Why YSK: If you are a US Resident, don’t lose your Social Security card more than 10 times, or else you might need to respawn 💀
Excerpt from Wikipedia:
In accordance with §7213 of the 9/11 Commission Implementation Act of 2004 and 20 CFR 422.103, the number of replacement Social Security cards per person is generally limited to three per calendar year and ten in a lifetime.
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I never thought about it until retirement, but the only times I’ve ever been asked to show my Social Security card have been to get jobs. Since retirement I’ve had to show my Medicare card but never my SS even though I receive SS payments.
Well shit, I’m on # 2
Imma steal your cards
Collect 'em all and Become President! 😎
Avoid playing taxes with this one weird trick
That’s not the way it works.
My ass it isnt commie
From what I’ve heard, your rear end has been attacked more than Stalingrad was.
jk
Ummm have you ever seen Elon Musk’s social security card??? And how much tax does he pay??? That’s what I thought.
“Never try to argue with an idiot. He’ll drag you down to his level and then win by experience.”
Samuel Clemens
Oh, a gif! I take back everything I said.
I would like to see Elon Musk’s birth certificate. He shouldn’t be president if he isn’t a legal citizen.
That’s why he’s “not” the president…
It’s somewhere in South Africa. And just in case, you have to be a citizen of the US by birth to be eligible for the presidency.
Checkmate theist
How do we convince sovereign citizens that by claiming, and then burning, all their 10 replacement cards, they get loopholes out of paying federal income taxes?
Give them a federally issued punch card and say after you lose 10 social security cards you get a free sub and chips combo
Yeah, but who cares? I mean, really? I haven’t had a physical copy of my social security card in ages, since it disintegrated in my wallet in college. Memorize the number and move on with your day.
Most employers will request the original copy to make their own copies from as part of any onboarding process. Just knowing the numbers isn’t enough.
Usually a birth certificate will suffice if you don’t have one. They have to verify they can legally employ you. I didn’t have my social for awhile and used my birth certificate. Became a problem when Puerto Rico invalidated all birth certificates though for a time. Had one idiot say they couldn’t accept a PR birth certificate for citizenship once though.
Really? I’ve only had one job that required my social security card. I’ve worked in multiple school districts, as well as food and hospitality jobs and only 1 of the school districts wanted to see my social security card.
Social Security Card is one form of identification but not the only form.
Passport is a great one because it doesn’t require additional verification.
I-9 has all the ways you can verify.
I’ve changed a few employers and so far no one has ever asked me to bring my physical SSN to show them
You don’t need it if you have other documents. In general if you have your passport or your birth certificate you won’t need it. (Requirements to fill out an I9 form, which is used to decide deductions for your taxes)
I have my paper one in a safety deposit box, with my original birth certificate. I carry around a useless laminated copy for normal BS.
And yes, I say useless laminated, because for some dumb fucking reason, the US issues paper social security cards, and cannot be used officially if you do so. No government agency will accept it, because they expect a piece of paper to last 70+ years like dumb fucks.
Originally, they didn’t expect them to last 70+ years. It’s just that the law hasn’t been updated as life expectancy and technology have.
But your point remains valid
Obligatory life expectancy was only low due to child mortality, so people who survived childhood could reasonably expect to make it to 70.
Child mortality was only so high because child labor was in widespread use around the time that Social Security was first implemented.
Yet, Social Security was established around the same time as the end of child labor in this country. It took a few decades to correct (then, lengthened further with the advancements in medical technology), but the laws never kept up.
And all enacted by our first Democratic socialist president who was so popular, he helped pass the constitutional amendment to limit presidential terms so that he didn’t have to serve a fourth time…
… polio is a real motherfucker. Thankfully, he was one of the last generation to ever suffer from it in their developed world.
Actually experts believed FDR had GBS, instead of polio. Which is Guillian barre syndrome. Which cause flaccid paralysis. It often occurs after severe viral and some bacterial infection, it was mostly known to European doctors and. Not a widespread diagnosis in the us
My understanding (and it’s very possible that this is just urban legend) is that they’re intentionally made of paper so if they do get lost they’re more likely to fall apart instead of getting stolen.
