大咖福利影院

Menu
大咖福利影院
Search
Magazine
Search

Old Dog New Tricks - Update on John (& his Mrs)

Lotus Eater
#1

Latest flash update (on the previous update 1f923.svg) Ok we finally get to see and hear John's other half Diana..聽 youtube.com/watch?v=zCgSmcEo38w


1 member reacted to this post
See also
G
#2
I've seen Paul (Old Dog New Tricks) on Youtube before, and he's a great commentator, and has quite a following, From this link, he really captures the essence of his friend's relationship challenge, and is respectful of the apparent idiosyncrasies the couple has.聽 Once I saw Paul, the interviewer, video by motorbike a trip with his lady to beachfront bar, south of his place in Dumaguete, as he met some jovial-looking expats and described the good pub food - and I'd really like to there sometime.
2 members reacted to this post
Enzyte Bob
#3
@Lotus Eater
youtube.com/watch?v=zCgSmcEo38w
- @Lotus Eater
Yes I watched it and it was depressing, my heart goes out to both of them. It's a lesson to be learned by anyone considering moving to the Philippine. Don't come here, start a family unless you have a sustainable permanent income and money to withstand any emergency.

The Expat in question came here with no income and empty pockets. He gets his girlfriend pregnant and she has twins.聽 I'm writing a synopsis of my takeaway, but please view the video for yourself.

Both him and his girlfriend are destitute and the kindness of Paul raises thousands of dollars from Expats to help out. Expenses for renting an apartment, food, clothing and thousands of dollars for medical bills for the hospitalization of the twins.

Unlike the destitute German Expat in another thread, enough money has been raised for his airfare ($1700) back to America with Paul's help.聽 His plan which is a bunch of hooey is go back to America, get a job and send money to his Philippine Family and wait till he is old enough to collect ss, then return to the Philippines.

Unfortunately this guy probably could not get a job with significant income to support himself.
2 members reacted to this post
danfinn
#4
@Enzyte Bob He originally came with 30K USD and he thought he was all set. Of course 30K聽 is nothing. Thinking like a rich man, he built a house and bought a truck and ended up with nothing. By charity donations from expats, he will go back to the US until he qualifies for SS, then return here...maybe.
4 members reacted to this post
pnwcyclist
#5
Well in all fairness, it sounds like he was really taken advantage of by the family. I suspect they made lots of promises in order to get that house built. But yeah, he didn鈥檛 have nearly enough of a nest egg to begin with, and shouldn鈥檛 have been giving what little he had away. Or getting someone pregnant. I find that totally irresponsible. She seems like a sweet girl, I hope he follows through, for her and the kid's sake.
2 members reacted to this post
Lotus Eater
#6
I previously stated in an earlier post that this story has 鈥榣egs鈥� and have no doubt it will run and run but perhaps with an 18 month 鈥榠ntermission鈥�

My take for what its worth is that John is genuine and committed. Unlike Bob I think his plan is doable. Both the States and the UK are currently an employees market meaning that he should have no trouble obtaining gainful employment when he returns Stateside.

Some of Paul鈥檚 Vlog viewers may think of him as gullible - maybe. But lets not forget that like Paul and many other expats on this Forum John came out to the Philippines on a flyer with no contacts and minimal financial reserves - that takes initiative and guts. Its always easy to shoot a guy when he is down.

Like Paul I was gobsmacked ( I don鈥檛 use that term lightly) to hear of his GF鈥檚 mother who refuses to help out her daughter with the baby twins while John is away. This is anathema to the family spirit which refreshingly permeates Filipino society. I don鈥檛 want to labour the point here but the mindset of not only his GF鈥檚 family but the whole of the Barangay beggars belief. Here is a guy who spent his entire minimal savings on building a modest house and the purchase of a truck for the good of the greater family.

