There are many reasons you might need a social security number for your child. It can affect everything from your tax breaks to your child’s future retirement. These things can be beneficial for the family as a whole, but there are specific reasons to obtain the number that benefit your child.
Here are some of the reasons you need to make sure you have a current social security card for your child.
Your Tax Breaks
If you are looking to claim for all the dependents in your family, you will need their social security numbers to do so. The IRS is checking that no one else is claiming for the child and that yours is a legitimate application.
Your Child’s Health Insurance Plan
It is possible to obtain health insurance for children without a social security number. However, this is usually applicable to those born outside of the USA. If your health insurance company of choice requests your child’s social security number, it is best that you get it as early as possible. If you fail to do so and there comes a need for you to claim on their behalf, you might not be able to do so.
Government Benefits
Parents with disabled children will need to fill in the relevant form if they are requesting supplemental security income benefits. This will involve filling in both parents’ social security numbers, as well as the number of your child. His/her birth certificate is necessary to support your application.
This is a big reason why you always need to have your social security details to hand. If you are in urgent need of your details and do not have the relevant information, you can apply online. Using a third party will help with accuracy, as well as with any pressing questions you might have. These include the likes of, “where to mail my social security card application,” and “what documents do I need to send?”
College Savings Account
A 529 savings account is something that many parents start for their children from an early age. Without their social security number, you won’t be able to open an account. Some parents open a 529 in their name when their child is unborn and change it to the child’s later.
Bank Account
To open a bank or savings account in your child’s name, you will need both yours and their social security number. Never give out your child’s social security number unless there is a legitimate need. If you suspect your child’s number has been used fraudulently, contact the relevant authorities to make sure it doesn’t escalate further.
These are the main circumstances where you will need to know your child’s social security number. Without it, you might have to wait sometime before you can open their savings account or update your family’s health insurance records.
