You need not be a citizen but should have been working in the US for 10 yrs (40 credits)
What are social security benefits?
Citizens aren’t even going to get social security because the politicians have already spent the money. The social security fund is bankrupt. What makes you think you’re going to get benefits? Lol
Well now that is a diff thing. Let's not go there...government has choices(like increasing the ss cap for example) and they will definitely find a way to keep the services. Question is if they have money , will we get it or not.....
You can get payments as an alien, if you accumulated 10 years of work in the US and you don't live in a sanctioned country. The problem though is that you need to visit the US once in a while in order to remain eligible. While, legally, there is nothing to stop you from visiting the US specifically for that purpose---it's awfully expensive and inconvenient, if you're an old person living in India (for example).
See https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf > If you are not a U.S. citizen or you do not meet one of the conditions for continued payments, we will stop your payments after you have been outside the United States for six full calendar months. Once this happens, we cannot start your payments again until you come back and stay in the United States for a full calendar month.
Indians can't get this payment unless you are a US citizen , there was some agreement USA and India has to sign for this , but that's reached nowhere ..
This is wrong. For anyone with 10+ years - you get it irrespective where you are
One data point. Once you get your citizenship, you have to go to ssa office and update. This is something to do with benefits. Not sure what kind. Source. Recent citizen.
You should get benefits if you have 40 credits even if you are not an US Citizen . Also you don’t need to visit US and stay for one month every six months as having 40 credits or lived in 10 years meets the exception for Non Payment of Social Security beyond 6th month . Of course you need to be retired to start getting benefits ( Age 67? ) . Here is the link to the exceptions for non- payment : https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0302610010
Indian centric response below - You are eligible if you stay for 10 years in the US (40 quarters). These are called 40 work credits. You can track your credits by creating an account in the social security website. You can use your DL and one of your credit card’s last 8 digits to verify and create an account. https://secure.ssa.gov/RIL/SiView.action - You need to come to US every 6 months once and stay for one month to get the benefits, but there are again exceptions for some countries who don’t need to visit US if you worked for 10 years (India is part of the exception). https://www.ssa.gov/international/countrylist4.htm - There is a concept called ‘Totalization agreement’ which adds up the work credits between agreed country and US. This becomes relevant only if you have less than 40 US credits, since many Indians do not have this many US credits, India is trying from last 5 years to get an agreement, 26 countries are part of it, so we see lot of news in Indian media about this. - Also there are not many Indian cases who fall in this 40 credit category and above 62 years without getting US citizenship, so you might not hear much about this among friends/neighbors. - Check this summary https://www.hemista.com/nri-investing-lessons/are-nris-eligible-for-social-security-benefits/
The high TC wont help much. Here's from teh SSA website - "To qualify for benefits, you earn "credits" through your work - up to four each year. This year, for example, you earn one credit for each $1,470 of wages or self-employment income. When you've earned $5,880, you've earned your four credits for the year. Most people need 40 credits, earned over their working lifetime, to receive retirement benefits. For disability and survivors benefits, young people need fewer credits to be eligible." PS: Thanks for suggesting to create an account on the SSA website. Easy to track.
High TC helps if someone moves to the US in the month of December 😅 I know a few who did and for the full 4 credits for the year.
I'm curious to hear what someone with more knowledge on this point than myself says... However, to my knowledge if you have 10 years of income reported and are a citizen you get social security benefits. If you don't become a citizen, I don't think you're entitled. However, if you become a citizen, go home, and continue to file taxes to the US you're entitled to social security benefits.