Frankly if it was not for his progeny I would advise John to bail out and leave that swamp of bitching undeserving back stabbing vipers in the Barangay to themselves.
On his return (and yes I am confident he will return) the best thing he can do is to relocate his family well away from his girlfriends relatives. Adios amigos - its been real.
3 members reacted to this post
pnwcyclist
#7
Agree totally..聽 in fact hopefully he can send her enough for her to get out now.
1 member reacted to this post
S
#8
Was this the guy who had a stroke and ran out of money?
coach53
#9
Was this the guy who had a stroke and ran out of money?
- @sekmet
He got stroke and AFTER that he did spend his remaining money at building that house where its crap to live and at a lorry to some relative. And new told in this last video was he had lended out to many in that crap baranggay too聽 - and when he got out of money they disliked him and started calling him "kuripot"聽 = stingy...
3 members reacted to this post
Lotus Eater
#10
Was this the guy who had a stroke and ran out of money?
- @sekmet


Wakey wakey - Tea & Cakey
1 member reacted to this post
Lotus Eater
#11
Was this the guy who had a stroke and ran out of money?
- @sekmet
He got stroke and AFTER that he did spend his remaining money at building that house where its crap to live and at a lorry to some relative. And new told in this last video was he had lended out to many in that crap baranggay too聽 - and when he got out of money they disliked him and started calling him "kuripot"聽 = stingy...
- @coach53


Kuripot of course is not prounced as in the dish 'Curry' but 'cooripot' otherwise you might get some strange looks ;)
1 member reacted to this post
Enzyte Bob
#12
From Lotus Eater. . . .

<SNIP 1> Unlike Bob I think his plan is doable. Both the States and the UK are currently an employees market meaning that he should have no trouble obtaining gainful employment when he returns Stateside.

<SNIP 2> But lets not forget that like Paul and many other expats on this Forum John came out to the Philippines on a flyer with no contacts and minimal financial reserves - that takes initiative and guts. Its always easy to shoot a guy when he is down.


Response to <SNIP 1>. . .

(1) I believe John will have great difficulty in finding employment, first his age, I believe he may be approximately 60 and is two years away from collecting early at 62.聽 People over 55 have difficulty finding gainful employment on their past experience, education & skills.

(2) The US is in recession, regardless of the FAKE Claims of low employment, it's not low. Many companies are now requiring their work at home employees to return to their cubicles at the company. Many will not return because of transportation costs, maybe childcare costs and Big Brother looking over their shoulder to monitor their productivity. No more playing golf, grocery shopping, house cleaning, watching soap operas or ball games on the company's dime.

(3) John will be returning to the states with the clothes on his back and his accumulated lifelong assets in a 50 lb suitcase, with no place of his own and no money in his pocket, he will be dependent on others for some time. Also he has medical problems that should be addressed, his stroke and that lump on the back of his neck.

(4) Early SS (62) on the average is is $1480 per month,聽 once he is eligible for Medicare part B he will have a net of $1331.50. On early SS you are only allowed to earn $18,960. If he waits till he is 67 he will get full benefits without that cap of the $18,960 (SS reduces benefits 30% for early claimants compared to full benefits at 67).

(5) If John works 40 hours a week earning $9.12 per hour he will remain under the $18,960 limit and he would have to do this for the next 5 years. If he goes over this, for each $2 earned he would have to give back $1. So if he earned $28,960 he would have to give back $5,000 giving him a net of $23,960 but he would have to pay the full income taxes on $28,960.

I DON"T SEE HOW THIS PLAN IS DOABLE.

Response to <SNIP 2>. . .

I don't think Paul came out here on a Flyer with minimal finances, many of us studied, researched, took advisement and made sure of our finances before making an intelligent decision on our future as best as we could. Yes it takes initiative & guts for those who planned and carried out our plan once getting here.
4 members reacted to this post
Moon Dog
#13
Old Dog is explaining to John's wife that if a DNA test confirms he is the children's biological father his Social Security benefits will increase.聽 Am I correct that Social Security is based on your 35 highest earning years and nothing else?
1 member reacted to this post
Enzyte Bob
#14
Old Dog is explaining to John's wife that if a DNA test confirms he is the children's biological father his Social Security benefits will increase.聽 Am I correct that Social Security is based on your 35 highest earning years and nothing else?
- @Moon Dog
Social Security is based on forty quarters (10 years).

Yes it's going to be a complicated mess of red tape to qualify the children, (the children resemble him) but I believe first that he must be on the SS rolls before the children could get benefits.

