home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Media Share 9
/
MEDIASHARE_09.ISO
/
genealog
/
gen_na10.zip
/
SSN_INFO.TXT
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1987-12-31
|
21KB
|
428 lines
#285 (RCVD)
Date: Wed 25 Nov 87 17:29:12
From: Barbara Bennett (on 109/638)
To: All
Subj: Social Security Information Part 1 of 7
I have worked for the Social Security Administration for the last 15
years. I worked in various local offices as a claims representative
for 9 years, and have spent the last 6 years as a computer systems
analyst at headquarters, 4 1/2 years of that in the Enumeration
Systems Branch. I have put together several messages which will
address the questions you have about getting information from the
Social Security Administration for genealogical purposes. Sysops may
wish to combine the messages into a file for people to download.
Although I am employed by SSA, I am sending these messages as a
private individual, not as a representative of the Social Security
Administration. I hope they clear up a lot of the confusion about what
is and isn't available and how to go about getting what is available.
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
Disclosure of information by SSA is governed mainly by the Social
Security Act itself, the Freedom of Information Act of 1974, the
Privacy Act of 1974, and the Tax Reform Act of 1976. In general,
information about a LIVING person MAY NOT be released to a third party
unless the individual has signed a written authorization for release
of that information. The fact of an individual's death, date of death,
and place of death or burial may be disclosed to anyone. Any other
information, other than tax return information, in a DECEASED
individual's record MAY BE DISCLOSED as long as any information in the
record pertaining to other living individuals is deleted from the
record prior to disclosure. The Tax Reform Act of 1976 prohibits
disclosure of tax return information without the consent of the
individual to whom the record pertains. This prohibition continues
even after the death of an individual. Requests for tax return
information for a deceased individual may be released to the legal
representative of the estate; surviving relative (spouse, parent,
child); or heir at law, next of kin, or beneficiary of the deceased.
Proof of one of the listed relationships must be provided with the
request for information.
---
* Origin: PAF-Link (Opus 1:261/668)
---
#286 (RCVD)
Date: Wed 25 Nov 87 17:30:50
From: Barbara Bennett (on 109/638)
To: All
Subj: Social Security Information Part 2 of 7
REQUEST FOR EXTRACTS OF PRIOR SSN APPLICATIONS
SSA originally maintained paper files of all applications for original
SSN's and applications requesting a change in the record. In the
1970s, these files were converted to an electronic database. The
application forms were microfilmed for retention and the paper forms
destroyed. Current applications are microfilmed; the paper forms are
retained in the Federal Records Center for 5 years and then destroyed.
There are 2 types of SSN application extracts which can be furnished
upon request.
(1) The Numident printout is a computer printed record which contains
all the information on the original application form except the
address and signature of the applicant.
(2) A microprint is a print of the microfilmed application form.
Either of these items may be furnished to anyone upon written request
and confirmation of death where this is not detrimental to the estate
and there does not appear to be an unwarranted invasion of privacy of
a living person; i.e., the parents of the deceased who are listed on
the application form. There is no charge for this service.
The microprint will not show the SSN assigned as a result of the
application; thus, the requester will receive both a microprint and a
Numident printout when a microprint is requested. TO REQUEST AN
EXTRACT: call your local SSA office and request form SSA-L997 SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBER RECORD THIRD PARTY REQUEST FOR EXTRACT OR PHOTOCOPY.
The form asks for identifying information as follows:
1) SSN, if known
2) full name of the person now used (or last used, for deceased ind)
3) name shown on last social security card
4) the individual's full name at birth
5) the individual's date of birth
6) the place of birth
7) sex
8) full maiden name of the mother
9) full name of the father
The form does not provide a place to indicate which type of extract
you want, so enter the following legend on the form: "Microprint
Required, Printout Not Sufficient". The form also does not include a
place to indicate that you are requesting information on a deceased
individual. I would annotate the form with a statement that the
individual is deceased. Attach proof of death, if you can, to expedite
the request. Information about the death of an individual has not been
maintained on the Social Security Number records, so your request may
be delayed or denied if it is not obvious that the person is deceased.
It will take from 4-8 weeks to receive a response to your request.
