|
Writing a letter to
the Social Security Administration
Click here to generate letter
When you find your ancestors in the Social Security Death
Index (also known as the Death Master File), you may want a copy of
your ancestor's original Social Security application. This application
has valuable additional information and can serve as documentation for
your own records. The Social Security Administration makes copies of
the original Social Security application form (the SS-5) available to
third parties who request information on a deceased individual.
The application form (SS-5) contains the following information:
- Full name
- Full name at birth (including maiden name)
- Present mailing address
- Age at last birthday
- Date of birth
- Place of birth (City, county, state)
- Father's full name "regardless of whether living
or dead"
- Mother's full name, including maiden name, "regardless
of whether living or dead"
- Sex and race
- Ever applied for SS number/Railroad Retirement
before? Yes/No
- Current employer's name and address
- Date signed
- Applicant's signature
A standard letter to the Social Security Administration
is available with the search results on the Ancestry.com Social
Security Death Index. This letter may be printed and mailed to
the Social Security Administration to request a copy of your ancestor's
SS-5 form. The Social Security Administration now charges $27.00
for each individual copy (an abbreviated NUMIDENT printout is
available for $16.00).
Click here to generate letter
Note:
Not everyone who has, or has had, a Social Security card will appear on
the Social Security Death Index (SSDI). The SSDI lists only those individuals
for whom a lump sum death benefit was paid. Many other enrolled persons
are not listed either because their death was not reported or they are
still living. If you haven't found your deceased ancestor on the SSDI,
but he or she was likely enrolled with the Social Security system, it
may still be possible to get a photocopy of his or her original SS-5.
To request this information, you will need to send the
name and Social Security number of the person you're researching. You
might be able to locate the person's Social Security number in the following
places:
- personal papers
- death certificate
- funeral home records
- records held by financial institutions
- voter registration rolls at county courthouse
- former employers of the individual
If those sources don't produce the number, you may
request a "records search" with the Social Security Administration.
To request this service you must send $29 and provide the following
information: full name, state of birth, and date of birth to:
Freedom of Information Officer
4-H-8 Annex Building
6401 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, Maryland 21235
Providing names of parents are also helpful, especially
with common surnames. Be sure also to provide proof of death, as the
records of living individuals are not publicly available.
|