social security administration (USA)

Post by **jimboLV** » August 8, 2011, 9:11 am

Drtierra wrote:I filled in the info about my child which triggered them to send me a statement about what she could & would get. I was so suprised I went to my local ( US ) office to make sure of what it said.
I should mention that my wife will also recieve a similar amount until our daughter is 18 or if she is in school 19.

This only applies if you and your wife are US residents. If your wife and child live in Thailand, only the child gets a payment. In order for the wife to qualify she would have to show 5 years residence in the US (and she would have to be living with you for those 5 years). Also the child must be your biological child, adoptions don't count. Again, this is only if you live in Thailand. Another case of discrimination against us expats.

I agree, the website is very unclear on this benefit. In fact my read was that my daughter was not eligible, but I finally hooked up with a guy through thaivisa forum who had done it and he explained the procedure. I don't know what the procedure is in the US but it was very simple once we got a "Consular Report of Birth Abroad", US Passport, and Social Security card. In fact I never had to fill out an application for the benefit. I called the US embassy in Manila and the guy took an application over the phone. Now my little baby is getting about 30,000 baht per month, more than most of the people in our town make.

PM me if you want any more details on how to do this, would be glad to share info.

Post by **merchant seaman** » August 8, 2011, 12:58 pm

Not positive but my impression is to get a SS card you must be living in the U.S. This wasn't the case a few years ago. You Thai wife can get a Tax ID number but not a SS.

Post by **Drtierra** » August 8, 2011, 10:52 pm

jimboLV wrote:
Drtierra wrote:I filled in the info about my child which triggered them to send me a statement about what she could & would get. I was so suprised I went to my local ( US ) office to make sure of what it said.
I should mention that my wife will also recieve a similar amount until our daughter is 18 or if she is in school 19.
This only applies if you and your wife are US residents. If your wife and child live in Thailand, only the child gets a payment. In order for the wife to qualify she would have to show 5 years residence in the US (and she would have to be living with you for those 5 years). Also the child must be your biological child, adoptions don't count. Again, this is only if you live in Thailand. Another case of discrimination against us expats.

I agree, the website is very unclear on this benefit. In fact my read was that my daughter was not eligible, but I finally hooked up with a guy through thaivisa forum who had done it and he explained the procedure. I don't know what the procedure is in the US but it was very simple once we got a "Consular Report of Birth Abroad", US Passport, and Social Security card. In fact I never had to fill out an application for the benefit. I called the US embassy in Manila and the guy took an application over the phone. Now my little baby is getting about 30,000 baht per month, more than most of the people in our town make.

PM me if you want any more details on how to do this, would be glad to share info.

My post indicates we are U S residents.
The child is not my biological child & she will get the benefit. SS is aware she isnt my biological child & that I have not legally adopted her. I went to my SS office to check on all of this in person.

Post by **Drtierra** » August 8, 2011, 10:56 pm

jimboLV wrote:
Drtierra wrote:I filled in the info about my child which triggered them to send me a statement about what she could & would get. I was so suprised I went to my local ( US ) office to make sure of what it said.
I should mention that my wife will also recieve a similar amount until our daughter is 18 or if she is in school 19.
This only applies if you and your wife are US residents. If your wife and child live in Thailand, only the child gets a payment. In order for the wife to qualify she would have to show 5 years residence in the US (and she would have to be living with you for those 5 years). Also the child must be your biological child, adoptions don't count. Again, this is only if you live in Thailand. Another case of discrimination against us expats.

I agree, the website is very unclear on this benefit. In fact my read was that my daughter was not eligible, but I finally hooked up with a guy through thaivisa forum who had done it and he explained the procedure. I don't know what the procedure is in the US but it was very simple once we got a "Consular Report of Birth Abroad", US Passport, and Social Security card. In fact I never had to fill out an application for the benefit. I called the US embassy in Manila and the guy took an application over the phone. Now my little baby is getting about 30,000 baht per month, more than most of the people in our town make.

PM me if you want any more details on how to do this, would be glad to share info.

Let me add that my wife has been in the USA only 4 years & was given the benefit described.

Post by **merchant seaman** » August 9, 2011, 12:15 pm

Little baby getting 30,000 baht a month? More then a college Grad gets here in Thailand. No wonder the U.S. Government is broke. And then you want to complain about the falling exchange rate.

Post by **LoveDaBlues** » August 9, 2011, 1:16 pm

Drtierra; how old are you?

Post by **jingjai** » August 11, 2011, 10:42 am

Has anyone applied for direct deposit of their SS benefits online?

When I first applied for SS, I did it the old-fashioned way: filled out forms by hand.
No problems, been receiving my SS payments DD'ed into my U.S bank.

I just received a notice from my bank, saying they are changing the processing bank for DD, so, I need to inform SS of that fact, and provide my banks new routing number.
Can it be done online.

Post by **RLTrader** » August 11, 2011, 3:53 pm

jingjai wrote: Can it be done online.

short answer is yes.

Post by **Ray.Charles** » August 11, 2011, 7:41 pm

Marc,I have tried to log into http://www.ssa.gov and http://www.socialsecurity.gov well over a dozen times during the last two weeks at different time of the day. Only once I was blessed, but then they idled over the benefit calculation page until the timer ran out and I was dropped. Please let us know if and when you could log in, thanks.

Post by **jingjai** » August 11, 2011, 8:31 pm

I am in their website now. I have had their site opened in a separate tab for over two hours.
I am not "logged in", because I do not have a password.
However, there is a happy ending to my earlier question.
Through SSA's website, http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/112, and info from a friend, I was provided with a telephone number for people wanting to change info for their existing benefits. 1-800-772-1213.
So, I called the number, got a living breathing person to talk to, and 12 minutes later, everything was accomplished

.
Total cost for the call: 12 baht. Savings in time, stress, and frustration: priceless.

I want to remind everyone. The telephone # above, is only for people, already receiving benefits.

Post by **Ricohoc** » August 12, 2011, 1:01 am

jingjai wrote:I am in their website now. I have had their site opened in a separate tab for over two hours.
I am not "logged in", because I do not have a password.
However, there is a happy ending to my earlier question.
Through SSA's website, http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/112, and info from a friend, I was provided with a telephone number for people wanting to change info for their existing benefits. 1-800-772-1213.
So, I called the number, got a living breathing person to talk to, and 12 minutes later, everything was accomplished .
Total cost for the call: 12 baht. Savings in time, stress, and frustration: priceless.

I want to remind everyone. The telephone # above, is only for people, already receiving benefits.

Congratulations, jingjai! I knew you had it in you, and I also knew that when it was all said and done, YOU would be able to provide even more information than what you had been attempting to learn. And you know that I am sincere in this regard.
=D>

Post by **merchant seaman** » August 18, 2011, 8:54 am

Just got notifacation from SSA that my online application has been approved. They had one question during the process, which was all handled by email. So yes you can apply from overseas as long as you have a legit address and phone number in the states, someone who can notify you if SSA calls.

Post by **parrot** » December 26, 2011, 5:25 pm

My wife and I applied for social security through the US embassy in Manila. I made an initial phone call to them and got scheduled for a telephone interview. My wife and I had to answer a series of questions about our background, employment, etc. and that was the end of the interview. My wife had to mail in an extra document on her naturalization, but that was returned via FEDEX a week after we sent it. Our checks will be deposited to an account that we specified beginning early next year.
All told, a very efficient way of applying for social security!!