Can a US citizen work without SSN?

My son (16 years old) wants to enter the work force and does NOT want to have anything to do with the Social Security System. He is very socially astute and feels that SS contributions are a poor investment and he would see little or no return as the system gradually goes bankrupt over the next 50 years. Back when I was a young and naive new father, he was automatically issued an SSN when he was born along with a bunch of other hospital papers. He knows that Social Security is a voluntary program and he was illegally entered into the program since he was underage and could not give his authorization to be a member. How does he rescind his SSN and how can he be employed without an SSN? He has no issue paying State and Federal income taxes. Can he be employed with a TIN?

Public Comments

1. I just learned that ss was voluntary, could you fill in the article that this comes from ?? To the best of my knowledge, a US citizen working in the US MUST have a social security number. Fortunately he doesn't take exception to paying taxes.
2. If he explains the TIN situation to an employer it should work although it's getting harder and harder with the immigration rants to work without one. If he doesn't have a passport have him get one. Passports trump everything else in terms of solid ID and that should encourage any hesitant employer. BTW, I believe employers are required to withhold SS taxes. He may not be able to get around it.
3. Explain to your socially astute son that if he wants the benefits of being a citizen, he has to follow the rules whether he likes them or not. Social security isn't voluntary if he's going to work legally in the US - what makes him, and you, think that it is?. He can't be issued a TIN - that's for people who are not eligible for a social security number. I assume that since you apparently agree with him that he should not have been issued the social security number, you don't claim him on your tax return as a dependent, since you'd need to use that number to do so.
4. In order to legally work in the US, your son must have a SSN. By law, employers are required to take Social Security deductions from employees' pay whether they like it or not. If your son does not want to collect Social Security when he retires, that is his choice, but he is still required to pay in to the system. Social Security is not a voluntary program for a US citizen and your son was by no means "illegally entered into the program since he was underage and could not give his authorization to be a member." The application for a SSN is standard in every hospital in the US and as a parent legally responsible for the care of your minor child, your signature on that form makes it 100% legal and valid. If your son is unhappy with the way things are here, I encourage him to gain citizenship in another country of his chosing the day he turns 18.
5. He cannot be employed as an employee without a SSN. He can be employed as a contractor and use a TIN. But here's the catch 22. In order to get a TIN, the owner, partner or officer of the entity has to have a SSN. Further complicating the matter. If he is a contractor, he will be issued a 1099. He will report the income on Sch C of his 1040. When he does, he will owe Self Employment tax ... which is basically SS tax times 1.5. There are jobs that aren't subject to SS. Government jobs, school teachers, etc. That is best solution.
6. If Social Security goes bankrupt in 50 years--something I doubt--there are still those of us who are going insist that your son kick in to support the rest of us in our dotage. Unless he becomes a preacher, Christian Science Practitioner or Amish he is not going to have a choice in the matter.