The Social Security number card is an individual and non-transferable document for any person in the United States. When an American citizen gets this card, the person must know that has to protect the personal information at all times. So much so that many of the procedures related not only to the SSA, but to many other areas, can be done just by having the Social Security number.
So we should always keep in mind that saving our Social Security number is important. There are many ways to protect your Social Security number, so we always need to do it to avoid financial problems in the future, as well as identity theft problems. Millions of Social Security numbers are sold online by thieves and scammers every year.
It is so important to have our Social Security number well saved that even to be able to start collecting retirement or disability pension checks we need to use it. Undoubtedly, it is a key document to be able to obtain many procedures within the pension system and benefits of American citizens.
Do I need my Social Security number to cash my retirement checks?
The answer to this question is very simple. Yes, of course, you will need your Social Security number and your official card when you apply for your retirement check. While it is true that only the first time you will need to show the card, this step is very important. If we do not show the original card, it will be impossible to apply for the retirement or disability benefit.
In addition to this we have to add another very important detail, and that is that being able to make the application online can be confusing as to how we will show the Social Security card. Well, there is nothing strange about this process, since if we apply for benefits online, what we will have to do is go to an office to show the card.
Until we show the card physically and the SSA office workers give the approval we will not start cashing the retirement check. After that, though, we don’t have to do this step again, unless we apply for a different benefit in the future. So we will need the SSA number the first time, but the rest of the time neither the bank nor any other Administration will ask us for this document.
How do I protect my SSA card?
As previously mentioned, each Social Security card number is individual and non-transferable. That is why everyone should protect their SSA card. To do so, we can consider the following tips:
- Never say your Social Security number out loud in public. This is important, even inside public agency buildings. Never say your SSA card number out loud, you will avoid a lot of trouble. Someone could copy the number and use it in the future.
- Do not write the SSA number on unofficial documents. This is also extremely important. Write your Social Security number only on official documents.
- Memorize your number. When you memorize your number, you will be able to leave your SSA card at home, thus avoiding the risk of loss. In most cases we will only need the number, so we can leave the card at home.
We should always avoid letting people we don’t trust have access to our Social Security number. In order to understand the situation, we should think of it as our debit card number. We would never give our card with our money on it to a stranger, would we? Well, it’s exactly the same with the SSA card.
Should I laminate my Social Security card?
Over the years, the format of the Social Security card has changed a lot. Originally, this document was made directly on a thick piece of paper that contained the numbers, stamps and little else. Nowadays, the document has changed and we find a card made of a special type of paper.
And that is precisely why we should never laminate our Social Security card. By doing so, we will lose the possibility of verifying that the card is original, authentic and valid. The special roughness of this type of paper is made to be touched. So if we laminate the card we will not be able to verify its authenticity.
I have lost my Social Security number card, do I need to apply for a new one?
When we lose our Social Security card we can apply for a replacement at one of the SSA offices. However, in most cases this is not necessary. Knowing the Social Security number is more than enough for most procedures.
However, applying for a new card is very simple and after ordering it we will receive it in our mailbox. The most important thing in these cases is not to lose the SSA card because then we will make our number available to someone else.
In the case of losing the card with the Social Security number, we must be vigilant to make sure that no one is using our information anywhere. At this time it is a good idea to consult a specialist attorney to avoid major problems related to our SSA number.