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We are dual US-UK citizens. What benefits are we eligible for under the totalization agreement?

Full question: My husband and I are dual US-UK citizens living in the UK since 1996. We are unable to forecast my husband’s retirement benefit, as the SSA online tools only provide for citizens who have earned a minimum of 40 credits and need to calculate WEP. In my husband’s case, he did not earn…

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Will my foreign pension lower my American Social Security benefits? What about my spousal benefits?

Full question: If my spousal SS benefit is higher than SS benefit based on own contribution (> 40 credit) would a foreign pension of a country with a totalization agreement lower US social security benefits? Hi, That is a great question. Generally speaking, foreign pensions do not affect Social Security spousal and survivor dependent benefits….

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Can I receive a spousal benefit if I have a German pension?

Full question: I am English and live and work in Germany. I was married to a US citizen for 33 years. Will I be entitled to 50% if his social security when I retire at 67 ( 7 years from now) . I will receive a Small German Pension based on my mandatory contributions. Hi…

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My wife filed for spousal benefits, but our address is in Germany. What should I do?

Full question: My wife and I filed for her Spousal Benefit from our address in Germany (She is a German citizen). I am back in the USA for a period of time, and want to take her very difficult to replace Birth Certificate in to an SSA office. The initial claim for her benefits was…

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I received an overpayment and now owe the SSA money. How is this fair?

Full question: (I am an American citizen) Is it fair that I paid into Social Security and obeyed the rules while working in the USA until I came to Portugal and began working here where I then paid into Social Security here and obeyed all the rules? My pension original pension from the states was…

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I live in Australia. Will the WEP rule apply to my pension?

Full question: Hi Martha. I have tried the WEP screening tool, but it refers to a totalization agreement that confuses me. Asking this question so I can perhaps talk to a WEP expert in a consultation. I wish to know if the section on this document entitled: “Payments which cannot be used to apply WEP…

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