what do i need to get social security card replaced

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Have yous misplaced your kid'southward Social Security carte? Or even more unsettling, has information technology been stolen? Yous might call back your kid'southward carte tin't be misused if he or she is underage. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

Bound ahead to these sections:

• Why Should I Supplant My Kid's Bill of fare?
• Step ane: Firsthand Actions You lot Demand to Take
• Step 2: Gather Documents
• Stride 3: Complete Awarding
• Step 4: Submit
• What if My Child Doesn't Have a Card?
• How Can I Prevent Fraud?

In 2017, more one million children were victims of identity theft. About at hazard are children under age seven. Thieves tin create new identities using a mix of your child'southward identification and fake information to open new lines of credit on homes, car loans, and even personal loans. Social Security theft impacts your child'southward hereafter in other ways, too. It can disqualify your kid from financial and college scholarships or even deny him or her employment later on in life.

Nosotros'll testify you how to replace your child'due south Social Security card and learn some action steps you tin can accept to prevent fraud.

Post-loss tip:If dealing with social security details is a part of handling the unfinished concern for an adult kid who has passed, there are many other emotional and technical aspects of this process that can exist overwhelming without a way to organize. We have a post-loss checklist that will aid you ensure that your loved 1'southward family unit, estate, and other diplomacy are taken care of.

Why Should I Replace My Kid's Bill of fare?

Technically, you don't need your child'southward Social Security card, simply you do need the number for most things. It'southward non oftentimes anyone or any entity asks for proof of the physical card.

You volition also need the number if you lot plan to open a bank account for your child, become him or her medical coverage, or add your kid to your federal and state tax returns. However, there is a lifetime and yearly limit to replacing cards. You tin replace your ain and your child'south card 3 times a yr or x times per lifetime.

Memorize your child'south number to exist safety so that even if the carte du jour is lost, you'll exist able to complete most documents. Remember, a Social Security menu is a regime document that should remain in your hands. Before you replace your child's menu, here are the immediate steps you need to have now to protect your kid'south identity.

Step ane: Take Firsthand Action

First, take a deep breath. There'due south a chance that a Skillful Samaritan found your kid'southward carte du jour and mailed it back to the Social Security role. Still, in case that didn't happen, here's what you need to exercise:

• File a police report with your local law enforcement agency. Brand sure to keep a copy of the study for your records. Police documentation will assist you build a case if yous need to file reports with banks or creditors later.
• Freeze your kid's credit. You may be hypervigilant almost watching your credit written report, but if yous've lost your child'due south Social Security card, your child's credit is compromised too. Thirty-two states allow you to freeze your child'south credit study on their behalf. Consummate a freeze asking form for each major credit bureau (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax). Freezing your child's credit will foreclose thieves from opening credit lines under your child's name.
• Confident the card was stolen? File an identity theft report. This free government service will create a personalized recovery plan for your family.

Finally, you lot will need to replace your child's Social Security card. Nosotros've put together the information yous need to know in the rest steps below.

Footstep 2: Get together Documents

You'll need to take 2 types of documentation to your local Social Security part in gild to get a new card for your child. Keep in mind the Social Security office only accepts unexpired original documents or certified copies — no notarized copies or photocopies.

Beginning, you will need to evidence your child's identity, citizenship, and age. The simply document you can apply to prove all three at the same fourth dimension is a U.S. passport. You can also apply the following:

• School ID carte du jour
• Country issued-ID card
• Religious record
• Certified copy of a medical tape (clinic, doctor, or hospital)
• Health insurance/Medicaid carte

You will also demand to evidence your child'southward historic period. Some of the documents the SSA function accepts are:

• U.S. hospital record of your kid's birth
• Religious tape before age 5
• U.S. passport

Lastly, to prove citizenship, you may use your kid's U.S passport or birth certificate. You can also use:

• Document of Naturalization
• Consular Report of Birth Abroad
• Certificate of Citizenship

It'due south easiest to utilize a certificate that proves more than one requirement. You tin use a religious record to prove both your child's age and identity, or you tin use a nascence certificate to prove both age and citizenship. Brand certain to verify documents with the Social Security Administration before moving to footstep iii below.

