General, Social Security Number and Card

Three Things Every Family Should Do When Expecting a New Baby

July 31, 2017 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last Updated: August 19, 2021

baby smiling Your nine-digit Social Security number is your first and continuous link with Social Security. That’s why when you have a baby, one of the first things on your “to do” list, besides picking a name, should be to get your newborn a Social Security number. Then, you can take the time to learn about the protections we offer your child from day one.

The birth or adoption of a child is a special time for families. We’re with you and your child starting from when you choose their special name. Issuing Social Security cards to newborns makes us the source for the most popular baby names each year!

The top names of 2016 were Noah and Emma.

We reveal the top 10 names for boys and girls every year. Visit our baby names page to see popular names from the past 100 years! You can also share it with friends and family members who may be expecting a child or grandchild. Maybe they’ll find a name on our list that they love, thanks to you!

After your child has a name, the second thing they’ll need is a Social Security number; we’ll issue a unique one soon after birth. They’ll need their number throughout many important stages in their life, beginning with when you claim them on your tax return. It’ll also be useful if you need to apply for benefits for your child. We offer a wide range of resources for families with children. And, when the time comes for their first job, their number is already in place.

Social Security is with you throughout life’s journey. Get to know us and the resources we offer to families with children at socialsecurity.gov!

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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Comments

  1. Ellen S.

    We never received a SS card for our son Noah Mark Sauder (10-19-2019) the midwife checked the box saying we wanted the card sent.
    We got a copy of his birth certificate at the Morgan County Health Dept in VERSAILLES, Mo 65084.
    We are horse and buggy Mennonites so we don’t have internets at home. My husband hired a driver and went to the Sedalia social security office. They said there was no record of Noah Mark Sauder’s birth. Our hands are tied and we need to do taxes. Please help,
    More Ellen Sauder
    660 458 6339

  2. Deborah R.

    My granddaughter does not have a social security number and she is 9 months old. Her mother is currently incarcerated at Camille Graham Correctional Facility in Columbus SC. what do I need to have or do to get a number for her?

    • A.C.

      Hi, Deborah. You will need to present documents proving your identity, your grandchild’s identity and citizenship status, and evidence of your relationship to, or responsibility for, her. For more information about what you will need and how to apply, please visit here. We hope this helps.

  3. Gerardo C.

    We have not received our babys social security card on the mail. Usually we got it between 7 to 10 days. But this one its been over 20 days. What number can we call or what website?

    • L.A.

      Hi Gerardo. Congratulations on your new born! If you applied for a Social Security card for your baby at the hospital, it may take a little longer than 30 days for us to issue the card. On your receipt there should be a phone number for the Social Security office for you to call and speak to someone about the status of your child’s Social Security card or you may have to personally visit the Social Security office where you filed your application. When you go, take the documents you originally presented as evidence. We hope this helps.

  4. David

    How do I apply for a newborn ss card? She was born in Florida but now lives in Massachusetts.

    • A.C.

      Hi, David. If you applied for the newborn’s card at the hospital, check out our Frequently Asked Questions for a chart with each state’s average processing time (in weeks). Add 2 weeks for us to mail the card. If you need information on how to obtain a replacement Social Security card for your child, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. You will need to present documents proving your identity, your child’s identity and citizenship status (if not already established), and evidence of your relationship to, or responsibility for, your child. Also keep in mind the submitted documents must be originals. You can use birth certificates to prove your child’s age or citizenship. But you cannot use it as proof of identity. We hope this helps.

  5. Paul H.

    Three things…..Pick a name, wait for a SSN, and learn about the child’s benefits. Thank you, Mr. Borland. Nice post.

  6. Anthony

    Preliminary SSI and OASDI Trust Fund Operation Tables HA-31-7-17 http://www.title24uscode.org/ssioasdi.pdf

