Social Security Cards Are Safer Kept At Home

Scams to steal your personal information are at an all-time high. The need to safeguard important personal documents such as your Social Security card continues to be very important.

A Social Security card is not an identification document. In many situations, you only need to know your Social Security number (SSN). Your physical card is not necessary for most business needs.

Do you need evidence for work? There are several documents you can use instead of your card. Other acceptable evidence includes the following:

· Birth Certificate.

· Permanent Resident Card or Alien Registration Receipt.

Employment Authorization Document.

· Form I-94 or Form I-94A.

You do not need to show your physical card to apply for certain benefits. You can simply provide your SSN for benefits like:

· Housing.

· Health insurance.

· Food assistance.

You should also know your physical card is not required as evidence for the Department of Motor Vehicles or Driver License (REAL ID). The only state that requires a physical card is Pennsylvania. For all other states, other acceptable evidence includes:

· W-2 forms.

· Form SSA-1099.

· Non-SSA-1099 forms.

· Pay stubs.

· Federal and state income tax returns (stamped)

Keeping your card at home reduces the risk of loss or theft – and helps you keep your information safe.

Find information on how to request a replacement of your Social Security card at www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/. For more information on Social Security’s benefits and services, access www.socialsecurity.gov, call 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local Social Security office, which address is available at www.ssa.gov/locator/

Expert Column By Víctor Rodríguez
Public Affairs Specialist
Social Security Administration
For the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
http://06j.731.mytemp.website/2022/12/happy-holidays-from-social-security/

John F. McCarthy is a veteran journalist in the Caribbean, writing from the "Decision Space" where survival meets the surreal. His reporting steel was tempered by a lineage of legendary editors and broadcasters, including Ed Wynn Brant (The Bomb), Owen Eschenroder (Ann Arbor News), Lynelle Emanuel (BVI Beacon), and Charles Thanas (WSVI-TV). Alongside longtime colleague Kenneth C. "Casey" Clark, McCarthy has navigated the front lines of the territory’s history—from the 1997 volcanic "snow" to every major hurricane since Hugo. Known for leaning out of doorless helicopters to capture the "money shot," McCarthy now edits the V.I. Free Press, providing the essential link between the island's colonial past and its SpaceX future.