What is a Social Security Number?

A Social Security Number (or SSN) is a 9 digit number issued to citizens, permanent residents, and temporary residents of the United States of America.

The number is issued to an individual by the Social Security Administration, an agency of the federal government. Its primary purpose is to track individuals for taxation purposes. In recent years the SSN has become a de facto national identification number.

The first SSNs were issued by the Social Security Administration in November 1936 as part of the New Deal Social Security program. By the end of 1937, over 37 million numbers had been issued.

Before 1986, people often did not have a Social Security number until the age of about 14, since they were used for income tracking purposes, and those under that age seldom had substantial income.

In 1986, American taxation law was altered so that individuals over 5 years old without Social Security numbers could not be successfully claimed as dependents on tax returns.

Since then, parents have often applied for Social Security numbers for their children soon after birth.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no law requiring a natural born US Citizen to apply for a Social Security number to live or work in the United States. Although some people do not have an SSN assigned to them, it is becoming ever increasingly difficult to engage in legitimate financial activities without one.

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June 2, 2008 | Filed Under Social Security, Social Security Administration, Social Security Number 

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