There are a number of times in your life when you need to change the name on your social security card. The steps that you need to take to correct your card will vary depending on whether you are correcting your card, that of a child and what your citizenship status is. It is important that you know what these steps are as this will expedite the process.
A US Born Adult
If you are changing your name because of a marriage, divorce or other reason, you have to tell social security. If you do not report the change in name, your wages may not be posted correctly to your social security record and there could be delays when filing your taxes.
The first step in changing your name will be to establish your citizenship with social security. If this has not already been done, you will need to provide proof of your US citizenship. The only documents accepted for this will be a US birth certificate or a US passport. You will need to provide the original documents as photocopies and notarized copies are not accepted.
You will also need to provide proof of your legal name change. The only documents which are accepted for this will be a marriage document, a divorce decree, a court order approving the change or a Certificate of Naturalization which shows the new name. If the document that you provided does not have enough information for identification, you will need to provide an identification document in your prior name. Social security will accept an expired form of identification in this instance.
If you do not have any documents in your prior name, you will need to show a valid identity document in your new name. This is to ensure that they are able to establish your identity in their records.
You will also need to provide proof of identity. The document used for this will need to be valid, show your name and have identifying information. Social security does prefer that you use a document with a recent picture as well. The best documents to use will be a US driver’s license, a US passport or a state-issued non-driver ID card.
If you do not have any of these documents and cannot get one within 10 days, other documentation will be requested. This will include a US military ID card, a school ID card, a health insurance card other than a Medicare card or an employee ID card.
A US Born Child
If you need to replace the social security card of a child whose name has changed there are certain documents that you need to get. The first is a proof of citizenship with only a US birth certificate and US passport being accepted. As with the adults, you have to provide the originals and not a photocopy.
The next document that you need is a proof of name change. The documents that are accepted include an amended birth certificate with the new name, a final adoption decree with the new name and a court order approving the change. An old and expired ID in the child’s prior name can also be accepted if you do not have these documents on hand.
In order to prove the identity of the child, you will need to provide documents that have all the information required for adults. The accepted documents will include an adoption decree, a state-issued ID card, religious records, a school ID card or a hospital record. It is important to note that you will need to provide proof of your identification as well.
Foreign-Born Adults And Children
If you were not born in the US, you will need to provide different documents for proof of citizenship. A US passport can be used or your Certificate of Citizenship, Certificate of Naturalization or a Certificate of a Report of Birth. These documents will only be required if you have not already established citizenship with the social security office.
If you are correcting the social security card of a foreign-born child, you will need to use different documents to prove citizenship. If the child has a US passport, this can be used. If not, you will need to provide their DS-1350, N-560 or N-561, FS-240 or an N-550.
Filling Out The Form
Once you have all of the documents ready, you need to fill out the SS-5 form. This is the same form that you use to originally request a social security card. It is possible to find this form online where you can print it out or complete it digitally.
After completing the form, you will need to submit this to the social security office. This can be done via the mail or in your local social security office. It is important to note that there are certain people who will be able to complete and submit this form online.
To do this, you will need to have a My Social Security account. You will also need to live in certain locations as not all states have signed up for this. To check if you are eligible, you will need to go to the social security office website.
Once you have submitted your application for a change on your social security card, you will need to wait 10 days to receive the new card. This could vary depending on whether or not additional information is required. The 10 days will also generally start from the time that they get your application which means you might have to wait longer if you have posted your application.
When posting your application, you will need to include all of your supporting documents. This is why it is recommended to send the application through tracked mail that needs to be signed for. When you get your new card, all of your supporting documents will also be sent back to you.
Changing your name on your social security card does not have to be a daunting endeavor. If you know what steps to take, you can easily get this sorted out.