![]() A Social Security card issued by the Railroad Retirement Board in 1943 | |
Acronym | SSN |
---|---|
Organization | Social Security Administration |
Introduced | November 1936 |
No. of digits | 9 |
In the United States, a Social Security number (SSN) is a nine-digit number issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents under section 205(c)(2) of the Social Security Act, codified as . The number is issued to an individual by the Social Security Administration, an independent agency of the United States government. Although the original purpose for the number was for the Social Security Administration to track individuals,[1] the Social Security number has become a de facto national identification number for taxation and other purposes.[2]
A Social Security number may be obtained by applying on Form SS-5, Application for a Social Security Number Card.[3]
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