One of the forms that was filled out when Rachel was born last month (and Alice just over four years ago) was for a Social Security Number (SSN) and card. We just got Rachel’s card the other day and I noticed that there is a signature line at the bottom. Being just over five weeks old she obviously isn’t able to sign her name just yet. So I guess we’ll just leave them unsigned until at some point they she can sign for it herself.
This just strikes me as very odd. Leaving something like this just doesn’t feel right. But having Sarah or myself sign doesn’t make any sense either. The next question that comes up is when to have the girls sign their cards. Alice can spell and write her name, but I wouldn’t call that a signature (she is only four). So they should be at least old enough to have developed some sort of signature. Or perhaps waiting until they turn 18 is the right thing?
I didn’t see anything in the instructions on the card indicating what the right thing to do is. There are plenty of people having kids so I know I’m not the only who has wondered about this.
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Hello!
Actually, there are Social Security Card Instructions that state:
“ADULTS: Sign this card in ink immediately.
CHILDREN: Do not sign this card until age 18 or your first job, whichever is earlier.”
Hope this helps!
Amy
POMS RM 00201.070
D. Policy – Signing the SSN Card
Instructions provided on the front of the card stub advise adults to sign their SSN card in ink immediately. Children are not told to sign until age 18 or their first job; whichever is earlier. Although the card serves as SSA’s official verification of the SSN assigned to the individual named on the card, it is not an identity document. Failure to sign the card does not invalidate it. Therefore, a card sent to an infant or young child can be left unsigned and kept in a safe place with other important documents until needed by the number holder for employment purposes.
Well, I’m seventeen and just signed my card to get a state ID in a few days. But I didn’t sign my middle name which appears on the card. Should I squeeze in my middle initial, or is this OK?