Retire Anywhere: What You Need to Know About Social Security and Living Abroad

The Question on Every Retiree’s Mind

Picture this: you’ve hit retirement age, your nest egg is ready, and you’re dreaming of sipping coffee at a European café or watching sunsets from a beach house in Southeast Asia. But there’s one nagging concern—will your Social Security checks still land in your account if you’re thousands of miles away from the U.S.?

The good news: nearly 760,000 Americans are already living this reality, collecting their Social Security benefits from foreign soil. That’s more than double the roughly 400,000 retirees doing this back in 2000. The trend is clear—retiring abroad while keeping your benefits is not just possible, it’s increasingly popular.

The Basic Rule: Yes, You Can Collect Abroad

Here’s the straightforward answer: U.S. citizens receiving Social Security retirement, disability, or survivor benefits can generally live outside the country and continue receiving monthly payments without interruption. The same applies to non-U.S. citizens in certain circumstances, though their eligibility varies based on residency status and country-specific agreements.

There’s also no expiration date on this arrangement. You could spend 20, 30, or 40 years abroad and keep cashing those checks—as long as you play by one simple rule: submit proof of life documentation annually. Social Security Form SSA-7162 handles this requirement, asking you to confirm details about residency changes and marital status.

Important Caveat: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Doesn’t Travel

If you’re counting on SSI (Supplemental Security Income) as part of your retirement income, you need to reconsider. Unlike regular Social Security benefits, SSI is based on financial need rather than work history, and it’s strictly limited to U.S. residents. Once you leave the country, SSI payments stop.

Additionally, Social Security retirement and disability benefits cannot be received while living in nine specific countries: Azerbaijan, Belarus, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. If you temporarily live in any of these nations, your withheld payments will be restored retroactively once you relocate to an approved country—except for Cuba and North Korea, where the restrictions are permanent.

What You Still Owe Uncle Sam

Don’t assume that living abroad frees you from U.S. tax obligations. If you’re collecting Social Security while residing internationally, you must still file an annual federal tax return. Additionally, receiving a foreign-based pension may trigger a reduction in your Social Security benefits due to government pension offset rules.

Making the Decision

Before you book that one-way ticket, ensure you understand where you stand. Non-U.S. citizens should verify eligibility rules with the Social Security Administration based on their home country and planned duration abroad. Americans collecting regular retirement, disability, or survivor benefits have significantly more flexibility, but those relying on SSI face stricter limitations.

The data tells the story: Social Security and living abroad aren’t mutually exclusive. With proper documentation and awareness of the rules, your retirement destination can be anywhere your heart desires—as long as it’s not on that nine-country list.