2007. Nina Raemont. Some states have a current allocation of SSNs that will last for many years, while others have a pending shortage. With the many purposes legally requiring an SSN, the need for a U.S. resident to possess one has become nearly universal. Hi, Cary. Anything as important as your Social Security card deserves a home. 15 However, SS-5s for applicants aged18 or older for original SSNs are retained for 5years before being destroyed. Having multiple systems allows SSA to customize the input and output. /ssnvs_handbk.htm for additional information about SSNVS. 05-10064. When the Records Office received the Form SS-5 and the accompanying OA-702 from the local offices, different clerks working independently converted the two sets of information into numerical codes that could be transferred to punch cards. For the most part, people on the east coast have the lowest area numbers and those on the west coast have the highest area numbers. By that time, some 35million SSNs had been issued at a cost of $5.7million (SSA1990, 1; McKinley and Frase1970, 372). Quantitative testing of informed consent questions in an RDD survey: Summary report, phase2: 2004 questionnaire design and evaluation research survey. Hi, Terry. Additionally, SSA employees may take action to change identifying information on the Numident for a person while taking a claim or processing postentitlement events. So, until 1972, the area number represented the state in which the card was issued. Available at www.socialsecurity.gov/history/oasis Only Pennsylvania requires it. "Then and now" in the Division of Accounting Operations. Over time, as the use of the SSN expanded for other purposes, SSA recognized that changes were necessary to protect the integrity of the card. Religious record made before the age of five showing your date of birth; U.S. hospital record of your birth. Policy Guidance Regarding Inquiries into Citizenship, Immigration Status and Social Security Numbers in State Applications for Medicaid, State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Food Stamp Benefits., Social Security Administration. To make the world smarter, happier, and richer. Those for external entities generally indicate whether the data submitted match SSA records, and whether the SSN holder has died, but will not disclose additional information to the requestor. Additional states began to participate in EAB in July1988. In September1997, SSA published its findings in the Report to Congress on Options for Enhancing the Social Security Card. Then in December, the FTC (2008) issued a plea to companies, schools, and other private entities to find better ways to authenticate identities than using the SSN. Establishing the Social Security infrastructure was impeded for 3months by the lack of funds due to a filibuster of the 1936Deficiency Bill (a government-wide appropriation bill similar to current Omnibus Budget Reconciliation bills) by Senator Huey Long (DLA). Available at www.socialsecurity.gov/legislation/testimony Once you reach FRA, however, working isn't a problem -- you can earn as much as you'd like without impacting your benefits whatsoever. Beginning November16, 1936, the post offices sent Form SS-4s to employers based on the lists they had compiled earlier that month. For over 20years, Bureau field offices assigned SSNs, using blocks of prenumbered Social Security cards furnished to each office. There's an important number between those two that you should really be aware of: your full retirement age, or FRA. Committee on the Judiciary Serial No. What is the process in this situation ? In all, eight separate files were maintained: By 1958, the Flexoline (visible index) contained 160million strips in 750steel A-frame stands, and SSA was adding an average of 7million new strips each year. 1978. It is one of the best ways to plan for your future and that of your loved ones. Identity theft has reached such proportions that President GeorgeW. Bush issued Executive Order13402 on May10, 2006, establishing the President's Identity Theft Task Force. 17 See www.socialsecurity.gov/employer However, if you are a victim of identity theft, you may be issued a new SSN to protect your future privacy. We encourage you to continue to work with your, If you are still unable to access your account or encounter a problem with your personal. As a result, additional security features were added to the card in 2007. Six more SSCCs have since opened: Las Vegas, NV, in April2005; Jamaica, NY, in July2006; Downtown and North Phoenix, AZ, in October2007; Orlando, FL, in March2008; and Sacramento, CA, in November2008. Fortunately, the Board was able to enlist the Post Office Department to issue SSNs, signing an agreement on September25, 1936. If you claim benefits before FRA, they'll be reduced on a permanent basis. /oasisnews3.html. In addition to Social Security, the SSN is now also used for a wide range of purposes. The Associated Press, the United Press, the Hearst chain, and many individual papers ran a series of articles on old-age benefits and registration for weeks at a time. State and local entities have begun to delete SSNs on electronic versions of public records. You can, Hi, Efren. The extension of old-age and survivors insurance to agricultural and domestic service workers and to the self-employed. The signed SS-5 application is retained for a short period in the field office, and then is sent to a records center in Pennsylvania for microfilming. Medicare enrollment requires enumerating those aged65 or older. The SSN Verification Service (SSNVS) is a free Internet-based system that can be used by registered employers for SSN verification prior to wage reporting. The Department of Treasury requires SeriesH savings bond buyers to provide. Earned income includes wages, salaries, bonuses, commissions, tips, and net earnings from