They’re not really intended to be something you carry around with you all the time, it’s not like you’re usually going to be expected to produce on the spot during your daily routine. It’s more the sort of thing you’d keep at home with your birth certificate and other such personal documents.
IMO the real boneheaded move was making it a wallet-sized card instead of something more like a birth certificate. If you make something in that form factor, people are going to stick it in their wallets and carry it around with them and it’s going to fall apart.
it’s not like you’re usually going to be expected to produce on the spot during your daily routine.
Not yet anyway
Yep, my job now was not going to let me work until I brought it in. Had to drive 5 hours in one night lol
I wouldn’t say most, most will just ask for your SSN. They absolutely do not need the card for any reason whatsoever. If a job asked me to provide it I just wouldn’t take that job lol.
Editing comment for clarity.
All employers in the US need proof of two things: proof of identity, and proof of employment eligibility. A passport takes care of both.
But most people in my experience provide a state ID/driver’s license (identity), and either a social security card or birth certificate (employement.)
So, you can be on your high horse all you want, but you’re gonna provide the documents above if you want to work legally.
The employer can view a social security card or birth certificate, but they DO NOT need to retain a copy of it. And you can provide a number of documents in place of a social security card. It is absolutely not legal to require a social security card for work eligibility, it’s simply one of the options an employee may present. And if presented in person, they are not obligated to retain a copy of it.
I have worked many jobs legally in the U.S, several of which required extensive background checking and identity verification. Never once have I been required to present a social security card. They can only ask for the number itself, if they’re using E-Verify.
We’re splitting hairs here. It is a legal requirement to provide work elibility. If you provide a passport, or if you provide an ID and birth certificate, that sufficies. But many people choose ID and social security card. And yes, employers keep copies of work eligibility on file.
So I guess my question is, is your objection really to the act of asking for a lightweight cardboard card?
Then I would suggest you not try to split hairs. It is not a legal requirement to provide an employer with your social security card, and they do not need to keep copies of any of your identifying documents on file. These two preceding statements are objectively and inarguably true. Any argument of “Well you can always CHOOSE to provide them” is neither here nor there. I can choose to provide my social security card to a crackhead on the street corner, but that has nothing to do with legal requirements either.
I have never provided a social security card to an employer and can never be made to. This will never result in an inability for me to work legally, nor anybody else in this country lol.
I guess my confusion comes from why you are so adamantly against specifically providing the social security card, when providing proof of employment eligibility is a legal requirement. Clearly, you have no problem providing employment eligibility, why do you have such strong feelings about providing the social security card specifically?
And while agree, the fact that other documents can be provided to prove employment eligibility means that technically providing the SS card isn’t required, I’d caution you against saying “never” in our current political environment.
When I onboard people, I’m required to see proof of identity and proof of authorization to work in the US, as well as make copies for INS audit purposes. A passport covers both of those requirements, but for people that do not have a passport, a DL and a social security card are the most common, followed by a DL and birth certificate. One is a photo ID from an official source, the other shows either US citizenship or something saying you’re allowed to work as a non citizen (aka a green card).
You’re required to see proof of identity and authorization to work, however you are NOT required to see the social security card specifically, nor are you legally allowed to require it of your new employees. And even if they do bring their social security card for you to verify, you are NOT required to make your own copy of it unless you’re reviewing it remotely.
It sounds like some employers/HR outfits are just grossly misinformed then. The I9 form directions are pretty clear in what is required and/or acceptable, and this documentation is only required for I9 purposes, other than a DL for a driving related job. Companies are not necessarily required to have copies of the I9 identity documents used on file, but it is good practice in case of an audit, which is why most companies do it (a CYA basically). In theory, if someone reports a company because they suspect they’re employing people unauthorized to work in the US, providing copies of the documents you used for the I9 verification shows that your did your due diligence and they’re more likely to leave you alone.
