Is Social Security: The New Welfare for Expats in the Philippines?

Retired on Social Security and living abroad — is having a baby in the Philippines becoming the new welfare for expats? I took a hike down by the river in Valencia to talk about something I keep hearing more and more here in the Philippines. How to get an increase to your Social Security Check. When I was up in Cebu, I sat down with an American expat and his Filipina girlfriend. He told me he can't live on his Social Security check anymore. It's just not enough. His idea? Father a child here in the Philippines, put his name on the birth certificate, get the child a US passport, and collect a bigger Social Security benefit for the next 18 or 19 years. Not once did he talk about what the money would do for the child. Then I asked his girlfriend what she thought about having a baby with him. Her answer surprised me — and it tells you how much Filipinas already know about Social Security child benefits and survivor benefits. In this video I share my honest thoughts on: • Living abroad on Social Security when the check isn't enough anymore • Social Security child benefits for a child under 18 or 19 when you're retired • Having children abroad and having a child in the Philippines as an older expat • Is your child a US citizen? Birth certificate, US passport, and what I believe Social Security may ask for, like a DNA test • Social Security survivor benefits — who really gets them, and why it's usually the younger guy, 40 or 50, who marries here and moves back to the US • Why this reminds me of the welfare system I remember from the 1960s • Where that child benefit money is supposed to go: food, clothes, school, a better place to live, and savings for the child's future education • Why the money should go into the mother's account in the child's name, so she's not stuck doing paperwork in Manila if you pass away • How Filipinas are learning about the system from YouTube, friends, and AI • The debate that broke out at a meet and greet dinner in Cebu I'm 72, retired, and living in Dumaguete. I'm not here to judge every expat or every Filipina — not all of them think this way. But having a baby just to raise your monthly income is a big negative in my book. A child is an 18-year commitment, not a pay raise. Now I want to hear from you. Is Social Security the new welfare for expats in the Philippines? What are the real requirements for a child born here to get Social Security payments? Are the rules different for military retirees or union pension guys? Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think. This is my personal experience and opinion, not legal or financial advice. For your own situation, check with the Social Security Administration (SSA) or the US Embassy in Manila. CHAPTERS 0:00 Social Security: the new welfare for expats? 0:37 The expat who can't live on his check 1:12 Child benefits when your name is on the birth certificate 1:57 What his girlfriend said 2:37 How Filipinas learn about the system 3:04 Survivor benefits: who really qualifies 3:29 More kids, more money? 4:00 It reminds me of 1960s welfare 4:22 Where the child's money is supposed to go 5:01 Birth certificate, DNA test and the claim 5:49 Put the money in her name first 6:19 She knows the system 7:08 The new welfare system 7:27 The meet and greet dinner debate 8:07 Good or bad? Your turn #SocialSecurity #LivingAbroad #philippinesretirement ✅ Share your experiences in the comments! Thank you for your support BUY ME A COFFEE https://buymeacoffee.com/mikesphiliX PayPal https://paypal.me/MikesPhilippine Join our channel to get access to perks:    / @mikesphilippineretirement1   Privacy Notice 🌟 Thank you for being part of this channel! We sometimes capture video or audio in public spaces here in the Philippines. We always aim to respect everyone’s privacy and do our best to blur or mask faces, especially children and bystanders. If you happen to appear in any of our videos and you'd like us to make changes, please feel free to reach out anytime at mikesphilippineretirement@gmail.com We’re happy to help! We appreciate your support and understanding as we share stories and experiences from our journey. HEIDI CAJES- C&G CONSULTING VISA AND SRRV / 13A INFO https://cgconsulting.ph/mike HOW TO GET YOUR MAIL BACK HOME CHECK OUT iPostal1 The Complete Digital Mailbox a href="https://ipostal1.com/?ref=3647" target="_blank" AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE: Some of the links on this channel are affiliate links, meaning, at NO additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase and/or subscribe FACEBOOK Check out my Facebook page Mikes Philippine Retirement https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... EMAIL MY E MAIL ADDRESS FOR YOUR QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS mikesphilippineretirement@gmail.com