---
* Origin: PAF-Link (Opus 1:261/668)
---
#287 (RCVD)
Date: Wed 25 Nov 87 17:32:32
From: Barbara Bennett (on 109/638)
To: All
Subj: Social Security Information Part 3 of 7
The 9 items above are the same information you would provide if you
went to apply for a social security number or a replacement card.
Here's how the SSN system works (much simplified) - there are 2 major
files: the numerical identification file which contains the
information sorted by SSN; and the alphabetical identification file
which is sorted by name. If an SSN is provided, the numerical file
will be queried and the printout compared to the information you
provided. If an SSN is unknown, the name file must be queried. The
information you provide is compared to the information for each person
with that name and a score is assigned based on which information
matches or doesn't match, and how closely the information matches. For
example, if the year of birth is within 5 years it will score lower
than an exact match but higher than if they were 10 years apart.
Possible SSNs will be identified based on the score. Someone must look
at all the printouts for the possible SSNs to determine which record
if any is the one you requested. The more information you provide, the
more chance you have of getting the information you want. After all,
there have been about 320 million SSNs assigned since Social Security
began in 1937. SSA assigns about 500,000 new numbers each month.
---
* Origin: PAF-Link (Opus 1:261/668)
---
#288 (RCVD)
Date: Wed 25 Nov 87 17:34:54
From: Barbara Bennett (on 109/638)
To: All
Subj: Social Security Information Part 4 of 7
REQUEST FOR SOCIAL SECURITY EARNINGS INFORMATION
Contact your local Social Security office and request form SSA-7050.
Yearly totals of earnings will be provided free of charge. However,
for genealogical purposes, you will want detailed earnings
information. Detailed earnings information includes periods of
employment or self-employment and the names and addresses of
employers. A fee is charged for the detailed earnings information
because you want it for purposes NOT directly related to Social
Security. The fee chart is included on the form and varies, depending
on the number of years for which you request information. The minimum
fee is $15 for 1 year, and the maximum fee is $92 for 52 years. The
fee can be waived if you show that giving the information to you will
benefit the general public. You must attach an explanation of why the
fee should be waived to the form. (If you are requesting your own
earnings information, there is no fee if you have reason to believe
that your record contains incorrect information. If this is the case,
please contact your local office and discuss your problem with them.
They will help you resolve any discrepancies in your earnings record.)
You can request earnings information from the record of a deceased
person if you are the legal representative of the estate, a survivor
(spouse, parent, child), or an individual with a material interest who
is an heir at law, next of kin, beneficiary under the will or donee of
property of the decedent. Proof of death must be included with your
request. Proof of appointment as representative or proof of your
relationship to the deceased must also be included.
You may have to wait a while for the information. Once the employer
identification numbers and years worked have been obtained from the
master earnings file, someone will have to sit at a microfilm reader
looking at employers' quarterly and annual wage reports to find the
individual.
---
* Origin: PAF-Link (Opus 1:261/668)
---
#289 (RCVD)
Date: Wed 25 Nov 87 17:36:26
From: Barbara Bennett (on 109/638)
To: All
Subj: Social Security Information Part 5 of 7
CONTACTING A MISSING PERSON
Regulation No. 1 of the Social Security Act does not permit SSA to
disclose information about the whereabouts of a missing person except
as provided for the Parent Locator Service (service for locating a
parent who has skipped out on child support payments). However,
circumstances may arise when it would be proper to inform the missing
person of information about which he would want to know. Where
strongly compelling circumstances of this nature exist, SSA may
forward a letter to him/her. The letter forwarding policy is
restrictive because:
1) the inquirer can be helped only if the addressee replies to the
letter. It would serve little purpose to forward a letter to an
individual unless it contains information that he/she could reasonably
be expected to want to receive and which would cause him/her to reply.
This excludes requests which are primarily for the benefit of the
requester rather than the missing person.
2) SSA does not want to burden employers. Most letters must be
forwarded through the last employer of record. Some large employers
have asked SSA not to send letters to the employees in care of the
company.
3) If all requests to forward letters were honored, the volume would
significantly interfere with normal SSA operations.
4) The addressee may consider receipt of the letter as an unwarranted
invasion of his/her privacy.
