Giving up green card and social security retirement benefits

[rainyjewels]

Hi, my parents have worked in the US for over 15 yrs, and have had their GC for over 10 years. They have paid taxes each year for all of those years, and contributed to social security so that all their credits are now complete in terms of retirement. now they're looking to move for a few years (indefinitely) to another country, and they're looking to give up their green card. if I'm a US citizen, and they give up their green card, and at some point in the future i help them re-apply for a green card, will it still be in the system that they've completed their contribution to social security and they can still receive their social security retirement benefits from before they gave up the green card? or will they lose all the points they've accumulated and have to start from the beginning again?

Thanks in advance!!!

[equate]

The social security number never changes. That should give you some ideas?

[ginnu]

Originally Posted by rainyjewels

Hi, my parents have worked in the US for over 15 yrs, and have had their GC for over 10 years. They have paid taxes each year for all of those years, and contributed to social security so that all their credits are now complete in terms of retirement. now they're looking to move for a few years (indefinitely) to another country, and they're looking to give up their green card. if I'm a US citizen, and they give up their green card, and at some point in the future i help them re-apply for a green card, will it still be in the system that they've completed their contribution to social security and they can still receive their social security retirement benefits from before they gave up the green card? or will they lose all the points they've accumulated and have to start from the beginning again?

Thanks in advance!!!

they can apply/get US citizenship and then they can live out of US and can also get social security benefits.
Social security number remain the same

[rainyjewels]

Originally Posted by ginnu

they can apply/get US citizenship and then they can live out of US and can also get social security benefits.
Social security number remain the same

They are going to be indefinitely outside of the US, and they haven't reached the number of years required to apply for citizenship, so that's sort of out of the question.

what does it mean when the SS number remains the same..? sorry i'm such a noob does that mean they'll never lose the credits they've acquired and can just pick up where they left off in terms of ss? thanks for your help guys...

[equate]

Originally Posted by rainyjewels

does that mean they'll never lose the credits they've acquired and can just pick up where they left off in terms of ss?

[LucyMO]

they do not lose the credits, and they are even eligible to receive their social security payments overseas. Read about it on ssa.gov.

P.S. they have been PRs for over 10 years, and they are eligible to apply for citizenship after 4 years and 9 months of PR status (provided that they have lived in the US for 1/2 of that time, and were not absent from the US for periods over 6 months in a row).

[thrix]

If they will loose their GC, they will loose all the benefits. You must show GC card or citizenship status to receive any benefits! That's the law, so don't loose GC or get USC.

[rainyjewels]

who is the best person to speak with about this, so i can confirm for my parents? i'm sort of the lone person dealing with this, so i have no idea where to go to for some answers? should i call my local social security office? or should i speak to someone in the immigration end? if so, who?

thanks!!!

[equate]

You do not lose credits that you already earned as a legal residents.
http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/...i=&p_topview=1

You don't even have to be a permanent resident in many circumstances to be eligible for social security (depends on which country your parents are from). Read up on the following link to understand the international issues better.
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10137.html

[TheRealCanadian]

Originally Posted by thrix

You must show GC card or citizenship status to receive any benefits! That's the law, so don't loose GC or get USC.

There is no requirement that an individual be a PR or citizen to get benefits.

[rainyjewels]

Originally Posted by TheRealCanadian

There is no requirement that an individual be a PR or citizen to get benefits.

i just called the Social Security 1800 number to confirm, and they said exactly what you guys said! Essentially they don't even look at legal status; once they are informed that you are of whatever status and you complete your credits, that's the end of it. regardless of your legal status, there is a set social security number in the record for you, along with all your other credits, so once you apply for PR status again, and they are informed of it, all that information is like tattooed onto your name and identity and won't change unless you convince them they've made an error.

I asked him if there was some way to provide documentation on this so i'm not just relying on his word, but he actually found my questioning kind of silly and was like, we have nothing to do with any of that legal status stuff!!!!! i feel very reassured now because both he and all of you guys told me the same thing......you guys really know your stuff! thank you all!