Your Social Security number is often with you from birth, so protecting it is a lifelong commitment.

This can be a tricky process, especially since so many forms, processes, and activities will ask you for your number.

You know you don’t need to give it out to just anyone — but you have to share it in some cases. How do you know when it’s safe to share?

This guide from Dan Avery provides some basic Dos and Don’ts. Essentially you should ask yourself every time the question of sharing your number comes up. Authorized parties like tax offices and lenders may need it — but if you don’t know the organization in question, you should think twice about sharing.

Also, if you’re sharing it online, make sure it’s a secure website with an SSL certificate so you know your number won’t fall into the hands of data thieves.

Luckily, if your number is compromised, you can get another.

Don’t share your number, but do share your opinion with us in the comments. Have you ever had a situation where you were pushed to share your number and it didn’t feel right?

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