self-employment. Amy Fontinelle has more than 15 years of experience covering personal finance, corporate finance and investing. A second group of employees independently keyed the same information coded from the OA-702 to create an actuarial punch card (Fay and Wasserman1938, 25). Security in numbers: SSNs and ID theft. EaE is a joint effort involving the Department of State (DoS), DHS, and SSA. Reports Book, 193536. The master punch card was also used in the earnings-posting operation to establish an earnings ledger for each individual. Government benefits Social Security Social Security Learn about Social Security, including retirement and disability benefits, how to get or replace your Social Security card, and more. In 1975, SSA's Bureau of Data Processing implemented the Full Registration and Identification System (FRIS) which expanded electronic screening capabilities and added electronic validation of SSNs (SSA1990, 5). Many purchasers adopted the SSN as their own5,755 people were using it in the peak year 1943, and 12 were still using it as late as 1977. No microfilm SS-5 exists for a record created through the EAB process. You can also contact yourlocalSocial Security office. It was estimated that it would have taken 250tons of metal for initial registration. If no previously established record is found, an original SSN is issued to the applicant (SSA2003, 812). Vol2. 98-21). The Story of the Social Security Number., U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Military personnel are covered under Social Security and are enumerated in mass. Federal survey-takers are also finding that as respondents have become more aware of the risk of identity theft, they are less willing to supply SSNs that are useful in linking the agency's survey data with administrative records from other agencies. As a result, a new scheme adopted by the Board on February14 consisted of a 3-digit area code, a 2-digit month of birth, and a 4-digit serial number. In addition, SSA receives requests for SSN verification from third parties who have obtained the consent of the individuals involved. Of course, the SSN will also still be used for its original purposeto track earnings in SSA records. 3 min read. But you don't have to have the social security number of the job applicants. Old-age insurance. This was because the original Social Security Act had excluded some types of employment from coverage, such as agricultural workers, domestic servants, casual labor, maritime workers, government employees, and the employees of philanthropic, educational, and similar institutions. 6 This pamphlet is available at www.socialsecurity.gov/history/ssb36.html. Accounting operations of the Bureau of Old-Age Insurance. The Social Security Administration works with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to enroll people in Medicare. _072299.html. 2008. The E-Verify program (previously known as the Basic Pilot/Employment Eligibility Verification System), administered by DHS with SSA's support, can be used by employers to verify the SSN and confirm employment authorization under immigration law for newly hired employees. Unfortunately, this universality has led to abuse of the SSN. In fact, in most cases, just knowing the Social Security number should be enough. People that are born with an US citizenship will automatically receive a social security number. . . . See what happens if you become disabled. Social Security Administration. Hi, Herman. For example, to qualify for federal student loans, you must not be in default on another federal loan, you must have eligible citizenship or visitor status, and most male applicants must have registered with Selective Service. Your employer will also use it for state income tax reporting, unless your state doesnt have an income tax. Donnelly, Glenna. Fact #1: Social Security is more than just a retirement program. Beginning in 2002, SSA began another pilot program referred to as Enumeration at Entry (EaE) that allows noncitizens admitted for permanent residence to obtain SSNs and Social Security cards based on data collected as part of the immigration process. 2006. Today, automated systems with sophisticated matching routines screen for previously issued SSNs. You can also contact your local Social Security office. Debate shifted back and forth over whether the Board's Bureau of Old-Age Benefits could handle the work. Social Security U.S.Athe program & its administration. The SS-5 application is available online14 or in any SSA field office. The Board planned to use the year one attained age65 as part of the SSN, thinking that once an individual attained age65, the SSN would be reassigned to someone else. Social Security is the largest federal social insurance program in the United States. 7 Images of the posters are available at www.socialsecurity.gov/history/pubaffairs.html. The resulting register was not made available to the Board until December1936 (McKinley and Frase1970, 129). Your SSN typically stays with you for life. Fourth in a series of subcommittee hearings on Social Security number high risk issues. Here's why you should view your Social Security benefit statement: Find out how much you will get when you retire. So, your SSN is an important form of identification. The strips were mechanically prepared from the actuarial punch card and manually posted on the panel, sorted by the first letter of the surname and within each letter by phonetic code, then in each code group by the first seven letters of the first name, middle initial, year and month of birth, and SSN. SSA has since introduced more rigorous verification procedures. There are a variety of reasons why a Social Security number is important to your life in the United States. The Social Security Administration's compliance with Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 provision