3 ms·

Since there are probably young people reading this, or parents of young people (teach them this): Do not give out you SSN to anyone except the government, and

Since there are probably young people reading this, or parents of young people (teach them this): Do not give out you SSN to anyone except the government, and try every possible way to avoid giving it out to anyone else. Paper forms ask for it all the time, leave it blank. In fact, leave as much blank on any form as possible (I have never been asked for info that I've left blank). Cell phone companies and utility providers ask for it, instead offer to pay a deposit or go post-paid. I haven't tried this before, but my understanding is that U.S. law requires banks to have a unique personal identifier number for its customers. Banks default to SSNs, but the law does not specify it has to be a SSN. Try to create an account in-person and use a Driver License number. If I have any incorrect understandings, please reply with your knowledge; or if you have any further ideas, please reply with your advice. Thank you. Edit: removed idea about not getting a SSN for kids. Sounds like way more hassle than any potential benefit.

dymk 5y ago
Skipping setting up a SSN for your child seems like it’s going to set them up for major headaches once they’re older.
- MerelyMortal 5y ago
  Edited my original comment to remove it. I do not have enough info to give adivice. Sorry.
  - PopAlongKid 5y ago
    No, if someone is eligible for an SSN, they are not eligible for an ITIN.
PopAlongKid 5y ago
It is vastly easier to apply for the SSN at the hospital at time of birth. If you don't, there are many non-trivial hurdles to jump through later[0]: At a Social Security office: If you wait to apply for your child’s number, you must: • Complete an application for a Social Security card; and • Show us original documents proving your child’s: — U.S. citizenship; — Age; and — Identity. • Show us documents proving your identity and your relationship to the child. [0] https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10023.pdf https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10023.pdf
- MerelyMortal 5y ago
  Sounds like that's pretty easy, except you have to do it instead of the hospital doing it. Sounds like they just need a birth certificate. Anyway, I removed that part of my comment because I am not fully knowledgeable about that, and don't want spread any false information, and it probably won't help with security that much.
starwind 5y ago
Reddit has a bunch of posts by 19 year olds asking for help sorting out their lives because they don't have a social security number and the government basically doesn't know they exist https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/578jm8/19m_homeschooled_dont_have_a_social_security/ https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/578jm8/19m_hom... It's really sad. Get your kid an SSN. If you really want to be safe, don't announce their birth on facebook until like 6 weeks afterwards and ask family not to post birthday pictures until way later
- wyclif 5y ago
  I used to have a housemate who is one year older than me and still doesn't have an SSN. He got away with avoiding it because he wanted to be off the grid but he's only had one job his entire life— working for his Dad's business. But it's a really bad idea and if anything ever happens to that business he's going to be in for a lot of serious problems.
- MerelyMortal 5y ago
  Interesting, thank you for sharing. I've also removed that part from my original comment.
- waynecochran 5y ago
  I didn't have a choice w my 3 kids. In fact I was forced to give my second child a name (we waited a couple of weeks deciding on a name) otherwise the name was going to be "Baby" in the birth certificate. We received SSN cards which laughably they had to sign. Interesting since I didn't get a SSN until I was a teenager.
cameronh90 5y ago
Not really relevant to the topic at hand, but interestingly the UK doesn't really have any national ID number valid for both children and adults. The only one is the NHS Number but that's not used outside of a medical setting. Additionally my birth certificate isn't digitised. It was handwritten with a fountain pen by the local register office. For most intents and purposes, the central government didn't know I existed until I hit 16 and signed up for a National Insurance number.

dymk 5y ago

Skipping setting up a SSN for your child seems like it’s going to set them up for major headaches once they’re older.

MerelyMortal 5y ago
Edited my original comment to remove it. I do not have enough info to give adivice. Sorry.
- PopAlongKid 5y ago
  No, if someone is eligible for an SSN, they are not eligible for an ITIN.

PopAlongKid 5y ago

It is vastly easier to apply for the SSN at the hospital at time of birth. If you don't, there are many non-trivial hurdles to jump through later[0]: At a Social Security office: If you wait to apply for your child’s number, you must: • Complete an application for a Social Security card; and • Show us original documents proving your child’s: — U.S. citizenship; — Age; and — Identity. • Show us documents proving your identity and your relationship to the child. [0] https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10023.pdf https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10023.pdf

MerelyMortal 5y ago
Sounds like that's pretty easy, except you have to do it instead of the hospital doing it. Sounds like they just need a birth certificate. Anyway, I removed that part of my comment because I am not fully knowledgeable about that, and don't want spread any false information, and it probably won't help with security that much.

starwind 5y ago

Reddit has a bunch of posts by 19 year olds asking for help sorting out their lives because they don't have a social security number and the government basically doesn't know they exist https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/578jm8/19m_homeschooled_dont_have_a_social_security/ https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/578jm8/19m_hom... It's really sad. Get your kid an SSN. If you really want to be safe, don't announce their birth on facebook until like 6 weeks afterwards and ask family not to post birthday pictures until way later

wyclif 5y ago
I used to have a housemate who is one year older than me and still doesn't have an SSN. He got away with avoiding it because he wanted to be off the grid but he's only had one job his entire life— working for his Dad's business. But it's a really bad idea and if anything ever happens to that business he's going to be in for a lot of serious problems.
MerelyMortal 5y ago
Interesting, thank you for sharing. I've also removed that part from my original comment.
waynecochran 5y ago
I didn't have a choice w my 3 kids. In fact I was forced to give my second child a name (we waited a couple of weeks deciding on a name) otherwise the name was going to be "Baby" in the birth certificate. We received SSN cards which laughably they had to sign. Interesting since I didn't get a SSN until I was a teenager.

cameronh90 5y ago

Not really relevant to the topic at hand, but interestingly the UK doesn't really have any national ID number valid for both children and adults. The only one is the NHS Number but that's not used outside of a medical setting. Additionally my birth certificate isn't digitised. It was handwritten with a fountain pen by the local register office. For most intents and purposes, the central government didn't know I existed until I hit 16 and signed up for a National Insurance number.