Facts on Social Security numbers

The Social Security Administration as well as Northeast COMBAT would like to educate the consumers of Maine where Social Security numbers are involved.

Many of us got our Social Security numbers about the time we got our first job. It was a symbol of our right to work and our responsibility to pay taxes. Like getting a driver’s license, it was symbolic of becoming an adult. Today, most children have their Social Security number by age 1. Many parents apply for a number for their newborns even before they leave the hospital.

The Social Security Administration is aware of concerns about the increasing uses of the Social Security number for client identification and record keeping purposes. However, several other government agencies are permitted by law to use Social Security numbers, and the law generally does not prohibit any use of the numbers by the private sector. Banks and other financial institutions use the numbers to report interest earned on accounts to the Internal Revenue Service.

Although we can’t prevent others from asking for your number, you should know that giving it to them does not give them access to your Social Security records. The privacy of your records is guaranteed except for the following situations:

1. Disclosure to another government agency is required by law or;

2. The information is needed to conduct Social Security or other government health or welfare programs.

If a business or other enterprise asks you for your Social Security number, you can refuse to give it to them. However, that may mean doing without the purchase or service for which the number was requested.

The Social Security Administrations’ primary message it this: be careful with your Social Security number and protect its privacy whenever possible.

The nine-digit Social Security number is divided into three parts. The first three numbers generally indicate the state of residence at the time a person applies for his or her first card. Originally, the lower numbers were assigned to the New England states, and the numbers grew progressively higher in the South and West. However, in recent years, this geographical relationship has been disrupted somewhat by the need to allocate numbers out of sequence to certain growing and populous states.

The middle two digits of Social Security number have no special significance, but merely serve to break the numbers into blocks of convenient size. The last four characters represent a straight numerical progression of assigned numbers.

SSA issues three types of Social Security cards. One, the familiar card most people have, has been issued since 1935. It shows the person’s name and Social Security number, and it lets the person work without restriction. SSA issues it to U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens.

A second type of card bears the legend “Not valid for employment.” SSA issues it to people from other countries who are admitted to the United States on a temporary basis but not for work, and who need a number for other purposes, such as banking.

SSA began issuing the third type of card in 1992. It bears the legend “Valid for work only within authorization.” It is issued to people who are admitted to the United States on a temporary basis with Immigration and Naturalization Service employment authorization.

Here are some suggestions for using your Social Security card wisely.

Show your Social Security card to your employer when you start a job.

Check the name and Social Security number on your pay stub and W-2 form to make sure your name and number are correct.

Keep your card in a safe place and don’t rely on your money. If you give your employer the wrong Social Security number, your earnings may get credited to some other worker.

Send for an earnings statement every three years to make sure your record is right. The statement is available free of charge from Social Security by calling 1-800-772-1213.

Next week we will continue this column on Social Security number misuse and other related information.

Consumer Forum is a collaborative effort of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast COMBAT. Send your questions to Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329. COMBAT is a membership organization with basic dues of $10 a year. For membership information write to the above address. Please enclose a large, stamped, self-addressed envelope.