Claiming Newborn on Taxes!

You need the social security number in order to clam a foster child - no other number or paperwork will suffice. If the CW doesn't get it for you, there are a couple other things to try. One is to ask the doctor's office. The medicaid information is tied to the social security number, so the doctors' paperwork often has the SS number on it somewhere. Another thing is to take your placement paperwork and some ID info for the child (like a shot record) into the SS office and ask them for it. Some offices will tell you the number, others won't. It is often helpful to NOT say that you want it for taxes. Just say you need it for paperwork, or something non-committal like that. Saying it's for taxes often skews the conversation into whether you have a right to claim the child, which you already know you DO have. Keep it simple and don't let the convo skew that way. Asking in person, with a smile, and a shrug about state paperwork... that is surprisingly effective.