Why Social Security numbers are important
When you are born in the United States, you are automatically a citizen and are issued a Social Security number (SSN), which is printed on a card.
This number becomes your unique identification and is needed to work and receive government benefits and services.
It essentially helps the federal government keep track of your financial history.
Often times you will need your SSN when applying for loans, bank accounts, Medicare, and a job, among other things.
How to replace your lost SS card
You can generally apply for a replacement card online in other states if the below applies:
- Are a US citizen age 18 or older with a US mailing address
- Are not requesting a name change or any other change to your card
- Have a driver’s license or state-issued identification card from one of the many participating states or the District of Columbia
If you need help, you can contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) by calling 1-800-772-1213 or by visiting your local social security office.
What to do if you lose your Social Security card
If you lose your Social Security card, you may not need a replacement one as simply knowing the Social Security number is enough in many cases.
However, if you’d like a replacement card, you can order it online via your Social Security account in most states.
The exceptions are Alaska, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.
More on if the SSA gets your payment wrong
There is a chance your Social Security benefits payment could be more than what you’re due.
However, this only happened 0.2% of the time in the 2019 fiscal year, AARP reports.
In this case, typically the SSA will notify you of the overpayment and you’ll have to repay it.
Your benefits can be withheld until the debt is settled.
If the SSA gets your payment wrong
More than 70 million Americans rely on Social Security benefits each month, so mistakes are bound to happen occasionally.
If you find that you’ve been underpaid, there are actions you can take to rectify the situation.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) defines an underpayment as:
- an accrued benefit amount was not paid,
- a check(s) representing correct payment to a deceased beneficiary was not negotiated, or
- an issued payment was returned or not received
The best course of action, if you are underpaid, is to alert the SSA as soon as possible by calling 800-772-1213.
The sooner you do so, the sooner the issue can be resolved.
Social Security schedule for this month
The following dates are when Social Security recipients can expect their checks in March.
- March 13 (Birthdate between 1st and 10th)
- March 20 (Birthdate between 11th and 20th)
- March 27 (Birthdate between 21st and 31st)