Social Security records are files kept by the United States Social Security Administration. Social Security records include the names, races, genders, and birth dates of those who apply for Social Security cards. They also contain information about a person’s citizenship and his parents. These records usually include details of a person’s earnings over his lifetime as well as data pertaining to any benefits, such as for disability or retirement, he has received. Social Security records also include death data for individuals who had Social Security numbers before they died.
The Social Security Administration maintains records of applications people submit for Social Security cards. As such, Social Security records usually include all of the information a party submitted on his application. This includes such information as the party's name, his name at birth, and other names he has used. It also includes his date and place of birth, citizenship status, ethnicity, race, and gender. These applications even request the applicant’s parents' full names and Social Security numbers as well as the applicant’s address and phone number.
Social Security records also include data concerning a person’s income over his lifetime, which is usually obtained from tax agencies. For example, if a person earned income from employment and paid taxes on it, the information about his earned income is usually included in his Social Security records. The same goes for a person who runs a business. His income totals are reported when he files tax documents each year, and these amounts are reported to the Social Security Administration.
Social Security records also include those that are based on the benefits for which a person has applied or received. For example, if a person has applied for retirement or disability benefits, the Social Security Administration usually maintains a record of his application. If the person receives benefits, his Social Security Administration records usually include details about the types of benefits he received, the amount of money he received, and the frequency with which he received benefits. Additionally, Social Security records also include data about dependents of beneficiaries as well as the survivors of workers who have died.
The Social Security Administration maintains death records as well. The Social Security death index contains records pertaining to the death of each person with a Social Security number as long as that death is reported to the Social Security Administration. Often, these records are used in conducting genealogy research.
