Dear Editor:
Getting your baby a Social Security number is your responsibility. Why? Because contrary to what you may think, your child will need a Social Security number long before he or she grows up and gets that first job.
Getting a Social Security number is just the beginning of a valuable protection and benefits a child may be eligible for in the future. A child may need a Social Security number to:
Become eligible for certain government services; be claimed as a dependent on a tax return; obtain medical coverage, be shown on a bank account or savings bond.
The process is easy and free. When you furnish information for the baby’s birth certificate, you should also check the box that says you want a Social Security number for your baby. You will receive your child’s Social Security card in the mail within two weeks after Social Security receives the necessary information from your state’s vital statistics office.
Applying for a number at birth as part of the birth registration process saves time. If you apply later through a Social Security office, you need to: fill out an application; provide evidence of the child’s age, identity and citizenship and provide evidence of your identity.
When you wait to get your child’s Social Security number, you need to take or mail the application to a local office. If you want to complete the application for a Social Security number ahead of time, visit on the Internet at www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.html to print a copy of the Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Card.
For more information about getting a child a Social Security number, visit us at www.ssa.gov/pubs/10023.html to view the leaflet Social Security – Numbers for Children. Or call 1-800-772-1213 or visit a local office and ask for the leaflet.
Yvonne Bryant
Social Security Manager, Jersey City