Millions of Americans live outside the United States, and many assume they lose access to their government benefits the moment they board a flight. The reality is more nuanced. Some benefits follow you wherever you go, some stop the day you leave, and others depend entirely on which country you move to. Knowing the rules before you relocate can save you thousands of dollars and prevent gaps in financial security.
This guide covers the major federal benefit programs and how residency outside the U.S. affects each one.
Social Security Retirement, Disability, and Survivors Benefits
For most Americans abroad, Social Security is the most important benefit to understand. If you have earned at least 40 work credits (roughly 10 years of covered employment), you can collect retirement benefits from nearly any country in the world. Moving abroad does not reduce your monthly payment, and it does not pause your eligibility clock.
As of January 2026, the average monthly Social Security retirement benefit is approximately $2,071, and the maximum benefit at full retirement age (67) is around $4,152. The 2026 cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was 2.8 percent, applied to benefits starting in January 2026.
Country Restrictions
The SSA cannot send payments to residents of two countries: Cuba and North Korea. If you live in either country, payments are withheld. Once you move to a country where payments are permitted, the SSA can release the withheld amounts.
For all other countries, U.S. citizens generally receive uninterrupted payments. The SSA offers a Payments Abroad Screening Tool where you can confirm your specific situation by country.
What Changed in 2025: The Social Security Fairness Act
The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in January 2025, eliminated two rules that had long reduced benefits for certain Americans: the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions had cut Social Security benefits for people receiving pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security, including many jobs with foreign employers.
As a result of the repeal, approximately 3 million people saw benefit increases. The SSA sent over $17 billion in retroactive payments by mid-2025, with an average monthly increase of around $360 for affected beneficiaries. If you receive a foreign pension and were previously subject to WEP or GPO reductions, your benefits may have already been adjusted. Check your SSA account at ssa.gov/myaccount to confirm.
How to Receive Payments Abroad
Direct deposit is available in more than 150 countries, including most of Europe, Australia, Japan, Canada, and much of Latin America and Africa. The SSA strongly recommends direct deposit over paper checks sent internationally, which can be lost or delayed.
You will need to notify the SSA of your foreign address and provide banking details for a foreign bank account or a U.S. bank account if you prefer to keep one open.
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
SSDI follows the same general rules as retirement benefits for U.S. citizens. If you qualify for SSDI based on your work history and medical condition, you can continue receiving payments while living in most foreign countries. The country restrictions for Cuba and North Korea apply here as well.
One important requirement: the SSA periodically conducts Continuing Disability Reviews (CDRs) to confirm you still qualify medically. If you are living abroad and receive a CDR notice, you must respond and comply. Failure to do so can result in benefit suspension regardless of your location.
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
SSI is different from SSDI, and the rules for Americans abroad are much more restrictive. SSI is a needs-based program for people with low income and limited resources who are aged, blind, or disabled. It is tied to physical presence in the United States.
You are not eligible for SSI for any month during which you are outside the U.S. for the entire month. Once you have been outside the country for 30 or more consecutive days, you lose eligibility. To regain SSI eligibility after a 30-consecutive-day absence, you must return to the U.S. and be present for 30 consecutive days.
There are narrow exceptions:
- Students temporarily studying abroad if the absence is approved in advance
- Children of military parents stationed overseas in certain circumstances
In practice, SSI is not a viable benefit for Americans planning to live abroad long-term.
Medicare
Medicare is one of the most misunderstood benefits for Americans living overseas. The short answer: Medicare does not cover routine medical care outside the United States and its territories.
However, you can remain enrolled in Medicare while living abroad, and there are a few limited situations where Medicare will pay:
| Situation | Medicare Coverage |
|---|
| Emergency in Canada while traveling between Alaska and the lower 48 states | May cover inpatient hospital, doctor, and ambulance services |
| Foreign hospital is closer to your home than the nearest U.S. hospital | May cover non-emergency inpatient services |
| Medical care on a cruise ship within 6 hours of a U.S. port | Original Medicare may cover |
| Routine care abroad | No coverage |
| Prescription drugs abroad | No coverage |
Should You Stay Enrolled?
This is a key decision for Americans moving abroad. If you disenroll from Medicare Part B (medical insurance) and later want to re-enroll, you will pay a late enrollment penalty of 10 percent for every 12-month period you were eligible but not enrolled. That penalty applies permanently for as long as you have Part B coverage.
Many Americans abroad stay enrolled in Part B to avoid the penalty, even though they receive no benefit from it while overseas. This costs the 2026 standard monthly premium of $185.00 for Part B.
A practical middle ground: keep Medicare enrollment active, and purchase international health insurance or a foreign private health plan for your day-to-day medical needs abroad. Some Medigap (Medicare supplement) plans also offer emergency coverage abroad, typically up to a $50,000 lifetime limit covering 80 percent of eligible emergency charges after a $250 annual deductible.
SNAP (Food Stamps)
SNAP benefits are not available to Americans living abroad. SNAP is administered through state agencies and requires applicants to be physically present and residing in the United States. There is no mechanism to receive SNAP benefits while living outside the country.
If you return to the U.S., you can reapply for SNAP based on your current income and household situation. Eligibility is based on your circumstances at the time of application, not your prior benefit history.
Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC)
Americans living abroad who file U.S. tax returns may still qualify for these tax credits, but there is an important interaction to understand.
The EITC requires earned income from U.S. sources or income that is not excluded from U.S. taxes. If you use the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE, discussed below) to exclude all of your foreign income, you may not have any eligible earned income left for EITC purposes, which would disqualify you.
The Child Tax Credit (CTC) does not have the same earned income requirement that conflicts with the FEIE, so some Americans abroad can still claim it, depending on their overall tax situation.
