Entering a Social Security Number

Clients may provide Social Security Numbers (SSNs) for household members orally or in writing.  To enter the SSN into BEACON:

  1. Open the Assessed Person page in the AU Composition section of the workflow and select the member from the Members List.  From there, you can:
    1. Enter the client’s SSN.
    2. If the client cannot provide an SSN, for whatever reason, leave the field blank.  You may be able to find a match when performing Name Clearance.

Note: You will not be able to move forward with case processing with a blank SSN field.  If a match cannot be found, then an Alternate Identifier must be created.

  1. Click Name Clearance to open the Name Clearance page.
    1. If any information matches one or more active or inactive AUs, the names will appear in the results list.
    2. If one of the results entered matches your current applicant (as displayed in the top section of the page), select the correct name, and click Match.
    3. If there are no matching results, or if you are certain this is a new applicant, click New.
    4. If any information you entered conflicts with an existing client, please read and follow the warning message instructions that are displayed.
    5. To close the Name Clearance page, click Close.
  2. If after name clearance an SSN is still not known, create an Alternate Identifier.
    1. Check the box “Request System Generated SSN” if the applicant or household member cannot provide an SSN.
    2. Check the box “Unable to Obtain SSN” if the applicant or household member does not have an SSN at all.
      1. For US Citizens, this only applies when the client refuses to provide an SSN, disqualifying them from benefits.
      2. Do not check this box if the household member has applied for an SSN, such as a newborn or recent immigrant.
    3. Complete the “SSN Application Date” field if the applicant or household member has applied for, but not yet received, an SSN.
      1. Typically, this is for newborn US Citizens and noncitizens in the process of receiving their SSN.
      2. Do not select Unable to Obtain SSN here.
  3. Click Next to save your entries or changes and go to the next page in the workflow or click Finish to save your entries or changes and exit the page and the workflow.

See: How to Read a Social Security Card

Changing a Social Security Number

If an incorrect SSN is entered for any household member, it must be corrected in BEACON for SVES to find a match.  If a Systems Generated Number was given to a household member awaiting an SSN, it must be updated in BEACON once the valid SSN is received.  To change an SSN in BEACON:

  1. Go to the Assessed Person page in the AU Composition workflow.
  2. Select the client whose SSN needs to be changed.
  3. Change the SSN to the correct number.
  4. Click the Name Clearance button.
  5. If any information matches one or more existing clients, the names will appear in the results list.
  6. If one of the results entered matches your current applicant, select the correct name and then click the Match button.
    1. When updating an existing SSN, the following message will appear:” The SSN entered on the page differs from the Matched AP’s primary SSN.  How do you wish to use the SSN that was entered on the page?”
    2. Ensure that the radio button next to “As a new primary SSN” is selected.
  7. If any information you entered conflicts with the existing client, read and follow the warning message instructions, then click Close to close the Name Clearance page.
  8. Click Save.
  9. Click Next to save your changes and go to the next page in the workflow or click Finish to save your changes and to exit the page and the workflow.