Social Security can be a complicated and confusing process for many. And you would need to provide personal information before you can are registered under the scheme. When you are getting ready to apply for Social Security benefits, it would be prudent to devote some time to gathering all the paperwork you will need. This will streamline the whole process and save you a lot of grief in the future.
You will need to be ready with a host of information that the Social Security Administration will require you to provide while filling out a Social Security application. The Social Security Administration will need to verify the year of your birth, for example, along with proof of your US citizenship and identity. Thus, you would need to have all the documents listed by the SSA before you move ahead with the application process.
The main document that you would need to have in your possession include your birth certificate, proof of US citizenship, your identification card, Social Security card, a photocopy of a W-2 tax form, and if you are self-employed, a copy of the self-employment income tax return for the previous year.
You would also need to produce spousal records and a copy of your military service papers if you have served before 1968. Go carefully through the guidelines to determine the original records that you will have to produce. Also, be sure of what type of document will be accepted by the Social Security Administration and also how to replace missing information.
A Birth Certificate – The Primary Requisite For A Social Service Application
The birth certificate is the primary requisite for filing your social security application. a normal birth certificate will be sufficient to prove your age. Normally, such documents are in possession of the applicant as an original or at least a photocopy that has been certified.
If by any chance you do not have the birth certificate in your possession or have misplaced it, there are ways in which you can replace this vital document. You will have to contact the vital records office of your state, which is the state where you were born.
You will have to request a copy of your birth certificate. You will have to provide certain information to the authorities to confirm the genuineness of your request. The office will send you a replacement within weeks.
If you were born abroad to parents who are US citizens, it is very likely that they registered your birth at the US embassy in the foreign country or the local consulate. In such an event, you will have to ask for a copy of the report of your birth abroad from the US Dept. of State. For those born on a military base located outside the US, you will have to contact the hospital where you were born and ask for a copy of the birth certificate.
Document To Prove Your American Citizenship
Other than submitting your birth certificate or any other acceptable proof of your birth for Social Security benefits, the Social Security Administration will also have to ensure that you are American. The presence of your birth certificate is enough to prove that you are a citizen of the US. your passport is also a valid document to establish your American citizenship.
The document should be provided in its original, or the copy should be certified by the issuing agency. Just photocopies or notarized copies are not accepted as valid documents by the Social Security Administration.
Producing Your Social Security Card
Your Social Security number is the prime requisite to receive your retirement benefits. And if you are yet to get your Social Security card, you can get it replaced through the website of the Social Security Administration.
For this, you should first sign up by creating an account on the SSA official website, ssa.gov. And once you have done that, you can request a replacement Social Security card online if you have misplaced it.
But getting your card also depends on the state where you reside. This is because several states do not have the option. Residents of states such as New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Nevada, Minnesota, and West Virginia are not eligible to replace their Social Security card through the online process. If you are a resident of a state where it is possible to place a request online for a duplicate Social Security card, you will have to produce a US mailing address to make the request.
In many states, you may also have to produce your driver’s license or any other identification card that has been issued by that state. In Delaware, Wisconsin, and Alaska, your driver’s license will be enough to place a request for a duplicate Social Security card.
Other Acceptable Documents
You can also establish your identity by procuring any one of the following documents. While a US driver’s incense or a non-driver ID issued by a state is acceptable for identity verification.
If you fail to produce any of these documents, you can also use a US military identification card. You can also use an employee identification card, a school identification card, or a health insurance card.
Records Of An Employee
You will also need to file a copy of your W-2 forms from the previous tax year. And for those who continue to be self-employed, the Social Security Administration requires you to file a copy of your self-employment income tax return from your previous year. Just a copy of the documents will do, you do not have to file the original certificates in this case.
For those who are also applying for Social Security spousal benefit care, you will be asked to produce certain documents that conclusively prove your marriage. Such documents include your birth certificate, marriage license, and your photo identification card. For those who do not have a registered marriage license, they can ask for a replacement from the county’s register of deeds.
