My Gov´t doesn´t answer

[jim king]

I have been dialing the numbers posted on the web site of the Social Security Dept. for a few months now and only get a recording with one exception. I was able to talk to them once but got nothing accomplished. There is an office here in South America in the Embassy down in Argentina but they dont answer either.

I have left messages but no one answers. The mail takes about 20 days if in fact it gets there . I have sent about 10 letters and also by DHL but no answer.

I can only call standard telephone numbers as toll free numbers are not possible to call from outside the US. I have sent faxes- no answer.

Any working numbers or however I may contact them would be appreciated.

[Onthesauk]

It's almost that tough up here Jim.

Had a neighbor who got tossed out of the SS office about 50 miles north of us when he got upset when he discovered there was no one there that day who spoke English.  Russian or Spanish, but no English.

[isawlogs]

  You are telling me you have a social service office that had no one there to speak English ..............  Wow .  I thought it was tuff here to get someone to speak French , at least they either speak one or the other and some times both ,  but never none of the above Wow . 

[DanG]

Jim, I may have an answer for you, but it won't be real quick.  You can contact them by mail, or phone if you can, and make an appointment for them to call you.  That seems like a roundabout way to do things, but it is very effective.  We have used that a few times with good results.  If they know the nature of your problem in advance, a person who is able to help will call at the appointed time, and be prepared to help you.  Since you have internet access, you may be able to make the appointment through their website. 

I have found that when you finally get to the right person, they are extremely helpful and pleasant to deal with.

Heck, if you can't get through to them any other way, let me know and I'll run down to the local office and ask them what you should do.

[jim king]

 Join Date: May 2006
Location: Iquitos, Peru
Posts: 639 

SS Administration

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It was like majic. It is Independence day here and a holiday today so in the morning I started calling at 8:00 East Coast time and the same recording. Then I put the message here and within half an hour of dialing again someone actually answered the phone and I found out that I am OK and my wife needs another form faxed tomorrow.

To make it more surprising when I was talking my Great Dane and Mastiff both decided to sleep under my desk and tore the telephone cord out of the wall and I lost the call. I sent a guy to get a new box and got it installed and called again and got thru again. That not being amazing enough they called me back to reconfirm everything.

I did find out something interesting in the conversations in that I as a US citizen from Wisconsin with a Peruvian Resident Card I pay no taxes on SS but if I were a Peruvian returning home I would have to pay a tax of 25%.

My wife and I both stopped working for health problems about 6 months ago but I dont think I will be able to do it much longer.  A life without work and problems is not very inviting for me and I think working is more healthy that being retired.  When I get done building our down sized retirement house I think I will get busy doing something. 

Thanks for the advice and offers.

[Tom]

Jim,
Don't knock Retirement yet!!   The difference in working in your retirement and working to retire is that, once retired, you work at what you want, when you want.  That almost makes it fun. :D

[beenthere]

jim
Are you saying you pay no SS taxes, but will collect SS from the US when in your retirement home in Peru? Maybe I read that wrong.

[jim king]

Beenthere:

We have a number of retired Americans living here for that reason.  Living outside of the US you dont pay income tax on the first $80,000 US of income.   In the wood business in Peru there is NO tax but what I call a reverse tax where the Government pays all exporters 3% of the export invoice value.

The other reason is the cost of living for a retired person here is very low , comfortable and the beer is cold and the food good.  For $1500 a month life is very comfortable here and no wind chill factor but I do miss ice fishing and deer hunting.  I can do that up in the Andes but it is a several hour climb after a 1 1/2 hour flight , not like northern Wisconsin where we had a lot of lakes 10 minetes to half an hour from the farm.

Here is the local English newspaper.  You can see that no one takes much very serious.

www.iquitostimes.com

[Slabs]

Jim,
Don't knock Retirement yet!!   The difference in working in your retirement and working to retire is that, once retired, you work at what you want, when you want.  That almost makes it fun. :D

Tom, it's more than fun.  It's revitalizing.  What you can accomplish without even trying is amazing.  But possibly the most rewarding aspect of retirement activity is being able to help neighbors and friends with their needs.  "Habitat" work can't hold it a light.

[Handy Andy]

  I'm starting to understand why there are forum members from out of the country.  If this congress and president get what they want, think I'm looking at moving too.

[Ironwood]

 



I frequently reference this Peruian photo of a family of 5 living in the tiny stone and thatch hut behind them at 16,000'. We have 5 people in our 1200 sq. ft. home and everyone keeps saying we need to add on : If they can get by heating and cooking w/ dried Lama dung and turf (yup, burns like wood as the root density at that altitude is extensive), then we can get by w/ NG heat/ cooking, electric and 1200 sq ft.  ;D

Ironwood

[DanG]

I like that pic, Ironwood!  Most of us could do with less than what we have, and be happier for it in many cases.  In my teen years, there were 7 of us in less than 1000 sq ft.  Right now, Linda and I get along quite well in a 14x60 mobile home.  It did get a bit cozy for the past week while my Daughter and her 4 kids were here, though. In the middle of the night, the place resembled one of them temporary morgues you see on the news sometimes. :D :D

[Ironwood]

Wifey wants "our" bedroom back. I  may be stacking the boys three high on bunks soon.  :D It works for me, it'll be a NICE bunk too!!!

Ironwood