I would think he could qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. That would include Medical. It's tough to navigate through SSDI by yourself without getting turned down. There are lawyers who specialize in SSDI and they get all the ducks lined up including the Doctors.

If approved some people get one year retroactive payments, the lawyers work on contingency, so they will not work on your case (expenses) if they don't believe you will be successful. Also you must of had qualified employment having paid into SS.

Side Note: For Diane to receive any of John's SS benefits incase of death, she has to be married to him for 10 years.

So for all you old men and not married to your young Lady, she gets Nada (encase of your death), unless she was married to you for 10 years.
2 members reacted to this post
talamban
#15
@Moon Dog IMO Being married has nothing to do with the SSI Calculation. They use highest ten years out of 35 years before retirement. He made a BIG mistake coming here without a regular income from some source. See it frequently.
3 members reacted to this post
talamban
#16
@Enzyte Bob I recall that the wife must also reach the age of 55 years old (probably while John is still alive), in addition to being married for ten years.
2 members reacted to this post
pnwcyclist
#17
He will definitely get more SS because of the children, once he proves paternity and files the Report of Child Born Abroad with the State Dept. And is 62 of course. Two kids will probably almost double his SS amount. But the extra amount follows the kids. In other words whoever is guardian of the children gets it, which in the Philippines will be her. Hopefully he will be there also.

Until then he has to find a way to make ends meet and send her some of it. That will be the tough part.
4 members reacted to this post
Enzyte Bob
#18
He will definitely get more SS because of the children, once he proves paternity and files the Report of Child Born Abroad with the State Dept. And is 62 of course. Two kids will probably almost double his SS amount. But the extra amount follows the kids. In other words whoever is guardian of the children gets it, which in the Philippines will be her. Hopefully he will be there also.

Until then he has to find a way to make ends meet and send her some of it. That will be the tough part.
- @pnwcyclist
Diane seemed like a nice person and she is in a difficult spot. One thing that bothered me, on a previous episode John said Diane tried unsuccessfully to get him deported. So with Paul's & Expats help, the ATM was up and running again, but soon will be empty again.

So the saga will continue, once all the red tape is over, after they go through all the hoops, then vaulted a 10 foot wall and figured out the聽 聽light at the end of the tunnel was not another train, the Pesos will come.

Diane will no longer will be struggling and everyone in the Barangay will be her friend, even the Mayor will come calling. For the next 17 years or so she will might receive $1110 a month. This is based on John receiving the average ss benefit of $1480 a month, 50% for the first child, 25% for the second child.

Now for the final chapter. . . . does she love John enough to have him come back?
2 members reacted to this post
Moon Dog
#19
I didn't know the minor child is eligible for benefits so I learned something that may benefit me. My wife and I are adopting a 1 year old child but the SS website states that the child must have a SS number to be eligible for benefits. Would I be able to register the baby with the SSA from the Philippines after adoption?

I asked Paul about it and this was his response

"Based on highest 5 years as long as you have enough quarters, it is on social security website"

Paul says 5 years, some say 10 years but it is actually your "35 best paid years", if you have reported earnings for 35 years. I'm assuming if you only worked 30 years it would be based on 30 years income.

"First, Social Security adjusts your earnings for historical changes in U.S. wages, takes your 35 best-paid years and produces what it calls your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME). Only income up to the maximum taxable earnings 鈥� the annually adjusted cap on how much of your earnings are subject to Social Security taxes 鈥� is counted. (The maximum taxable earnings in 2022 are $147,000.)

Second, they apply a formula to that monthly average to determine your primary insurance amount (PIA) 鈥� the amount you鈥檒l get each month from Social Security if you claim benefits at your full retirement age. That's 66 and 4 months for people born in 1956, gradually rising to 67 for people born in 1960 or later.

The formula breaks down your average monthly wage into three parts. In 2022, it is:
  • 90 percent of the first $1,024 of your AIME;
  • plus 32 percent of any amount over $1,024 up to $6,172;
  • plus 15 percent of any amount over $6,172.
The sum of those three figures is your PIA, also known as your full retirement benefit."
2 members reacted to this post
Lotus Eater
#20
Which is why they have to leave the Barangay behind once John returns. As is often the case its difficult to separate fact from fiction - 'he says, she says' . To Pauls credit he alluded to this which is why he wanted to include Diana in one of his vlogs.

