I am a Canadian and USA citizen married and living in Canada for 30 years. I did not file USA tax return because I didn’t think I had to. I worked in USA before moving to Canada. Am I eligible for Social Security benefits? Thanks
Hi. I don't have enough information about your age or your work history to know what benefits you may qualify for. You can qualify for U.S. Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62 as long as you have at least 40 quarters of coverage (QC). That's the equivalent of roughly 10 years worth of credits. However, the U.S. has a Social Security totalization agreement with Canada that might allow you to qualify for U.S. benefits as early as age 62 with as few as 6 U.S. Social Security quarters of coverage.
For more information about the U.S. totalization agreement with Canada and filing for benefits, refer to the following Social Security publication: https://www.ssa.gov/international/Agreement_Pamphlets/canada.html.
Best, Jerry