Harry. I am a physician with dual citizenship ( American /Lebanese). I have worked 5 years in the state and 15 years in Lebanon and I am always paying social security even while working overseas. When I retire, I get a retirement from both countries as I pay both. Do I have to chose which one to get paid from or is there a deduction?
Mary Ann

Hi Mary Ann,

My expertise is limited to U.S. Social Security benefits, so I don't know what benefits you may qualify for from Lebanon. As long as you have at least 40 quarters of U.S. Social Security coverage, you can qualify for Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. Your benefit rate would be reduced for age, though, if you start drawing your benefits prior to full retirement age (FRA).

If you qualify for Social Security retirement benefits and if you also qualify for a pension based on your work and earnings that were exempt from U.S. Social Security taxes, then your U.S. benefit rate may be reduced due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). So, if you receive a Lebanese pension based on your earnings and if you didn't pay U.S. Social Security taxes on those earnings, then WEP would likely cause your U.S. benefit rate to be reduced. For more information on WEP, refer to the following Social Security publication: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf.

Our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) is programmed to handle WEP computations, so you may want to use the software to fully analyze the options available to you in order to determine your best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry