Social Security Earnings Estimate form SSA-L9781-SM

[MikeyD]

I wasn’t able to find much information about this form on the internet so I thought I’d ask here.

My mail forwarding service in the US received form SSA-L9781-SM (Earnings Estimate) in the mail.  This appears to be a form that the SSA sends to those of us who retired before our Full Retirement Age (FRA) to provide estimated earnings before FRA and which months we think we might earn over the limit.   I had them scan it, then I downloaded it, filled it out and signed it.    The letter has the control number and barcode on it but I don’t have the physical return envelope with the barcode.  I’m not really wanting to have to pay for the form and envelope shipped to me in the Philippines unless necessary.  I am tempted to just put it in a regular envelope and write the Wilkes Barre PA mailing address (which is on the envelope received by my mail forwarding service) on it and go to a local Post Office here in Cebu City and mail it that way.  I can’t find a way to upload or email the form.

I’m wondering how important this is and what will happen if I don’t return it or if they don't receive it for whatever reason.  I have already started receiving my monthly benefit direct deposited into a US bank account.  The letter is kind of vague about the consequences of not returning it - “We will use the information to ensure that we are paying you correctly.  The information you provide is voluntary.  However, failure to provide us with the requested information could prevent us from making an accurate and timely decision on your benefit amount.”

I have not reported to the SSA that I am living in the Philippines, although I intend to stay here for good we don’t have a “permanent” long term address here (just renting a short term condo for now) so my current status really is that I have retired and am now travelling internationally currently in the Philippines and still maintain a US address via a mailing service.

I came across an online form to communicate to the Federal Benefits Unit of the US Embassy in Manilla (FBU Inquiry Form - U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (usembassy.gov)) and thought about asking them the best way to handle my situation but really don’t want to trigger anything that says that I am permanently living abroad just yet.  I plan to do that if/when things settle down for us and we decide to stay for good.

Has anyone received this form while being in the Philippines and if so how did you handle it?

[Gator]

15 minutes ago, MikeyD said:

I wasn’t able to find much information about this form on the internet so I thought I’d ask here.

My mail forwarding service in the US received form SSA-L9781-SM (Earnings Estimate) in the mail.  This appears to be a form that the SSA sends to those of us who retired before our Full Retirement Age (FRA) to provide estimated earnings before FRA and which months we think we might earn over the limit.   I had them scan it, then I downloaded it, filled it out and signed it.    The letter has the control number and barcode on it but I don’t have the physical return envelope with the barcode.  I’m not really wanting to have to pay for the form and envelope shipped to me in the Philippines unless necessary.  I am tempted to just put it in a regular envelope and write the Wilkes Barre PA mailing address (which is on the envelope received by my mail forwarding service) on it and go to a local Post Office here in Cebu City and mail it that way.  I can’t find a way to upload or email the form.

I’m wondering how important this is and what will happen if I don’t return it or if they don't receive it for whatever reason.  I have already started receiving my monthly benefit direct deposited into a US bank account.  The letter is kind of vague about the consequences of not returning it - “We will use the information to ensure that we are paying you correctly.  The information you provide is voluntary.  However, failure to provide us with the requested information could prevent us from making an accurate and timely decision on your benefit amount.”

I have not reported to the SSA that I am living in the Philippines, although I intend to stay here for good we don’t have a “permanent” long term address here (just renting a short term condo for now) so my current status really is that I have retired and am now travelling internationally currently in the Philippines and still maintain a US address via a mailing service.

I came across an online form to communicate to the Federal Benefits Unit of the US Embassy in Manilla (FBU Inquiry Form - U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (usembassy.gov)) and thought about asking them the best way to handle my situation but really don’t want to trigger anything that says that I am permanently living abroad just yet.  I plan to do that if/when things settle down for us and we decide to stay for good.

Has anyone received this form while being in the Philippines and if so how did you handle it?

I’m not familiar with the purpose of the form so can’t help you there. If you haven’t already had your mail forwarding service shred the original letter, then you might be able to email a scanned copy of the completed form to them and have them mail it. If they offer that service that is and for a fee I presume.  Otherwise you could email a scanned copy (or spend about 3k pesos and DHL the original) to a friend or relative in the USA and have them mail it in a regular envelope to Wilkes Barre. As long as they get it I doubt the SSA really cares about the envelope it arrives in.

