What are the pros and cons of having a Social Security number?

Question

I am an american citizen raised in another country. I want to know this.

Answer 1

You can't get a job without one.

Answer 2

Social Security numbers in the United States is the equivalent of a national identification number. Often they are a legal requirement for employment, but more often it is the number used to track your financial, tax, medical, personal and credit histories - not to mention your birth and death as a US citizen.

Because this number combined with your name and date of birth is the primary access method most companies and agencies use to access your personal, one of the big CONS of this number is if someone else gains access to it. It allows that same individual access to all your personal data for potentially unscrupulous activities such as identity theft.

It was said at one time that these numbers were completely random, but that since has been proven to be false. The number sequences are grouped into three sets of nine total digits:

example - XXX-YY-ZZZZ

The XXX series (the area number) indicates the issuing state of the ID number:

001-003 NEW HAMPSHIRE
004-007 MAINE
008-009 VERMONT
010-034 MASSACHUSETTS
035-039 RHODE ISLAND
040-049 CONNECTICUT
050-134 NEW YORK
135-158 NEW JERSEY
159-211 PENNSYLVANIA
212-220 MARYLAND
221-222 DELAWARE
223-231 VIRGINIA
232-232 N. CAROLINA
232-236 WEST VIRGINIA
237-246 N. CAROLINA
247-251 S. CAROLINA
252-260 GEORGIA
261-267 FLORIDA
268-302 OHIO
303-317 INDIANA
318-361 ILLINOIS
362-386 MICHIGAN
387-399 WISCONSIN
400-407 KENTUCKY
408-415 TENNESSEE
416-424 ALABAMA
425-428 MISSISSIPPI
429-432 ARKANSAS
433-439 LOUISIANA
440-448 OKLAHOMA
449-467 TEXAS
468-477 MINNESOTA
478-485 IOWA
486-500 MISSOURI
501-502 N. DAKOTA
503-504 S. DAKOTA
505-508 NEBRASKA
509-515 KANSAS
516-517 MONTANA
518-519 IDAHO
520-520 WYOMING
521-524 COLORADO
525-525 NEW MEXICO
526-527 NEBRASKA
528-529 UTAH
530-530 NEVADA
531-539 WASHINGTON
540-544 OREGON
545-573 CALIFORNIA
574-574 ALASKA
575-576 HAWAII
577-579 WASHINGTON DC
580-580 VIRGIN ISLANDS
580-584 PUERTO RICO
585-585 NEW MEXICO
586-586 AMER. SAMOA, PI, AND GUAM
587-588 MISSISSIPPI
589-595 FLORIDA
596-599 PUERTO RICO
600-601 ARIZONA
602-626 CALIFORNIA
627-645 TEXAS
646-647 UTAH
648-649 NEW MEXICO

The second group YY (the group number) typically identifies the branch office that issued the ID number

The final group ZZZZ (the serial number) is the unique number assigned to you (when combined with the other seven numbers).

If you were not born in the United States, most likely you were or will be issued a number by the state in which you request the ID and typically the first seven numbers will be identical (e.g. 555-55-ZZZZ) which identifies you as a naturalized citizen or similar disposition.

Again, the CONs are that they are decodable, and they allow access to private information. The PROs are that if you have one, it makes starting credit and employment much, much easier.

Good luck!

Answer 3

On the plus side, you need one for jobs, driver's licenses, any paper work you fill out etc. It simply proves you are an American citizen and makes it easier to identify you.

On the negative side, social security numbers are becoming more like national ids. With the government getting more centralized every day, social securities are being abused in ways that a police state would be run.

Answer 4

PRO

1. The number means that you have an account and hopefully someday will collect social security in old age or disability.

2. It is used as an identification number for tax purposes and for other government records.

CON
1. It is used by banks and other agencies or companies to keep records on you.

2. If stolen, it can help with identity theft since it ties in with drivers licence and other government documents.

Answer 5

In the US without one, you should not be able to work, or have a bank account. So it just makes life easier in the US

Answer 6

It's required for almost everything here in the U.S.