Advice Needed - Philippine Social Programs

[seekingthetruth 1,246]

My wife and I are wondering about this.  When my wife emigrates from PH and becomes a USC in a year or 2 or 3, what happens to her credits in PH social programs?

 

1. Is her Philippine citizenship revoked when she becomes a USC?

2.  Can or should she continue to pay her Philippine SS? If so, how would that be done while overseas?

 

The reason for asking is, there is always a chance she might want to return to live in Philippines, later in life.

[RO_AH 1,659]

21 minutes ago, seekingthetruth said:

My wife and I are wondering about this.  When my wife emigrates from PH and becomes a USC in a year or 2 or 3, what happens to her credits in PH social programs?

 

1. Is her Philippine citizenship revoked when she becomes a USC?

2.  Can or should she continue to pay her Philippine SS? If so, how would that be done while overseas?

 

The reason for asking is, there is always a chance she might want to return to live in Philippines, later in life.

Right after obtaining her US Citizenship she can regain her Philippines Citizenship and become a dual Citizen through the Philippines Consulate. I believe she can also continue to pay her Philippines SS.

[Adventine 3,196]

Yes, after obtaining US citizenship, she can easily re-obtain her Philippine citizenship. Hopefully by the time she needs to do that, any COVID-related delays are over.

And yes, she can continue to pay her SSS contributions. She can register an online account at sss.gov.ph, download the statement, and select how many months in advance she wants to pay. I recently did this for my father and prepaid his SSS contributions a year in advance (so he's done paying for Jan-Dec 2021).

 

However, I asked my father to physically go to a bank to make the payment. Haven't tried online SSS payments before. You could probably email the statement to a trusted contact in the PH and ask them to pay. You'd be able to check online when the payment posts (usually 1-2 business days after).

[Carpe Vinum 2,327]

Thanks. This is an interesting thread. I know my wife has little interest in living here by herself in the US. No matter how gwapo I may be I can not live forever 😉People really need to take a hard realistic look at how their spouse will live after they are gone and try to plan for it. 

[Adventine 3,196]

@boris64 it's a very practical (and sweet!) thing to do for the spouse who is left behind. 

[Talako 785]

18 minutes ago, boris64 said:

Thanks. This is an interesting thread. I know my wife has little interest in living here by herself in the US. No matter how gwapo I may be I can not live forever 😉People really need to take a hard realistic look at how their spouse will live after they are gone and try to plan for it. 

I am struggling with this now.  If I get ran over by a Jeepney in PH or a 4x4 dually on a backroad in TX, my wife would be overwhelmed.  

[MarryMe987654 244]

While the SSS is a good thing to have, I would suggest having something else other than SSS as it is not really much money to live comfortably when one is older.

My husband and I planned our finances not to depend on pension plans to kick in later as we want to be able to retire earlier than usual.

We've made investments that will continue to make money until such time that it makes so much, we can live off of it alone.

In addition, I bought a life insurance amounting to $500k with my husband as beneficiary in case something happens to me and I don't get to continue our plans together.

 

[Adventine 3,196]

@MarryMe987654 that's a sensible plan. My fiancé and I are planning along the same lines. 

 

SSS on its own isn't much, but it helps as another future income stream.

[MarryMe987654 244]

Just now, Adventine said:

SSS on its own isn't much, but it helps as another future income stream.

I agree. It's a government mandated contribution anyway... might as well take advantage of its benefits when possible.

[Carpe Vinum 2,327]

I waited a year or so until I was reasonably sure the marriage was going to last (s). Then I undertook the daunting task of making her my beneficiary of all my retirement and investment plans. She really has no interest in talking about these things. She always says you never know who will go first or other such nonsense. I have four adult sons but they really don't like discussing me kicking the bucket either. I am very lucky that I have a daughter-in-law that I trust completely to deal with these things. My natural inclination is to procrastinate about these things but I know if something happened to me my wife would be lost and my children would be stuck trying to figure it out. 

Edited February 16, 2021 by boris64

[Adventine 3,196]

4 minutes ago, boris64 said:

I waited a year or so until I was reasonably sure the marriage was going to last (s). Then I undertook the daunting task of making her my beneficiary of all my retirement and investment plans. She really has no interest in talking about these things. She always says you never know who will go first or other such nonsense. I have four adult sons but they really don't like discussing me kicking the bucket either. I am very lucky that I have a daughter-in-law that I trust completely to deal with these things. My natural inclination is to procrastinate about these things but I know if something happened to me my wife would be lost and my children would be stuck trying to figure it out. 

 

Whatever happens in the future, I think your family will be glad that you thought so far ahead. It'll help your spouse remember you as someone who always looked out for her.

[seekingthetruth 1,246]

You all have hit on some of the reasons I asked.  We know that Philippines SS will not be much, but you never know what the future holds.  A key reason we are moving to the U.S. is to get her 5 year residency so that she can draw on my SS account.

 

Like Boris, my wife doesn't want to get involved much and certainly not talk about me dying.  So I have to do most planning on my own, to make sure my wife and kids are secure when I am gone.  I retired early and the nest egg has still grown, so we are in good shape.

[seekingthetruth 1,246]

Also, she used to have a Pag Ibig contribution and understands that you can get that money when you are a senior.  Anyone know about that?

[MarryMe987654 244]

2 hours ago, seekingthetruth said:

Also, she used to have a Pag Ibig contribution and understands that you can get that money when you are a senior.  Anyone know about that?

She can withdraw the money from Pag-ibig (also named HDMF or Home Development Mutual Fund) when below occurs:

• Membership maturity after 20 years, equivalent to 240 monthly contributions
• Retirement at age 60 (optional) or 65 (mandatory)
• Separation from service due to health reasons
• Permanent departure from the country
• Permanent and total disability or insanity
• Upon death, in which case, his legal heirs will receive his TAV plus an additional death benefit
• Critical illness of the member or any of his immediate family member, as certified by a licensed physician

 

Source: https://www.pagibigfund.gov.ph/FAQ_RS.html

 

But it is hard to depend on this too as there are a lot of factors that determine the members total savings and dividends earned such as duration of contribution, the employers contribution and also the interest earned.

 

It is still nice to have though as it can used for other things such as 

• Housing loans
• Short term loans
• Multi-Purpose loans
• Calamity loans
• Provident Savings

Source: https://www.pagibigfund.gov.ph/

[MarryMe987654 244]

3 hours ago, boris64 said:

I waited a year or so until I was reasonably sure the marriage was going to last (s). Then I undertook the daunting task of making her my beneficiary of all my retirement and investment plans. She really has no interest in talking about these things. She always says you never know who will go first or other such nonsense. I have four adult sons but they really don't like discussing me kicking the bucket either. I am very lucky that I have a daughter-in-law that I trust completely to deal with these things. My natural inclination is to procrastinate about these things but I know if something happened to me my wife would be lost and my children would be stuck trying to figure it out. 

Yeah, my husband's the same way. He didn't want to talk about death and preparing for it in the future. He didn't even want me to get the life insurance until I told him that it's not just for him but for my family too. Lol. 

But he has put me as beneficiary to everything as soon as we got married--banks, investments, house, cars, life insurance, 401k, etc. He just trust that I will know what to do for my stepson if something happens.

 

I know it is a morbid topic to have to talk about but I would not be happy if something happens to me and my loved ones are left with nothing. Now, I just have to draw up a living will so that everything is in order. I can possibly use the will for my ROC too.