I was born in 1975. What happened between 1961 and 1975 that that situation changed?
well its not true you are issued a SSN at birth:
http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10023.html When you have a baby, one of the things that should be on your “to do” list is getting a Social Security number for your baby. The easiest time to do this is when you give information for your child’s birth certificate. If you wait to apply for a number at a Social Security office, there may be delays while we verify your child’s birth certificate.
Contents
Why should I get a number for my child?Skip content links
Must my child have a Social Security number?
How do I apply?
What if my child is adopted?
What does it cost?
What if I lose the card?
Social Security number misuse
Contacting Social Security
Why Should I Get A Number For My Baby?
You need a Social Security number to claim your child as a dependent on your income tax return. Your child also may need a number if you plan to:
* Open a bank account for the child;
* Buy savings bonds for the child;
* Obtain medical coverage for the child; or
* Apply for government services for the child.
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Must my child have a Social Security number?
No. Getting a Social Security number for your newborn is voluntary. But, it is a good idea to get a number when your child is born. You can apply for a Social Security number for your baby when you apply for your baby’s birth certificate. The state agency that issues birth certificates will share your child’s information with us and we will mail the Social Security card to you.
If you wait to apply at a Social Security office, you must show us proof of your child’s U.S. citizenship, age and identity, as well as proof of your own identity. We must verify your child’s birth record, which can add up to 12 weeks to the time it takes to issue a card. To verify a birth certificate, Social Security will contact the office that issued it. We do this verification to prevent people from using fraudulent birth records to obtain Social Security numbers to establish false identities.
Side note: So it would seem the BC was good enough for the SSA back then also.
