Hi Larry

I have worked on and off in the US for 20 years I'm 54. It seems I will have eligibility for some benefits if I qualify on credits. My current statement says I have 36 credits and it seems to include 2 years of assumed work. I have not worked in the US since 2016 so I calculate that I have 28 credits now.

I have also worked in many other countries. I' a Canadian and Swiss Citizen and have worked about 5 years in each and I expect to get pension from each. I have also worked 4-5 years in Japan and 1 year in Australia.

Based on Totalization agreements I was going to try to qualify for US benefits by requesting Totalization with Japan. I am worried that Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) will reduce or eliminate my benefits in the US or Canada or Switzerland where I should be eligible for some benefits. I don't know if I would be eligible for any benefits in Japan since I'm not a citizen there and din't contribute that long.

1. How do I apply for Totalization?
2. Do I have to worry about benefits reduction in the US if my situation in Canada and Switzerland is reported?

Up to now I assumed I would get nothing anywhere, but looking at my US situation I think I might get some small benerit. I have about 37K lifetime payments to Social Security.

Hi,

Totalization benefits are only paid when a person doesn't have enough work credits to meet the normal eligibility requirements for benefits from a country's Social Security program. If you have at least 40 quarters of U.S. Social Security coverage, then you'll be able to qualify for U.S. Social Security retirement benefits based on the regular rules. In other words, you'd then be eligible for regular Social Security retirement benefits, not a totalization benefit.

If you have at least 6 quarters of U.S. Social Security coverage but fewer than 40 quarters, then Social Security may be able to give you additional credits based on your work in one or more of the countries with which they have a totalization agreement. Social Security would then base your totalization benefit rate on your U.S. earnings using a modified calculation formula.

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) could only affect your benefit rate if you have at least 40 quarters of coverage and thus qualify for U.S. Social Security retirement benefits under the normal rules. And, only if you receive a pension based on your work that was exempt from U.S. Social Security taxes, which could include a Social Security benefit from a foreign country that's based on your work in that country. WEP does not affect totalization benefits. My knowledge only extends to U.S. Social Security benefits, though, so I can't give you any information about benefit regulations in other countries.

You would need to be at least age 62 to qualify for U.S. Social Security retirement benefits based on either the normal requirements or the totalization rules. You can apply for U.S. Social Security or totalization benefits at a U.S. Social Security office, a foreign Social Security office in a country with which we have a totalization agreement, or at the U.S. embassy in your country of residence. Embassy contact information can be found on the following Social Security website: https://www.ssa.gov/foreign/foreign.htm.

Best, Jerry