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I have a question about social security numbers?
Do they re-issue them when people die? If not then aernt we close to running out of numbers to use? What happens then?
But with 300 million people living in the U.S. now and all the people who have died since they first started issueing them. and the fact that there are only 1 billion combinations we must be close to running out. What then?
4 Answers
- jehenLv 71 decade agoFavorite Answer
No. From the Social Security FAQ:
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Q19: How many Social Security numbers have been issued since the program started?
A: Social Security numbers were first issued in November 1936. To date, over 420 million different numbers have been issued.
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Q20: Are Social Security numbers reused after a person dies?
A: No. We do not reassign a Social Security number (SSN) after the number holder's death. Even though we have issued over 415 million SSNs so far, and we assign about 5 and one-half million new numbers a year, the current numbering system will provide us with enough new numbers for several generations into the future with no changes in the numbering system.
- Crown RoyalLv 71 decade ago
No. They don't. Every one is unique. Because of the number of combinations (9 numbers), they have several hundreds of millions of numbers they can give out. They won't have a problem for awhile.
Edit: Manofstone: If you're running into the same number, they are obviously illegals using the same number.
- ?Lv 41 decade ago
The are re-issued. I know because I hire people and run background and sometimes I run into situations where I'm looking at a re-issued number.
- 1 decade ago
No they don't reissue, in the UK anyway. That's why it’s so easy to use the deceased SSN for scams.
