The Social Security paper check phase-out took effect on September 30, 2025, and the Treasury no longer mails paper benefit checks. If you were still getting a check in the mail, your payments will stay on hold until you sign up for one of two electronic options: direct deposit into a bank or credit union account, or a Direct Express prepaid debit card. Enrollment is free and takes only a few minutes by phone, online, or at a Social Security office.
The change comes from Executive Order 14247, which directed the Treasury to stop issuing paper checks for Social Security, SSI, VA benefits, and every other recurring federal payment.1Federal Register. Executive Order 14247 – Modernizing Payments To and From Americas Bank Account A narrow set of waivers still allows paper checks in specific hardship situations, covered further down.
Direct Deposit or Direct Express
You get to pick between two methods, and only two.
Direct deposit sends your monthly benefit straight into a checking or savings account you already have. The money arrives on your scheduled payment date, and you use it the way you use anything else in that account: debit card, ATM, online transfers, in-branch withdrawals. There are no government fees.
Direct Express is a prepaid Mastercard debit card issued by the Treasury for people without a bank account. There’s no credit check, no minimum balance, and no monthly fee. Your benefit lands on the card each month, and you can spend it anywhere Mastercard is accepted. Each deposit comes with one free ATM withdrawal from the Direct Express network, which includes Comerica Bank, MoneyPass, PNC, Citizens Bank, and Alliance One. Out-of-network ATMs may charge their own surcharge on top of a Direct Express fee.2Bureau of the Fiscal Service. Direct Express
How to Sign Up
Five channels are open, all free. Pick the one you’re most comfortable with.
- my Social Security account. Log in at ssa.gov/myaccount and update your direct deposit information. The change confirms immediately.3Social Security Administration. my Social Security
- GoDirect.gov. The Treasury’s enrollment site walks you through entering your routing and account numbers.4Go Direct. Go Direct – Home
- By phone. Call the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center at 1-877-874-6347. The same number handles both direct deposit and Direct Express.4Go Direct. Go Direct – Home
- In person. Bring your bank information to your local Social Security field office and a representative can process the switch on the spot.5Social Security Administration. Social Security Direct Deposit
- By mail. Complete Standard Form 1199A and submit it to your bank, which verifies your account and forwards it to the paying agency. This is the slowest route.6Department of Labor. Standard Form 1199A – Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form
What to Have Ready
For direct deposit, gather these before you start:
- Your Social Security number
- Your bank’s nine-digit routing number (bottom left of a personal check)
- Your account number (to the right of the routing number)
- Account type: checking or savings
- Your most recent benefit check or claim number
A recent bank statement shows both routing and account numbers if you don’t have checks. One wrong digit sends your payment to the wrong account, so verify against a statement or call your bank.4Go Direct. Go Direct – Home
For Direct Express, you need less: your Social Security number, your benefit check or claim number, and your date of birth. No bank details are involved because the Treasury issues the card directly to you.4Go Direct. Go Direct – Home
If You Missed the Deadline
Your benefit money isn’t gone. It’s still owed to you. But nothing arrives until you give the government a way to deliver it.7U.S. Department of the Treasury. Treasury Announces Federal Government Will Phase Out Paper Checks on September 30th The quickest fix is a phone call to 1-877-874-6347 or a visit to your local Social Security office with a voided check or bank statement in hand. If you have no bank account, ask about Direct Express during the same call. Enrollment needs only your Social Security number and date of birth, and the card is mailed to you at no cost.
Who Can Still Get a Paper Check
A limited set of waivers survives the phase-out. The Treasury, not Social Security, decides who qualifies.
- Born before May 1, 1921. Automatically exempt; no form required.8eCFR. 31 CFR 208.4 – Waivers
- Mental impairment. If a mental impairment keeps you from managing an account or a prepaid card and you have no representative payee, you can request a waiver.
- Remote location. If you live somewhere the electronic payment system can’t reach, a waiver is available.9Social Security Administration. GN 02402.001 – Direct Deposit as a Form of Electronic Payment
- Foreign countries without electronic infrastructure. Beneficiaries in these countries are automatically exempt; no form needed.8eCFR. 31 CFR 208.4 – Waivers
- Disaster areas. Payments inside a presidentially declared disaster area can temporarily revert to paper for up to 120 days.
A hardship waiver for mental impairment or remote location requires filing FS Form 1201W, signed before a notary public under penalty of perjury.10U.S. Department of the Treasury. FS Form 1201W – Request for Payment of Federal Benefits by Check You can also start the request by phone at 1-877-874-6347.11Social Security Administration. Social Security Transitions to Electronic Payments Preference alone isn’t enough; the Treasury reviews each application.
Representative Payees
If you receive benefits on behalf of someone else as their representative payee, you’re covered by the same rule. You can use direct deposit or a Direct Express card.
For direct deposit, the account must be titled to show the beneficiary owns the funds and you’re the financial agent, not a co-owner. The Social Security Administration recommends the format “(Beneficiary’s name) by (Your name), representative payee.” Joint accounts aren’t allowed.12Social Security Administration. A Guide for Representative Payees
For Direct Express, individual payees can enroll by calling 1-800-333-1795. You can receive benefits for several beneficiaries on one card or request a separate card for each. Organizations serving as representative payees, guardians, or conservators can’t use Direct Express and must use direct deposit into properly titled collective accounts instead.13Direct Express. Frequently Asked Questions
Living Outside the United States
The electronic payment rule reaches beneficiaries abroad. Direct deposit is available in more than 200 countries and territories, often paid in local currency into a local bank account.14Social Security Administration. International Programs If you live somewhere the banking system genuinely can’t handle electronic transfers, the exemption is automatic under 31 CFR 208.4, and you don’t need to file paperwork.8eCFR. 31 CFR 208.4 – Waivers For help with the transition from overseas, call 1-800-772-1213.11Social Security Administration. Social Security Transitions to Electronic Payments