Applying for Social Security and Actually Receiving It

Hello-
I know that I am probably not in the correct place to post this topic and I didn't see anywhere else that it would really fit in with.

I have written to the Social Security office in the U.S. in October and since I still haven't heard from them, I wrote the office at the American Embassy in London in April and still haven't heard from them either.

Any suggestions please? I wanted some questions answered before I applied. I am 62 years old so I wasn't sure if it is worth taking the retirement now or wait.

Has anyone else received SS from the states while living in England and if so, how hard is it to receive it?

Thanks for your help. 

Its very easy to receive Social Security in the UK.  You just need to claim it and tell them you want it paid into a UK account and then it will be deposited on or around the 3rd of every month.  I can not help you with deciding when you should claim your Social Security as that is dependent on your financial situation now and in the future.  I do know that if you claim it at age 62 you will receive a reduced amount forever, it will not increase when you reach normal retirement age.

Sorry I can help more.. 

I'm not yet at the point of applying for it but I registered online with them and every now and then I log in to check my benefits.

Even without registering and setting up an account it looks like you can apply online to begin receiving benefits etc.

https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/

Not sure if I'm just lucky or not, but I was under the impression (from having tried) that it can be impossible to create a SS account online unless you have a US cell phone.

There's a process you follow online, print, and then mail to them. A few months later they'll be back in touch. https://blog.ssa.gov/social-security-benefits-u-s-citizens-outside-the-united-states/  might be of use to you.

They direct deposit it to whatever bank you want - in the USA, overseas (with some restrictions), etc. In the UK it comes in as a direct deposit from Citibank Ireland in pounds. It's also my understanding that you get the best available exchange rate on the date of deposit.

Not sure if I'm just lucky or not, but I was under the impression (from having tried) that it can be impossible to create a SS account online unless you have a US cell phone.

There's a process you follow online, print, and then mail to them. A few months later they'll be back in touch. https://blog.ssa.gov/social-security-benefits-u-s-citizens-outside-the-united-states/  might be of use to you.

They direct deposit it to whatever bank you want - in the USA, overseas (with some restrictions), etc. In the UK it comes in as a direct deposit from Citibank Ireland in pounds. It's also my understanding that you get the best available exchange rate on the date of deposit.

They abandoned the cell phone verification because too many folks in the US didn’t have cell phones. They replaced it with email, and each time I log in I get sent a verification code to my registered email address, which I copy and paste to then log into my account.

Really? I haven't tried in a few months, will have to give it another go!

EDIT - Yes, they seem to have taken the cell phone requirement off, but they do require a US address. Which, unfortunately, I do not have.

Really? I haven't tried in a few months, will have to give it another go!

EDIT - Yes, they seem to have taken the cell phone requirement off, but they do require a US address. Which, unfortunately, I do not have.

That’s tough. I set up my account some years ago while still living in the US.

Yes we did the same... I was so glad we set up access before we left the US as it has made it so much easier to see our Social Security accounts online rather than have to phone every time I need a verification letter or I want to check the payments schedule..

I had tried to set it up before I left but couldn't get it to work. I did have a security freeze on my credit reports, and thought that might have been the cause of it. 

I had tried to set it up before I left but couldn't get it to work. I did have a security freeze on my credit reports, and thought that might have been the cause of it. 

Water under the bridge now. If they require a US address that you don't have or can’t get then I guess you are stuck with phone calls and letter writing. Not a total disaster just a bit slower and more difficult.

Well, I do have a US address I've been using for some things, but they still can't set it up. I assume it's the credit freeze.... No biggie, I guess. As long as the checks keep coming. 

Well, I do have a US address I've been using for some things, but they still can't set it up. I assume it's the credit freeze.... No biggie, I guess. As long as the checks keep coming. 

I’ve had a credit freeze in place for many years but can’t remember if I set up my SS online account before that or not.

...
Any suggestions please? I wanted some questions answered before I applied. I am 62 years old so I wasn't sure if it is worth taking the retirement now or wait.

Whether you take it now or wait depends on whether you need the money, and how long you expect to live.

Here is an article appropriate to your age range to help you make sense of the strategy you should take.  http://time.com/money/4616738/social-security-benefits-new-retirement-math/

Also, I don't know what the trick is, but I have heard that if you like the idea of suspending/deferring retirement to get greater than 100%, you need to do it in the months before you reach full retirement age (probably age 67 for you).  If you wait until your FRA, I understand it's too late to defer and you miss out on the bonus forever.

But if you're looking to take early retirement, that's not an issue for you.