Your income (taxs paid in) is what we are told that determines the amount of social security benefits you draw, but ... i know a guy who files for disability in TX and moved to AR before he was awarded the lawyer told him had he stayed in TX where the cost of living was higher that his monthly payments would have been more does the same hold true fro regular retirees drawing social security ... if you move to a high cost of living state before you retire, will you draw more? what happens if you then move back to poor country, do they reduce you?