Retiring Abroad? What Expats Should Know About Social Security | U.S. News
Posted by Aca Admin on May 13, 2025
U.S. News, May 13, 2025
Retiring Abroad? What Expats Should Know About Social Security
You Should Create Your Social Security Account Before You Leave
"Earlier this year, the Social Security Administration announced that some beneficiaries may need to visit an office to prove their identity or change their direct deposit information. That could be difficult for those living overseas.
Expats can visit a federal benefits unit run by a U.S. embassy, but those can be few and far between. For instance, there are only two of these units in France, according to Marylouise Serrato, executive director of the organization American Citizens Abroad.
To avoid an in-person visit, people can apply for benefits or change their direct deposit information through an online my Social Security account. To create one of these accounts, beneficiaries must have a Login.gov or ID.me account. These also require identity verification, which, in theory, can be done via video call.
'We’ve had a mixed response to that,' Serrato says. 'It has worked for some and not for others.'
To avoid complications, set up your my Social Security account while you are in the United States. It should be easier to do while you are in the country, and then you can use the account to manage your Social Security while overseas."