NORTH AREA

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, 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

*At this time, the Teudat Zehut is not being given to Olim at the airport. An oleh may receive it at any Misrad HaPnim (Population Administration) office. 

The Israeli ID “Teudat Zehut” is the Israeli compulsory identity document.  All new ID cards are biometric. Olim (immigrants) receive temporary teudat zehut cards at the airport.  They are required to exchange them after 90 days for a biometric teudat zehut. Your first biometric teudat zehut is free.  Israelis who have non-biometric teudat zehut cards are not currently obligated to exchange them but may do so if they so wish.

How to apply https://www.gov.il/en/service/biometric_smart_id_request

make an appointment to apply at a Population Administration office

Bring to Misrad HaPnim:

• your foreign passport 
• your birth certificate
• Teudat Oleh or evidence of eligibility for Israeli citizenship by Right of Return
• relevant original certificates if you are married, divorced, or widowed.

Documents that were issued outside of Israel must be original documents and may need an apostille or be authenticated by an Israeli Embassy or Consulate in the country they were issued in.

At the Misrad HaPnim appointment, a clerk will:   

• photograph your face
• scan your index fingers   (You can opt out of storing your fingerprints in the biometric database, but you still need to scan them. They will be stored on your ID card’s chip. If you opt out, your ID will be valid for five years not ten.)
• register your personal details

When you complete your application, you will receive an envelope with a personal code and password. The code will be sent to your cellphone as well.

Your ID will be delivered by registered Israel post to the address you gave when applying. The postal worker will verify your personal code before handing over the ID.  Without this you will not be able to receive the ID.

Activate your ID

Use the code and password to activate your ID.  If you do not activate your ID it will not be valid.  Your Biometric ID password lets you access online services on Gov.il and services at self-service stations

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.