Does the Social Security Act require self-employed persons to have an account number?

The Social Security Act does not require self-employed persons to have a Social Security number. This means that individuals who are self-employed are not mandated to obtain a Social Security account number as a condition of their self-employment. While having a Social Security number is generally beneficial for tax reporting and benefits later on, especially for those who may want to access Social Security benefits in the future, the law itself does not stipulate an obligation for self-employed individuals to acquire such a number.

The other options involve conditions that would imply some necessity for having an account number, which is not accurate in this context. Understanding the implications of this can help self-employed individuals realize that while beneficial, obtaining a Social Security number is not a mandatory requirement as outlined by the social security regulations.