Overview

• People still receiving paper benefits must switch to direct deposit or the Treasury-backed Direct Express prepaid card by Sept. 30 or request a waiver.
• The Social Security Administration has discontinued its temporary check option for new claims and is offering staff support to help with enrollment.
• Exemptions are narrowly available for those without banking access or in hardship, with waiver requests handled by the U.S. Treasury at 1-877-874-6347.
• The IRS will begin phasing out paper tax refund checks on Tuesday and says taxpayers should continue using existing forms and procedures for now.
• Advocates caution that many of the roughly 600,000 people still relying on paper checks are unbanked, raising concerns about access during the transition.