    The Social Security Trust funds are established in Sec. 201 of the Social Security Act under 42USC§401. They are sustained by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) to ensure that an appropriate amount of tax dollars are transferred from the General Fund to the Social Security Trust Funds under 26USC§3121. Aside from effectively treating the intellectually disabling effects of calculus upon the arteries, the most important substantive social security issue in the United States pertains to the law regarding the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) under Sec. 215(i) of the Social Security Act under 42USC§415(i). COLA has been neglected since the hyperinflation of the early 1970s and religiously abused as an OASDI tax rate calculus substitute since 2009. COLA must be re-interpreted to guarantee lower-income by law social security and other welfare program beneficiaries a 3% COLA to stay ahead of average 2.7% consumer-price-index (CPI) annually adjusted rate of inflation since 1980, provided the combined OASDI trust fund has a trust fund ratio greater than 20%, to comply with the Iron Law of Wages for high rates of catch-up economic growth to escape the inflation of printing Engel’s Law. Neither nation nor labor budget can afford to irregularly pay reparations for the resulting attrition of purchasing power. This attrition dangerously impoverishes and depletes the savings of lower income Americans. Lower-income social security and other welfare beneficiaries who do not have the patience to find rental expenses less than 30% of income, destitute at the end of the month. Lower-income workers, especially those with expensive children who need to legislate an automatic 3% annual increase in federal minimum wage under 29USC§206(a)(1)(D) and unemployment compensation contributions to ensure all 4 million women giving birth to United States citizens are equally paid maternity leave for 14 weeks maternity protection under ILO Convention 183 (2000) to reduce alarmingly high rates of legitimate demand by an industrialized nation for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) under Sullivan v. Zebley (1990) T with the payment of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) under Sec. 404 of Title IV of the Social Security Act 42USC§604 and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Program for the Aged, Blind and Disabled under Sec. 1611 of Title XVI of the Social Security Act 42USC§1382. There are three decisions that Social Security Administration (SSA) needs to make now, for fiscal and calendar year 2018. Hopefully in the first combined Annual Report on the OASDI and SSI Trust Funds. First, resolve to pay the high cost DI estimate to afford all social security beneficiaries their 3% COLA (or 2.7% 2018 and 3% every year thereafter to equal $777 SSI in 2019) and ensure working age contributing orphans and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus patients (IDDM) are qualified disabilities for a compassionate allowance. Second, compensate the DI Trust with 2.5% asset accumulation plus interest, for not being able to perform the OASDI tax rate calculation in a timely fashion 2009-2015, for an interest adjusted estimate of $240.4 billion transfer from OASI to DI in 2018. Third, create a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) trust fund to distribute the tax on the rich to end poverty by 2020 with a full SSI benefit, beginning with all 16-24 million children growing up in poverty in 2018.

    The Board of Trustees is morally bankrupt only because of Social Security Matters censorship of the balanced federal budget. The SSA Actuary must recuse the Labor and Health Secretaries to have any hope of producing any sort of Annual Report without any of the physical violence and terrorism by Republican murder strongholds on the Treasury that Social Security Matters covers-up with their censorship of the actual laws governing the United States, especially during the split ticket stage of parliamentary incompetence so easily cured by an email to the author of the 7th stage. SSA has a fiscal year 2017 duty to produce both an Annual Report on the SSI Program and the First Annual Three Year Budget Request of the Social Security Administration.

    • AKA

      OMB, quit the cut and paste nonsense. Half of it is out of context and most of it is of the topic drivel. Keep it up and you’ll be blocked.

      • AKA

        That is: “off topic”.

  7. Ri

    The article is titled “Three things every parent should do” but one is automated and the last step isn’t clearly outlined. The article is misleading as it only names two things which in fact are so obvious and most states are enumeration at birth so this isn’t really a steps for 99% of the population. The last step, if any isn’t even reflected or clearly outlined in the article.

  8. HAMED A.

    Sales assistant ( 2000 to 2002 )
    ( Shop Manager in JR&R ( 2002 to 2005
    Area manager in JR&R ( 2005 to 2007 )
    . Administrative courses in a variety of sales and
    Administration.
    Brand Manager from ( 1 \ 10 \ 2009 ) to ( 1 / 12 / 2013 )
    I have the job
    I was working in Egypt in the field of
    At the head of the work so far
    • planning Management course
    • Time management Course
    • Space management Course
    • cost Management course
    • Communication skills
    • delegation skills
    • adapt to change
    • Customer service
    • Personnel Management. Group
    • Effective Management of meetings
    • people and team Management
    • professional shop Manager course
    • professional Area Manager course
    • Global E-learning English language Training course
    1. Assume personal Responsibility to Ensure that the Goals of Weekly and Monthly sales the Highest levels of Achievement
    2. Achieve Maximum Sales profitability
    3. Prepare Reports sales.
    4. Managing sales and cost Targets on the Basis of Agreed Work plan
    5. Run Areas to Exploit Opportunities for Strong sales
    6. Periodic Meetings with the sales Team to clarify the goals and to Make sure that the Application of company policy and to meet the Team needs Transition,
    7. Evaluate the performance of the Group of the periodic.
    8. Training sales team so as to increase sales through training plans agreed
    9. The nomination of individuals distinguished in the performance of the promotion including the application of the company’s expansion plans
    10. The preparation of financial statements, reports and suggestions to improve the operational policy of the Company
    11. Make sure the application of the company’s financial policy by all the team and make offenders accountable
    12. Examined the activities of competitors in the market and that shapes the work and report to the administration
    13. IT network to provide the company with all the data required by senior management

    Proficiency in Arabic and English.
    Proficiency in dealing with Excel programs – Word – Power point – Internet-

  9. John D.

    weak article. basically, you pick a name for baby, and get an ssn. pretty obvious you need a name for the baby!! and getting the ssn is automatic normally through the hospital. and what’s the 3rd thing???? you list name and ssn, don’t state a 3rd thing as suggested in the article’s heading.

    • Tom

      Not every state participates.

    • Carlos

      The third lesson is,”Learn how SSA.gov can protect you child’s SS #.”

  10. Anthony

    Article is titled 3 things to do… I only find two… name and SSN … what’s the third?!

    • J.Y.

      Thanks for reading our blog! The first thing you need to do is pick a name for your baby. Visit our Popular Baby Names webpage to help you decide on a special name for your baby.

      • AKA

        We get it, name the child and get a SSN that is the other thing? Or is there only 2 things to do and this was sloppy proof reading?

Comments are closed.