiving SSA benefits living in foreign countries with the exception of a "no go" list of a handful of countries. When I login to my SSA account I can see my snail mail address in the U.S. -- my sister's house in West Chester, PA. That's where I get my SSA snail mail and that's where Uncle Sam/SSA thinks I live. They don't have a clue that I'm in the D.R. In fact, if I have some issue to resolve, I always call the West Chester, PA office.
Next, my friend's situation: He MUST submit the form you spoke of because although he lived in the U.S. he has Dominican residency, a CEDULA, driver's license, etc. So he CANNOT use a U.S. address and bypass submitting this form whereas I can. I have never been required to submit the FEQ form and I payments have never been suspended (knock on wood).
A fried who was required to submit this form had this problem: The mail agency that the consulate required he use repeatedly lost his form and his payments were suspended. He can't figure out why the consulate uses this unreliable service whereas when they require Domex for passport renewal, it works great. He ended up speaking on the phone with the foreign unit staff and under threat of perjury stated his residence address verbally. His payments have now been restored. I can't remember the name of the problem mail service, something like INFO . . .
Ditto here. I've lived her for 16 years but my "residence" is the snail mail address of my sister in West Chester, PA and, for sure, my SSA payment comes to my bank in the U.S. SSA/Uncle Sam don't have a clue that I'm not in the U.S. Not only that, but the SSA permits Americans to receive SSA payments when they live as foreigners in almost all countries in the world with the exception of a handful.
some of my favorites are reruns. Like, "the ATM shortchanged me", the Chica stole from me/ but she loves me, the person used Devil Breath powder to make me empty my bank account, and overstayers are criminals.
lucas61, it is a trivial matter for the USG to know where you are based upon tracking your movements using your US passport.
The point is, with your US address you don't have problems with SSA, For now, they don't require the proof of life annual letter if you have a US address. It appears to be that simple, for now.
I am a naturalized DR citizen, with a DR passport, I did register years ago with the US embassy well before I was eligible for Social Security, I have a US mailing address and my SSA payments are deposited into a Schwab account which I get free checks and deposit into a DR US dollar account, I do FATCA/FINSERV reports annually, and don't have problems. For now.
For those that have had to reply to this proof of life letter, I think the problem agency is called USPS and how to get that letter delivered to and from the DR with USPS being used in the USA using a forwarder like EPS... That takes more time than you might realize.
The point is, with your US address you don't have problems with SSA, For now, they don't require the proof of life annual letter if you have a US address. It appears to be that simple, for now.
I am a naturalized DR citizen, with a DR passport, I did register years ago with the US embassy well before I was eligible for Social Security, I have a US mailing address and my SSA payments are deposited into a Schwab account which I get free checks and deposit into a DR US dollar account, I do FATCA/FINSERV reports annually, and don't have problems. For now.
For those that have had to reply to this proof of life letter, I think the problem agency is called USPS and how to get that letter delivered to and from the DR with USPS being used in the USA using a forwarder like EPS... That takes more time than you might realize.