To change how to change Social Security direct deposit, you have four options: update it online through your my Social Security account, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213, visit a local Social Security office, or ask your new bank to submit the change electronically on your behalf. The online route is the fastest, and SSA describes it as the quickest way to update your bank information.1Social Security Administration. Update Direct Deposit Before you start, have your new routing number, account number, and Social Security number in front of you.
What to Gather First
Three pieces of banking information matter: your new bank’s nine-digit routing number, your account number, and whether the account is checking or savings. On a personal check, the routing number sits at the bottom left, followed by the account number. If you don’t use paper checks, your bank’s website or mobile app lists both under account details.
You’ll also need your Social Security number for identity verification. Knowing your current monthly benefit amount helps when you’re speaking to a representative, since SSA may use it to confirm you’re the account holder. That figure appears on your annual SSA-1099, a recent bank statement showing the Treasury deposit, or inside your my Social Security account.2Social Security Administration. my Social Security | SSA
One detail catches people out: your name generally needs to be on the receiving account. Representative payees follow separate titling rules, covered further down. Everyone else should make sure the account is in their own name before submitting the change.
Changing It Online
The my Social Security portal is SSA’s recommended method and typically processes fastest. Sign in at ssa.gov (or create an account if you don’t have one), open the direct deposit update option, and enter your new routing number, account number, and account type. Review for typos before you submit.1Social Security Administration. Update Direct Deposit
Not every benefit type can be changed online. If yours can’t, the site will tell you and point you to the phone or an office visit.1Social Security Administration. Update Direct Deposit Beneficiaries living outside the United States also cannot use the online portal for this; see the section below.3Social Security Administration. Service Around the World – Office of Earnings and International Operations
Letting Your New Bank Handle It
Your bank may be able to submit the new deposit information to SSA on your behalf through the Automated Enrollment (ENR) process. No phone call, no office visit, no login. Ask your bank whether they participate in ENR for Social Security payments.1Social Security Administration. Update Direct Deposit Not all do, so check first. This works well if you’re already at the new bank opening the account.
By Phone or In Person
Call 1-800-772-1213 and tell the representative you want to update your direct deposit. Lines are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in most U.S. time zones. If you’re deaf or hard of hearing, the TTY line is 1-800-325-0778.1Social Security Administration. Update Direct Deposit Have your banking details and SSN ready so the change can be processed on the call.
For a face-to-face conversation, visit a local Social Security office. SSA recommends scheduling an appointment rather than walking in, which cuts wait times considerably.4Social Security Administration. Field Office Locator Use ssa.gov/locator to find the nearest office. A staff member will confirm your new deposit destination before you leave.
If You Live Outside the U.S.
Beneficiaries abroad cannot change direct deposit through the online portal. Instead, call the dedicated international line at 1-855-522-6936, open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time.3Social Security Administration. Service Around the World – Office of Earnings and International Operations You can also write to the Social Security Administration, Office of Earnings & International Operations, P.O. Box 17769, Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7769.
Get the details right the first time. A rejected international direct deposit payment can take three to four weeks from the original payment date to be reissued to the correct account.5Social Security Administration. POMS GN 02402.250 – Allegations of Nonreceipt of International Direct Deposit Payments
No Bank Account? Use Direct Express
If you don’t have a bank account, you can still receive benefits electronically through the Direct Express prepaid debit card. There’s no enrollment fee and no minimum balance. To sign up, call the Treasury’s Electronic Payment Solution Center at 1-800-333-1795, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213, or visit a local office.6Social Security Administration. What Is the Direct Express Card and How Do I Sign Up? Benefits load to the card each month and it works anywhere Mastercard is accepted.
A few fees are worth knowing about. You get one free ATM withdrawal per deposit; additional withdrawals cost $0.90 each plus any ATM surcharge. Paper statements mailed to you cost $0.75 per month.7U.S. Department of the Treasury / Financial Management Service. Direct Express Debit MasterCard Card Fee Table
Representative Payees
If you manage benefits for someone else as a representative payee, you can update direct deposit through your own my Social Security account, through your bank’s ENR process, or by calling 1-800-772-1213.8Social Security Administration. Representative Payee Program
Account titling rules are strict. The account must show the beneficiary as the owner of the funds and identify you as the financial agent. SSA recommends titles such as “Jane Jones by Mary Smith, representative payee” or “Mary Smith, representative payee for Jane Jones.” Joint accounts where the payee has personal ownership are not acceptable. The account must reflect beneficiary ownership while keeping the beneficiary from having direct access to the funds.9Social Security Administration. POMS GN 02402.055 – Direct Deposit for Representative Payee
Under federal law, representative payees were required to sign up for direct deposit or a Direct Express card by September 30, 2025. If you’re still receiving paper checks in that role, contact SSA to switch to electronic payment.8Social Security Administration. Representative Payee Program
After You Submit the Change
Keep your old bank account open until at least one payment has arrived in the new account. Closing the old account too soon can cause the payment to bounce back to the Treasury, and SSA then has to reissue it. This is where most people run into trouble when they change banks and close the old one on the same day.
Log back in to your my Social Security account to confirm the new banking information is on file. You can also call SSA for verbal confirmation. Once the next payment lands in the new account, the old one is safe to close.
Protecting the Change from Fraud
Scammers try to redirect benefits by posing as SSA employees. SSA will never ask for your financial information through social media, threaten to seize your bank account, or tell you to move money to a “protected” account.10Social Security Administration. Protect Yourself from Scams Pressure to share personal information immediately, or to pay with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency, is a scam.
If you suspect someone has changed your direct deposit without permission, report it to SSA’s Office of the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 (10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday) or online at oig.ssa.gov.11Social Security Administration. Fraud Prevention and Reporting
SSA also offers a Direct Deposit Fraud Prevention block. Once active, it stops anyone from changing your direct deposit or address through the online portal or a bank’s auto-enrollment. The tradeoff: you’ll need to visit a local Social Security office in person for any future changes or to remove the block.11Social Security Administration. Fraud Prevention and Reporting If you’ve been targeted before, or just want the extra layer, the block is worth considering.