Pretty much every company I ever worked for took a copy of my passport, and I see no harm in that as long as their storage is reasonably secure.
Yes, any employer/HR outfits that tell you that they require your social security card are grossly misinformed, as that would not be legal.
I’m going to trust the person that does this for a living over your wild claims that asking for a SS card (something literally every job that I’ve had -and I’ve had a lot- required) is illegal.
I had to get mine replaced to get a passport. That was ten years ago, and the passport just expired. I’ve got 9 replacements left and I just turned 60, so I think I’m good.
Ruh roh… I can’t even remember how many times I’ve had it replaced. 😨
💀
But I have good news for you, I heard that they are dismantling the IRS 😂👌
How do you lose something that you’re supposed to leave in a secured place at home?
Because it’s so secure, even I forgot where it was kept.
Hardening against rubber hose cryptography
Had a young friend lose his SS card and license on a camping trip when the canoe dumped. I was laughing about it with his best friend.
“How the hell you bring your social security card camping?!”
“Well, I did too. We’re applying for lots of jobs.”
And you don’t have that shit memorized?!
Oh well, lesson learned I guess.
Do you need to have it to apply for a job? I’ve only ever needed it when actually starting a job but I’m Canadian.
No, we Americans only need to present it during the onboarding process. No one needs your SSN to apply. Caveat: Probably need it for security clearance jobs, but in those cases I assume you have a doc outlining your clearance level. LOL, been downvoted around here giving facts about hiring, so maybe I should shut up.
I got a head start… I wasn’t even issued one until multiple decades into my life!
might need to respawn
Haha, dammit I snorted. Fine, enjoy the upvote
I’m ordering three every year until I have all 11, then I’m gonna keel over in anxiety.
I don’t think that what they meant by horcruxes.
You made me think I left a word in. I was trying to figure out the wording to say I would hide them like horcruxes for a while.
We should have a new rule: He/She who holds all 11 Social Security cards at age 35, without losing any of them, get a chance to become US president for 8 years, immune to impeachments. Every 8 years, all holders of all 11 Social Security cards between the age of 35 and 43 get locked in a room with all their cards and there will be a fight to see who can steal the most Social Security cards while keeping all their 11.
Whoever lose all their cards have to be punished: They will have to work at the IRS for the rest of their life (well unless they get too old, then they can get to leave). 🙃
This is definitely better than the electoral college.
Dude I’ve got plastic baggies those cards are going in nature’s pocket
40+ years, and I’m still on number one. I laminated mine, because I’m a rebel that way.
I keep mine in an old gift card tin along with my draft card, previous ID cards, backup insurance cards, and a couple other things.
Ah fuck I don’t know what happened to my draft card. If they weren’t okay with giving me a desk job but still insist ob drafting me they’d regret it more than I would (innocent fuckups can be expensive, and few people can fuck up to the extent I can).
What’s a draft card?
In the US men (and I think women now?) are required to sign up for the draft at age 18. You’re given a card confirming you’ve signed up.
I learned this for my parents because they had to keep getting me new ones. They got my name incorrect 9 times, the social security office. So my parents kept going back and then they warned them I’m close to the limit. My mom and dad we’re pissed because my parents didn’t lose it the office kept making a mistake but it doesn’t matter. Now my mom keeps it so it doesn’t get lost.
What happens if someone gets married a lot and keeps needing a new card with new name?
Now I’m wondering what the maximum number of times someone has been married. Elizabeth Taylor was married 8 times (twice to Burton, so she could have reused that one if she kept it) But if she took her husband’s last name legally (while keeping her stage name) each time, she would have been pushing the limit, and over it if she went back to her maiden name, lost any cards, or didn’t keep old ones… Or if her lawyers were like, don’t change your name legally again after husband 5?
I guess they’re not replacement cards but newly issued ones
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-20/chapter-III/part-422/subpart-B/section-422.103
We may allow for reasonable exceptions to these limits on a case-by-case basis in compelling circumstances. We also will consider name changes (i.e., verified legal changes to the first name and/or surname) and changes in alien status which result in a necessary change to a restrictive legend on the SSN card (see paragraph (e)(3) of this section) to be compelling circumstances, and will not include either of these changes when determining the yearly or lifetime limits.
