How To Replace Your Childs Social Security Card
Securing your childs Social Security card is an important step in the process, but accidents do happen. If your childs card is lost or stolen, replacements are easy and free. Its important to note that you dont need the physical card. While its helpful to have, its more important to know the number. It rarely needs to be physically shown.
To apply for a replacement card for your child, follow these simple steps:
- Gather your childs documents First, secure documents proving your childs identity, citizenship, or immigration status. This could be their passport, birth certificate, or other medical records.
- Gather your documents Next, gather your own documents. Youll need to prove your identity and your relationship to your child.
- Complete the application form Fill out the application form from the Social Security Administration. This is the same form used when applying for the initial card.
- Submit the form Either file the form in person at a local Social Security office or mail it to your local center. All documents need to be submitted with the form, and they need to be original or certified.
From there, your local office verifies your documents and application. Your card should be received within ten business days of the date on your receipt. The number on the card is the same as your childs previous card.
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Applying For An Ssn When Adopting
Even if you adopt a child, you may still have to go through the social security card application process, but it all depends on the situation. For example, if the child you wish to adopt is a U.S. citizen already, they may have an SSN, so you wont have to go through the trouble. If you are adopting domestically instead, and you find out that your child doesnt have the SSN, you can get an ATIN or Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number. This will allow you to claim the child-related tax breaks during the pending adoption of the child.
The IRS Form W-8A, Application for Taxpayer Identification Number for Pending U.S. Adoptions is necessary. Keep in mind that the ATIN will have a 2-year validity, after which you can extend it if the child adoption was not finalized. The ATIN can stop being used once the adoption is final. Then, you can use the typical process for applying for a Social Security number.
Also, if you wish to adopt a child from a different country, it is better to wait until the finalization of the adoption and the childs entrance into the U.S. to get an SSN. Once again, you will have to follow the same application process in this situation.
What Can New Parents Do If They Have Not Yet Received The Social Security Number For Their Newborn Child Should We Reapply
Hospitals routinely provide the paperwork necessary to get a Social Security number issued to a newborn. Do not reapply unless you have first determined that the Social Security Administration needs you to do so.
To check on the status of the issuance of the babys Social Security number, you should contact your local Social Security office by searching on or by calling the national hotline at 1-800-772-1213.
If the Social Security Administration requires you to refile and instructs you to do so, the form and instructions are available online at www.socialsecurity.gov. DO NOT give in to scams that solicit in the mail, online, or by phone to get a newborns Social Security number issued for a fee. You should never pay money to get a newborns Social Security number, and these solicitations are frauds.
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Baby’s Social Security Card
- Getting a Social Security number for your newborn is voluntary and there are advantages. Your baby’s Social Security card will allow you to:
- will allow you to open a bank account for your child
- get medical coverage for your child
- apply for government services for your child
- buy savings bonds for your child.
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Your Baby’s Birth Certificate
After your baby is born, the hospital staff will gather information to complete the birth certificate and send it to the state health department.
The procedures for getting a copy of your baby’s birth certificate depend on the county in which your baby is born. Ask your birth center staff how you can get a copy of your baby’s birth certificate. .
On the birth certificate questionnaire is a question asking if you want to apply for a Social Security number for your baby. Although your baby doesn’t legally need a Social Security number for one year, now is the easiest time to apply for one.
Any child older than one year old who is listed as a dependent on a tax return is required to have a Social Security number. You will also need your baby’s Social Security number to open a bank account, buy savings bonds, or apply for government services for your baby.
How To Get A Newborn Social Security Number
A newborn Social Security Number is one of the most important documents you can obtain for your new baby. With an SSN, you can enroll your infant in government programs and a medical coverage network. You can also open a savings account for him or her. For these reasons, it is important that you understand how to get a Social Security Number for a newborn.
If you give birth in a hospital, you may be prompted to obtain a Social Security card for your baby by hospital staff. Remember that this is the same as applying for an SSN for your child. This is because the SSN will be printed on your childs Social Security card. This is true regardless of whether you apply for a Social Security card for your newborn baby before you leave the hospital or at a later date in a hospital.
How to Get a Social Security Card for a Baby at the Hospital
You can apply for a Social Security Number for a newborn after you give birth at a hospital. Usually, this option is presented to you when you provide workers with information for your childs birth certificate. If you choose this option, you need to provide SSNs for you and the childs other parent. This is one of the most convenient ways to apply for a Social Security card for a newborn baby.
Can I apply for my baby Social Security card online?
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Plan For Your Childs Future
Keeping your childs Social Security number secure is an important step toward keeping his or her benefits safe like Social Security benefits for his or her future family. Children grow up fast, and its important to think about his or her later-in-life experiences, too.
Its never too early to plan well for yourself as well. Cake can help you store your will, name an estate beneficiary, and secure your legal documents safely online. Cakes free online profile ensures that all of your end-of-life resources are in one place so you wont have to worry about replacing a lost document ever again.
If youre looking for more ways to protect or store important documents, check out our guides on how to store important documents and how long you should keep documents.
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How Long Does It Take To Get My Baby’s Social Security Number
It is a good idea to apply for your childs Social Security number and birth certificate at birth. If you apply at the hospital, the state agency that issues birth certificates will share your childs information with us. Then, we will mail the Social Security card to you. If you wait to apply, there may be delays while we verify your childs birth certificate.
Each state or jurisdiction has different processing times, between 1 and 6 weeks. See the chart below to find out how long your state takes to process the card application. The average processing time is 2 weeks.If you waited the appropriate length of time and still have not received your child’s Social Security card, contact your local Social Security office. You also can call us at 1-800-772-1213 , 8:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you live outside the United States, refer to Service Around the World.
