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Hello Everyone. I am new to this forum, actually I am relatively new to forums in general so I apologize if I make any faux pas. I am like a child learning to ride a bike with this, but I have a question about obtaining social security numbers. I'm sure this question has been asked elsewhere and I have read some of the posts but they seem to deal with foreign adoptions or they don't quiet fit our circumstances.
My son's adoption was final in December and we are desperately trying to obtain a social security number for him. The adoption was finalized in Georgia. It was a private, domestic adoption and we chose to go with a lawyer instead of an agency because figuratively speaking my son seemed to fall from the sky right into our waiting arms. Literally things progressed so quickly and we were totally unprepared.
Today I found out from our lawyer that it could be another 6 months before we receive his birth certificate. He told me the adoption decree was adequate identification for us to apply for a social security card. Unfortunately, the Social Security Administration disagrees. I have been told by several different employees that we need a birth certificate. Of course when I ask they always have to go in search of someone else to get the answer, which doesn't give me much faith in their knowledge when dealing with adoption. Yet their web site is contradictory. It states that when a birth certificate is not readily available other forms of identification such as the adoption decree, health records, and/or a passport (which we do not have nor do we need) are sufficient.
FYI, we do know that my son and his birth mother applied for Medicaid to cover the medical bills accumillated for his birth. This makes me wonder if someone did not also apply for a social security number for him. I am unfamiliar with Medicaid so I do not know their rules or regulations, but I have another call into my lawyer to find out specifically if my son's birth mother applied for a social security number for him.
I find myself extremely frustrated. Any information in this area would be greatly appreciated, your experiences and/or any knowledge of the social security admin's rules.
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You can also get an ATIN number at the IRS website for tax purposes. I did wait until I got the amended birth certificate showing us as the parents to go down to the office to get H's SS#. But if you just need something to claim him as a dependent, the ATIN # should suffice. The bmom would probably NOT have applied for an SS# for him, even w/ Medicaid.
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N -- it took us 13 mos to get DD's birth cert...arrgh! anyway, as HBV said, in the meantime we had an ATIN number thru IRS. You cannot get a SSN without the birth certificate (I think our office made us bring in the adoption finalization decree as well)...we just finally got DD's ssn. GOOD LUCK!
We also did a private, domestic adoption in Georgia....and we finalized in December. We were told by our attorney that DD's birth certificate would arrive in 8-12 weeks...I believe. We're hoping it arrives sometime this month. Our attorney told us we needed the birth certificate to get a SS# also.
DD's birthmom also had medicaid to pay for medical bills and I also am not sure if she applied for a SS# for DD while in the hospital. I figure once we get the birth certificate I will go to our local SS office and speak with them about everything. I'm hoping someone will be able to help me out.
All is well in the world today. I just got a phone call from our attorney's office. My DS's birth certificate is in.... I could jump up and down.
So there was no 8 month wait, like I had been told on several occassions by several different people with the vital records office.
aallen25, it looks like you were right as well as my attorney (or better yet what he told me initially).
L
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Nalyd-- Just some info for applying for SS #--I just finished our daugther's today, I think! The first time we went to the office, we were told to bring her new birth certificate and the adoption decree. I did. Next day they called and said they needed another form of identification. Needed current vaccination record--copy of recent with an INK signiture of doctor, dated currently, and letter on office paper from doctor saying our daughter is a patient there and this was her current record. SS office says this is the second form of ID they need. I don't know how it is where you live, but maybe this info will save you a trip!
Thanks for the advice, redbonec. We received the birth certificate yesterday in the mail and I am going to take your advice and swing by our peditrician's office on the way to the social security office.
I recently went by the hospital where our DS was born and picked up a record of birth (just the hospital's info on his birth) but it does not have an original signature (only stamp).
Again, thank you...
L.
Its good that you got your answer Nalyd_loved_forever.I am a lil late here but i find that you got the answer but none of them mentioned any precautionary measures to keep your SSN safe.I know that you will be able to get your no but later on i would like you toi know that this no can be mis-used and and it can be even done when your child is still making his life.That can be rude if he comes to know that his been hooked up for nothing , so in my words do take up steps to protect [url=http://lifelock-reviews.com-411.com/]Identity Theft[/url] and make your life secure.Anyways all the best in life.
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