Retiring Abroad? You May Not Be Able to Get Social Security Checks in These 9 Countries

Retiring Abroad? You May Not Be Able to Get Social Security Checks in These 9 Countries

Kailey Hagen, CFP®, The Motley Fool

Sun, August 16, 2026 at 12:20 AM GMT+3 2 min read

Sometimes, you just want to get out and see the world after 40 years stuck working a 9-to-5 job. That's understandable, but it often takes more preparation than just booking plane tickets, especially if you're moving abroad. You'll need to plan for new taxes, a different cost of living, and a completely different lifestyle.

You usually don't have to plan for a retirement without Social Security, but there are a few exceptions. If you move to any of the nine countries listed below, you might have to get by without your benefits.

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The Social Security Administration will send your Social Security benefits to you in most other countries, except:

1. Azerbaijan

2. Belarus

3. Cuba

4. Kazakhstan

5. Kyrgyzstan

6. North Korea

7. Tajikistan

8. Turkmenistan

9. Uzbekistan

These destinations aren't at the top of most people's retirement bucket lists, so this shouldn't be a problem for most seniors. But if you were thinking about moving to one of these countries, you may need to plan your budget without factoring in Social Security.

With the exception of Cuba and North Korea, it is sometimes possible to receive payments in the other countries on the list above, but you must agree to restricted payment terms. Contact the Social Security Administration to learn more about this.

Do this before you finalize your move abroad, so that you have a realistic idea of what your retirement budget will look like. If you run into any problems, you may have to rethink your plans or consider delaying retirement to give yourself more time to save what you need.

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Retiring Abroad? You May Not Be Able to Get Social Security Checks in These 9 Countries was originally published by The Motley Fool