sgum9999

Greetings, everyone! I'm planning on returning to the UK, hopefully in the next year. I have LPR status in the US and have lived here most of my life, so have acquired full SS benefit entitlement. After much reading here and elsewhere, I have never seen any discussion about the 30% reduction in benefit amount to those who move overseas and are considered 'non-resident aliens' after giving up US residency. Do I need to worry about this and take measures to protect my benefits? I really don't want to take American citizenship if I can avoid it, and am hoping I'm just reading the tax code wrong.

Thanks in advance for your help!

durham_lad

I don’t think there is a reduction for non resident aliens living in the UK.

you can follow this tool to determine how it will work for you

https://www.ssa.gov/international/pa...outsideUS.html

“

Payments Outside the United States

Since you are a resident of one of the countries with which the United States has a Social Security (Totalization) Agreement, your payments will continue as long as you are a resident of an International Social Security (Totalization) Agreement Country.

”

sgum9999

Thank you! That was very helpful. I took both tax screening tools on the site and it appears that the 30% tax is not withheld due to the UK treaty. I need to run through several different scenarios with the tool to make sure, however. LPR status at the time of applying for benefits seems like it might be a game changer, although I need to run through it again to make sure. They don't make this easy, lol.

I'd love to hear from anyone who was already receiving SSA benefits when they moved back, and especially those who were in the UK for an extended period and had given up their green card before applying for benefits.