Finally, you lot will need to verify your identity and relationship with your child. The document needs to show your name and photo, such as a driver's license, state ID carte du jour, or U.S. passport. To verify your relationship, the nascency document higher up will be enough, just you lot can apply an adoption decree or courtroom order of patronage, too (depending on your relationship with the child).

Pace three: Consummate Awarding

Next, you volition demand to consummate an application for a new Social Security card. You can make full out the course and sign it on behalf of your underage kid every bit long as he or she is under 18 years one-time.

Once you put this course together with your gathered documents, yous can move to stride 4.

Step 4: Submit

You lot volition need to take your awarding for a replacement card (along with your and your child's documents) to your local Social Security office or postal service information technology. Information technology'southward important to annotation that you cannot complete your kid's application online, though y'all tin can request an adult card online.

If you lot visit a few minutes earlier your local Social Security office opens, you could exist in and out in as niggling as 15 minutes. Await times volition be longer after in the 24-hour interval.

Mailing an application is riskier. You may desire to visit in person to avoid essential documents (like your child'due south passport and nascency certificate) getting lost in the postal service. If you lot do choose to mail your kid's application, these documents will be mailed back to you.

Ultimately, you can look your kid's card in your mailbox inside vii to 15 days.

What If My Kid Doesn't Have a Menu?

Y'all tin can follow these steps to file for a new card if your child doesn't already have a carte du jour.

Go along in mind that children over 12 years of age need to appear to the Social Security role in person for an interview.

How Can I Prevent Fraud?

Hither are some tips you lot tin use to secure your kid's identity now and into the futurity. Here are some tips:

• Never conduct your child'south carte in your wallet . Continue everyone's Social Security card forth with other necessary documents at domicile or in a condom deposit box at a bank. It'south a good idea to utilize a water and fireproof lockbox to make sure these documents stay safe in an emergency if you keep information technology at domicile.
• Keep your child's Social Security number on a separate piece of paper. Write downward the number and put it in your lockbox just and then you take the number handy.
• Don't give out your kid'south (or your own) Social Security number unless you admittedly take to. Information technology might surprise you to know that most medical offices, hospitals, and schools don't demand your child's Social Security number. Remember, once you give out your number, it's more challenging to protect it.
• Shred of import documents. It'south not uncommon for thieves to wait through landfills or your dumpster for personal information.
• Periodically check your child's credit report (or brand sure he or she doesn't have i). Your kid shouldn't accept a credit report until he takes out his first school loan, apartment, or line of credit. It's a skillful idea, peculiarly as your child grows, to cheque his credit report. Experian offers a free quondam scan of your child'due south Social Security number.
• Prepare for the future. All of these steps in a higher place are an important way to set for the uncertainty of tomorrow. Whether you accolade someone'due south life with a virtual GatheringUs celebration or yous create a clear guardianship and estate programme, it'southward of import to look ahead.

Plan for Your Child's Futurity

Keeping your child's Social Security number secure is an of import stride toward keeping his or her benefits safe — like Social Security benefits for his or her future family. Children grow up fast, and it's important to think virtually his or her later-in-life experiences, besides.

It's never too early to programme well for yourself too. Block can assistance you store your will, name an estate beneficiary, and secure your legal documents safely online. Block'southward free online contour ensures that all of your end-of-life resource are in one place so yous won't have to worry about replacing a lost document ever again.

If you're looking for more ways to protect or shop important documents, check out our guides on how to store important documents and how long yous should go on documents.

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Sources

1. "How do I replace a Social Security carte for a child?" Social Security Administration. www.FAQ.SSA.gov.
2. "Kid Identity Fraud Hit More than Ane Million U.S. Victims in 2017" Javelin Strategy & Research group. www.javelinstrategy.com/node/59561
3. "U.Due south. Citizen/Kid — Replacement Social Security Carte du jour" Social Security Administration. www.ssa.gov

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