Everyone agreed though that once out of the Barangay Diana became a different person. There is a fly in the proverbial ointment in that she has an older child from a previous relationship. That said the mother seems more than happy to care for her.

"I don't think Paul came out here on a Flyer with minimal finances, many of us studied, researched, took advisement and made sure of our finances before making an intelligent decision on our future as best as we could. Yes it takes initiative & guts for those who planned and carried out our plan once getting here."

The USA was built on immigrants coming from Europe many of whom had meagre savings , their sole assets the clothes they wore.

John did have a plan in terms of a budget on arrival and then he fell in love (how dare he do a stupid thing like that) and thats when the shit hit the proverbial fan.
Sometimes the unexpected happens - you cannot legislate for the future. Moreover John had more savings when he arrived than Paul did.聽 Many expats interviewed on Pauls and other vlogs聽 have arrived in the Philippines because they made a bad call in a relationship. Thats life. Stuff happens.
3 members reacted to this post
Enzyte Bob
#21
Lotus Eater said . . . .
The USA was built on immigrants coming from Europe many of whom had meagre savings , their sole assets the clothes they wore.
*
Quite correct, my grandfather was one of them in 1905. Because America was the land of opportunity, he worked hard and brought his family over.

Filipinos leave for other countries for opportunities.聽 People don't emigrate to the Philippines with meager savings and only the clothes on their back because it is the land of opportunity.
4 members reacted to this post
coach53
#22
Kuripot of course is not prounced as in the dish 'Curry' but 'cooripot' otherwise you might get some strange looks wink.png
- @Lotus Eater

If Filipinos - or Swedes - would pronounce it as you say, it wouldnt be spelled like they spell it, because we .- as well as many other languages as e g German and Spanish -聽 dont聽 pronounce vowels wrong as English do...聽 :)

(If it would have been the pronouncing as you say, they would have spelled it "kArypot". )
pilotdrh
#23
I didn't know the minor child is eligible for benefits so I learned something that may benefit me. My wife and I are adopting a 1 year old child but the SS website states that the child must have a SS number to be eligible for benefits. Would I be able to register the baby with the SSA from the Philippines after adoption?

I asked Paul about it and this was his response

"Based on highest 5 years as long as you have enough quarters, it is on social security website"

Paul says 5 years, some say 10 years but it is actually your "35 best paid years", if you have reported earnings for 35 years. I'm assuming if you only worked 30 years it would be based on 30 years income.

"First, Social Security adjusts your earnings for historical changes in U.S. wages, takes your 35 best-paid years and produces what it calls your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME). Only income up to the maximum taxable earnings 鈥� the annually adjusted cap on how much of your earnings are subject to Social Security taxes 鈥� is counted. (The maximum taxable earnings in 2022 are $147,000.)

Second, they apply a formula to that monthly average to determine your primary insurance amount (PIA) 鈥� the amount you鈥檒l get each month from Social Security if you claim benefits at your full retirement age. That's 66 and 4 months for people born in 1956, gradually rising to 67 for people born in 1960 or later.

The formula breaks down your average monthly wage into three parts. In 2022, it is:
  • 90 percent of the first $1,024 of your AIME;
  • plus 32 percent of any amount over $1,024 up to $6,172;
  • plus 15 percent of any amount over $6,172.
The sum of those three figures is your PIA, also known as your full retirement benefit."
- @Moon Dog


Looks exactly like something only a government employee could dream up doesn't it. There is also a family cap on the amount received from SS. So he can elect to have the mother receive money as the caregiver until the kids are 16 but this will only reduce the amount that each of the kids get. I have 10 year old twins so I elected to just have them receive the money so as to not have to deal with the change when they turn 16. It's all still the same amount. And when I filed I selected who was to be the Representative Payee for the twins, I selected myself. The nice thing is the twins payments do not count as income for me for taxes. As far as being married for 10 years I think that only applies if you're divorced. If you were married 10 years then when you file for SS you will get the higher of your or your spouses benefit (if they've already filed for SS of course).
3 members reacted to this post
Enzyte Bob
#24
pilotdrh has this comment. . . .
As far as being married for 10 years I think that only applies if you're divorced. If you were married 10 years then when you file for SS you will get the higher of your or your spouses benefit (if they've already filed for SS of course)
**
A theoretical question. . . . In the beginning social security was much different, payment to seniors through their & their employers contributions. Now there are dozens of ways people collect which was not intended years ago, no wonder the system is broken.

