Sponsors (2)
The bill makes it easier to protect young children from identity theft by authorizing replacement SSNs, parental attestations, and SSA recordkeeping, but it brings procedural hurdles and costs and does not entirely eliminate residual identity-theft risk.
Children under 14 whose Social Security number was compromised can receive a replacement SSN, reducing their risk of identity theft and future fraud.
Parents and guardians can document that a child's SSN was compromised (under penalty of perjury) to trigger protective action more quickly.
The Social Security Administration will note loss/theft information in records, improving recordkeeping and aiding future verification or investigations.
Families may face delays obtaining replacement SSNs if required evidence is hard to obtain or SSA disputes attestations, slowing protections for affected children.
Issuing a new SSN does not fully eliminate identity-theft risk if other entities still retain the old number or if theft already occurred before reassignment.
Processing replacement SSNs increases SSA administrative workload and may marginally raise taxpayer costs to issue and update records.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires SSA to issue a new Social Security number for children under 14 when a parent/guardian certifies the child's SSN was lost/stolen and confidentiality was compromised.
Requires the Social Security Administration (SSA) to issue a new Social Security number to a child under age 14 if a parent or guardian certifies under penalty of perjury that the child's Social Security card was lost or stolen and the number's confidentiality was compromised; SSA must also record the loss/theft details in the child's record. The change amends existing Social Security statute and becomes effective 180 days after enactment.
Official title: Social Security Child Protection Act of 2025
Introduced September 15, 2025 by Lloyd K. Smucker · Last progress December 2, 2025