People who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI or SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will no longer have the option of receiving a paper check after March 1, as benefits go paperless.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced last year that beneficiaries were going to have to switch to electronic payments. They may choose between having their money sent directly to their bank account or having it placed on a Direct Express debit MasterCard.
According to the SSA, beneficiaries need to have their Social Security number, their 12-digit benefit check number (located on the upper right hand corner of the check), the amount of their most recent federal benefit check, their routing number and their account number to receive the electronic benefits.
More than 5 million beneficiaries currently have paper checks sent to their home, so the move will impact a huge number of people. However, the SSA said that the switch would save American taxpayers $1 billion over the next 10 years.
Hopefully, the change to electronic payments will prevent theft. In 2011, SSA officials reported 440,000 checks were lost or stolen. If you receive your benefits via mail, you can switch them to the electronic service by calling 1-800-333-1795 or visiting www.GoDirect.org.
If you have questions about applying for disability benefits or are unsure if you even qualify, contact a Tulsa Social Security Disability attorney. We offer free evaluations of your case, and you may reach us by phone at (918) 265-1404. Contact us today.
Troutman & Troutman, P.C. – Tulsa Social Security Disability lawyers