Now for the theoretical question. . . .Can an Expats wife (Filipina) who is a senior citizen (67) collect on her living husbands ss even though she has never worked, has no ss number and never contributed to ss?
1 member reacted to this post
Moon Dog
#25
@pilotdrh Thanks, great info. I know the 10 years of marriage rule but I've heard people claim that SS is based on 10 years of income. My understanding is it is based on the best paid 35 years so if you only worked 30 years you would have 5 zero earning years in the calculation. Sound right? I believe 10 years is a minimum.

As for Enzyte Bob's question, I believe, from what I just read, that his wife is eligible for up to half his SS even if he is still alive and even if she has never worked. If Bob dies then his wife can get up to 100% of his SS benefit.

"When your husband (or ex dies), you鈥檙e probably due a
widow鈥檚 benefit
飦� Widows are due between 71 percent (at age 60) and 100 percent (at full retirement
age) of what the husband was getting before he died.
飦� But we must pay your own retirement benefit first, then supplement it with whatever
extra benefits you are due as a widow, to take your Social Security benefit up to the
widow鈥檚 rate.
飦� We also can pay you a $255 one-time death benefit if you were living with your
husband when he died.
飦� If you made more money than your husband, then he might be due a widower鈥檚
benefit on your record if you die before he does."
3 members reacted to this post
M
#26
@pilotdrh Thanks, great info. I know the 10 years of marriage rule but I've heard people claim that SS is based on 10 years of income. My understanding is it is based on the best paid 35 years so if you only worked 30 years you would have 5 zero earning years in the calculation. Sound right? I believe 10 years is a minimum.

This is also my understanding.聽 My wife retired to collect SS at age 62, so she was entitled聽 to 50% of my rate if she retired at age 66, but only 75% of聽 the 50%, so she got 37.5% of my rate, which was still higher than 75% of her rate because she only worked 15 years, had 20 years of zero figured into her rate.

As for Enzyte Bob's question, I believe, from what I just read, that his wife is eligible for up to half his SS even if he is still alive and even if she has never worked. If Bob dies then his wife can get up to 100% of his SS benefit.

"When your husband (or ex dies), you鈥檙e probably due a
widow鈥檚 benefit
飦� Widows are due between 71 percent (at age 60) and 100 percent (at full retirement
age) of what the husband was getting before he died.
飦� But we must pay your own retirement benefit first, then supplement it with whatever
extra benefits you are due as a widow, to take your Social Security benefit up to the
widow鈥檚 rate.
飦� We also can pay you a $255 one-time death benefit if you were living with your
husband when he died.
飦� If you made more money than your husband, then he might be due a widower鈥檚
benefit on your record if you die before he does."
- @Moon Dog
2 members reacted to this post
Harbred6051
#27
@Moon Dog Yes, generally for an individual to qualify for any amt or type of their own S.S. benefit, one must work 10 years (Max of 4 credits per yr x 10 yrs = 40 credits). But the SSA takes the 35 years in which one had tge highest earnings. So if one worked a period less than 35 years, they count the years you had income, THEN add ZEROES for those yrs of the 35 that one DIDNT have any income...its similar to adding ZEROES to a grade book fir any missed exams or assignments....that would bring down one's semester average...same thing with SS...ZEROES will reduce one's anticipated SS monthly payment.
2 members reacted to this post
danfinn
#28
@Enzyte Bob FYI, I have been married to my Filipina spouse since 1987. She was a stay at home mom, never any outside job, no SSA contributions, never in SSA system, and 5 years younger than me. When I retired at 67, we were pleasantly surprised to learn while at the SSA office that she was entitled to a separate pension聽 approximately 50% of mine (minus a cetrain percentage because she was 62). I am receiving SSA max payment. I believe for her to get a separate benefit you must have been married 10 years which we onviously were. So her pension gets added to my pensions and that unplanned amount just goes into savings every month as does her Philippines SSS which she paid into with max payment for a few decades. She gets max Phil SSS (much less than USA SSA max!) which also goes into savings. BTW, Phils has a rather nice, privatized SSS system paid directly to a bank; nice concept except that the benefit is very low to western standards but still a lifeline to many retired citizens here. Anyway, I suppose when Diane is 62, she will have been married for 10 years. Even if he is alive, she may also be eligible for a percentage of john's benefit...unless those 10 years had to be counted while both were living in the US as we were. To that point I am not sure.
2 members reacted to this post
Lat61
#29
@Moon Dog Adopted children from the Philippines don't qualify for Social Security benefits unless residing in the USA.
2 members reacted to this post
Lat61
#30
I have 2 kids and retired at age 62. SS pays me just under 1300 a month. Both kids receive a total just over 1500 per month. At 2800 were at family max, so adding wife would just dilute kids checks. SS pays children's benefits based on if retired at age 67, no matter what age retiree files for SS. Also, if living outside the USA the children's SS is subject to US taxes.
2 members reacted to this post
Harbred6051
#31
EVERYONES S.S. is taxed!, regardless of where u live in the world (for US Citizens only)...& up to 85% of one's S.S. is subject to taxation...eventually it will be likely raised to 95 or even 100%...if the govt & IRS has their way!
1 member reacted to this post
Enzyte Bob
#32
EVERYONES S.S. is taxed!, regardless of where u live in the world (for US Citizens only)...& up to 85% of one's S.S. is subject to taxation...eventually it will be likely raised to 95 or even 100%...if the govt & IRS has their way!
- @Harbred6051
**
What you say is very misleading for most Expats.

