In article ,
George wrote:
I know, I'm being nitpicky, but there you are (grin).
Don't know whose requirement it is but my SIL works at the local
hospital in whatever trendy name they call the birthing department and
she was upset a couple years ago when they were required by the
"government" to get SSNs for newborns. The parent doesn't have a choice
in the matter.
Sounds like attorneys getting involved and mucking things up. The
Social Security Administration says it is voluntary unless they want to
take the kid as dependent, open financial accounts, or apply for
government aid.
Must my child have a Social Security number?
No. Getting a Social Security number for your newborn is voluntary. But, it
is a good idea to get a number when your child is born. You can apply for a
Social Security number for your baby when you apply for your babyıs birth
certificate. The state agency that issues birth certificates will share your
childıs information with us and we will mail the Social Security card to you.
If you wait to apply at a Social Security office, you must show us proof of
your childıs U.S. citizenship, age and identity, as well as proof of your own
identity. We must verify your childıs birth record, which can add up to 12
weeks to the time it takes to issue a card. To verify a birth certificate,
Social Security will contact the office that issued it. We do this
verification to prevent people from using fraudulent birth records to obtain
Social Security numbers to establish false identities.
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10023.html