These credits are complex when combined with international tax rules. Consulting a tax professional who specializes in expat taxes is worth the cost if you have children or moderate earned income.
The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE)
The FEIE is not a government benefit in the traditional sense, but it is one of the most valuable financial tools available to Americans living abroad, and it directly affects your tax liability and eligibility for other benefits.
For tax year 2026, the FEIE allows qualifying Americans to exclude up to $132,900 of foreign-earned income from U.S. federal income tax. For 2025, that amount was $130,000.
Qualifying for the FEIE
To claim the FEIE, you must meet all three of these requirements:
- You must have earned income from work performed outside the U.S. (wages, salary, or self-employment income)
- Your tax home must be in a foreign country
- You must pass either the Physical Presence Test (at least 330 full days outside the U.S. during any 12-month period) or the Bona Fide Residence Test (you are a genuine long-term resident of a foreign country)
You claim the FEIE by filing Form 2555 attached to your U.S. Form 1040.
Filing Deadlines for Americans Abroad
Americans living abroad automatically get a two-month extension to file their U.S. tax return, moving the deadline from April 15 to June 15. However, any taxes owed are still due by April 15. Interest accrues on unpaid taxes from April 15 even if you file by June 15.
If you need more time, you can request an additional extension to October 15.
Totalization Agreements
If you work in a foreign country, you might be required to pay into both the U.S. Social Security system and that country's social security system for the same work. The U.S. has Totalization Agreements with 30 countries to prevent this double taxation.
Under these agreements, you generally pay into only one system: either the U.S. or the foreign country, depending on how long you are working abroad and your circumstances.
Countries with U.S. Totalization Agreements include Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, the United Kingdom, and many others. The SSA maintains a full list on its website.
These agreements also allow workers to combine credits earned in both countries to qualify for benefits. For example, if you worked in the U.S. for 6 years and in Germany for 4 years, you might be able to combine those credits to meet the 40-credit threshold for U.S. Social Security.
Benefits by Program: Quick Reference
| Program | Available Abroad? | Notes |
|---|
| Social Security Retirement | Yes, most countries | Stops for Cuba and North Korea residents |
| SSDI | Yes, most countries | Must respond to CDR notices |
| SSI | No | Stops after 30 consecutive days abroad |
| Medicare (coverage) | Very limited | Only rare emergency situations |
| Medicare (enrollment) | Can stay enrolled | Still pays premiums, no day-to-day coverage |
| SNAP | No | Requires U.S. residency |
| EITC | Complicated | May conflict with FEIE; consult a tax professional |
| Child Tax Credit | Possibly | Less affected by FEIE than EITC |
| FEIE | Yes (tax tool) | Up to $132,900 exclusion in 2026 |
What to Do Before You Move
Planning before you leave the country can prevent costly mistakes.
Notify the SSA. If you receive Social Security, SSDI, or SSI, tell the SSA about your change of address. For SSI recipients, remember that living abroad will end your payments.
Review your Medicare options. Decide whether to stay enrolled in Part B or accept the future late-enrollment penalty risk. Review your Medicare Advantage or Medigap plan terms for international coverage.
Set up direct deposit. Confirm your Social Security payments can reach your foreign bank account, or keep a U.S. bank account open for direct deposit.
Plan your taxes. Research whether the FEIE applies to your situation and how it interacts with EITC or CTC claims. If your income situation is complex, an expat tax professional can save you more than they cost.
Check the SSA's Payments Abroad Screening Tool for your destination country to confirm your specific benefit eligibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I collect Social Security if I move to Europe?
Yes. U.S. citizens can collect Social Security retirement, SSDI, and survivors benefits while living in virtually all European countries. Many European countries also have Totalization Agreements with the U.S., which may benefit you if you worked in both the U.S. and a European country. Payments are sent via direct deposit to most European banks.
Will I lose my Medicare if I live abroad?
You will not lose your Medicare enrollment unless you voluntarily disenroll. However, Medicare generally will not pay for medical care you receive outside the United States. You will continue to owe Part B premiums if you stay enrolled. Most Americans abroad who want to keep their Medicare for when they return choose to stay enrolled rather than risk the late-enrollment penalty.
Can I receive SNAP benefits while living in another country?
No. SNAP requires you to reside in the United States. You cannot receive SNAP benefits while living abroad, and benefits cannot be forwarded internationally.
What happens to my SSI if I travel outside the U.S.?
Your SSI stops for any month you are entirely outside the U.S. If you are abroad for 30 or more consecutive days, you must return to the U.S. and be present for 30 consecutive days before your SSI can restart.
Does the Social Security Fairness Act affect Americans with foreign pensions?
Yes. The Social Security Fairness Act, signed in January 2025, eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision. Previously, if you received a pension from a foreign employer who did not pay into U.S. Social Security, your U.S. Social Security benefit could be reduced. That penalty no longer applies for benefits payable for January 2024 and later. If your benefits were reduced under WEP before 2024, check your SSA account for any retroactive adjustments.
Do I still have to file U.S. taxes if I live abroad?
Yes. U.S. citizens must file U.S. federal tax returns regardless of where they live or where they earn income, as long as their income exceeds filing thresholds. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) can reduce your U.S. tax liability, but it does not eliminate the filing requirement.
How do I update my address with Social Security after moving abroad?
You can update your address by calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213, visiting a U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your new country, or using your my Social Security online account at ssa.gov/myaccount. The SSA also has Federal Benefits Units at many U.S. Embassies that can assist Americans living abroad.
Figuring out which benefits apply to your situation abroad can take time, but starting with a clear picture of each program's rules prevents surprises. If you're still in the U.S. and want to check what programs you currently qualify for, use the Benefits Navigator screener to get a personalized estimate based on your income, household size, and location.
