You will need your child's Social Security number to claim your child as a dependent on a tax return; apply for government benefit; obtain health insurance; buy savings bonds; or open a bank account for your child. If you have lost your child's Social Security card and need the number, you will need to apply for a new card through the Social Security Administration. Social Security numbers will not be released over the phone. It is best to replace it promptly so you have it when needed.
Complete a Social Security card application. The application can be obtained online on the Social Security Administration's website or in any Social Security Administration office. You can also request an application by calling (800) 772-1213 and having it mailed to your home.
Read More: How to Change a Child's Name on a Social Security Card
Gather proof of your child's age and identity. You will need to provide two documents--one showing your child's age and one showing his identity. A birth certificate can be used to prove your child's age, but not identity, according to the Social Security Administration. To prove identity, the preferable document is a U.S. passport; other acceptable documents include hospital or doctor records, an adoption decree, a religious record or a school identification card. All documents must be originals or certified by the issuing agency. Copies and notarized documents will not be accepted.
Gather proof of your identity. Acceptable documents include a driver's license, a state-issued identification card or a U.S. passport, according to the Social Security Administration. Again, remember that you must provide original or certified documents to your local Social Security Administration office.
Visit your local Social Security office with the completed application and the necessary documents to prove your child's age and identity and your identity.
Warnings
The Social Security Administration recommends keeping your child's social security card in a safe place with other important papers. Do not carry it with you unless you need it for a specific reason.
Tips
If you file an application by mail, a replacement card will be mailed to you after the proper documentation has been verified.
Social Security cards are issued at no cost. However, you cannot receive more than three replacement cards in a year or 10 in a lifetime, according to the Social Security Administration.
Question My daughter was born at the end of the year. We're still waiting for a social security number. May I file my return now and provide her social security number later? Answer If you file your return claiming your daughter as a dependent and don't provide her social security number (SSN) on your return,
the IRS will not allow you to claim her as a dependent. You have two options: You may also be eligible to claim the earned income credit (EIC) and/or the child tax credit/additional child tax credit (CTC/ACTC). Please note that you may not claim your child as a qualifying child for the EIC on either your original or an amended return if your child doesn't have an SSN on or before the due date of your
return (including extensions), even if your child later gets an SSN. Similarly, you may not claim your child as a qualifying child for the CTC/ACTC if your child doesn't have an SSN before the due date of your return (including extensions), even if your child later gets an SSN. However, if you have an SSN, but your child does not, you can still claim the EIC if you meet the other requirements for claiming the EIC. In this instance, you would get the EIC allowed to taxpayers without children,
which is smaller than the EIC allowed to taxpayers with children. For more information about taxpayer identification number requirements, see the Instructions for Form 1040 (and Form 1040-SR) and
Instructions for Schedule 8812 (Form 1040).
Learn how to apply for your child's Social Security number.
A Social Security number is the federal government's way of identifying your child. Your child will need a Social Security number in order for you to claim child-related tax breaks—such as the dependent exemption and the child tax credit—on your income taxes. You will also need the number to add your new baby to your health insurance plan, to set up a college savings plan or bank account for your child, or to apply for government benefits that could help your little one.
Here's how to get a Social Security number for your baby.
How to Apply for a Social Security Number
The easiest way to apply for a Social Security number for your child is to complete a birth registration form, which has a box you can check to request a number for your child. To complete the form, you will need to provide both parents' Social Security numbers.
For most new parents, it's easy to obtain the birth registration form, because hospitals usually distribute them while the mother is still a patient.
But if you didn't deliver your baby in the hospital or if for some other reason you were never given a birth registration form to complete, you can visit your local Social Security Administration (SSA) office and request a number in person. This process requires you to do three things:
- Complete Form SS-5 (Application for Social Security Number) and provide both parents' Social Security numbers on the form. To save time, download and complete Form SS-5 from the SSA website (www.socialsecurity.gov/online/ss-5.pdf) before you go.
- Provide at least two documents proving your baby's age, identity, and citizenship status. One document should ideally be your child's birth certificate. The other document can be your child's hospital birth record or other medical record.
- Provide proof of your own identity. Your driver's license and passport are both acceptable.
Find the SSA office nearest you by logging on to the SSA's Office Locator at www.socialsecurity.gov/locator. If you'd prefer, you can send in a completed Form SS-5 along with your identification documents to your local SSA office by mail. Most people apply in person, however, because you'll need to provide the SSA with originals or certified copies of all identification documents.
Once you've submitted your application, you should receive a Social Security card in six to 12 weeks. It may take substantially longer to process your application if your child is one year of age or older, because the SSA will contact your state's department of vital statistics to confirm that the birth certificate you have provided is valid.
If You Are Adopting a Child
If the child you are adopting is a United States citizen, your child may have a Social Security number already. But if you are adopting domestically and your child does not have one, you can obtain an Adoption Taxpayer Identification Number (ATIN) to claim child-related tax breaks while your child's adoption is pending. To apply for one, complete IRS Form W-7A, Application for Taxpayer Identification Number for Pending U.S. Adoptions. The ATIN will be valid for only two years, at which point you can extend it if your child's adoption is still not final. Once the adoption is final, you must stop using the ATIN and get a Social Security number for your child following the process described above.
If you are adopting a child from another country, you will have to wait until the adoption is final and your child has entered the United States before you can obtain a Social Security number for your child. Once that happens, you can use the process described above.
To Learn More
To find out more about child-related tax breaks, see Tax Breaks Every Parent Should Know About.
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