• Social Security is a record of wages that make a participant eligible to receive government benefits.work and money image by Valentin Mosichev from Fotolia.com
  
  The Social Security Act was signed into law in 1935. As a result, Social Security cards became the record of payments received while individuals were employed. The amount of a card holder's pay correlates with the amount of benefits received from the Social Security Administration. Benefits include retirement benefits, widow, widower and other survivor benefits, disability benefits and Medicare. Social Security has several regulations in place that cover every facet of society, from birth and death to divorce and business.
  
  

Newborns

• Hospitals provide the paperwork needed for a newborn to be issued a social security card.baby image by Dron from Fotolia.com
  
  The Social Security Act does not require newborns to be issued Social Security cards. However, in order for your child to be claimed as a dependent on your tax return, open a bank account or purchase a savings bond, you must fill out the paperwork in order for the child to be issued a card. Most hospitals will provide the necessary paperwork for the newborn to be issued a Social Security card.
  
  

Individuals Ineligible for a Social Security Number

• Regulations exist for individuals, such as certain international visitors, who are ineligible to be issued a Social Security number. Individuals who by law are ineligible to be issued a Social Security number fall under the category of non-resident aliens with a certain visa types. These visa types include but are not limited to B1 visa for a visitor for business, F-2 spouse or dependent of F-1 and H-4 spouse or dependent of H-1 visa. Individuals who are ineligible to receive a Social Security card may be issued an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN).
  
  

Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Number

• Tax preparers are required by law to collect Social Security Numbers for security and authetication purposes.tax forms image by Chad McDermott from Fotolia.com
  
  The IRS has strict regulations in place to prevent tax preparers and and contractors from disclosing Social Security numbers. Tax preparers are required by federal law to collect Social Security numbers, and they do so to both prevent fraud and authenticate accounts.
  
  

Name Changes

• If you change your name legally, you must request that the Social Security Administration issue you a new card. You will need to provide legal evidence of your name change.
  
  

Companies and the Social Security Number

• Certain companies require that employees who collect Social Security numbers must follow company regulations and limit the access of the Social Security numbers to only company employees who require access to them.
  
  In the same token, in some companies, by regulation, Social Security numbers may not be made visible on such areas as badges, rosters, websites or employee bulletin boards.