A letter will not be forwarded unless the following conditions are
met:
1) There are strongly compelling reasons for wanting to get in touch
with the missing person such as: a close relative of the missing
person is seriously ill, is dying or has died; a child is left without
parental care because of the death or incapacity of the remaining
parent; a defendant in a felony case is seeking a defense witness; a
parent wishes to locate a missing son or daughter; the consent of the
missing person is needed in connection with an adoption proceeding for
his/her child; the missing person is the beneficiary of an estate and
the executor is trying to locate him; other instances where the
missing person is due money or valuable property; a doctor or hospital
wishes to contact a missing person for health reasons.
2) The missing person would want to know about the contents of the
letter.
3) The missing person's disappearance occurred far enough in the past
that SSA could reasonably expect to have a usable mailing address
(wages are reported by employers only once a year, so the most recent
information SSA has will be at least a year old).
4) All other possibilities for contacting the missing person have been
exhausted.
---
* Origin: PAF-Link (Opus 1:261/668)
---
#290 (RCVD)
Date: Wed 25 Nov 87 17:38:10
From: Barbara Bennett (on 109/638)
To: All
Subj: Social Security Information Part 6 of 7
In order to forward a letter, SSA must have sufficient information to
locate the missing person's record. The name and SSN are needed for
this. The letter to be forwarded must be submitted in a plain
unsealed, unstamped envelope bearing only the missing person's name
and SSN. If the SSN is unknown, you must furnish as much identifying
information as possible. The letter will be reviewed by SSA personnel
to ensure that it is not inflammatory or derogatory, contains no
obscene language, and will not cause embarrassment if opened by
someone other that the addressee. SSA cannot be sure that the letter
will reach the missing person or that he/she will reply. If SSA
attempts to forward a letter, SSA cannot inform you of the results of
that attempt. Subsequent letters for the same purpose will not be
forwarded.
No fee is charge for forwarding a letter for humanitarian purposes.
The current charge for forwarding letters involving a monetary or
valuable consideration is $3 per letter. Contact your local SSA office
if you want to have a letter forwarded to a missing person.
---
* Origin: PAF-Link (Opus 1:261/668)
---
#291 (RCVD)
Date: Wed 25 Nov 87 17:39:28
From: Barbara Bennett (on 109/638)
To: All
Subj: Social Security Information Part 7 of 7
Please be aware that the situations described in these messages are
not run of the mill requests that offices deal with all the time. The
person you talk to may not be aware that disclosure of the information
is allowed or may not be familiar with the procedures involved. In the
9 years I spent working in various local offices, I received 2
requests to forward letters to missing persons and no requests for
detailed earnings information or for copies of Social Security number
application forms. I was not aware until recently that you could get
some of this information. If they refuse to give you the information,
saying it isn't allowed, ask them to look it up in the manual. If all
else fails, as a last resort, you can write to your congressman,
describing your contacts with the local SSA office, and include a copy
of your request. Congressional inquiries get special treatment, but
the local offices don't like them.
Anytime you have questions about Social Security issues, or need help
with a Social Security matter, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE call your local
office. You will get the best information from them. Please don't
waste time speculating or asking neighbors or friends (unless they
work for SSA). I can still remember being on the receiving end of "but
my Uncle Joe says" or "so-and-so told me thus-and-so and he ought to
know because" and not being able to convince them that Uncle Joe and
so-and-so didn't know what they were talking about. The Social
Security Law is quite complicated and encompasses much more than just
retirement benefits. No one can know it all, but your local office is
the place to get official information. That's what they are there for.
End of sermon.
Each office should have a copy of the Social Security Laws and
Regulations and the POMS manual (operational instructions to implement
the laws & regs). These manuals, except for portions related to
security procedures, should be available for you to use at the local
office. I would think that all law libraries would also have copies of
the law and regs and possibly the operations manuals.
---
* Origin: PAF-Link (Opus 1:261/668)
---
From: Barbara Bennett
To: All Dec 11, 1987
Subject: Social Security Information Part 1 of 3
The Social Security Number
SSA has continually emphasized the fact that the SSN
identifies a particular record only and the Social Security
Card indicates the person whose record is identified by that
number. In no way can the Social Security Card identify the
bearer. From 1946 to 1972 the legend "Not for Identification"
was printed on the face of the card. However, many people
ignored the message and the legend was eventually dropped.
