Social Security’s Gift to Children is Security
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: March 17, 2021
This is the season of caring. No matter your religion or belief, December is also considered a time to focus on the children we love. Whether we’re wrapping Santa’s gifts, buying Hanukkah treats, decorating the house in celebration of Kwanzaa, or volunteering for a toy drive, children add joy to the holiday season. And we at Social Security definitely know a thing or two about helping children.
Often overlooked in the paperwork that prospective parents fill out in preparation for a child’s birth is an application for a Social Security number and card. Typically, the hospital will ask if you want to apply for a Social Security number for your newborn as part of the birth registration process. This is the easiest and fastest way to apply. The Social Security card typically arrives about a week to ten days after that little bundle of joy! You can learn about Social Security numbers for children by reading our publication, Social Security Numbers for Children.
A child needs a Social Security number if he or she is going to have a bank account, if a relative is buying savings bonds for the child, if the child will have medical coverage, or if the child will receive government services. You’ll also need a Social Security number for a child to claim him or her on your tax returns.
If you wait to apply, you will have to visit a Social Security office and you’ll need to:
- Complete an Application For a Social Security Card (Form SS-5);
- Show us original documents proving your child’s U.S. citizenship, age, and identity; and
- Show us documents proving your identity.
Remember, a child age 12 or older requesting an original Social Security number must appear in person for the interview, even though a parent or guardian will sign the application on the child’s behalf.
Children with disabilities are among our most vulnerable citizens. Social Security is dedicated to helping those with qualifying disabilities and their families through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. To qualify for SSI:
- The child must have a physical or mental condition, or a combination of conditions, resulting in “marked and severe functional limitations.” This means that the condition(s) must severely limit your child’s activities;
- The child’s condition(s) must be severe, last for at least 12 months, or be expected to result in death;
- If your child’s condition(s) does not result in “marked and severe limitations,” or does not result in those limitations lasting for at least 12 months, your child will not qualify for SSI; and
- The child must not be working and earning more than $1,090 a month in 2015. (This amount usually changes every year.) If he or she is working and earning that much money, your child will not be eligible for benefits.
Learn the details about benefits for children by reading our publication, Benefits for Children with Disabilities.
Visit our Parents and Guardians page to learn more about all we do to care for children. Caring for the next generation is a central part of securing today and tomorrow, during the holidays and all year long.
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Tags: Disability, Social Security card, SSI, supplemental security income
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Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
Jim Borland, Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Communications
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Susa
I agree with the previous writers. Interestingly, you can’t say Christmas and acknowledge the birth of Christ, but you can say kwanza–a fabricated holiday that has no meaning. Well done Obama. (That’s sarcasm, FYI).
Bill F.
I opened this to comment on your omission of CHRISTMAS in your comments, but see that others have done that. Respecting the diversity of our country may be understandable, but not even mentioning or acknowledging the reason for the holiday is offensive. You may not be Christian, but intentionally avoiding even the name is sick, misguided Political Correctness.
Jeff T.
Oh, stuff it, Fischer. As soon as Trump gets into office, the Republicans will gut Social Security with H.R. 6489, introduced earlier this month. The bill will raise the retirement age and Social Security benefits for fossils like myself will be cut by 35%. So who gives a damn if you’re “offended” by something that isn’t offensive. Stick to real-life demons. For example, the Social Security Reform Act of 2016 I’ve just mentioned.
Marcel
Jeff T
Reread what you have just written; there is zero chance of a cut in SSA benefits for those who are receiving them. Allowing active wage earners to opt out and into a blended retirement plan is possible, but not probable.
You are using the same old fear tactics that the left promotes and thrives on. Only this time in the Presidential Election it did NOT work!!!
Marcel
Jeff T
Reread what you have just written; there is zero chance of a cut in SSA benefits for those who are receiving them. Allowing active wage earners to opt out and into a blended retirement plan is possible, but not probable.
You are using the same old fear tactics that the left promotes and thrives on.
Berta
Seems as though the scare tactics are coming from the right as usual. Get it straight Marcel.
misery c.
??? BRAVO ? ? ?
