I taught for 30 years back home. Now my pension there is worth almost nothing.

The question

An illustrative letter.

The answer

My dear, thirty years of teaching is thirty years of shaping lives, and nothing that happened to your currency can take that from you. Zimbabwe's money collapsed in 2008 and fell again after a new currency was introduced in 2019, and savers and pensioners across the country lost what they had built. That loss was not a judgment on your choices. It happened to careful people everywhere. What matters now is making sure you receive every bit of help you have earned here.

Was my Social Security reduced because of my pension?

It may have been, and if so, it should no longer be. For years, a rule called the Windfall Elimination Provision could reduce Social Security benefits for people who also received a pension from work not covered by U.S. Social Security, including pensions from work abroad. The Social Security Fairness Act, signed on January 5, 2025, repealed that rule for benefits payable from January 2024 onward. People affected receive a higher monthly benefit and a one-time payment covering the increase back to January 2024.

Look at your Social Security benefit letters. If your benefit was ever reduced because of your Zimbabwe pension and you have not seen an increase, call Social Security or visit your local office and ask them to review it.

Can I get help paying Medicare costs?

Very possibly. Medicare Savings Programs, run through your state, help people with limited income and savings. Depending on the program, they pay your Part B premium, which is $202.90 a month in 2026, and some also pay deductibles and copays. That alone could put more than $2,400 a year back in your pocket.

Qualifying for a Medicare Savings Program also brings Extra Help with prescription drugs automatically. With it, you pay no more than $12.65 in 2026 for each covered prescription. In North Carolina, you apply for Medicare Savings Programs through your county Department of Social Services, and the free SHIIP counselors, at 855-408-1212, can help you see whether you qualify and walk you through the forms.

What about help with food and other bills?

North Carolina's food assistance program, called Food and Nutrition Services, helps many older adults on small incomes buy groceries, and people aged 60 and over can count some medical costs when their benefits are figured. Your county Department of Social Services handles applications. The state also offers help with heating and cooling bills for low-income households, and if you own your home, some older homeowners with low incomes qualify for property tax relief.

Could I qualify for SSI?

Supplemental Security Income is a federal monthly payment for people 65 and older, or disabled, who have very low income and few savings. In 2026, the federal amount is up to $994 a month for an individual, and countable savings and other resources generally must be under $2,000. SSI can be paid alongside a small Social Security check, topping it up. Eligibility also depends on citizenship or immigration status, so ask Social Security whether you qualify.

Why do so many people never ask?

Pride, mostly, and sometimes confusion. Many elders who worked hard all their lives feel that asking for help is shameful, or assume the forms are too hard, or believe they will not qualify. But these programs exist because people like you paid into them, and because a dignified old age matters to all of us. Asking is not begging. It is collecting what the system was built to provide.

Can I still earn a little?

Yes, if you would like to. Because you are past your full retirement age, Social Security no longer reduces your benefit when you work, whatever you earn. A teacher's skills are always in demand: tutoring children after school, helping adults learn to read, or teaching in community programs. A few hundred dollars a month can make a real difference, and the work may bring joy as well as income. Keep in mind that earnings can affect some benefits, such as SSI and food assistance, so report them when asked.

Is there anything to do about the Zimbabwe pension itself?

It is worth keeping, however small, and keeping your records of it. Make sure the pension office has your current address and payment details, and keep copies of your service history and any letters about your pension. Rules and payments back home can change, and good records protect whatever you are owed. Report the pension honestly when benefit programs here ask about income; at about $20 a month, it is unlikely to stand in your way.

Who can help me sort through all of this?

Start with SHIIP for anything to do with Medicare. Your local Area Agency on Aging can screen you for other benefits and services in your county. Your county Department of Social Services handles applications for food assistance, Medicaid and Medicare Savings Programs. Bring your Social Security letters, your Medicare card, proof of your income, including the Zimbabwe pension, and recent bank statements.

You spent thirty years teaching children to stand tall and ask questions. Please do the same for yourself now. Ask, and keep asking until every door that should open for you does.

One thing to do this week

Call SHIIP at 855-408-1212 to ask about Medicare Savings Programs, and check your Social Security letters for any pension reduction.