regarding security of Social Security cards and numbers. Steps taken by SSA to improve the card are detailed later. When and Why You Need a Social Security Number, When Opening an Account with Any U.S. Financial Institution, When Applying for Certain Types of Public Assistance, When to Avoid Using Your Social Security Number, What Is a SSN? I have looked thru everything and because we moved to an apartment I am unable to find my card,but do know my number. You're not entitled to collect that benefit in full until you reach FRA. In 1983, SSA implemented the Enumeration Verification System (EVS) for verifying batches of SSNs; EVS employed a series of verification routines that are still in use. A tax identification number is a number used by the IRS as a tracking number for tax purposes and is required information on all tax returns. Noncitizens who dont have Social Security numbers are exempt from providing a Social Security number in many situations that normally require it, including getting a drivers license, registering for school, getting private health insurance, or applying for public assistance like subsidized housing. All applicants are required to provide evidence of: Aliens living in the United States since before 1982 are offered lawful temporary resident status. I asked that it be sent to the PO Box # instead of street address as our mailboxes are being rifled thru. SSA plans additional discussion with other government entities and the private sector before implementing any change. We'll run through the major use cases here, so you can understand how to take advantage of its benefits as soon as you arrive: Employment and taxes The primary reason why a SSN is important is its role in employment and taxation. 1937. You should always ask why your number is needed, how it will be used, and what will happen if you refuse. Then, on May15, 1978, SSA began requiring evidence of age, identity, and citizenship/alien status from all applicants for original SSNs, and evidence of identity for replacement Social Security cards. However, the Board accelerated the publicity release in response to a September effort to discredit the program launched by AlfN. Landon, the Republican candidate for president. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. But at a meeting on January23, 1936, the unemployment compensation delegates objected to the use of digits to signify age because they thought a number of workers would falsify their age. State Departments of Motor Vehicles use the Social Security OnLine Verification (SSOLV) system to verify names and SSNs for the issuance of new and renewal driver's licenses and identity cards. The state then submits this information to SSA's Help America Vote Verification (HAVV) system to verify that the submitted data match SSA records. /julyaugust1985.pdf. We hope this helps. As of January20, 2009, SSA had issued 429,959original and 114,714replacement SSNs through the EaE process. Also Check: Vice President, Government Engagement, SSA Job at Mastercard. I need to know if Medicare providers are allowed to request my SS number. . Employers were to begin to deduct payroll taxes from worker's wages in January1937, giving the agency little time to establish the SSN process.1 Besides clarifying program policy, the agency needed to hire and train employees (7,500 by March1938), set up facilities, develop public education programs, and create an earnings-tracking system (Corson1938, 6). Available at www.socialsecurity.gov/history/ssa/usa1964-3.html. The application and required evidence can be taken or mailed to any Social Security office for processing. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. Available at www.ftc.gov/os/2008/12 Generally, SSA collected the information needed to uniquely identify and accurately report an individual's earnings covered under the new Social Security program. Administering Old-Age Insurance. It's a pay-as-you-go system: Revenue coming in from FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) and SECA (Self-Employed Contributions Act) taxes largely cover the benefits going out. Social Security numbers are comprised of nine-digits, which can be broken down into three groups: the area number, the group number, and the serial number. For more on this, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this is resolved soon. Knowing when you're entitled to your full monthly benefit will help you make the best decision. If you dont have an SSN, you must provide a sworn statement that you were never issued one. The master punch cards, in numerical order. Use of the SSN as a convenient means of identifying people in large systems of records has increased over the years and its expanded use appears to be an enduring trend. President's Identity Theft Task Force. In July1937 alone, Bureau field offices issued some 1.9million additional SSNs (McKinley and Frase1970, 368373). SSA has taken measures to prevent counterfeiting of the card, and a counterfeit-resistant version is now used for both original and replacement cards. Don't just throw . You may find that by the time FRA rolls around, you don't actually need income from Social Security. Still after 4 hrs no luck reaching anyone By Dawn Bystry, Acting Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications. One or more area numbers were allocated to each state based on the anticipated number of SSN issuances in the state.3 Prior to 1972, the numbers were issued to local offices for assignment to individuals; it was thought this would capture information about the worker's residence. Dan Avery Jan. 30, 2023 7:49 a.m. PT 5 min read "It's terrible from a security perspective," cyberprivacy expert Alan Butler says about Social Security numbers becoming universal identifiers.. The Census Bureau also declined, citing legal restrictions on the disclosure of its