Both agencies have warned that on Sept. 30, paper checks will no longer be sent out.
Both the IRS and the Social Security Administration (SSA) are ending the issuance of paper checks on Sept. 30 under a change initiated by the Trump administration to move toward digital payments.
Less than 1 percent of all Social Security beneficiaries receive paper checks, the SSA has said. Meanwhile, the IRS said that only 7 percent of people who received individual refunds got them through the mail. The vast majority, 93 percent, received a direct deposit.
SSA Says It Has Reached Out
The Social Security Administration (SSA) said that it contacted recipients who receive paper checks, advising them to switch to electronic payment options before the Sept. 30 deadline.
“Electronic payments offer significant advantages over paper checks, including faster access to funds, increased security, and greater convenience,” Nick Perrine, the head SSA communications officer, said in a statement earlier this month. “Payments are deposited directly into a bank account or onto a prepaid debit card, eliminating the need to wait for mail delivery or visit a bank.”
The agency stated: “If you have no other way to receive payments, we will continue to issue paper checks. … There are no plans to pause any payments starting October 1.”
In addition to the recent change, the SSA said that it will no longer offer a “temporary check option” when it is processing initial claims.
“Beneficiaries who request an exemption from the electronic payment requirement must file a waiver with the U.S. Treasury,” by calling a phone line, it said.
Earlier this year, an SSA spokesperson told The Epoch Times that some Social Security beneficiaries will still receive checks in certain circumstances after the Sept. 30 deadline.
“We will continue to drive down paper check volume, which is less than 1 percent of total, by proactively communicating with beneficiaries about the advantages of enrolling in electronic payments and the process for doing so,” the spokesperson said. “Where a beneficiary has no other means to receive payment, we will continue to issue paper checks.”
SSA figures show that as of September, only about 398,000 beneficiaries receive paper Social Security checks. In contrast, more than 69.1 million beneficiaries receive their benefits through direct deposit.
