Overview

• Fewer than 1% of beneficiaries — roughly 500,000 people — still receive paper checks and are being contacted to switch.
• Recipients can enroll in direct deposit via their my Social Security account or call 1-800-772-1213; unbanked users can opt for the Treasury’s Direct Express card at 1-800-333-1795 or usdirectexpress.com.
• Paper checks may continue only in rare cases through a Treasury waiver process, and temporary checks are no longer offered for initial claims.
• The SSA says benefits will not be paused on Oct. 1, and payments will continue on the regular schedule.
• Officials cite faster access, stronger security, and lower costs — about under $0.15 per electronic transfer versus roughly $0.50 per paper check — with savings estimated above $2 million annually; separate overpayment recoveries continue to reduce some beneficiaries’ monthly amounts.