Who down-voted you? You answered my idle thought with the sauce!! Thank you!!
Why. The hell. Are we supposed to keep sacred a piece of paper that only has 9 precious numbers we can’t choose, but that will permanently identify us, that will deteriorate over time, we’re not supposed to laminate or protect it, and we only have limited replacements!? So dumb…
You can use plastic sleeve covers, just nothing permanent like laminate. You can’t scan it with laminate.
It’s fucking absurd. It is the flimsiest piece of paper imaginable too (unless it’s been changed recently).
Also, I’m pretty sure you have to pay a fee to replace it, so why the fuck do they limit it?
For decades i’ve had mine in perfect shape. I don’t understand what’s so hard in terms of protecting the original.
If your house is on fire then sure, you need a replacement. If your house catches fire, gets drowned by a biblical flood, has an earthquake swallow it, a volcano erupts underneath it, and has a meteorite strike it - all at different times, all destroying your SS card, you can still get replacements.
10 is enough. If someone is going to lose it more than that they should probably not keep one. It’s not like you need it for anything, you just need the number. A passport or state real ID covers identification.
“Mentally ill people shouldn’t be American citizens anyways.”
Or maybe just “Scatterbrained people…”
Okay, I hear what you’re saying… when was the last time you had to present a physical copy of your SS card and NOTHING else could be used as a substitute?
Requesting your W2s from the IRS requires you to have the card, or 1 of 10 other documents that usually have xxx-xx as the first 5 of the number.
As an aside, the first 5 can be determined if you know what state and year someone was born in.
Rarely but it’s relevant because ICE thugs are abducting people off the street. I get the fear.
Any time you get hired at a new job they need to make a copy of your SS card.
This is categorically false. You must not work in HR. My wife does! woooo
What needs to be done is an I-9 form needs to be completed. You need either an item from list A (e.g. something like a passport) or two other items. A birth certificate is a fine replacement for a social security card, if you go with an item from list B + C. https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents
10 is enough. If someone is going to lose it more than that they should probably not keep one.
Why? Seems like a pretty extreme rule to make with literally no reasoning whatsoever.
Careful, you’re getting into “cruelty for the sake of cruelty” territory.
You can laminate it. New ones don’t say not to, mine is and have never even been asked about it.
Got rained on when I went to a new job about 10 years ago, had it in my wallet so they could copy it for new hire bs. The colors bled and the blue stained other parts of the card. I never got it replaced but seriously, it isn’t even as durable as a dollar bill.
That part is actually by design. The thought being that if you lose it that it will be more likely to be naturally destroyed than have the time to be found by someone with nefarious aims.
The 10 max rule (which allows for exceptions) was from 2004 when presumably they assumed most people did not have reason to be walking around with theirs all the time. I don’t know why it was put in place, other than a cursory search seeming to be antiterrorism bs, but 10 is kinda a lot for a document you generally don’t need to carry with you and don’t need very often in general. Probably super difficult for people that struggle with housing though.
Murrica
I’ve got a locked file cabinet with folders for all my important documents like social security card, birth certificate, the degrees I don’t have hanging on the wall, lease contracts, stuff like that. Also a shitton of appliance manuals
That certainly doesn’t sound like the first thing to get utterly torched in a house fire.
I plan on burning my house down fewer than ten times in my life
I actually keep them (minus appliance stuff because I just find them online and download the pdf and never found them that important) in a fireproof safe. Honestly, it’s not a lot of stuff, and so the safe is really small. It didn’t cost much at all but you do have to replace it like every 10ish years since fireproof doesn’t last forever.
…this. Let’s have a talk about basic security and prevention, because it’s important.
First of all, I wanted to factor in prices, but according to this webpage, the replacement social security cards should be free. However. I wouldn’t know from personal experience, and cannot verify.
