How are Social Security Numbers Assigned
Social Security Numbers are assigned to different regions in batches. The number is divided into 3 parts – the area numbers, the group numbers, and the serial numbers. Contrary to popular belief, social security numbers are not issued consecutively.
Area Numbers
The first 3 numbers represent the state in which the number was issued (see chart below). In the beginning, numbers originated in the northeast and moved westward as time went by. For this reason, people on the east coast had the lowest numbers and those on the west coast had the highest. Changes were later made, and since 1972 the Social Security Administration assigns numbers and issues cards based on the ZIP code in the mailing address provided on the original application form. On occasion, the applicant's mailing is not the same as his residence, so that individual’s area number doesn't necessarily represent the state in which he/she resides. Most often, we receive our SSNs as infants, and that is when the area number indicates the state we were born in.
Group Numbers
The group numbers are the two middle digits and range from 01 to 99 and they are issued by area in a state. These numbers break all the SSNs with the same area number into smaller blocks and allow for easier administration of SSNs. The Social Security Administration says that the group numbers that are issued first are the odd numbers ranging from 01 through 09, and then even numbers from 10 through 98 follow. After all the numbers in group 98 of a specific area have been used, the even groups 02 through 08 are used and the odd groups 11 through 99 follow. If that’s not clear as mud, we don’t know what is!
Serial Numbers
The last digits of the SSN are the serial numbers. These are currently assigned in chronological order within the area and group numbers, although it has not always been this way. Before 1965, serial numbers may have been assigned in random order because number assignment was transferred from field offices to the central office.
Invalid SSNs – How to tell?
Below are some examples of Invalid SSNs.
1. Any field all zeroes (no field of zeroes is ever assigned).
2. These numbers are invalid because one of the fields contains all zeros
000-22-3326
456-00-2134
467-89-0000
2. First three digits above 740
3. There is more to know about the 700 series (Ex: 7XX-XX-XXXX): These were numbers assigned to railroad workers only through July 1, 1963 and have been discontinued since that date.
4. The 800 and 900 series (Ex: 8XX-XX-XXXX, 9XX-XX-XXXX) are not in use. At one time, they were issued for the Federal Witness Protection Program.
5. Ranges NOT in use: 233 through 236; 596 through 599; 627 through 699; 729 through 999.
What if I do not want a Social Security Number or I do not want my child to have one?
The Internal Revenue Service has mandated that employees have an SSN because employers need to use that number to report wages to the IRS. In order to take advantage of disability and survivor coverage, you must have a social security number.
Numbers for children are voluntary, but once again, you cannot claim a deduction on your tax return without having an SSN issued to your child. SSNs are useful for many different reasons, such as opening a bank accounts or taking advantage of government benefits. Therefore, we advise having a social security number issued for your child.
Interesting Facts
• The program began with the The Social Security Act of 1935
• SS Taxes and benefits began in January of 1937
• In 1939, survivor benefits were added for the employee’s spouse and children
• Disability benefits began in 1965
• Medicare signed into law by Congress in 1965
• Between mid-November 1936 and 1937 more than 30 million SSN applications were processed
• SSN 055-09-0001 was designated as the first official card although it was not the lowest number
• The first official card was issued to John David Sweeney in New York, and the lowest number was issued to Grace D. Owen of Concord, New Hampshire.
• The first recipient of Social Security benefits was Ernest Ackerman with 17 cents paid to him in January 1937.
Current Issues
There are a lot of issues revolving around SSNs and misuse of SSNs, and there is a wealth of information on the web regarding these issues. Some people have concerns about using SSNs due to the ability of the government or individuals to trace your whereabouts. Others are concerned with privacy rights and the misuse of SSNs by companies and public agencies. Many are concerned with reestablishing credit after a period of financial hardship. We went out and reviewed some interesting sites, and some of these address the current issues we face today with SSNs. First and foremost, we would like to introduce you to our very own Identify Theft Protection Center as one of the major issues of today is ID Theft. For those concerned about privacy rights or freedom, you may want to view http://www.buildfreedom.com/tl/tl17b.shtml. For those concerned with raising your credit score or reestablishing credit after a spell of financial hardship, please view the forum and articles at www.creditscorebooster.com. Finally, if you are interested in using the internet for research and due diligence, our Investigator’s Site is full of information and excellent sources for researching information about companies and individuals.
**We do not endorse the views or accuracy of any site we refer to here. We like to be an extensive source of information for all of our clients, and we know there each individual that visits beings a new and different concern that we may not fully address.
| The Social Security Number Allocation Table |
| 001-003 |
NEW HAMPSHIRE |
| 004-007 |
MAINE |
| 008-009 |
VERMONT |
| 010-034 |
MASSACHUSETTS |
| 035-039 |
RHODE ISLAND |
| 040-049 |
CONNECTICUT |
| 050-134 |
NEW YORK |
| 135-158 |
NEW JERSEY |
| 159-211 |
PENNSYLVANIA |
| 212-220 |
MARYLAND |
| 221-222 |
DELAWARE |
| 223-231 |
VIRGINIA |
| 232-236 |
WEST VIRGINIA |
| 232, 237-246 |
NORTH CAROLINA |
| 247-251 |
SOUTH CAROLINA |
| 252-260 |
GEORGIA |
| 261-267 |
FLORIDA |
| 268-302 |
OHIO |
| 303-317 |
INDIANA |
| 318-361 |
ILLINOIS |
| 362-386 |
MICHIGAN |
| 387-399 |
WISCONSIN |
| 400-407 |
KENTUCKY |
| 408-415 |
TENNESSEE |
| 416-424 |
ALABAMA |
| 425-428 |
MISSISSIPPI |
| 429-432 |
ARKANSAS |
| 433-439 |
LOUISIANA |
| 440-448 |
TEXAS |
| 449-467 |
MINNESOTA |
| 478-485 |
IOWA |
| 486-500 |
MISSOURI |
| 501-502 |
NORTH DAKOTA |
| 503-504 |
SOUTH DAKOTA |
| 505-508 |
NEBRASKA |
| 509-515 |
KANSAS |
| 516-517 |
MONTANTA |
| 518-519 |
IDAHO |
| 520 |
WYOMING |
| 521-524 |
COLORADO |
| 525 |
NEW MEXICO |
| 526-527 |
ARIZONA |
| 528-529 |
UTAH |
| 530 |
NEVADA |
| 531-539 |
WASHINGTON |
| 540-544 |
OREGON |
| 545-573 |
CALIFORNIA |
| 574 |
ALASKA |
| 575-576 |
HAWAII |
| 577-579 |
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA |
| 580 |
VIRGIN ISLANDS |
| 580-584 |
PUERTO RICO |
| 585 |
NEW MEXICO |
| 586 |
AMERICAN SAMOA, GUAM |
| 587-588 |
MISSISSIPPI |
| 589-595 |
FLORIDA |
| 596-599 |
PUERTO RICO |
| 600-601 |
ARIZONA |
| 602-626 |
CALIFORNIA |
| 627-645 |
TEXAS |
| 646-647 |
UTAH |
| 648-649 |
NEW MEXICO |
| 700-728 |
ISSUED TO RAILROAD BOARD PRIOR TO 1963 (NO LONGER USED) |
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