Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
How social security numbers are assigned through a process called randomization, and a breakdown of what SSN numbers mean.
Social Security numbers, also known as SSNs, are allocated through a process called randomization that was introduced in June 2011. This system retains the long-standing nine-digit format but assigns a number to each new Social Security cardholder randomly, eliminating methods that date to the inception of Social Security in the mid-1930s.
The Social Security number (SSN) was created in 1936 for the sole purpose of tracking the earnings histories of U.S. workers, for use in determining Social Security benefit entitlement and computing benefit levels. Since then, use of the SSN has expanded substantially.
In the United States, a Social Security number (SSN) is a nine-digit number issued to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and temporary (working) residents under section 205 (c) (2) of the Social Security Act, codified as 42 U.S.C. § 405 (c) (2).
What Social Security numbers mean isn’t a secret—but it isn’t very well known. According to the SSA, your nine-digit SSN is divided into three parts: The area number is the first set of three digits. The group number is the second set of two digits. The serial number is the third set of four digits.
The nine-digit SSN is composed of three parts: Area Number. The Area Number is assigned by the geographical region. Prior to 1972, cards were issued in local Social Security offices around the country and the Area Number represented the State in which the card was issued.
Most Social Security numbers are requested upon the birth of a child in the United States, so your prefix identifies the state in which you were born. If you are an immigrant or requested an SSN later in life, the prefix shows which state you resided in at the time of your SSN issuance.
Social Security numbers are assigned to each individual citizen by the federal government. Learn about Social Security numbers and how Social Security numbers are used.
- The Social Security number is divided into three groups. Learn about the Social Security number groups and why the Social Security number is not sequential.
A Social Security number (SSN) is a numerical identifier assigned to U.S. citizens and some residents to track their income and determine benefits.