Marcel
I am grateful that in this Christmas season we will soon have a new President that will truly represent all of us Americans!
We now will soon have the opportunity to be united in purpose, strong in dedication to becoming the best that we can be as Americans, and show our ability to be caring and respectful of others. We are certainly fortunate blessed by the Creator for our life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Welcome President Trump; America needs you!!
Berta
Some people will believe anything! Marcel Trump isn’t thinking about you unless you’re a millionaire.
Patti
amen!
mathew p.
you dead beats ever think of making a living for yourself and taking care of your own children ??????
Jessica b.
I get to wait 4 years to find out if I’m approved for ssd. I’m confused on the day and year we are on. I think I had 3 tia’s and a seizure today, I’m super dizzy and all alone. I was told I was out cold for many minutes. I really hope I don’t have another seizure alone because I’m in fear of cracking my skull. Just another year and a half of waiting and hoping to live.
Tom
Elections have consequences. You may want less government, but through the miracle of magical thinking everyone else will get less government but you? No one, from Congress to the White House in either party are making rationale choices as to what government must do, where to beef up services and where to cut back. They all take the cowards way of cutting everything equally that is not defense. You keep voting for them, so you will get the rewards of your votes. The new savior, ooops I mean president, will further reduce hiring to one for every 3 lost. So that means if you are waiting a year and a half for a hearing because the ALJ numbers were already reduced, it is about to get a whole lot worse. Good luck with Making America Great Again.
AKA
A good synopsis of the progress we’ve made the past 8 Years. Hiring 1 to replace 3 has never happened. What does happen is the diversion of human resources to those things that fit the current political narrative and not hiring those who could lower the hearing backlogs. Such is the way it’s been for years. No priority for the essentials, plenty of priority for pet projects.
Naima K.
Thank you for being one of the many blessings America has given All of us, and has helped us survive. Keep up the demoractic legacy as pass it to our children.
scottie
Many blessings??????? where are you at let me tell you how they blessed me in 2005 i had my first major back surgery ive had 2 since and knee surgery not to mention severe copd and an air pocket on my lung so because its time for me to turn 65 they take my retirement and reduce it to 377 for 29 years paying taxes but because they blessed me with that 377 they took 400 of my ssi away not to mention they removed me from the medical plan i had been on since i was on ssi but because medicaid didnt want to pay for my medicine anymore they chose to pay the 120 medicare premium so medicare bless them puts me in a perscription plan with co pays on every perscription or they dont cover the medicines at all but the year before i turned 65 i went to social security to see what changes would be made and bless them i was told not a thing would change at least not til the august before my birthday when they started sending letters of what would be taken away and what would be left plus a cost of living raise for 2017 which the medicare hike will eat up yes we are surely blessed to have Social Security
Perry
We Christians celebrate the birth of Christ, hence Christmas — that’s the holiday that shows on my calendar for Dec 25th. I’ve been following SSA blogs for awhile. You seem to go out of your way to acknowledge diversity and many other religious groups, but to the exclusion of Christianity.
Manuel S.
Thank you for this excellent information on Social Security Cards for Children. Some people believe that a Child does not need a Social Security Card until he/she is of working age.
James S.
Be careful. You almost said “Christmas” in your opening statement about religion and beliefs. I’ll be watching…
Susan
Unbelievable SSA….you can use the word Hanukkah but you can’t use the word Christmas. Christians are not celebrating Santa Claus…they are celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. Maybe you didn’t know that? I hope our new President will be able to do something about this out of control federal government that is rabid about wiping out Christianity in the US!!
Dawn
I for one am celebrating Santa Claus. My Christian counterparts are welcome to celebrate Christmas. My Jewish friends celebrate Hanukkah, and I have friends that celebrate Kwanzaa as well!!!! The thing that makes America truly great is the wonderful mix of different faiths, beliefs, and backgrounds. Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas too!!!
Colleen H.
Well stated!
Shirley
In case you were unaware Jesus was a Jew. He lived and died a Jew and was not born in December.
John B.
I say Christmas all the time and people look at me as, if I should apologize to them.
Dee
And?
Helen P.
I hope you folks are still here for us and these kids!