Foreign Retiree working and still paying into social security?

[FAL4711]

My husband is a foreign retiree receiving monthly pension from Germany. He has a social security number but has never worked and paid into social security in the U.S.

Is it right to think that it will be a waste for him to work for a business and pay into social security and medicare from every paycheck considered he will not be working for 40 months during his retirement year to qualify for social security? 

[NateTheGrEAt]

Hi FAL4711,

Is it a waste? Not in my opinion, unless the only reason he was planning on working was to collect US Social Security. 

He would still earn income from the job. He would still have an opportunity to do work that might be interesting or rewarding. Work may help keep his mind sharp and allow him more opportunities to interact with people.

Yes, if he doesn't work for at least 40 quarters, he won't get anything back from Social Security here, but it sounds like he doesn't need that money anyway since he is considering not taking the job at all as an alternative. 

And who knows - maybe he will like the work and end up working longer than he expects. Many people are able to continue working into the 70s, 80s and beyond now. If he is doing something he enjoys, why not?

The above is really not tax advice - it is more of my personal opinion. But I hope it has been helpful to you in thinking through all the implications of the issue.