[OnMyWay]

1 hour ago, MikeyD said:

I wasn’t able to find much information about this form on the internet so I thought I’d ask here.

My mail forwarding service in the US received form SSA-L9781-SM (Earnings Estimate) in the mail.  This appears to be a form that the SSA sends to those of us who retired before our Full Retirement Age (FRA) to provide estimated earnings before FRA and which months we think we might earn over the limit.   I had them scan it, then I downloaded it, filled it out and signed it.    The letter has the control number and barcode on it but I don’t have the physical return envelope with the barcode.  I’m not really wanting to have to pay for the form and envelope shipped to me in the Philippines unless necessary.  I am tempted to just put it in a regular envelope and write the Wilkes Barre PA mailing address (which is on the envelope received by my mail forwarding service) on it and go to a local Post Office here in Cebu City and mail it that way.  I can’t find a way to upload or email the form.

I’m wondering how important this is and what will happen if I don’t return it or if they don't receive it for whatever reason.  I have already started receiving my monthly benefit direct deposited into a US bank account.  The letter is kind of vague about the consequences of not returning it - “We will use the information to ensure that we are paying you correctly.  The information you provide is voluntary.  However, failure to provide us with the requested information could prevent us from making an accurate and timely decision on your benefit amount.”

I have not reported to the SSA that I am living in the Philippines, although I intend to stay here for good we don’t have a “permanent” long term address here (just renting a short term condo for now) so my current status really is that I have retired and am now travelling internationally currently in the Philippines and still maintain a US address via a mailing service.

I came across an online form to communicate to the Federal Benefits Unit of the US Embassy in Manilla (FBU Inquiry Form - U.S. Embassy in the Philippines (usembassy.gov)) and thought about asking them the best way to handle my situation but really don’t want to trigger anything that says that I am permanently living abroad just yet.  I plan to do that if/when things settle down for us and we decide to stay for good.

Has anyone received this form while being in the Philippines and if so how did you handle it?

I started collecting SS at age 62 five years ago.  I never have received this form.  I looked it up and it appears to apply to those who still have a job and earned income.  Do you still have a job and earned income?

https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0302510005

If you are collecting SS and still have earned income, they limit your benefit.  In my case, I think I can have a job and earn up to 55k USD before they will penalize my benefit.  So my job as a part time greeter at Walmart should be fine.

What I do with stuff that needs to be mailed back is this.  I download it from Travelling Mailbox, and fill it out like you did.  Then I scan it with my printer / scanner and make it a PDF.  Then I e-mail it to a relative in the U.S., have them print it and mail it to the SS address.

If you don't have a scanner, you can take your document to a shop who scans, and have them put it on a USB stick or e-mail it too you.  Optionally, you can use a phone app to scan it.

I would never recommend to give an important document to the Philippine post office.  If you do not have a job, I think you can ignore the form.  Read the link above.

[Lee]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

I have not reported to the SSA that I am living in the Philippines, although I intend to stay here for good we don’t have a “permanent” long term address here (just renting a short term condo for now) so my current status really is that I have retired and am now travelling internationally currently in the Philippines and still maintain a US address via a mailing service.

In my case, I also had a US mail service but the SSA figured out my PI mailing address (probably from the IRS) and they started sending SS documents through the Philippine mail. Not good.

Perhaps you can set up a My Social Security account  ( https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/) to avoid some of the hassle. When I tried to do this a few yrs back, it wouldn't accept my Philippine phone number as it's a different format from the states---perhaps this has changed recently.

This post might provide insight for why you received a Form SSA-L9781-SM. As I read it the problems starts if you make over 17K per yr and collect SS. IDK

https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/how-should-i-respond-ssas-earnings-estimate-form

I have contacted the US Embassy in Manila for SS questions and they were of little help. What they can do---they have done this for me 2 years in a row--is to email me a substitute 1099 in PDF format. Since the SS insists on sending my 1099s to the PI instead of my US mailing service---I might not receive the forms until the July or August. Hope that this helps.

