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.
Do members of Congress have to pay into Social Security?
This has become a common question since a chain email was sent around spreading a rumor that Congress does not have to worry about what happens to Social Security because the members are not required to pay into it. This article will discuss if that statement is true, or like too many things, just a rumor floating around online.
The truth is that Members of Congress do have to pay into Social Security just like everyone else. This has been in effect since 1984 when Congress Members began paying into, and receiving Social Security benefits just like everyone else. In January 1984, even the President and Vice president were included in being forced to pay into Social Security like everyone else. This also included Federal judges and other people in politics. Since January, all of these parties have been paying into Social Security just like everyone else has, regardless of how long they have been in office. Prior to 1984 most of the Federal government employees and officials participated in the Civil Service Retirement System, or CSRS which was established in 1920, about 15 years before the establishment of the Social Security System. Because of this outdated system between 1920 and 1948 Congress Members were not paying into the later established Social Security system.
Now that it has been clarifies that Members of Congress do, in fact, pay into the Social Security system it is very interesting to think about how this knowledge affects their decision on the controversial topic of the Social Security System.
Is it true that Social Security was originally just a retirement program?
This question often lingers on everyone’s mind. Was this program started to solely address retirement? What has the program done to change over the years do address more issues that face citizens?
It is true that in 1935 a law was passed to establish Social Security and under this law Social Security was being created as a retirement plan. For the most part what the law did was provide retirement benefits to the primary worker that was retiring. In 1939, this began to change when the law was amended and adjusted to also included survivor benefits, as well as additional benefits for the spouse and children of the retiree that was initially covered under the original Social Security law. In the year l956, Social Security was further expanded, yet again. This time it was to aid and support the disabled. This was done with the addition of Social Security disability benefits. The Social Security act was originally much larger of a topic than just the program that we have today that we all know of as “Social Security.” The initial 1935 law included the first compensation program for unemployment on a national level. This law also added aid to the states for numerous health and well being programs, such as welfare. The act also attempted to help the stated by establishing the Aid to Dependant Children program under it.
It’s amazing to see how far Social Security has come over the history of the United States, but we all have to hope that Social Security continues to expand creating better programs and does not fall dormant.
