Janell Sluga Medicare & Individual Health Insurance Account Executive View Bio

 Question:

We recently discovered that we can’t find my father’s Social Security Card. How do we get a new one?

Answer:

Your Social Security (SS) Card is such an important piece of paper, and yet we don’t need it that often – once you are an adult you have other forms of ID that are used, like a driver’s license or work ID. Plus many individuals have memorized their SS Number, so they just say it without having to refer to the card itself.

However, there are situations where you need to have the actual card.

The process for getting a new SS Card is somewhat difficult and that is on purpose, to prevent identity theft. We don’t want someone who isn’t you getting a copy of your card and then acting like you and hijacking your life and potentially all you have.

There are a couple of ways to get a new SS Card. One of the easiest ways to get a new SS Card is by heading over to your local Social Security Administration (SSA) office. Be prepared to have ID with you, and you may need your birth certificate as well to prove your identity. Once they verify your identity, they can print out a piece of paper with your SS Number on it, and then you will receive the new card in the mail in about 7 to 14 business days. So be sure to watch your mail and OPEN everything that comes. You wouldn’t want to throw your new card away assuming it’s junk mail.

Another way to get a new SS Card is to use the SSA.gov website. To get a new SS Card online you must establish a username and password on this website. This may be something you have already done before. If you haven’t, it is quite a process, so be sure to record your user ID name and password, exactly as you typed them in. The SSA.gov website is not an easy website to join, but once established it is very useful and worth the work. In fact, you can tell your friends to establish a profile now, BEFORE they lose their SS cards, so it’s easier to get a new one if that ever happens.

If you order your new SS Card via the website, it will take the same 7 to 14 business days to actually get the card, but again you can write down the SS Number, if you need it right away.

I do want to offer a word of caution, because recently I had a family member use the SSA.gov website to order their SS Card. They thought they had completed the process and as they were finishing up a “pop-up” came on the screen. The pop-up was telling them they “had a couple more steps before their card was ordered.” They clicked on the pop-up and found it was a “PAID service” to help get a copy of the new SS Card. It asked them to enter their personal information and their credit card information, and they would be charged $47 to receive their new SS Card in the mail. Unfortunately, they entered their personal information and their credit card information and were charged the $47. They received a confirmation that their new SS Card has been ordered.

Shortly after, their bank called to say they had a suspicious charge on their credit card and the bank wanted to review the situation. They called the bank back and confirmed that they did in fact authorize this $47 to get their new card. The bank reinforced that you DON’T have to PAY to get a new SS Card. But the individual insisted that it was a legitimate charge and they wanted it paid. The bank agreed to let it go through.

Upon further investigation, we found that this is in fact a legitimate business which has an agreement with the SSA to “HELP” people order their SS Cards. BUT it is so easy to order a new card yourself, I don’t recommend using this service and paying that money unnecessarily to get your new SS Card.

I have to say that in the end my family member received TWO SS Cards: one they ordered successfully themselves, and one that the $47 service ordered for them. That was $47 they didn’t need to spend!

So, if the SSA office is a reasonable distance for you to drive, I believe going to the SSA office with your proof of identity makes the most sense for getting a new SS Card. That way you won’t be offered any unusual additional services at a fee, and you know exactly what you’re getting.

At Lawley Medicare Solutions, our Medicare and Individual Health Consultants are dedicated to helping you make the most informed decisions about your healthcare needs. We offer personalized service and expert advice tailored to your unique situation. Contact us today by phone or email to schedule a consultation and ensure you’re getting the best coverage for your needs.

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