A single taxpayer whose total income is less than $25,000 Does not pay income tax.

For those over $25,000 this is how it works:

(1) The average monthly SS benefit is $1666 so total SS income for the year is $19,992.
(2) You take 50% of your SS, $19,992 = $9996
(3) So let say you have $20,004 in other income.
(4) Your total income is $30,000
(5) The difference between your allow amount ($25,000) and total income ($30,000) is $5,000.
(6) Your taxable income is $5,000

So with standard deducts on a short form you probably pay no tax or very little tax.

It's a little more complicated for married couples and children receiving benefits.
4 members reacted to this post
tpiro
#33
@Enzyte Bob Spence... yes as usual .. you are right again about who pays taxes and those who don't.聽 glad you let folks know that.. good explanation. I was going to chime in but you beat me to the punch!.. hehe
hope all is well... take care.. Tony
3 members reacted to this post
pnwcyclist
#34
I agree - thanks for the clarification, Spence. I pay very little tax, despite SS of almost 30K per year and other small income from real estate and investments which are mostly in an IRA. In my opinion the US system is very fair to those of us not making "big bucks" of $75-100K or more in retirement, especially with the large standard deduction. The secret to living well in my opinion is having no mortgage or debt of any kind and a few investments to provide for the extras and a "cushion" should something happen.
4 members reacted to this post

Make your relocation easier with the Philippines expat guide

Forum topics on living in the Philippines

Multi Point Water Heaters
Filipinas who develop a bad attitude when they marry a foreigner
Hiring a Maid
Best dating site to meet a good lady?
Every Man Has a Story
How to ID ladyboys/transgender, positively?
how much i can earn with raise a pig
Question re: eTravel website issue (cannot update my home address)
Internet Gambling From The Philippines
BIR Registration for Foreigners
Single guy in the philippines where to go?
Tour guide in Philippines
Manila loses an iconic venue
Back in the Philippines
CONDOMINIUM STRESS (SMDC COMPLAINTS)
Best Drinking Water?
Sending Money/Girlfriend Allowance
Expat-Pinay Online Dating Sites WARNING!
Similar discussions about life in the Philippines

大咖福利影院 for your expat journey

Choose the best health insurance
Protect your health and get easy access to treatment for expats in the Philippines.
Plan your international move
Facilitate your move to the Philippines by getting a quote from our top rated movers.
Open a bank account that suits you
Discover the best international banks to manage your money securely.
Send money overseas at the best rate
For fast, safe and secure money transfers to and from the Philippines.