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Ideally, each person has only one Social Security number. When you apply for a number, the identifying information you provide on the application form (your name, date of birth, place of birth and parents' names) is matched against all of Social Security's records to see if you already have a number. If we find a match, we issue you a replacement card with that number. If we don't find a match, we assign you a new number. In Social Security's early years, these matches were done manually, and our local Social Security offices typed and issued the cards. Now the matches are done electronically, and we issue the cards from Social Security headquarters in Baltimore, MD.

Over the years, some people have been issued more than one Social Security number. This usually happens when the information entered on one application doesn't match the information on a later application. Perhaps the name is shown differently or a nickname is used, the date of birth or place of birth is not the same, or a stepparent's name is given instead of a birth parent's. Sometimes this happens when a parent gets a number for a young child and the child later fills out an application as part of a school lesson on Social Security. Whatever the cause, if the information on the applications does not match, we may assign a new number.

We also could inadvertently assign more than one number if a person sends in two applications within a very short time. If the first application is not yet processed and on the record when the second one comes in, the system will not be able to identify a match.

When Social Security can determine that more than one number belongs to the same person, we cross-refer those numbers in our records. Then when we select one of the numbers to issue a Statement, we combine the information from all the cross-referred numbers to display the year-by-year earnings and calculate the estimated benefits.

You don't need to take any action about the other numbers shown on your record. You should continue to use the one under which you are currently working. However, if you have more than one number and we have not shown them all on your Statement, you should report this to us so that we can cross-refer the numbers and make sure that you get credit for all your earnings.