So last year (at age 62.8), I made the decision to get signed up. There's a SS office at the Frankfurt consulate and I figured....this would be pretty simple (based on comments I'd heard around a decade ago).
I tried to pose the question of an appointment back in August. Nothing came back. I tried calling....they were in some shutddown mode from Covid, so that went nowhere.
At one point, I contemplated getting on a plane to fly into the US for 48 hours....to just walk into some rural SS office and get signed up.
Then an update at the consulate web site occurred....they were back into business. So I sent a emal (Sep) to ask for an appointment. The earliest one? Early November. Ok, I accepted that.
I drove down to the office on the north side of Frankfurt. I parked about ten minutes walking from the gate, and came to find around 150 people in line. I had given myself plenty of time, but as each five minutes passed.....I found that I only moved up five steps. Roughly an hour passed before I get to the entry gate.
If you've never been to the consulate....remember one key thing....don't bring any cellphone with you.
So I get inside, and it's not readily apparent about where this is located....so I waste another 15 minutes within this building.
I arrive at roughly fifteen minutes prior to my appointment (being parked at 2.5 hours prior to it).
The guy takes all my info (I was totally prepared for each one).
The problem....there will be a phone-call later for me to finalize the application. This being early November....I kinda though it would occur in early December. Well...NO. I got a letter in December about the chat, but it would the 16th of Feb, before this would occur.
The chat went well yesterday, and the lady agreed to backdate everything to September. The key problem left? Things aren't working like they were ten years ago. She was not sure when I'd get my first check.
March? No. April? Probably not. She actually said it could go on up to eight months before I'd get this check (figure almost 12 months of SS in one single check), all because of the Covid backlog.
My advice, if you were getting near the age to sign up and living in Germany? Plan ahead. Make it for an 11 AM time at the consulate. Be set for parking problems. Make it an all-day experience and have lunch in the city. Be willing to accept that it might be eight months before that first check arrives.
If you think you can apply via the web site (stateside site), try it.
So a footnote. That IRS paper-filing I did for last year? The one for a $600 refund, and I mailed the state paper-filing on the same day? Nothing has occurred with the fed deal. IRS admits a backlog of 2-milliion filings, and can't tell the House or Senate....when these might be done. Some suggest that the refund won't even occur in 2022. My state (Ala) tax-filing? Well.....it was done in August of 2021.....on time.
Also, for a pretty decent lunch, I'd suggest the Romer Pils Brunnen (Toengesgasse 19).....near the shopping district (mid-town). For a German dish place.....4-star.
3 comments:
That's strange, I did everything by computer and phone. No waiting in line, no hassle. It did take a few months before the first check.
I talked to three guys over their experience by the computer 'path'. One had zero issues and the check started up 3 months later. The other two were besieged by further questions, which meant paperwork to prove things, and since I have that 5.5 year period working under German rules....I anticipated my experience being like theirs.
I will say...getting any face-to-face meeting (while overseas) is getting almost impossible, and I'd just advise people after this experience...try to use the computer input method until it fails. I wish the Sep episode had come come back with them telling me to send x-paperwork, and just do a phone-chat a month later (would have simplified the whole thing, and avoid Covid problems).
I did notice the American in front of me at the appointment...had virtually no knowledge or info (no prep) on SS, and he's been on the German employment system for well over 20 years. You have a lot of different cases presently, with various issues that you would normally not have if your whole life was based in the US.
I also have several years of working in Germany. My SS check from both sides (German and US) is adjusted to determine proper amount paid to me each month. 14% of your SS income will go toward insurance. I made the mistake of having them separate. I have a stateside account where the US payment goes and an account in Germany where the other goes. Needless to say, it isn't much but keeps me from starving.
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