How Will Moving Outside the US Affect My Claim? Does the Country I Move to Matter?

If you are a United States citizen, then moving outside the United States should not affect your receipt of disability benefits unless you move to certain countries. The list of those countries can be found on the SSA’s website.

For instance you may not receive payment of benefits if you live in Cuba or North Korea because of the restriction on payments to these countries.

If you are not a U.S. citizen the rules are different, the rules depend on what country you are from and what country you are now in.

If you are planning to be outside the United States for six consecutive calendar months or more, you can find out if you can receive your Social Security payment by using the Payments Outside the United States screening tool, which can be found on the SSA’s website.

If you work outside the United States, different rules may apply in determining if you can get your benefit checks. Most people who are neither United States residents nor United States citizens will have 25.5 percent of their benefits withheld for federal income tax.

For more information about receiving benefits abroad, you should read: Your Payments While You Are Outside the United States and the information on the International Programs and Resources website, both of which can be found through the SSA website.

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