The social security number is the most widely used and
carefully controlled number in the country, which makes it an
attractive identifier.
With the exception of the restrictions imposed on Federal and
some State and local organizations by the Privacy Act of
1974, organizations requiring a unique identifier for
purposes of controlling their records are not prohibited from
using (with the consent of the holder) the SSN. SSA records
are confidential and knowledge of a person's SSN does not
give the user access to information in SSA files which is
confidential by law.
Many commercial enterprises have used the SSN in various
promotional efforts. These uses are not authorized by SSA,
but SSA has no authority to prohibit such activities as most
are not illegal. Some of these unauthorized uses are: SSN
contests; skip-tracers; sale or distribution of plastic or
metal cards; pocketbook numbers (the numbers used on sample
social security cards in wallets); misleading advertising,
commercial enterprises charging fees for SSN services;
identification of personal property.
---
* Origin: PAF-Link (Opus 1:261/668)
---
From: Barbara Bennett
To: All Dec 11, 1987
Subject: Social Security Information Part 2 of 3
Te Social Security Number (SSN) is composed of 3 parts,
XXX-XX-XXXX, called the Area, Group, and Serial. For the most
part, (there are exceptions), the Area is determined by where the
individual APPLIED for the SSN (before 1972) or RESIDED at time
of application (after 1972). The areas are assigned as follows:
000 unused 387-399 WI 528-529 UT
001-003 NH 400-407 KY 530 NV
004-007 ME 408-415 TN 531-539 WA
008-009 VT 416-424 AL 540-544 OR
010-034 MA 425-428 MS 545-573 CA
035-039 RI 429-432 AR 574 AK
040-049 CT 433-439 LA 575-576 HI
050-134 NY 440-448 OK 577-579 DC
135-158 NJ 449-467 TX 580 VI Virgin Islands
159-211 PA 468-477 MN 581-584 PR Puerto Rico
212-220 MD 478-485 IA 585 NM
221-222 DE 486-500 MO 586 PI Pacific Islands*
223-231 VA 501-502 ND 587-588 MS
232-236 WV 503-504 SD 589-595 FL
237-246 NC 505-508 NE 596-599 PR Puerto Rico
247-251 SC 509-515 KS 600-601 AZ
252-260 GA 516-517 MT 602-626 CA
261-267 FL 518-519 ID *Guam, American Samoa,
268-302 OH 520 WY Northern Mariana Islands,
303-317 IN 521-524 CO Philippine Islands
318-361 IL 525 NM
362-386 MI 526-527 AZ
627-699 unassigned, for future use
700-728 Railroad workers through 1963, then discontinued
729-899 unassigned, for future use
900-999 not valid SSNs, but were used for program purposes
when state aid to the aged, blind and disabled was
converted to a federal program administered by SSA.
As the Areas assigned to a locality are exhausted, new areas
from the pool are assigned. This is why some states have non-
contiguous groups of Areas.
---
* Origin: PAF-Link (Opus 1:261/668)
---
From: Barbara Bennett
To: All Dec 11, 1987
Subject: Social Security Information Part 3 of 3
The Group portion of the SSN has no meaning other than to
determine whether or not a number has been assigned. SSA
publishes a list every month of the highest group assigned for
each SSN Area. The order of assignment for the Groups is: odd
numbers under 10, even numbers over 9, even numbers under 9
except for 00 which is never used, and odd numbers over 10. For
example, if the highest group assigned for area 999 is 72, then
we know that the number 999-04-1234 is an invalid number because
even Groups under 9 have not yet been assigned.
The Serial portion of the SSN has no meaning. The Serial is not
assigned in strictly numerical order. The Serial 0000 is never
assigned.
Before 1973, Social Security Cards with pre-printed numbers were
issued to each local SSA office. The numbers were assigned by the
local office. In 1973, SSN assignment was automated and
outstanding stocks of pre-printed cards were destroyed. All SSNs
are now assigned by computer from headquarters. There are rare
cases in which the computer system can be forced to accept a
manual assignment such as a person refusing a number with 666 in
it.
A pamphlet entitled "The Social Security Number" (Pub. No.
05-10633) provides an explanation of the SSN's structure and
the method of assigning and validating Social Security numbers.
---
* Origin: PAF-Link (Opus 1:261/668)
---