Does foreign work count toward my 35 years for Social Security? Lost my international tax IDs

Yes, you can definitely count those years toward your eligibility requirements through the totalization agreements! However, there's an important distinction - the foreign work helps you qualify for benefits (by meeting the 40 credits minimum), but those earnings don't actually get factored into your benefit calculation amount. Your payment will still be based only on your US earnings record, with zeros for any missing years. As for documentation, you'll need to file form SSA-308 (Self-Employment/Optional Coverage Abroad). You should also gather whatever proof you have - old employment contracts, tax documents, pay stubs, etc. SSA will work with those countries' social security offices to verify your work history. You don't necessarily need the tax ID numbers, but having them speeds up the process.

my cousin had same situtation with work in Italy, he just had to go to the SSA office with whatever documents he could find + his passport that had entry/exit stamps. they helped him fill out all the paperwork there. took about 6 months to process everything tho so start early!!!

I went through this exact process after working in France for 12 years. Here's what you need to know: 1. You'll need to file form SSA-308 along with your retirement application. 2. For documentation, gather anything you can: employment contracts, residence permits, work visas, old pay stubs, bank deposits, tax records. The more evidence, the better. 3. The foreign tax ID numbers are helpful but NOT absolutely required. SSA works directly with the foreign social security agencies to verify your record. 4. Important correction to what someone else said - under totalization, your benefit calculation can actually be affected. They use a special formula called the "proportional formula benefit" where they calculate what your benefit would be if all your combined work (US and foreign) had been under US Social Security, then they multiply that by the fraction of your career spent in the US system. 5. Start this process at least 6-8 months before you plan to retire. It takes time for the international verification. Hope this helps!

DONT GET YOUR HOPES UP!!! The SSA is TERRIBLE at handling these international cases. I worked in Canada for 9 years and it took them 14 MONTHS to verify my work history. They kept losing my paperwork and giving me different answers every time I called. Make copies of EVERYTHING and keep detailed notes of every conversation including names and badge numbers of who you talk to!!!!

I had a similar issue with my work history in Portugal. I struggled for weeks trying to get through to someone at SSA who understood totalization agreements. Every time I called, I'd wait for hours only to get disconnected or told to call back. Finally, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in under 5 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I got through to an actual person who understood international agreements, they guided me through exactly what forms I needed and helped me schedule an in-person appointment at my local office with someone who specializes in international cases. Saved me so much frustration!

i think ur overthinking this honstly. my husband worked in korea for like 8 yrs and when he applied last yr all he showed was his old visa and they took care of the rest. but ya, like others said, it takes foreeeeeever to process lol. just apply and see what they say, they'll tell u if they need more stuff.

My two cents - I worked in France and Chile (4 and 3 years respectively). I didn't have my foreign tax numbers either. The most important thing was proving I ACTUALLY worked there (contracts, some old pay documents I found, and funny enough, my old work badges I'd kept as souvenirs). The process was definitely confusing at times, but it worked out. One weird thing was that Chile's agreement with the US is different from France's. Some totalization agreements are more beneficial than others in how they calculate the benefits. The rules aren't standardized between countries. I'd recommend looking up the specific agreements with Spain and Germany to understand the exact terms. Also, I learned that you have to actually file for benefits in EACH country you worked in. The SSA won't automatically coordinate everything - you have to initiate claims with each country's system (though SSA can help guide you through that process).

One more important thing to know: timing matters for totalization claims. You should coordinate with an SSA representative who specializes in international agreements before filing your retirement application. In some cases, it's better to file for your foreign benefits first, and in other situations, it's better to file for US benefits first. The order can affect your total combined benefits. You'll want to make an appointment with SSA and specifically request someone experienced with international cases.

just remembered my cousin had to get like an official record from Italy showing his work history there. took him forever to figure out which Italian govt office to contact. might be worth researching who handles work records in Spain/Germany now so ur prepared

Thank you all so much for the helpful information! I'm going to start by gathering whatever documentation I can find from my time abroad. Then I'll make an appointment specifically requesting someone with international expertise. I'll also research the specific totalization agreements with Spain and Germany to understand what I'm eligible for. Sounds like I should plan for this to take 6+ months, so I'll start well before I plan to actually retire. Really appreciate all the insights!

One additional tip that might help - if you're having trouble locating old employment documents, try contacting the companies you worked for directly if they still exist. Many large corporations keep employment records going back decades, even for international offices. I was able to get employment verification letters from two companies I worked for in the UK in the 1980s just by emailing their HR departments. They had my start/end dates, job titles, and could confirm my employment status. This type of documentation can be really valuable to SSA even without the tax ID numbers. Also, check if you have any old bank statements from those years - regular salary deposits can serve as additional proof of employment.

I went through a similar situation with work in the Netherlands and Sweden about 10 years ago. Here's what really helped me: I created a timeline document with all the dates I could remember (even approximate ones) and any details about employers, addresses, job titles, etc. Even small details like the neighborhood I lived in or coworkers' names can help the foreign social security offices track down your records. Also, don't forget to check if you have any old photos from that time - sometimes work ID badges or company events are visible in photos and can provide useful details you forgot. The Dutch system was able to locate my records using just my name, birthdate, and the city where I worked, even though I had completely forgotten my BSN (their equivalent of SSN). It's worth trying even with limited information!

Something else that might help - if you still have your old passports from the 1990s and early 2000s, the entry and exit stamps can serve as proof of when you were in those countries. Even if the stamps don't directly prove employment, they establish your presence during the timeframes you claim to have worked. I've seen cases where immigration stamps helped SSA verify someone's story when other documentation was missing. Also, if you had to get work permits or residence permits for Spain and Germany, those records might still exist in their immigration systems. In some countries, you can request copies of old immigration records going back decades. It's worth checking with the Spanish and German consulates to see if they can point you toward the right government offices for historical records requests.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that you might want to check with any professional associations or unions you belonged to while working abroad. I worked in Australia for 7 years and completely forgot I had been a member of an engineering association there. When I contacted them years later for my totalization claim, they had records of my membership dates which helped corroborate my employment timeline. Some professional organizations keep member records going back decades and can provide letters confirming your professional activity during specific periods. It's another piece of evidence that can support your case with SSA, especially if you're in a field that typically requires professional licensing or association membership.

I'm in a similar boat with foreign work credits! I worked in Japan for 4 years in the early 2000s and was panicking about the same documentation issues. One thing that really helped me was contacting my old university's career services office - they actually had records of international placement programs and could provide letters confirming my participation in their overseas work program. Also, if you filed US tax returns while abroad (even if you didn't owe anything due to foreign earned income exclusion), the IRS has those records going back years and they show your foreign addresses and can help establish your timeline. You can request transcripts online. Another tip - if you used any international money transfer services like Western Union to send money home to family or to transfer funds between countries, they sometimes keep transaction records that can show regular income patterns. It's worth checking! The key is building a complete picture from multiple small pieces of evidence rather than relying on one perfect document.