Will moving internationally affect my Social Security survivor benefits for me and my young children?

I went through something similar when I moved to Spain with my kids after my wife passed. Generally, SSA will continue sending survivor benefits to US citizens living abroad, but there are some countries where they can't send payments (like Cuba, North Korea, etc). The bigger issue is that your children's benefits might be affected if they become non-US residents for too long. You should definitely get this clarified before making any decisions. Check out the SSA's "Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States" publication on their website.

my brother moved to cAnada with his kids and kept getting the checks no problem. but i think u need to tell them ur leaving so they dont think something fishy is going on when they see foreighn atm withdrawls. call ahead of time.

As others have mentioned, it depends on the country, but there's more to consider here. The SSA generally continues paying survivor benefits to US citizens living abroad, but they follow specific rules: 1. Your own survivor benefits as a widow/widower caring for children under 16 should continue in most countries 2. Your children's survivor benefits also continue in most countries, but there might be residency requirements if they stay outside the US for extended periods 3. Some countries have "totalization agreements" with the US that make benefit administration easier 4. You'll need to complete an annual questionnaire to verify your status Before making any decisions, I'd recommend getting definitive answers from SSA. Their publication #05-10137 "Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States" covers this topic in detail.

I've spent HOURS trying to get through to SSA about international benefits questions and kept getting disconnected or waiting forever. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a real person in under 20 minutes! They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Totally worth it to actually speak with someone who could answer my specific questions about international benefits. The agent I spoke with explained everything about how my mother's survivor benefits would work during her 2-year stay in Portugal.

There's a lot of confusion about this topic, so let me clarify a few things: 1. For US citizens, survivor benefits typically continue regardless of where you live (with a few restricted countries as exceptions) 2. Non-citizens may face more restrictions after 6 months outside the US 3. You MUST notify SSA before leaving (use form SSA-21 "Notice of Intended Residence Outside United States") 4. You'll need to complete form SSA-7162 or SSA-7161 annually while abroad 5. Consider how you'll receive payments - direct deposit to a US bank is usually simplest Also, your children's citizenship status matters. If they're US citizens, their benefits typically continue. If not, different rules may apply after 6 months abroad.

BEWARE of tax implications!!! The US will STILL tax your Social Security benefits even if you're living abroad! AND the foreign country might ALSO want to tax that income! You could end up paying DOUBLE TAXES on your benefits!!! This happened to my friend who moved to Germany with her kids. She had NO IDEA about this and ended up with a huge unexpected tax bill. You NEED to consult with an international tax expert before making any decisions!!!

dont forget to update ur address with ssa when u move!!! my friend moved to costa rica and didn't tell them and they almost stopped her payments cuz her mail was coming back undelivered and they thought she died!!

One more important consideration for your children: If they're receiving survivor benefits and you move internationally, SSA may periodically require proof of school attendance after age 16, proof of life, and other documentation to continue their benefits. The process for providing this documentation from abroad can be complicated. Also, if your children become residents of another country, there could be different rules that apply after they've been outside the US for 6 calendar months. Make sure you understand these requirements before moving. Finally, consider how currency conversion and international transfer fees might affect the actual amount you receive each month.

After reading all the comments, I wanted to add that from my experience living in Spain while receiving survivor benefits, the process was manageable but required attention to detail. Here's what worked for me: 1. I kept my US bank account for direct deposits 2. I notified SSA before leaving (took about 45 minutes on the phone) 3. I filed form SSA-21 as mentioned above 4. I renewed my address information whenever we moved 5. I responded promptly to the annual questionnaire The benefits continued without interruption, but I did have to visit the US Embassy once to verify some information. Overall, it's definitely possible to maintain your benefits while pursuing international opportunities.