Canadian Citizen resides in Europe, US/CAN pension.

BETEP · Post by **BETEP** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 12:13 pm

Hi folks!

I am Canadian citizen, who lives in Europe. I worked 3 years in Canada. After that I moved to the USA and I worked 10 years there. I have 40 credits earned in the USA. I have USA green card, and social security number.

Two month ago I moved to Europe. I don't plan to move back to USA or Canada. I will be living and retiring in Europe. So, I will lose my permanent resident status in USA. In Canada I am not a resident for tax purposes.

I am trying to do my retirement planning. I assume that I will be eligible to receive Social Security benefits form US and CPP from Canada.

My questions:
Will I be eligible as a Canadian Citizen, who resides in Europe for Social Securities benefits from USA?

Will I be eligible as a Canadian Citizen, who resides in Europe for Canadian Pension Plan benefits?

What do I do with my green card? Do i file an application to abandon my permanent resident status in the USA and stop filing tax to IRS? Will that effect my SS benefits? Or, I don't abandon technically my permanent resident status and file taxes to IRS, so I don't lose my eligibility for SS benefits from USA?

Please help!
Thanks in advance!

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 12:31 pm

You will get SS based on your US work history alone.
You will get CPP based on your Cdn history alone.

Both will be paid to you regardless of where you live, and regardless of US green card or not. Your GC will no longer be valid soon, so you might as well renounce officially.

Check with Canadian and US social security treaties with your new country of residence. There may be additional benefits in that country that your US and Cdn work history may qualify you for. It may even qualify you for a small OAS check from canada.

Of couse, if you have only worked 13 years, you are either not going to get much pension, or you have many more years of work ahead of you, and so will have to see what state the SS and CP systems will be in by then.

But under current rules you qualify for SS and CPP at retirement, without any further work history in either country.

BETEP · Post by **BETEP** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 2:33 pm

NelsonA, Thank you very much for you response.

>Both will be paid to you regardless of where you live, and regardless of US green card or not.

the above s true due to the fact that I am Canadian citizen. Right?

>Your GC will no longer be valid soon, so you might as well renounce officially.
I am planning to do so, to stop filing my USA tax 1040 form every year.

Thanks again!

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Thu Nov 18, 2010 5:22 pm

Your SS and CPP will be paid to you first because you live in a country that has no restrictions placed upon it by US congress for sending money.

Only if you live in a restricted country, would you then have to rely on your citizenship.

BETEP · Post by **BETEP** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 1:38 pm

Thanks again NelsonA.

In order to abandon LPR in US, i have to file I-407. After that I don't need to file any US taxes.

I searched the web and cant find a single resource that after filing I-407 I will not lose my 40 earned credits and my SS benefits.

I am so worried about that.

nelsona · Post by **nelsona** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 2:07 pm

You can't find it because it isn't an issue.

In the year you file I-407, you will have to file a return for that year.