In the US, people need a Social Security number for tax purposes and identification. They can apply for a card at a local Social Insurance branch, with specific identity requirements. Children under 12 may only need a birth certificate. The card should be kept safe and only used when necessary to prevent identity theft. If lost or stolen, it can be replaced. The number should only be given out in safe environments.
In the United States, most people are required to have a Social Security number, and for tax purposes, even children may need to obtain a number within their first year or two of life, so this number can serve as proof of identity. existence of the child. People get this number by applying for a social security card. The card is a plain blue paper card that has your name and social security number on the front and a place for a signature. When ordering children’s cards, the signature space must be left blank.
Individuals apply for a Social Security card through a local branch of the Social Insurance department, and unless the applicant is younger than 12, an in-person application is expected. To make this process easier, people can download online forms from the Social Security website. There are specific requirements for confirming identity and they usually include requests to see a birth certificate and a state ID card or driver’s license. The agency can accept alternatives.
For children under 12, the only requirement to obtain a Social Security card may be a birth certificate. Many hospitals also allow parents to fill out card paperwork immediately after a baby is born, and there is usually no need to provide additional paperwork. There may be different requirements for obtaining a card if people were born elsewhere and/or are not US citizens.
There are a number of circumstances where people may be required to show their card. They are especially important when applying for jobs and can be used in other ways. By themselves, they are not a source of identification, and while people are used to carrying cards such as driver’s licenses, the Social Security card should only be carried when absolutely necessary. Many applications, for example for loans, do not require a card to be presented and only ask people to provide their Social Security number.
What this means for most people is that once you get a card, it needs to be put away in a safe place and the nine-digit number memorized. Carrying your card around is not recommended – if it is accidentally lost or stolen, someone else could use the number to commit identity theft.
When people lose a Social Security card, the website has instructions for replacing it. If it has been stolen, this should be duly noted at the time of the request. The card isn’t the only way people have access to other people’s social security numbers. Since these numbers are often used to apply for work, credit, or to confirm identity, they can be listened to and written down quite easily. The best way to prevent this may be to only give out the number in safe environments and when it is deemed necessary.
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