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Social Security recipients will no longer be able to receive their benefit payments by paper check. By March 1, 2013, everyone is required to switch to electronic payments, either by direct deposit to a bank or credit union account or by the Direct Express®  Debit MasterCard® program.  This change will not affect Social Security beneficiaries who already have their payments direct deposited.
The Direct Express® Debit card does not require a bank account. The US Treasury deposits your Social Security benefit payment to your Direct Express® card account every month. You can use the card to make purchases at stores and go online to pay bills and make Internet purchases. You can also get cash.
The Direct Express® card, issued by Comerica Bank, is more secure than paper checks that can be misplaced or forged. If your card is lost or stolen it will be replaced. Your card is protected with a Personal Identification Number (PIN), and your funds are FDIC-insured, the same as bank accounts. 
The Direct Express® card is low cost and there are no sign-up or monthly maintenance fees. Free services include:

 ~ Purchases at stores that accept MasterCard®

  ~ Cash withdrawals through bank tellers  

  ~Cash back when making a purchase

  ~ One ATM cash withdrawal per deposit if you use an ATM in the Direct Express® card network

  ~ One replacement card per year

  ~ Optional deposit notifications

  ~ Optional low balance alerts

  ~ Customer service calls

There are fees for:

  ~ More than one ATM cash withdrawal per deposit. Surcharges may also apply if you use an ATM that is not in the network

  ~ Optional monthly paper statements

  ~ Funds transfers to a US bank account

  ~ Additional replacement cards

  ~ International transactions

To keep track of your card balance you need to keep a detailed register as you would for a checking account. You can also call the Direct Express® card Customer Service number (1-888-741-1115), view your account on line at http://www.usdirectexpress.com/, or obtain balance information at an ATM.
For more information, fee schedule, a list of network ATMs, or to sign up for a card, visit http://www.godirect.org/. A Social Security publication about the program is available at http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10073.html#a0=5
What if you don’t want a Direct Express® Card? I know of two other options:

1) Open an account at a bank, savings & loan or credit union and arrange for direct deposit. Your bank can help you set up direct deposit. Or, you can call Social Security at 1-(800) 772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or enroll online at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/. You will need your bank’s routing transit number; account type (checking or savings); and account number.

2) Open an Electronic Transfer Account (ETA). These low-cost accounts were designed by the US Department of the Treasury for individuals to receive government benefits electronically. For more information or to find a bank, savings & loan, or credit union that offers ETA’s in your area, visit https://www.eta-find.gov/. 

This article is intended only to give an overview of the Direct Express® MasterCard® program. Please verify all program details at www.godirect.org.


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