[OnMyWay]

1 hour ago, Lee said:

In my case, I also had a US mail service but the SSA figured out my PI mailing address (probably from the IRS) and they started sending SS documents through the Philippine mail. Not good.

Perhaps you can set up a My Social Security account  ( https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/) to avoid some of the hassle. When I tried to do this a few yrs back, it wouldn't accept my Philippine phone number as it's a different format from the states---perhaps this has changed recently.

This post might provide insight for why you received a Form SSA-L9781-SM. As I read it the problems starts if you make over 17K per yr and collect SS. IDK

https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/how-should-i-respond-ssas-earnings-estimate-form

I have contacted the US Embassy in Manila for SS questions and they were of little help. What they can do---they have done this for me 2 years in a row--is to email me a substitute 1099 in PDF format. Since the SS insists on sending my 1099s to the PI instead of my US mailing service---I might not receive the forms until the July or August. Hope that this helps.

I think you misquoted me instead of the OP.  Tagging him here.  @MikeyD

Luckily I set up a My SS account years ago and it is still working.

[Joey G]

A SSA-L9781-SM is sent to you... IF you worked at all the prior year (2022)... OR IF you reported that you plan to work (2023)... and now they want an updated estimate how much you might make in 2023.

If you don't reply they won't stop your SS payments, however.... IF you do have earnings in 2023, the SSA will find out when you file your federal taxes. And depending how much your earnings are, they will not hesitate to adjust your monthly SS benefit.  I got one the year I retired because I worked part of the year before collecting my SS the same year.

If you have zero earnings for 2023, and do not plan to have any earnings in 2024, I wouldn't worry about it.

[MikeyD]

On 9/4/2023 at 3:14 PM, Gator said:

If you haven’t already had your mail forwarding service shred the original letter, then you might be able to email a scanned copy of the completed form to them and have them mail it.

That’s a good idea, I hadn’t thought of using my mail forwarding service mail it.  I have used them to mail checks to my US bank for deposit in the past. 

 

On 9/4/2023 at 4:13 PM, OnMyWay said:

it appears to apply to those who still have a job and earned income.  Do you still have a job and earned income?

I am no longer earning income from a job.  My last paycheck was in May and I had my SS benefits start in June so that there would be no overlap.

On 9/4/2023 at 8:03 PM, OnMyWay said:

This post might provide insight for why you received a Form SSA-L9781-SM. As I read it the problems starts if you make over 17K per yr and collect SS. IDK

https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/how-should-i-respond-ssas-earnings-estimate-form

Thanks for this link, it was very informative.  It seems like the purpose of the form is to prevent overpayments and in my case since I still don’t plan on earning any income after May then I don’t think I would be overpaid. 

 

On 9/4/2023 at 6:18 PM, Lee said:

In my case, I also had a US mail service but the SSA figured out my PI mailing address (probably from the IRS) and they started sending SS documents through the Philippine mail. Not good.

Perhaps you can set up a My Social Security account  ( https://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/) to avoid some of the hassle. When I tried to do this a few yrs back, it wouldn't accept my Philippine phone number as it's a different format from the states---perhaps this has changed recently.

I did set up a My Social security account when I was in the US and updated it with my mail forwarding service address before I left the US, hopefully that will keep my mail from the SSA coming to my mail forwarding service.

On 9/5/2023 at 2:56 AM, Joey G said:

A SSA-L9781-SM is sent to you... IF you worked at all the prior year (2022)... OR IF you reported that you plan to work (2023)... and now they want an updated estimate how much you might make in 2023.

If you don't reply they won't stop your SS payments, however.... IF you do have earnings in 2023, the SSA will find out when you file your federal taxes. And depending how much your earnings are, they will not hesitate to adjust your monthly SS benefit.  I got one the year I retired because I worked part of the year before collecting my SS the same year.

If you have zero earnings for 2023, and do not plan to have any earnings in 2024, I wouldn't worry about it.

I was assuming that if I do have earnings over the limit after I retired and before my FRA that the SSA will make adjustments to my payments after I file federal income taxes so I was surprised to get the form but I understand they want to avoid overpayments and having to withhold future payments.  Thanks for your insights