Why change an adopted child's Social Security number?

Question

I've seen this mentioned here on Y!A a couple times, and on another adoptive-parent centric site, where APs were advising other APs & PAPs to get a new Social Security number for their adopted children.

When I got married, I added my husband's name, and got a new card, but the number wasn't changed.

Why would APs want a new number instead of just a new card reflecing the new name?

Answer 1

The reason some choose to have the social security numbers changed is so that birth parents cannot track down where their child is.  Another thing is that some parents use their children's SS number to use for billing information on utility bills.  This ruins the childs credit and is quite a hassle to get straightened out.  This actually happened to three girls that I knew.  When they became of age and tried to start out in life they found out that their birth parents had used their numbers for phone bills, electric bills etc.  They did finally get it straightened out but it is,  like I said a hassle.

Answer 2

I don't know.  It's probably something to do with claiming 'ownership' of the poor kid - as if they haven't lost enough!.  Perhaps to close the papertrail for adoptees and their parents to reunite at a later date - how sad

Answer 3

I asked this question a few weeks ago in another forum because it was the first time I had heard it as well. You would change an adopted child's Social Security Number to prevent it from being used by birth family member's for utility bills, credit cards or checking accounts things like that  thus your child would end up with his credit ruined. Usually this is done to children in coming out of foster care because other people had access to it, not for infant adoptions because usually the adoptive parents are the ones to receive the card in that situation.  It's about protecting the child's credit.

Answer 4

Interesting question!  I'd never heard of this....granted I was adopted back when you didnt' get a SS until you went to work at 15 or 16....wow, I'm old.  lol

Answer 5

Hmmm.  I didn't know a social security number could be changed?  I thought each U.S. citizen got one and it was their number for life.  I thought just the name on it could be changed.

Answer 6

As far as I know, the number shouldn't need to be changed. Just as married women have a new card with the same number, but different name, you'd think the same should apply to a child's card.

Answer 7

I think its more for safety reason then anything else.  If you have someone’s SSN you can often track them down. Even as rab26 said for children who are removed from the biological parents home well clearly they wouldn’t want to let them have a way to find the child(ren).  Not to mentioned you can really mess someone life up, some people will do it just out of spite or do it so that their credit doesn’t get a bad image.  Its just a number not big deal IMO. From what my mom had told me I have had 3 in my life time. One when I was born, I forgotten where the 2nd one came into play, then i finale got  one when  I was official adopted.

Answer 8

I didn't know it was possible. The numbers on a SS card aren't in chronological order. The first few numbers refer to where someone was born, then when they were born, etc. etc. These things don't change, even if you change your name.

The only explanation would be that the old number was compromised because of identity theft. Otherwise, there is no legitimate reason.

Answer 9

The only reason I could think of is this. If the child was taken away from their parents at an older age, say 8 or 9, and the parents were not okay with the child being taken, they would like to go after the child. By keeping the same social security number, the biological parents could potentially track the child and find him/her. This is just my random idea but that could be one reason. Also, maybe some adoptive parents don't want anything from the child's previous life to tag along, as silly as that seems. I wasn't even aware social services would allow that.

Answer 10

To eliminate the potential for fraud by the birth parents.  If the child was removed from the home and place for adoption by the state, the birth parents would still have this information.  A new number would protect the child and establish a "new identity".

Answer 11

I'm thinking that the APs are reluctant to allow anything to remain the same. Seeing as how that number follows you your entire life anyone who knows it could use the number to "find" the child later on. Just another way to stop us ingrates from searching out, or being found by, the family that is rightfully ours

Answer 12

We all get just one SS number & that's it. There's no good reason to get a new SS number, & I didn't know SS would do that. After adoption, the last name wold change but the number would stay as is. IMHO

Answer 13

The only reason I can think of, is that the paternal parents have the original number and could use it for fraud.  Sad to think that it happens, but that would be the only reason I would see to get a new SSN

Answer 14

Adoptive parents are encourage to get a new social security number and also a new birth certificate so that birth parents cannot use the original numbers to find their children.  It seems harsh, but when children are taken away for abuse, neglect, etc, it is sometimes best for the children not to have contact with their birth parents until they are old enough to choose.  Plus, a lot of adoptive parents don't want contact with birth parents.

Answer 15

Contrary to what so many people believe is a "way to keep bio families from gaining access to children", most adoptive parents who choose to change a social security number do so to prevent identity theft and protect the child.   Children's identity theft is becoming a huge crime (regardless of whether the child is adopted or not) because the kids do not find out about the identity theft for years.  

We changed our son's social security number after learning that his bio family had "sold" it to others for the purpose of identity theft and gaining credit under that number.  We did not want our son to face years of trying to clean up his credit score or other problems that could occur.  We did it to protect our son's future not to "hide" as so many people want to believe.

I will say this, we had to fight for almost two years to get the number changed.  It was not an easy thing to do by any means.  But for us, we felt the battle was worth it to protect our son's future.

Answer 16

Perhaps eliminating a paper trail for the birth parents to locate the child at a later time.

Answer 17

There are a few things here.  First, sometimes changing the name on the card is just as difficult as getting a whole new card.  If you're going to go through all the hassle, why not play it safe and just get a new number?  

For isntance, my brothers names were supposed to be changed with the social security office and IRS at the time of their adoption.  My parents thought they were.  Over ten years went by without any problems.  Suddenly, at the end of the nineties when the IRS put in electronic verification controls, my parents had their tax return held because the IRS said they claimed dependents that didn't exist.  My parents were confused.  They were claiming the same dependents they had for the last four years (I'd had a few little brothers born since the adoption), what could suddenly be the problem?  Well...  the problem was that the numbers they had down for my brothers, matched came up as belonging to children with a different last name!  Talk about a mess to have to straiten out over a decade after the adoption!  

However, I think most people who do newborn adoption don't bother with changing the socials.   SSN's aren't even granted until weeks after a child is born, and it's usually not a big issue.  However, for children who are adopted after their biological mother would have known the SSN, it may be a good idea to get the number changed, espescially in cases where relations with the genetic donors is less than good.  If the social is known to the genetic donor, he/she may use the number to apply for credit cards, cell phones, or cable plans - thus ruining the child's credit score before the child even comes of age.  He/she may also continue to try to claim the child as a dependent on his/her tax return which would cause constant delays in getting tax refunds and unending battles with the beaurocracy of the IRS.  

I don't think any parent changes their child's SSN just for the fun of it.  For one thing, it's a major pain in the rear to try and do.  For another, a SSN isn't like a birth certificate...  it doesn't mean anything, and is mostly only used for monetary things - like taxes, federal assistance, and getting credit.  Thus, it doesn't hurt to child to have a new number.  Honestly, who gets sentimental over a nine digit string of numbers???

Answer 18

Lots of good reasons here already. I wanted to add that the ss # could also track back to the birth parents, causing confusion in schools, etc... You want the ss# to identify the child you addopted, not the child the birthparents gave up.