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How To Get Your Childs Social Security Number Right Away
The easiest and fastest way to apply for your childs Social Security number is through the hospital when your child is born. The hospital, the agency that issues birth certificates in your state, and the Social Security Administration work together in a process called Enumeration at Birth, or EAB.
EAB is the easiest way to apply for a Social Security number for a newborn baby because the hospital does all the work. You complete the SSN application and order a Social Security card for your child as part of the hospital birth registration process. You dont have to submit any supporting documentation.
When your child is born, the hospital usually fills out a birth registration form for you and has you sign it. Both you and your babys other parent should be ready to supply your Social Security numbers as part of the application process.
EAB can only be used when your child is born in a hospital. Its not available for home births or for infant adoptions.
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How To Get Your Child’s Social Security Number Right Away
The easiest and fastest way to apply for your child’s Social Security number is through the hospital when your child is born. The hospital, the agency that issues birth certificates in your state, and the Social Security Administration work together in a process called “Enumeration at Birth,” or EAB.
EAB is the easiest way to apply for a Social Security number for a newborn baby because the hospital does all the work. You complete the SSN application and order a Social Security card for your child as part of the hospital birth registration process. You don’t have to submit any supporting documentation.
When your child is born, the hospital usually fills out a birth registration form for you and has you sign it. Both you and your babys other parent should be ready to supply your Social Security numbers as part of the application process.
EAB can only be used when your child is born in a hospital. Its not available for home births or for infant adoptions.
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What If I Havent Received My Childs Social Security Card
Figure out your states approximate processing time for SSN applications for newborns, since it varies based on where you live. If you still havent received your babys card in the mail after the indicated length of time , you have two options:
- Visit your local SSA Office.
Depending on your application status, someone at your local SSA office or an official on the hotline could ask you to refile your application you can do so at ssa.gov. Keep in mind that you cant apply via phone or mail, so if youre asked to do this, report this immediately and consider it fraud.
Also, applying for a SSN and a Social Security card is free, so dont be tricked by scammers who may be trying to charge you a fee for your application.
Store Your Childs Card Safely
Finally, once youve received your childs Social Security number, keep their card somewhere secure. Identity fraud is a real threat, so make sure you have somewhere safe to keep the card secure. Youll need this number for tax forms, benefits, and other government documents.
Its smart to keep this with your other important documents. Preferably, store it in an easy to secure safe or another storage system. Learn more about how long to keep documents for more information on how to secure legal and government documents.
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Having A Baby: Applying For A Social Security Number
Having a baby is a joyful occasion. But it can also be an exhausting whirlwind of activity. The last thing most parents want right after their baby is born is to have to do a bunch of paperwork. But some of that paperwork is necessary.
And getting your newborn a Social Security card as soon as possible can make things much easier later on for you and your baby. A Social Security number is required for more than just getting a job. Heres what you need to know to get a Social Security card for a newborn or an older child.
How To Get Your Child A Social Security Number
The easiest way to get your child assigned a Social Security number is to apply shortly after the birth while youre still at the hospital. It doesnt cost anything and most medical providers have the necessary paperwork. During your stay, youll be asked to provide information for your babys birth certificate. At that point, youll also be asked whether you want to apply for a Social Security number for your baby. If you say yes, you need to provide each parents Social Security number.
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Where Can I Get A Social Security Card
If you have never been issued a Social Security card, you may apply for one at no cost at a local Social Security office. You will need to:
- Bring a completed Form SS-5 and,
- Provide at least two documents to confirm your age, identity and citizenship or legal presence.
Acceptable documents include but are not limited to an original birth certificate, valid U.S. drivers license, state-issued identification card or U.S. passport. If a U.S. birth certificate exists you MUST submit it. See Learn What Documents You Need to find acceptable documents. Only originals or copies certified by the agency that issued the document will be accepted. Individuals who are not U.S. citizens must provide a current U.S. immigration document and foreign passport with biographical information or photograph.
Related Documents & Topics
If you have lost your Social Security card and need to get a replacement, you may be able to request a replacement online:
You can use a my Social Security account to request a replacement Social Security card online if you:
- Are a U.S. citizen age 18 years or older with a U.S. mailing address
- Are not requesting a name change or any other change to your card and
- Have a drivers license or a state-issued identification card from Michigan or one of the other states listed.
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Getting A Social Security Number For An Adopted Child
If the child you’re adopting is a United States citizen, the child’s birth mother most likely filled out an application for an SSN for the baby at the hospital. However, you have the option to register them for a new SSN that bears the child’s new legal name, no matter how old the child is at the time of the adoption.
You’ll have to apply in person at your local Social Security Office. You must fill out the SS-5 application and provide proof of the child’s citizenship and identity â you can present your Adoption Order, a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate, or a hospital record â as well as your own identity and your relationship to them. This new number will override the child’s old one.
If you’re adopting a child from another country, you’ll have to wait until the adoption is final and your child has entered the United States to obtain a Social Security number. To apply, fill out the application and bring the required paperwork described above, as well as other adoption paperwork such as immigration documents from the Department of Homeland Security, to your local Social Security Office. Then, follow the rest of the process described above to obtain your child’s Social Security number and card.
If you want to file your child as a dependent on your tax return while the adoption is pending â before you receive the child’s SSN card in the mail â you can obtain an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number . To apply for one, complete IRS Form W-7A.
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