Does my mom qualify for Social Security/Mediacaid?

[ZDante 0]

Hello All,

I am new here and I am in a different situation so I figured I'd get some advice. My mom was a permanet resident from 1989 to 2005 and went back to the United Kingdom after she divorced my dad to live with her parents. She had to forfeit her green card since she moved back to the UK. My dad continues to work in the United States and has contributed to Social Security for over twenty years. They were married for over ten years. If my mother gets a permanent resident card, Would she qualify for Social Security/Medicaid right away since she lived over here before for sixteen years? She is just about to turn 62 years old. I plan on petitioning her this year. Thanks for your help!

-ZD

[Darnell 8,478]

is possible - but - she can look up her stuff at ssa.gov to see if she has any benefits.

[Villanelle 4,122]

Once you have a SS number it never changes, its yours for life. Any work your mom did will show up on her SS statement which she can obtain from SS.

To obtain what is referred to as retirement benefits you must have earned 40 quarters of SS credits (which typically takes 10yrs) and be of a certain age. You dont even have to reside in the US.

You need to check out the SSA website. go to www.ssa.gov or call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. You can get information about collecting benefits abroad by reading the SSA’s booklet, “Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States.” You can download the booklet from the web at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.pdf.

So the question would be- did your mom actually work while she was in the US? Or are you trying to tap into your fathers benefits for the time they were married? (you may not be able to do that- the rules for that are trickier as they are 1. divorced and 2. it seems your father is still alive) there are provisions for widows benefits but as they are divorced I dont think it would apply.

I would recommend you or your mother call SS, perhaps a conference call if at all possible so they can pull up her records and give you specific information.

[ZDante 0]

My mother did not work during her time in the United States... she would be tapping into my father's benefits.

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

Did your mother ever remarry ?

[Kathryn41 3,205]

It does sound like she is eligible: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/yourdivspouse.htm and http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/299/~/qualifying-for-divorced-spouse-benefits . and http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/divspouse.htm . She should contact SSA to find out how much. She would have to apply for the benefit and a good question to ask is if it would be better for her to apply while still overseas or to wait until she returns to the US.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Once you have a SS number it never changes, its yours for life. Any work your mom did will show up on her SS statement which she can obtain from SS.

To obtain what is referred to as retirement benefits you must have earned 40 quarters of SS credits (which typically takes 10yrs) and be of a certain age. You dont even have to reside in the US.

You need to check out the SSA website. go to www.ssa.gov or call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213. You can get information about collecting benefits abroad by reading the SSA's booklet, "Your Payments While You Are Outside The United States." You can download the booklet from the web at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.pdf.

So the question would be- did your mom actually work while she was in the US? Or are you trying to tap into your fathers benefits for the time they were married? (you may not be able to do that- the rules for that are trickier as they are 1. divorced and 2. it seems your father is still alive) there are provisions for widows benefits but as they are divorced I dont think it would apply.

I would recommend you or your mother call SS, perhaps a conference call if at all possible so they can pull up her records and give you specific information.

I wasn't able to get the overseas booklet link above to load but found this link works: http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.html#a0=2 - a very useful resource!

[ZDante 0]

Thanks for all your help guys... she has not remarried.