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Martha Shedden is RSSA’s President and Co-Founder. Read Martha’s responses to questions regarding Social Security. View all questions or browse by category. Submit your own question to Martha here.

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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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I am getting conflicting information about foreign pensions from the SSA website and my local SSA office. Who is correct?

Full question: Hi, Martha, I understand that the WEP reduction for Foreign Pension cannot be more than 1/2 of the Foreign pension. That‘s even mentioned on the SSA website. Today, we went to our local SSA office and they said that the deduction up to 2/3s of the Foreign government pension. Who is correct –…

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I am 63 and caring for my adult disabled child. Can I collect ex-spousal benefits now without penalty?

Full question: I am 63 caring for my adult disabled child full time. My ex spouse, his father, is 62 (we were married 19 years). Am I able to collect on his work record right now without early penalty (he is still working, not retired) ? Would that be at the 50% divorced spouse rate?…

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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 ex-spouse recently died. Can I switch from ex-spousal benefits to survivor benefits based on his record?

Full question: I received my ex-husbands social security until mine was more than what I was entitled to with his. He died a few months ago and my disabled adult child got an increase in her social security. Am I allowed to collect survivor benefits since she lives with me and I take care of…

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