information to other agencies and confidentiality promises to the public that census information would be used for statistical purposes only (McKinley and Frase1970, 338339). Hi, Claude. July 15, 2023 5:00 a.m. PT. 11 For pictures of the Flexoline and the subsequent magnetic tape operation, see www.socialsecurity.gov/history/ssa These 56Bureau offices primarily answered questions and directed applicants to the post offices (McKinley and Frase1970, 3435 and 369). Publication No. You also shouldnt carry your Social Security card around with you unless you will be using it for a specific purpose that day, such as when youre filling out paperwork to start a new job, and you have to show it to your employer as proof of citizenship (though if you can show a valid passport, you dont need to provide your Social Security card). Created merely to keep track of the earnings history of U.S. workers for Social Security entitlement and benefit computation purposes, it has come to be used as a nearly universal identifier. Many individuals received multiple SSNs. Keep the number in your head and the card locked up at home. /ssnvhighgroup.htm. (Barron and Bamberger1982, 29). Ask Larry. Along with information about the business establishment, employers were asked for the number of workers they employed. Unpublished internal document. Available at www.socialsecurity.gov/history/ssn/misused.html. During the November and December initial registration period, there were also 12nationwide radio broadcasts by well-known individuals and a host of local broadcasts arranged by the 56skeletal field offices then in place. Generally, those with multiple SSNs are the "very old" on the Numident; a study conducted in 2002 showed a weighted average age of 82.9(SSA 2002). Only two companies manufactured tabulating machines using a combination of alphabetic and numeric characters, and the government had previously brought suit against them under the Sherman Antitrust Act for dividing market territory between them (McKinley and Frase1970, 320322). Unpublished Census Bureau document. 10 For a more detailed explanation of the early SSN records maintenance process, see the June1938 Social Security Bulletin at www.socialsecurity.gov/history/fay638.html and Your Social Security Record1955 at www.socialsecurity.gov/history/ssa/yourss55.html. Hi, Terry. Why Do Brokers Ask Investors for Personal Information? The U.S. The Board first considered a small card similar to a credit union or trade union card, but some objected that it was too flimsy. Madison, WI: The University of Wisconsin Press. The findings and conclusions presented in the Bulletin are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Social Security Administration. This is the final week the Social Security Administration is sending out payments for July. Hi, Efren. We will ask for evidence to show you do not have an SSN. The Social Security Act in operation: A practical guide to the federal and federal-state Social Security programs. Immigration and welfare reform legislation enacted in August1996 (P.L. Still, as one might expect, an undertaking as enormous as enumerating 35million workers in one concentrated effort was bound to encounter some problems. However, delays in getting registration started made these deadlines moot. Testimony before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security and the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security, and Claims. In May, the executive committee of the interdepartmental committee on enumeration had recommended that the Bureau could handle the registration by setting up 202field offices and hiring 12,000 to 16,000employees. The deficiency of such a scheme was already well known. Effective July1937, Bureau field offices, still numbering only 175 with 1,702total employees, took over the enumeration workload from the post offices (Zwintscher1952, 90; SSA1965, 25). 2007b. How did the SSN come to be, and why has it become an unofficial national identifier? 1982. Why didn't the Social Security Board just use an individual's name and address as the identifier? How Can International Students Get a Credit Card? One common point of confusion surrounding FRA is that it has no bearing on Medicare. Based on SS-4 information, the post offices delivered Form SS-5s to the employers the following week for distribution to employees (McKinley and Frase1970, 368). One of the first steps was to distinguish whether cards were valid for work purposes. You can refuse to disclose your Social Security number; however, the requester can then refuse to provide you the service you are seeking if you do not give it to them. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. The applicant's mailing address may not be the same as the place of residence. Sequence 729 through 733 has been allocated to the Department of Homeland Security (, Date and place of previously completed an, Photographs on 16millimeter film strips of the. If you are born in the United States, your SSN will be assigned shortly after your birth. Testimony before the House Committee on Ways and Means, Subcommittee on Social Security. OASIS. These volumes contained the SSN, name, and date of birth of each number holder. 