Around 68.5 million people receive Social Security benefits, which act as a reliable source of steady income for disabled and retired workers.
But what if those checks suddenly stopped appearing?
Some U.S. Embassy websites have posted notices warning beneficiaries their payments may have been suspended. The alert targeted those whose official address on record is outside the U.S.
Here’s exactly who is affected, and if that’s you, what you can do about it.
Over 700,000 of those who receive Social Security benefits live abroad. A number of them may be surprised to find they haven’t received a payment in February, prompting embassy websites to put up notices explaining why.
It’s to do with confirming one’s eligibility to receive payments. Every one or two years, depending on where they live and the exact form that needs to be filled out, those who live abroad and collect Social Security need to submit a Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire (FEQ), which is a document used to update or confirm certain pieces of information. This includes your name (or the representative payee’s name), address, Social Security number and other details. Further detail can be found on the Social Security Administration website.
Forms are sent out in the middle of the year and must be returned by the due date to ensure beneficiaries continue receiving payments on time. If not, their benefits might be suspended.
Remember, this applies to those whose address on record is outside the U.S.
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There are several steps you can take if your Social Security payments have been suspended. First, contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and mention your situation, and someone there should be able to help.
You may be told to contact the local Federal Benefits Unit (which provides services to the Social Security Administration) to give them the needed information. Once everything is processed, you could start receiving a paycheck again in a matter of days.
