Saving the SSDI

The SSDI has been removed from from Rootsweb due to sensitivities around the information in it, but is still accessible to search on Ancestry.com and Ancestry Library Edition.

Four bills pending in the US Congress would remove the SSDI Death Master File from public access on the premise that it facilitates identity fraud on tax returns. However, the public access to the SSDI
stems from a 1980 court ruling that it prevents identity fraud.

The core problem is that the IRS does not use this resource to screen fraudulent claims, as well as other processing errors within the SSA.

The Records Preservation and Access Committee has created a Call to Action Kit.

Please consider signing the petition to help stop identity fraud, and save public access to the SSDI.

This affects everyone not just genealogists.

Social Security Administration and Genealogy

You may be familiar with the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) available through Ancestry.com, Ancestry Library Edition, Rootsweb, and GenealogyBank.

These services can generate a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) form that you print and mail to the Social Security Administration (SSA) with a check for a copy of your ancestor's Social Security Number (SSN) application, with its valuable genealogical content.

But did you know you can also order these records online, using a credit card, and reciive them much more quickly?

The SSA can help you with various kinds of genealogical research. The form is still an option; but you do not have to use it. It is easier to make your request online using an eFOIA Request.

Social Security Death Index

Using the Social Security Death Index can advance your genealogy.

It contains information on over eighty million deceased individuals with United States social security numbers whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration. Birth years for the individuals listed range from 1875 to last year. Information in these records includes name, birth date, death date, and last known residence.

When you locate the individual for whom you are searching, you can generate a letter to the Social Security Administration you can send along with payment for a copy of the original application your ancestor filled out. The application shows the address where they were living at the time, along with their parents' names (including mother's maiden name). These documents are very valuable to genealogists.

The Rootsweb version of the Social Security Death Index includes a full tutorial on using it.

Social Security Death Index

Try this Genealogybank version of the SSDI. It is updated weekly, making it the most current version.

The Social Security Death Index contains over 83.4 million death records for individuals with United States social security numbers. This free database provides helpful family history information including name, birth date, death date and last known residence.