By a combination of a small miracle, some neglect, and then some careful choices to safeguard it…I still have my original SS card. I would recommend getting a little passport case or something, and some metal plates or hard plastic cards to keep the SS card from bends/creases. Then you can place it in a blaze barrier document bag like this one. No, you don’t need this exact one, all I did was type in ‘blaze barrier document bag’ into Amazon because that’s the branding on mine. I just looked at it. $20 bag, goes a long way keeping that card safe & unmolested.
Those bags aren’t entirely fireproof & it’s only one layer; they’ve done extreme tests & the contents can (possibly) become slightly torched. That’s where you can buy a shitty 90s fireproof lockbox for next to nothing secondhand, I know I’ve got at least 2 & I think one was $5 & the other $10. Arguably more effective than the bag, my friend’s house burned down but he had a shitty 90s fireproof lockbox & it kept his personal documents & pictures of his deceased mother fully intact.
We’re not looking to confound master thieves with a safe, we’re just looking to safeguard SS cards and/or pics of dead moms. 👍 FB Marketplace, I found ones for $10-15 in IL, KY, MO. Everybody has these shitty 90s fireproof lockboxes. No excuse. Put the document(s) in the bag, and the bag in the shitty 90s fireproof lockbox. Double protection.Also noteworthy: fireproof concrete lined filing cabinets (I recommend FireKing), sometimes you can find them cheap used because they’re a heavy nuisance item. If you have a basement, put the fireproof/resistant stuff in your basement or ground floor. It’s more stable there & should survive.
Then for those interested in the eccentric & the extreme, dive down the rabbithole known as Starlite fireproof coatings. While we may never know the exact formulation of this wonder material as it was presented, it turns out Maurice Ward merely rediscovered the lost art of intumescent materials that release layers of carbon char when exposed to heat. You can buy intumescent paint like this one & it’ll essentially fireproof any material you paint!
So in conclusion, yes, you can buy fire resistant filing cabinets. Even “fireproof” ones. And safes, and lockboxes, and document bags, and even intumescent paint. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Shiiiiiet I’m like 2-3 away probably lol
How many times until they catch the cocksuckers that keep stealing them then?
At 44, I’m pretty sure it’s been stolen ten times.
Or better yet, unfuck the system that requires us to have the damned things?
Where are you keeping your social security card that it keeps getting stolen? Is it in your wallet or in your house somewhere and your getting broken into a whole bunch?
have you heard of the internet?
Wait, I can put physical objects there? I’ve been storing all of my stuff in the real world like a dummy.
ah, op means getting the actual card stolen? thats impressive. ssn gets leaked mostly through cyber events.
i’ve never had my SS card stolen because it stays at home inside of the random shit drawer
i’ve also never had my SSN stolen. maybe i’m just lucky but I don’t recall a time I ever inputted my SSN online besides the last 4 digits for some ID verification
GRANTED I agree that the 10 cards rule is silly. I think it was written for a different time. and realistically, you could lose your SSN card every 6 years from 18 years old ↦ 78 years old and you’ll only be denied at 78.
by then hopefully we’ve modernized the system a bit. maybe that’s too optimistic
Is it not the same thing as Canadian SIN?
I don’t understand how can you lose it? It’s just a number. If you forget it, you can login into CRA (Canadian IRS) website and see it there and you can print it if you want for some reason.
My last job required the actual physical card for some reason 🤔
Every job I’ve ever had required me to bring the card so they could make a copy of it.
That’s what I always wondered: the card is a simple printout with no security features, no real verification, no biometrics. In the current day especially, it would be trivial to print one indistinguishable from original. They have no value as an ID card, yet are somehow treated as if they were.
The SS card doesn’t make sense as anything other than a reminder of your number, but it’s sometime treated as a form of ID. It just doesn’t make sense
Its a number but also on a physical card. The physical card is often used as one form of proving you are who you say you are (like getting a license, passport, etc).
They upped the number to 10? Last time I had to replace mine (about 10-20 years ago), the limit was set to 3.
Maybe they changed it because y’all lose it too much 😁
