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A United States citizen who has paid in to U.S. Social Security for at least 40 quarters may file for a Social Security pension.  A U.S. citizen pays into Social Security while being employed in the U.S. and may also pay into Social Security when working on a freelance basis outside of the U.S.

A spouse of a United States citizen who is collecting a Social Security pension may be eligible for a reduced Social Security pension even if they have not paid in 40 quarters.

One may file for a pension from the age of 62.  Full retirement benefits are available between age 66 – 67, depending on your birthdate.  If you file later than age 62, your benefits are higher and they are automatically calculated by Social Security.  You may also receive, in certain cases, from 6 months to a year of retroactivity for retirement claims.  If you file for early retirement from age 62, your benefits are reduced.

Until the full age of retirement, you cannot work more than 45 hours a month outside the U.S. and continue receiving your full Social Security Benefits.

One must report foreign pensions whenever they are received.  The failure to report a pension based on work (not covered by Social Security) constitutes fraud.  Applying first for Social Security benefits does not relieve the recipient of this reporting obligation.  For clarification please check information on the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) at the Social Security website:  www.ssa.gov.

Anyone with Social Security questions may contact the Federal Benefits Unit at the U.S. Jerusalem Embassy which answers Social Security questions for all U.S. citizens in Israel.

https://il.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/fbu-inquiry-form/ or fbu.jerusalem@ssa.gov .

In all correspondence with the FBU, please include:  your name, last four digits of your Social Security number, address in Israel, and a contact phone number.

AACI wishes to thank the Federal Benefits Unit of the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem for this information.

The information presented in this article was accurate at the time of publication.  Changes in procedures and in the law may occur.  AACI does not take responsibility for changes and recommends you confirm the above information with an AACI counselor.

KITZVAT EZRACH VATIK – GOVERNMENT OLD AGE PENSION
AACI Information Sheet

Kitzvat Ezrach Vatik, the basic old-age pension monthly allowance, is NIS 1736 for an individual and NIS 2609 for a couple (the pension for a couple is composed of a pension for an individual plus an increment for the spouse). If each of the couple separately meets the entitlement criteria for Kitzvat Ezrach Vatik, each of them will receive a pension.

The pensioner must be in Israel in order to apply for Kitzvat Ezrach Vatik and may apply once he has reached pension age. The conditional pension age is called Gil Prisha.  For women it starts at 62 and gradually goes up to 65, depending on the date of birth.  For men, it is 67. Eligibility at Gil Prisha is means tested.  The non-conditional pension age is called Gil Zakaut and is 70 for both men and women. At Gil Zakaut, your income is no longer a factor in determining eligibility. The pensioner may receive payments up to one year retroactively. The pensioner must be recognized as a resident of Israel by Bituach Leumi (National Insurance Institute) in order to be eligible for Kitzvat Ezrach Vatik.

A man who immigrated to Israel 5 years before Gil Prisha is eligible for Kitzvat Ezrach Vatik.

A woman who immigrated to Israel at least one day before Gil Prisha, and is one of the following, is eligible for Kitzvat Ezrach Vatik:

• An unmarried woman whether single, divorced or widowed (except for a widow with a survivor’s pension or dependents’ pension and not working) or an aguna.
• A married woman who worked outside her home for at least 5 years out of the 10 years before Gil Prisha or for 144 months.
• A married woman whose spouse is not covered by old-age or survivors’ insurance (because of his age at the time of his aliyah or because he is not an Israeli resident).

A 2% increment is given for each year a person paid in to Bituach Leumi. The maximum increment amount given is 50% of the Kitzvat Ezrach Vatik.   A 5% increment is given for every year a person works and defers his pension past Gil Prisha, up until Gil Zakaut.

Returning Israelis who have reached pension age should apply for Kitzvat Ezrach Vatik. Usually, if they have paid in for at least 5 years they will receive Kitzvat Ezrach Vatik.  However, each case is evaluated by Bituach Leumi on an individual basis and therefore all Returning Residents should apply.

The information presented in this article was accurate at the time of publication.  Changes in procedures and in the law may occur.  AACI does not take responsibility for changes and recommends you confirm the above information with an AACI counselor.

NATIONAL SENIOR CITIZEN CARD

Every Israeli resident who reaches the conditional age of retirement according to the National Insurance Institute (Bituach Leumi) is entitled to receive a Senior Citizen Card, Cartis Ezrach Vatik.  The current conditional age is 67 for men and 62 – 65 for women, depending on their brithdate.

This card entitles seniors to discounts on public transportation; reduced theater, museum and national parks entrance fees; and other benefits.

If you made aliyah before your retirement age, you may receive the card automatically in the mail.  Please apply if you made aliyah as a retiree or if you did not receive the card within a month of retirement.

You may apply for the Ezrach Vatik card by phone at *8840 between 8:00 – 16:00 or online (in Hebrew) at https://form.mse.gov.il/seniorcard/ .

The card may take up to two months after applying to arrive.

For a Digital Senior Card, there is an app in Hebrew.

You can Download the Senior Citizen app from
* Google Play – for Android devices  
* AppStore  – for iOS (Apple) devices

Search in English by putting in Shivyon
Or in Hebrew  אזרח ותיק   with a Menorah.