Collecting American Retirement Pays & SS in Vietnam

Good luck Howie... though i give no help...

Annie

Ok Wild-1 hope this gives you a little insight in drawing SS in Vietnam.Too draw it here you have to receive permission from the SSA and the Consulate in Saigon? Than after you hopefully get a go ahead on it plan on making a trip to Saigon every month to sign in, and verify  that your still here and alive. Yes they still have to go through the procedures even if you have ETF to your bank account in the States. Here's a link with more info:

socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.html#countries

Hi Budman,

You are the best.  Thanks for the head up and link.  I will go check it out. How is Vietnam treating you? 

Now, I know why I always seemed to bum into at least one retiree every time I walk into that consulate.  Quick question, Budman, what about back home, do they have to check-in or send in anything every month?

Howie

Way ahead of ya guy, it won’t work. I thought about the same thing and got better advice. He gets caught trying it that way and it could possibly cause the total loss of his SS benefits because of fraud. Heck dude it’s only a three hour drive from Can Tho, do some shopping while you’re up there. To answer your question, no, benefiters in the States occasionally only fill out a questioner. That’s where they get ya.

Budman,

No, I was not thinking about that.  My parents hated the way people drive here.  I was afraid that they would complain about the monthly trip to Saigon; therefore, I was looking for ways to counter them. 

But, I guess not.  In that regard, they do have it better back home.  I gotta figure out something else then...

medicaid, medicare no good here. closest place where soc. services from usa is saipan.

Wild_1 wrote:

Budman,

No, I was not thinking about that.  My parents hated the way people drive here.  I was afraid that they would complain about the monthly trip to Saigon; therefore, I was looking for ways to counter them. 

But, I guess not.  In that regard, they do have it better back home.  I gotta figure out something else then...

Saigon might be too busy for them with the crazy traffic, but have you looked at Da Nang? Life there is developing and it looks like being in the US.

Hi guys,

Thanks for chiming in fellas.  I have never felt so out of place in my life, just like a fish out of the water.

Vnescape, what exactly are medicaid and medicare?  Are they needed here?  If my parents were to fly to Saipan for them, they might as well head back to Los Angeles, right?

Phi Long and Hotmailyes, I have been to Da Nang.  I love that place.  I think the beaches there are the best in Vietnam.  Also, the overall layout of the city is much better than elsewhere. 

However, if my parents were to come to Vietnam, Can Tho would be the only place they would go to.  They were both borned and grew up here.  They knew a lot about the people and the history of this city.  From what I had seen in their previous visits, those were their only connections to Vietnam.

Howie

Hi guys,

A dear friend of mine just asked about taxes on SS income, if he were to come here.  Is there such a levy?  Even if there is, it should only be on the US side of things, shouldn't it?  Vietnam has nothing to do with it, right?

Thanks again.
Howie

Social Security is taxable.  It does not matter where you live in the world, the US government wants their share.  I've also heard (but this was many years ago) that the state you lived in before leaving the states will also want their share.  This is probably because, for SS, you will have to give them a stateside address.

The essential thing is to maintain a presence in the USA - like a friends address.

Also to receive pension money in one bank, transfer it electronically to another bank before moving /using it here.

OTHERWISE the monthly  sign-in with the US embassy/consulate could/will be a pain. No sign in, no money.

If your friend has no significant VN-based income (i.e. he doesn't get a Work Permit) he is like a long-term world traveller and only owes his taxes on US based income.

Wild_1 he will only be liable for taxes on SS from the States. Vietnam won't claim any of it.

Jaitch what your suggesting is fraud plain and simple if the person is over here for over 6 months. I admit that trip to Saigon is a pain every month, but it was our decision to retire over here not the SSA. We knew what the requirement was going in, just didn't think after all these years it would still be law. The part I don't like about it is that nobody in the system can explain the reasoning behind it. Cuba, North Korea I would understand but here.......

Thanks for the scoops, guys.  Man, what would I do without you?  I knew that with any income, Uncle Sam will want his share.  But Vietnam?  That was a bit peculiar. 

I will make sure that I pass this info on to my friend, so he could make a more informed decision on his future. 

Again, thanks, fellas.
Howie

Budman1 wrote:

Wild_1 he will only be liable for taxes on SS from the States. VietNam won't claim any of it.

Not fraud, you are entitled to your benefits, and knowing someone who lives out in the sticks it is quite an imposition and cost travel + one night in a hotel) he has found it much easier to maintain a presence in the States.

And if  there is no income from a VN source there is absolutely no reporting needed.

Should a US citizen over here die, and they entered the country on a US passport, the US diplo's will be advised, the passport returned by the Cong An to them and within a month the whole of the US Government will know the party is deceased.

So, where's the fraud?

IF a US citizen entered VN using a non-US passport, under the same conditions, the US authorities would NOT be notified. Should any payments continue AND such payments were withdrawn THAT would be fraud.

Besides, what they they going to do - take a stiff to court?

None of the three governments whose passports I hold know of my whereabouts ... and it is none of their business. And I maintain addresses in two of them and such addresses are sufficient for the government's purposes, according to their rules.

Involving multiple governments really complicates things.

Besides, if planning a crime it's wise to do it in private.