SS and UK state pension questions

So first of all, COLA 8.7% for 2023, hurrah!

Secondly, my DH had 3 years of NI contributions and is now retired.  He has no option to voluntarily add any additional years.  He has SS contributions for > 30 years and has the meeting this week to apply for benefits.  So my question is, what if anything can he do to get some benefit from the 3 years of NI contributions?  From what I’ve read they won’t be considered by SS as he already has a ‘full’ record of contributions with them.  I did read that his US contributions could be used to fill out his missing years of NI to get him a pension here too.  Is this true? And if so would it potentially impact his SS ( which will be a very much bigger benefit and we wouldn’t want to do anything to reduce it)?  In the case that it can be done with no negative consequences, what do we have to do?

I don’t think there is anything that can be done with his 3 years of NI contributions. They won’t affect for 2 reasons, he won’t be receiving an OAP and he has 30 years of SS contributions so there would be no WEP reductions anyway.

Secondly, my DH had 3 years of NI contributions and is now retired. ....  He has SS contributions for > 30 years and has the meeting this week to apply for benefits.  .......So my question is, what if anything can he do to get some benefit from the 3 years of NI contributions? .... I did read that his US contributions could be used to fill out his missing years of NI to get him a pension here too.  Is this true?...... In the case that it can be done with no negative consequences, what do we have to do?

If he is at UK retirement age for the State Pension, contact them (UK DWP) and explain about the 30 years of US contributions. DWP will apply the US/UK Totalization Agreement, and he should receive a weekly payment for the 3 years only. It's my understanding he only needs 1.5 years of UK contributions to qualify for the agreement.

As a very rough example, if max UK years are 30, then he would receive 3/30ths of the UK weekly amount (£UK max / 10).

When talking to the US SSA folks, mention the 3 years UK. They may start the ball rolling, or they should confirm his right to apply for the 3 years UK State Pension.

There should be no WEP applied to his US SSA benefit resulting from the UK SP benefit. Does he have any UK company pensions?

If he is at UK retirement age for the State Pension, contact them (UK DWP) and explain about the 30 years of US contributions. DWP will apply the US/UK Totalization Agreement, and he should receive a weekly payment for the 3 years only. It's my understanding he only needs 1.5 years of UK contributions to qualify for the agreement.

As a very rough example, if max UK years are 30, then he would receive 3/30ths of the UK weekly amount (£UK max / 10).

When talking to the US SSA folks, mention the 3 years UK. They may start the ball rolling, or they should confirm his right to apply for the 3 years UK State Pension.

There should be no WEP applied to his US SSA benefit resulting from the UK SP benefit. Does he have any UK company pensions?

That’s good to know.

These days full pension is based on 35 years so 3 years would be 3/35ths.

With 30 years of SS contributions I don’t believe there will be any WEP consequences from UK private pensions either?  I will know for sure in just over 2 years when I apply for my SS.

With 30 years of SS contributions I don’t believe there will be any WEP consequences from UK private pensions either?

You’re correct about that. No WEP with 30 years of SSA contributions.

When I retired, I had 18 years of UK contributions. Unfortunately, the UK max at that time was 44 years. So I receive 18/44ths. If only I had known in the following year they were going to reduce the max years.

. Does he have any UK company pensions?

No that’s been cashed in a few years back.

Here’s a related question: A UK citizen friend that I worked with in the USA has probably 10 years of SS contributions.  He now lives back in the UK, is a couple years from retirement, probably has enough years NI for a full state pension. He was on a green card, has a SS number obviously, doesn’t file US taxes, hasn’t lived in the US for probably 30 years.  What can he do with/about his SS contributions? 

No that’s been cashed in a few years back.

Here’s a related question: A UK citizen friend that I worked with in the USA has probably 10 years of SS contributions.  He now lives back in the UK, is a couple years from retirement, probably has enough years NI for a full state pension. He was on a green card, has a SS number obviously, doesn’t file US taxes, hasn’t lived in the US for probably 30 years.  What can he do with/about his SS contributions?

Apply for SS, 10 years is enough. Contact the FBU at the US embassy to apply or get an estimate of benefits.


https://uk.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/federal-benefits/

Here’s a related question: A UK citizen friend that I worked with in the USA has probably 10 years of SS contributions.  He now lives back in the UK, is a couple years from retirement, probably has enough years NI for a full state pension. He was on a green card, has a SS number obviously, doesn’t file US taxes, hasn’t lived in the US for probably 30 years.  What can he do with/about his SS contributions?

As I have posted elsewhere, I was in a similar position back in 2016 (although I am a dual UKC/USC) - the key is the number of credits he has on his US Social Security record - he should have received his contribution records from Social Security at some time - armed with his SS number he should be able to get his up to date record either from the FBU or (more likely) SSA in Baltimore - that's the starting point - does he have the magical 40 credits.

I cannot overestimate the value of those credits - even if he is a little short, it's possible to earn the remaining credits with any form of paid employment in the US - even as a working holiday (effectively what I did in 2017 when I was 4 credits short);

Read the following thread that I started:

https://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=100424.0

I cannot overestimate the value of those credits - even if he is a little short, it's possible to earn the remaining credits with any form of paid employment in the US - even as a working holiday (effectively what I did in 2017 when I was 4 credits short);

I had read your thread, I think that’s brilliant, but in the case of my friend who isn’t USC and with a green card lapsed years ago I’m not sure how he’d pull that off.  Perhaps totalizaton might be able to be used.

I had read your thread, I think that’s brilliant, but in the case of my friend who isn’t USC and with a green card lapsed years ago I’m not sure how he’d pull that off.  Perhaps totalizaton might be able to be used.

Step 1 is to get a statement. If he doesn’t have 40 credits then explore Totalization.

Step 1 is to get a statement. If he doesn’t have 40 credits then explore Totalization.

Yep, I have advised him to do this.  I have also given the same advise to several other friends in a similar position.  I feel there’s a business opportunity here, digging up Brits who have lived in the US at some point and helping them get SS benefits, I suspect there’s a big pool who qualify for ex-spouse benefits too😂