Social Security Explained

What is Social Security?
In the United States, the nine digits that make up your Social Security number (SSN) are very important. You are required to apply for your SSN when you start your first job, and it stays with you from then on! We use our SSNs daily, although many times we don't even know it.

Generally, the term social security describes a program that uses public funds to provide a degree of economic security for the public. The specific social security discussed here is the United States government program established in 1935 that provides senior citizens, the disabled, and spouse survivors insurance, as well as supplemental security income, an income for elderly or disabled people.
In the United States, employers and employees are required to pay Social Security taxes. The money raised from these taxes primarily goes to providing benefits for those who have reached retirement age or are otherwise currently eligible. In this way, today's workers provide funds for the people drawing benefits today, and when today's workers retire, the workers of that time will (at least theoretically) provide the funds;  Employees receive Social Security benefits based on the amount of Social Security taxes they have paid, which, up to a certain maximum amount, is based on their income.

As an international student, do I have to pay Social Security taxes? 
International students (F-1 and J-1 students) are exempt for paying Social Security taxes for the first five calendar years that they are present in the U.S.  After these first five years, your employer is legally required to take out Social Security taxes for you.  If you discover that your employer has incorrectly taken out Social Security taxes on you, you should respectfully approach the payroll office and request a refund.
  
Does my Social Security card allow me to work?
Your Social Security card is not by itself employment authorization.  You must have valid work authorization from USCIS in order to work both on and off campus.  Your Social Security card will even state “Valid for work only with INS authorization.”
 
How do I get a Social Security card?
As an F-1 or J-1 student, you cannot apply for a U.S. Social Security number unless you can show proof that you have a job offer, that you are in F-1 or J-1 status, and your SEVIS record shows that you have been registered for at least 10 days.
DePauw University has agreed to allow students to work on campus while their Social Security application is pending as long as they have submitted the International Student Employment-Social Security Number Pending form to the Financial Aid Office (Admission Building).  

The Social Security Administration will be on campus on Friday, August 31 from 1:00 -3:00 pm at the International Center.  Do not miss this appointment.  You will need to bring the completed employment verification letter that your supervisor has signed(in your folder), passport, I-94, SEVIS fee receipt, eligibility letter from Durham House (in your folder), and Form I-20 for F-1 students or DS-2019 for J-1 students.

The nearest Social Security Administration (SSA) office is in Crawfordsville, Indiana.  This is about 45 minutes from Greencastle.  If you miss your on-campus appointment, you must find a friend to take you to the office in Crawfordsville.  The SSA sends a representative to the Putnam County Senior Center , 9 West Franklin Street, in the morning of  the third Tuesday of the month.  If need be, you can talk with a representative there.

What if my name is incorrect or my card is lost or stolen?
In any of these instances, you need to complete a new Form SS-5, available at which you can download from the SSA site (http://www.ssa.gov).  Your new number will be the same as your old number, but to get a replacement card you will need to have proof of identity, such as:

  • Driver's license
  • Passport
  • School ID card
  • Proof of employment

To change your name on your card, you need documentation showing your correct name.  Again, your card number will be the same, but your new name will appear on your new card. You can notify the SSA of a change of address by mail or by calling 1-800-772-1213.
To apply for a new Social Security card, you must provide (in-person) proof of who you are (birth certificate, school record), your age, and your citizenship or legal alien status. If you were born outside the United States, you must also show proof of citizenship.
Only rarely -- in the event of identity fraud or stalking -- does the SSA assign a person a new SSN. Even in extreme cases, you can get a new SSN (no fee involved) only from the SSA. There are more and more companies claiming they can get you a new SSN (for a fee) to help clear your credit record. There is no way they can legally do this, according to fraud examiners.

Why is it important to keep my Social Security number private?
Sharing your SSN is a potential problem because of the many secondary ways we now use SSNs. During the first few decades that Social Security cards were issued, they contained the phrase "Not to be used for identification." No reinforcing law was passed, however, and since SSNs never change, many institutions -- including hospitals and some banks and brokerage firms -- have found SSNs to be the perfect form of identification.
Some organizations, primarily banks, then began to use SSNs as secret codes or passwords, assuming only the owner would know them. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. The SSA says that if someone knows your name and your SSN and is a good enough actor to convince a clerk or teller that he has forgotten the account number, he might be allowed to transfer funds or conduct other fraudulent business with your money.
Such inconsistencies in the use of SSNs are at the root of the problem, experts say. Our SSNs might appear on various paperwork.  As such, they can't safely be used as secret passwords or codes; they're too accessible to too many people.
According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, identity theft now occurs at a rate of about 400,000 cases a year -- and that number is growing 40 percent annually. Although Internet identity theft is raising a lot of new fears, experts say that low-tech identity theft, often stemming from criminals finding bits of information in stolen mail or garbage, is still the greater threat. (Before you toss that next credit card offer in the trash, shred it so that no one else can apply for credit in your name!)

What do I do with my Social Security card?
Although the Social Security card is wallet-size, do NOT carry it with you.  As discussed earlier, this number is very important and should be guarded.  Keep your Social Security card with your immigration paperwork. 
When you receive your Social Security card in the mail, sign it.  Do not laminate it.  Take your Social Security card to the Financial Aid Office so that they can keep a copy in your records.  If you do not do this, you will not be paid. 

Adapted from:  http://people.howstuffworks.com/social-security-number7.htm

Center for International & Experiential Education
Durham House
309 E. Seminary Street
Greencastle, IN 46135 USA
Tel: (765) 658-4355
Fax: (765) 658-4045
Email: loutfijirari@depauw.edu, alizaframe@depauw.edu