Due to the many banking options and opportunities available globally, we are contacting you regarding the possible Totalization Agreement, between The United States and the country in which you serve and/or bank through. Totalization or Social Security Agreements do open the door for two or more different entities to examine and crosscheck an individual to verify their tax compliance. Please keep in mind that as a BBFI Approved Missionary you are not an employee of the BBFI Mission Office and we cannot assume the role of “employer” on any representative letters on your behalf; however, we can verify certain aspects of your time (when you are on and off of the field based on what we have on our furlough reports, verification of your representation of the BBFI in your ministry, income verification, statement of our tax withholding for you, and tax payments recorded on your EOM statements).

As a BBFI Approved Missionary it is recommended that after 4 years on the foreign field, up to 12 months is spent in The United States on Furlough (documentation of notification should be on file in the Mission Office) if return trips are not being made or the span between the trips is longer, your residency and tax responsibilities may be subject to question.

If you have not read the Totalization Agreement between The U.S. and the possible country in which you serve and/or bank through or you have not been submitting the necessary paperwork, please logon to: https://www.ssa.gov/international/agreements_overview.html to see if you are affected by an existing agreement and make yourself familiar with all of the requirements as a “self-employed person” to receive an exemption certificate.

*Again, just to be on the safe side, please take a quick look at https://www.ssa.gov/international/agreements_overview.html , look at the countries listed to verify that the country or countries in which you serve and/or transact money through are not listed. If the country in which you serve/bank through is not listed, then there is no further action necessary by you. Our desire is to help you navigate the paperwork that needs to be filed out with either government or any entities, to the extent that we can legally do so.  Please reach out to my office with any questions.

Serving with You,

Brian