2008. Also, prior to 1961 SSA field offices issued new SSNs. Use this table to determine what that number is: Data source: Social Security Administration. Form W-9 is an Internal Revenue Service form which is used to confirm a person's taxpayer identification number (TIN). That means you have an opportunity to grow your benefits by 24% to 32%, depending on when you're entitled to claim them in full. Of the 45,000post offices then in existence, 1,017first-class offices were designated as "typing centers" to assign the SSNs, along with 57"central accounting" post offices to assign SSNs for the second, third, and fourth class post offices within their area (McKinley and Frase1970, 368). Adding issuance date to the front of the card. In more recent years, SSA has developed a number of SSN verification systems for internal and external use. On your taxes, it is treated differently than unearned income. So, after a few months the Bureau began issuing SSNs to anyone who applied. Washington, DC: American University. The tricky thing about FRA is that it's not a single number. The Veterans Administration begins to use, The Department of Defense starts using the, Legislation requires banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, and securities dealers to obtain the, Legislation requires an individual to have an, Legislation authorizes states to require an, Legislation requires applicants for federal loan programs to furnish, Legislation requires that the National Student Loan Data system include, Legislation authorizes the Attorney General to require noncitizens to provide an. 2008. In August1958, SSA began converting the Flexoline index to microfilm and began capturing new SSN records on magnetic tape, using a special machine to then transcribe the code directly from magnetic tape into a readable microfilm record (Staruch1978, 2930). 102. Why Is The Social Security Number Important? Each OA-702 had a detachable portion on which the employee's name was typed and then returned to the employeethe Social Security card. SSA receives nearly three-quarters of original SSN applications through the EAB process and issues over 4million SSNs via EAB each year (SSA2006). The IRS uses this number to match the income you report on your tax return to the income that your employer and financial institutions report having paid to you. Available at www.socialsecurity.gov/history/oasis . Over 3million posters7 were distributed, 50million more pamphlets were dispersed, and three additional newsreel trailers were shown to some 42million people (McKinley and Frase1970, 364366). Likewise, the share of respondents who did not provide an SSN for the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey increased from 10percent in 1994 to almost 23percent in 2003 (Bates2004, 4). In a July3, 2007, Federal Register notice, SSA solicited public comment on a proposal to change the way SSNs are assigned (SSA2007b). However, the simplicity and efficiency of using a unique number that most people already possess has encouraged widespread use of the SSN by both government agencies and private enterprises, especially as they have adapted their recordkeeping and business systems to automated data processing. The actuarial punch cards, in phonetic code surname order. Social Security benefits are the most important source of U.S. retirement income. Available at www.socialsecurity.gov/legislation Baltimore, MD: SSA, Office of the Inspector General. The U.S. Employment Service (USES), the Census Bureau, the Central Statistical Board, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics all used numeric symbols without alphabetic characters since most standard statistical machines used this scheme. Equity means that what you put in is related to what you get out; in other words, workers with higher wages, who pay more into the system, receive higher benets Under EaE, a person aged18 or older can apply for both an immigrant visa and an SSN at a DoS office in his or her home country. I have been calling since 8 am been disconnected 4 times Audit report A-08-08-18058. SSA has taken and continues to take steps to strengthen the integrity of the Social Security card and guard against its misuse. Some seniors sign up for Medicare and Social Security at once, not realizing that in doing so, they're filing for benefits at least a full year early. Please share these resources with your friends, and family and post them on social media. In addition, SSA may assign a new SSN to an individual who is a victim of SSN misuse, which means that the number has been used with criminal or harmful intent and the individual has been subjected to economic or personal hardship. The task force reported: Because individuals sometimes use SSNs that do not belong to them, either through error or deliberately, it is important to ensure that an SSN matches SSA records before accepting it. Barron, Erma, and Felix Bamberger. The Veterans Affairs Regional Office (VARO) in Manila also accepts SS-5 applications for an original SSN or a replacement card, as do all U.S. Foreign Service posts and all military posts outside the United States. From account number to benefithow we operate. Program operations manual system. You must have it. Please be aware our call volume is higher than normal. The prototype was to be made of a durable, tamper-resistant material such as plastic or polyester; was to employ technologies that provide security features, such as magnetic stripes, holograms, and integrated circuits; and was to provide individuals with reliable proof of citizenship or legal resident alien status. The SSN's very universality has led to its adoption throughout government and the private sector as a chief means of identifying and gathering information about an individual. Wyatt, BirchardE., and WilliamH. Wandel. This could be a lock box or a file folder kept in a secure place. Shred Mail and Documents With Personal Details. 12 In certain limited situations, SSA may delete an iteration and add a new one to correct errors. SSA is a member of the Identity Theft Task Force and will continue to work with other members to protect, to the maximum extent possible, the integrity of the SSN. Age 62 is the earliest age to claim Social Security. Hi, Linda. Color shifting ink (similar to that used on $20bills) that changes colors when the card is viewed from different angles. About 60% of most working adults above 54 are disabled. The use of the SSN has expanded substantially since its inception in 1936.