Do the Amish have Social Security numbers?

Asked by: Prof. Jacinthe Mertz I  |  Last update: March 4, 2025
Score: 4.2/5 (35 votes)

One consequence of observing these and other core beliefs is that the Amish refrain from accepting Social Security and Medicare benefits, and in some cases from even obtaining a Social Security number, at least until later in life.

How does an Amish person get a social security number?

While the Amish are governed by the law, they don't want to have social security numbers. However, they do get one when they join the church as an adult. Because the Amish come from the Anabaptist tradition, they believe that you should be baptized as an adult when you're fully able to consent.

Are Amish considered US citizens?

The Amish are American citizens. While most do not vote in national elections, they may vote in local elections that they feel affect their community more specifically. Myth: The Amish do everything in the most basic, stripped down, by-hand way it can be done.

Are Amish exempt from social security?

SECA tax is paid in full by the self-employed individual. Members of the Amish community sought exclusions from these taxes because the tenets of their religion prohibit them from accepting social insurance benefits.

Do Amish have government IDs?

However, in recent years, the Amish have been issued government-issued IDs. This is because some states now issue non-photo IDs accepted by law enforcement officers. These cards aren't valid for voting or driving.

Do Amish have a social security identification number?

19 related questions found

Do Amish use debit cards?

Amish members are permitted to use non-Amish banks and some churches allow the use of debit or credit cards.

Do Amish get child tax credit?

Olson, The IRS's Position on the Application of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to the Social Security Requirement Under Internal Revenue Code § 24(h)(7) Has the Effect of Denying Child Tax Credit Benefits to the Amish and Certain Other Religious Groups, NATIONAL TAXPAYER ADVOCATE BLOG (June 26, 2019), https:// ...

Do Amish live without health insurance?

The Amish are exempted from social security and reject health insurance coverage, do not practice birth control, and often veto preventive practices such as immunization and prenatal care.

Do the Amish drink alcohol?

Some Amish drink alcohol in moderation, while others may abstain completely. Some Amish people drink alcohol for medicinal purposes, like homemade dandelion wine, while others may prohibit it altogether.

Why don't Amish have mirrors?

While the Amish do not take pictures of themselves, they do use mirrors. The use of a mirror is allowed because unlike a picture, it is not a graven image. Women use mirrors to do their hair and men use mirrors to shave. If you take our guided farmhouse tour, you'll spot a few mirrors in the house.

What state has the most Amish?

Ohio is currently the most populous state for Amish populations, recently passing Pennsylvania, and contains the largest settlement of Amish population in Holmes County with over 36,000 residents (the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College).

How do Amish people buy guns?

Aside from the ID issue, an Amish person can buy any kind of gun he wants… though most will avoid handguns.

Do Amish people use bank accounts?

Amish have checking accounts and some even use credit cards. While some Amish might trade or barter on a limited scale, it's not the way Amish generally conduct business. Amish adults and married couples typically have checking accounts and this form of payment is very common.

Do Amish keep birth records?

Some do and some don't many of the oldest orders of Amish do not since they're born at home not vaccinated and don't need them to get into their own schools they never get them.

Do Amish men use condoms?

Do Amish Use Condoms? Condoms are considered a modern and artificial form of birth control. The Amish reject modern and artificial things by nature. Therefore, the use of condoms by Amish men is strictly forbidden and condemned in most, if not all, Amish communities.

How do Amish pay for their homes?

Amish communities emphasize living within one's means and generally avoid borrowing money. It is common for Amish families to pay for their homes outright using savings. They are more likely to save over a period and pay cash for materials and any skilled labor they might need from within their community.

Do Amish use cell phones?

It is also not unusual to see Amish using such 2Oth-century technologies as inline skates, disposable diapers, cell phones and gas barbecue grills, because they are not specifically prohibited by the Ordnung. Technology is one of the areas where you will see the greatest differences between Amish orders.

Do Amish deliver babies at home?

Most Amish children are born in the comfort of their homes. This idea can be challenging for some of us outside this community because we are often taught that home births come with certain risks. They are linked to a higher risk of infant death, convulsions, and other disorders than planned hospital births.

Are Amish allowed to have credit cards?

They Avoid Debt and Credit Cards

While some Amish will indeed use credit cards for the reward points and convenience, the number who actually carry plastic is only in the 20% range. Most pay for things as they buy them in order to avoid any debt. They also live by the rule of always paying someone on time.

What age do Amish kids get married?

Dating usually starts at 18; the average boy finds his loved one and gets married around age 21 or 22. Courtship is usually kept pure; if abstinence hasn't been adhered to, there's an immediate wedding.

What do Amish buy at Walmart?

Given their agrarian lifestyle, the Amish might purchase gardening tools, seeds, and farming supplies from Walmart.

Can the Amish use toilets?

In the privacy of their bathrooms, the Amish community's choices are intimately linked to their religious and cultural ethos. They favor using outhouses, composting toilets, and other non-electric sanitation solutions as their dedication to a lifestyle free from the complexities of sophisticated technology.