Belgian social security contributions run high — roughly 13% employee plus about 25% employer across all branches — funding a state pension computed per career year against a 45-year full-career benchmark. Because benefits accrue year by year, even short Belgian stints produce a small but real Belgian pension entitlement that the agreement protects.
U.S. retirement benefits normally need 40 quarters (10 years) of credits. If you split a career between the U.S. and Belgium, you might fall short in each country alone. As long as you have at least 6 quarters of U.S. credits, the agreement lets you add your Belgium credits to reach eligibility — the U.S. then pays a benefit pro-rated to your U.S. credits only.
A Certificate of Coverage is the document that proves you're exempt from one country's social security. For U.S. coverage, the employer requests it from the SSA Office of Earnings & International Operations. Belgium's authority issues the equivalent when Belgium covers you.
Under the U.S.–Belgium agreement, a worker sent by a U.S. employer for 5 years or less normally stays under U.S. Social Security only and is exempt from Belgium's system. Your employer obtains a U.S. Certificate of Coverage as proof. Beyond 5 years, coverage shifts to Belgium.
Yes. If you have at least 6 quarters (about 1.5 years) of U.S. credits, the agreement lets you combine ("totalize") your U.S. and Belgium credits to reach the 40-quarter (10-year) threshold for a pro-rated U.S. retirement benefit.
The agreement has been in force since 1984.
Pension taxation depends on Belgium's domestic law and the separate U.S.–Belgium income tax treaty (if any), not the totalization agreement. The totalization agreement only governs which country's social security system covers you and how credits combine. Confirm pension taxation with a cross-border tax advisor.
Usually yes. Belgium accrues pension rights per career year (against a 45-year benchmark), and the agreement plus Belgian rules let former workers claim from abroad at retirement age. It may be a modest amount, but it is money you already paid for — and claiming it does not reduce your U.S. benefit now that WEP is repealed.