My mother can get SSI benefits?

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

If you are a sponsored noncitizen

If you are an immigrant who is sponsored by a U.S.

resident, we look at the income and resources of the

following people in deciding whether you can get SSI and

how much your payments will be:

• Yourself (including anything you still have in your

homeland);

• Your spouse;

• Your parents if you are under age 18;18

• Your sponsor; and

• Your sponsor’s spouse.

You must report any changes in the income and

resources of all the above people until you become a U.S.

citizen or you work for 10 years. (Work done by your spouse

or parent may count towards the 10 years for SSI.) After that

time, you have to report only changes for yourself, your

spouse and, if you are younger than age 18, your parents.

[Avery Cates 1,141]

I've arrived in America! Which way to the government handout money office?

Edited March 20, 2014 by Avery Cates

[Chicagoguy 2 27]

As a side note I do get SS now. If I die my foreign wife will receive 1/2 of my then current benefits BUT only after we are married 10 years.

[daniel_angela08 0]

i haved know people to never work a day in there live and got ss at 62 they didnt get much and that was rude to ask if they wanted a free hand out you call the socail security office im sure she can god bless

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

As a side note I do get SS now. If I die my foreign wife will receive 1/2 of my then current benefits BUT only after we are married 10 years.

And only once she gets to retirement age or has your minor child in her care

[britishdakota 18]

There are social security treaties in place with other countries. So her contributions there may count.

The UK, Canada, Australia and a few other countries have treaties with the US about this.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

She is 61 years old...she has recently became permanent resident of USA but never worked in USA...

can she get any type of benefits?

According to http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/what-public-benefits-can-green-card-holder-receive.html

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

SSI is a federal benefits program that provides cash assistance to low-income seniors (65 years or older) and low-income disabled children and adults.

Permanent residents cannot apply for SSI benefits until they have lived in the U.S. for five years. After five years in the U.S., a permanent resident will qualify for SSI only if he or she has credit for 40 quarters of work. There are special rules about how to count the 40 quarters, including:

• Only work in the U.S. counts towards the 40-quarter requirement.

• If the person receives any “means-tested public benefits” during a quarter, no credit will be given for that quarter.

• The work of parents performed while a permanent resident is under age 18 can be counted, and

• The work of a spouse performed during the marriage (as long as there was no divorce or annulment) can be counted.

So a couple of options within these parameters:

- Quickly find a job and start getting those 40 quarters in.. It means she will not be able to retire until she is 71 and the payout will not be great but it will last the rest of her life.

- Get married to someone who is working and work five years she can retire at 66 (she has to wait five years to file anyway) or get married to someone working and don't work at all and wait ten years.

Edited March 20, 2014 by OnMyWayID