Both my (Japanese) wife and I (American) meet the 120 quarter requirements to receive US Social Security (SS) and her PIA is about 1/3 or mine, therefore she is also eligible for the spousal benefit and can receive up to half of my PIA from the US once we both begin claiming SS.
When we move to Japan we will both be in our early 50's and while she won't meet the eligibility requirements for the Japanese national pension when we first arrive she will meet the eligibility requirement in Japan before she turns 60.
I, on the other hand, will not meet the Japanese pension requirement before I turn 60.
When it comes to the totalization agreement I am under the impression that my wife would not need to utilize this agreement as she will fully qualify for both pensions and now that the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) has been repealed there would be no reduction in her payments and the pensions would both be calculated on their own merits and not affect each other.
However for me, I would need to rely on the totalization agreement to qualify for the Japanese national pension and both pensions would also be calculated each on their own merits and not affect each other.
Are those correct assumptions?
by ForeverFlashy5637