What documents would have your social security number on it

Your Social Security number is a unique 9-digit number that appears in a 3-2-4 format, such as 123-45-6789. The federal government issues Social Security numbers, and a number usually stays with a person for life. This number is used to keep track of your working and salary history and to identify you for receipt of your Social Security benefits when they come due.

The number is also used for identification purposes at times related to financial matters, such as when you open a bank account or apply for a student loan. There are several steps you can take to affirm that a particular Social Security number is yours.

Proof of Social Security Number

The Social Security Administration issues each person a Social Security card that includes their full name and Social Security number (SSN). The card does not include a photograph or other identifying information such as a fingerprint. It is not, therefore, immediately obvious that a card belongs to the person who is displaying it. It could, for example, be a card that someone found or stole.

However, displaying your Social Security card along with a government-issued photo ID card (typically, a driver's license) is a way of confirming that the SSN and name on the card belong to you, as proof of SSN. Another government-issued document with a photograph, such as your passport, is also suitable if you do not have a driver's license.

Tip

If you cannot locate your Social Security card, you can obtain a new one from the federal government. Contact the Social Security Administration to request a replacement card. You can visit the SSA website or call (800) 772-1213 for detailed instructions.

Request an IRS Copy of Your Tax Return

Your tax return is one of the things that have your social security number on it. As such, it is another possible source of formal identification. Anyone, of course, can take a blank 1040 form and fill in whatever name or number they choose. However, an official copy of your tax return is convincing documentation. You can obtain a copy of your previously filed return from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The copy, along with a driver's license or other photo ID, provides documentation of your SSN.

Obtain a Copy of Your Salary History

Each holder of a Social Security number can sign up for access to an online account with the Social Security Administration, known as a My Social Security account. Your online access to such an account is, in itself, convincing evidence of your SSN status, but you can also obtain a verification letter and other types of documentation after you log in to your account.

Know Your Documentation

Regardless of the steps you take to verify your Social Security number, agencies will ask you for extensive information to unambiguously identify yourself. In addition to knowing your SSN, you may also be asked for other identifying information such as:

  • Date of birth;
  • Current address;
  • Driver's license number;
  • Birth certificate copy;
  • Passport copy;
  • Marriage certificate (if your surname has changed); and
  • Previous year's adjusted gross income (AGI) as reported on your tax filing.

You can also use a military ID card or a federal government employee ID card in most cases, if these documents are applicable to your situation.

The request for this detailed documentation is designed to prevent someone who happens to find your wallet from masquerading as you, stealing your identity and claiming to own your SSN.

Having access to as much of this information, and as many of these documents as possible, helps facilitate your efforts to prove your ownership of a given Social Security number.

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What documents would have your social security number on it

April 7, 2022 Update: Local Social Security offices are offering more in-person appointments and have resumed in-person service for people without an appointment. It is strongly encouraged to continue to go online, call for help, and schedule appointments in advance.

For more information on “How to Get Help from Social Security, visit the website: https://www.ssa.gov/coronavirus/gethelp/

Link to the Social Security Administration website:    www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices.

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To Obtain a New Social Security Number and Card you will need to provide at least two documents to prove age, identity, and U.S. citizenship or current immigration status.

The new online service allows individuals to get replacement Social Security cards through the Social Security Administration website at: www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber

To Obtain a Replacement Card, if lost or stolen, you must prove your identity and U.S. citizenship.

To prove identity: Social Security must see:

  • U.S. driver’s license; or
  • State-issued non-driver identity card; or
  • U.S. passport.

If you do not have these specific documents or cannot get a replacement for them within ten days, Social Security will ask to see other documents, such as:

  • Employee ID card;
  • School ID card;
  • Health insurance card (not a Medicare card);
  • U.S. military ID card
  • Letter from doctor, with your name, address, social security number and doctors name, address, and signature

To Prove Age: Social Security must see:

  • Birth certificate;
    If a birth certificate does not exist Social Security may accept:
  • Religious record made before the age of 5 showing your date of birth
  • U.S. hospital record of your date of birth
  • U.S. passport
  • If you lived outside the U.S.: other records showing long term residence outside the U.S.

To prove U.S. citizenship: Under recent changes in law, only certain documents can be accepted as proof of U.S. citizenship. These include:

  • U.S. birth certificate;
  • U.S. passport

To prove immigration status:   If you are not a U.S. citizen, Social security must see your current U.S. immigration documents.   Acceptable documents include:

  • I-94 Arrival/Departure Record or admission stamp in the unexpired foreign passport
  • I-766 Employment Authorization Document, EAD, work permit
  • Form I-551 (Lawful Permanent Resident Card, Machine Readable Immigrant Visa) with your unexpired foreign passport

How to Change a Name on Your Social Security Card: To change your name on your Social Security card, you must also complete Form SS-5. You need to provide recently issued documents that show your legally changed name such as a marriage document, divorce decree, court order for a name change, or certificate of Naturalization showing the new name. The new Social Security card will show your new name, but will have the same number as your old card.

All documents must be either originals or copies certified by the issuing agency.   Social Security cannot accept photocopies or notarized copies of documents or receipts showing you have applied for a document.

To Find the Nearest Social Security Office Look in Connecticut’s Community Resources Database:
Search by Service Name: Social Security Numbers

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SOURCE: U.S. Social Security Administration website 
PREPARED BY: 211/jm
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: April2022