How To Apply For A Replacement Social Security Card

Your Social Safety card is one in every of your most essential paperwork as a result of it incorporates your Social Safety quantity. You could be vulnerable to identification theft in case your card falls into the unsuitable fingers. You possibly can, nevertheless, restrict your harm by appearing rapidly in requesting a substitute card. On this article, we are going to focus on what to do should you lose your Social Safety card and methods to apply for a substitute Social Safety card.

Do you even want a substitute Social Safety card?

Earlier than we focus on what to do should you lose your Social Safety card and methods to apply for a substitute Social Safety card, it is necessary so that you can decide whether or not or not you want a substitute card. Figuring out your Social Safety quantity is extra essential than having the Social Safety card itself.

It’s since you not often want to make use of the cardboard. The cardboard is principally wanted should you get a brand new job, or you might want to present it to your employer. Additionally, it’s possible you’ll not have the ability to safe employment or acquire advantages with out your Social Safety card. So, even should you lose your card, it’s possible you’ll by no means be required to have it if you already know your Social Safety quantity.

Though shedding your Social Safety card isn’t the tip of the world, it does expose you to the danger of identification theft. If you happen to lose your card or it will get stolen, and it leads to the fingers of scammers, they are able to steal your important private particulars.

Scammers can use that data to take out loans or bank cards in your identify. They could even acquire entry to your on-line financial institution or bank card accounts and use them to buy something together with your cash.

Fraudsters can even use your Social Safety card to gather your accrued retirement advantages, file for incapacity advantages underneath your identify, or report your loss of life to gather your life advantages.

Scammers might additionally use your Social Safety quantity to file your revenue tax return with a purpose to pocket the tax refund. They could additionally promote your Social Safety quantity on the darkish internet.

What to do should you lose your Social Safety card

The very first thing you might want to do while you understand that you’ve misplaced your Social Safety card is to remain calm. It would make it easier to to restrict your potential loss by permitting you to make the correct selections.

Subsequent, you might want to instantly contact your native regulation enforcement and the Social Safety Administration to report the lack of your card. Now, you’ll be able to apply for a substitute card.

request a substitute Social Safety card

You possibly can apply for a substitute card at no cost both on-line (via the SSA web site) or in particular person.

Making use of on-line is the best solution to get a substitute card. It’s essential to go to “my Social Safety account” and reply a number of questions to seek out out the easiest way to use. In case you are unable to make use of your Social Safety account to request a substitute card, you’ll be able to nonetheless begin the method on-line and full the remaining course of in particular person at a neighborhood Social Safety workplace or card heart.

Some extent to notice is that not all states will let you apply for a substitute card on-line (go to the SSA web site for extra particulars).

In case you are unable to begin the applying course of on-line, you’ll have to full the total course of in particular person at your native Social Safety workplace. To avoid wasting time, you’ll be able to print and full the applying kind earlier than you arrive.

To use for the cardboard offline, you’ll be able to name 1-800-772-1213 or go to your native Social Safety workplace. In case you are deaf or have issue listening to, you might want to name 1-800-325-0778 (between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. on weekdays).

To use for the substitute card, you will have a doc that proves your U.S. citizenship and identification, equivalent to a U.S. passport, U.S. state driver’s license or Authorities-issued ID card.

In case these paperwork have additionally been stolen, you should use different identification paperwork, together with your medical insurance ID, particulars out of your healthcare supplier, paperwork out of your employer or your college establishment.

It should be famous that paperwork you want should be both unique or copy licensed by the issuing company. The SSA doesn’t settle for photocopies or notarized copies, and, as nicely, you will have a receipt exhibiting you utilized for the doc.

How a lot time will it take?

In line with the SSA, it should mail the substitute card as quickly because it has all the data wanted to problem a brand new card. It often takes 7-10 enterprise days from that point to get the cardboard. Within the case of mail-in Social Safety card functions, the SSA says it might take between 2-4 weeks to course of it and return the proof.

In line with the SSA, for many who are utilizing Kind I-765 and/or Kind I-485 it should problem the substitute card inside 7-10 enterprise days after the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Division approves the applicant’s work authorization or Everlasting Residence software.

Closing Phrases

This summarizes what to do should you lose your Social Safety card and methods to apply for a substitute Social Safety card. Keep in mind, you get a substitute card at no cost if it’s misplaced or stolen, and thus, you should not fall for service suppliers who cost you a payment for the substitute card. Needless to say you will get three substitute playing cards in a 12 months (10 throughout your lifetime).