Can Green Card holders apply for Social Security benefits after paying taxes for years?

Yes, Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders) can absolutely receive Social Security retirement benefits! The eligibility requirements are the same as for citizens - he needs to have accumulated 40 work credits (usually 10 years of work) to qualify for retirement benefits. Based on what you've described, he should be eligible. To apply, he can: 1. Apply online at ssa.gov/retire 2. Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment 3. Visit his local SSA office in person He'll need to provide his green card, Social Security card, birth certificate, and recent tax documents. The application won't negatively impact his immigration status - these are benefits he's earned by paying into the system.

I went through this exact situation with my mother last year! It was actually pretty straightforward, but calling the SSA was IMPOSSIBLE. We tried for weeks and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. We finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got us connected to a real SSA agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once we actually spoke with someone, they were very helpful and confirmed that green card holders absolutely qualify. My mom got her first payment about 6 weeks after applying. Just make sure your father-in-law has all his documentation ready when he calls!

Green card holders can get SS but need to be careful!!! My cousin got benefits for 3 years then went back to home country for 8 months and they STOPPED his payments!!! Your FIL needs to maintain US residency or benefits could stop. Also he should wait for full retirement age not early retirement for maximum $$$

Is anyone else confused by all these terms? I thought green card was the same as citizenship? And isn't SSI different from Social Security retirement? My grandma gets SSI but she never worked.

I had the WORST experience trying to figure this out for my uncle!! The agent at our local office told him green card holders needed to have worked for 15 years not 10!!! Complete NONSENSE! Had to speak to a supervisor who confirmed it's 40 credits (about 10 years) just like everyone else. Don't trust the first person you talk to at SSA - sometimes they don't know their own rules!!!

wait so can he still get his benefits if he goes back to his home country after retiring? my aunt gets her check in the philippines every month but shes a citizen

One thing to note: if your father-in-law is approaching Full Retirement Age (FRA), which varies based on birth year but is around 66-67, he might want to wait until then to maximize his benefit amount. Filing at 63 or 64 would result in permanently reduced benefits. Also, green card holders should be aware that certain Social Security benefits have different requirements. While retirement benefits require the 40 credits (approximately 10 years of work), disability benefits (SSDI) may be available with fewer credits depending on age. For the application, I would recommend gathering these documents in advance: - Green card - Birth certificate (with translation if not in English) - Most recent W-2 forms or tax returns - Employment history for the past 10 years - Bank account information for direct deposit

Thank you all for the incredibly helpful information! I've taken notes and will discuss everything with my father-in-law this weekend. It's a relief to know he's entitled to the benefits he's been paying into. We'll make sure to have all the right documentation ready before applying. Really appreciate everyone's advice!

Just wanted to add something important that I learned when helping my neighbor with this - make sure your father-in-law gets a copy of his Social Security Statement before applying! You can access it online at ssa.gov/myaccount or request a paper copy. This will show his complete work history and estimated benefits, which helps verify everything is correct before he applies. Also, since he's been working for 9 years, he's probably very close to earning those 40 credits needed. You typically earn 4 credits per year if you make at least the minimum amount (around $6,500 in 2024), so he likely already qualifies or will very soon. One more tip: if he decides to delay retirement past his Full Retirement Age, his benefits will actually increase by about 8% per year until age 70. This could be worth considering if he's in good health and can continue working!

As someone who works in immigration law, I can confirm everything mentioned here is accurate! Green card holders absolutely qualify for Social Security retirement benefits under the same rules as citizens - 40 credits (roughly 10 years of work). One additional consideration for your father-in-law: since he's been working for 9 years, I'd recommend he check his Social Security earnings record now to make sure all his wages have been properly credited. Sometimes there are discrepancies that need to be corrected, and it's much easier to fix these issues while he's still working. Also, regarding the international travel concerns mentioned earlier - if your father-in-law is from a country that has a totalization agreement with the US, he may be able to combine work credits from both countries to qualify for benefits. This could potentially help him reach the 40-credit threshold faster if needed. The key thing is that receiving Social Security benefits will NOT affect his immigration status or green card in any way - these are earned benefits he's paid into through payroll taxes.