NORFOLK, Va. — Millions of people who receive Social Security benefits are facing changes to how they get paid.
If you still receive paper checks, the Social Security Administration says you will be fully transitioned to electronic payments by the end of the year.
There are also changes coming if you use a Direct Express debit Mastercard. The Treasury Department is moving the program from Comerica Bank to Fifth Third Bank, a transition that will impact more than 3.5 million beneficiaries.
If you receive your benefits through direct deposit into a private bank account, you are not affected.
The transition for existing Direct Express debit card customers is scheduled to start later this year and continue into early next year. Direct Express says cardholders will be notified before their new card arrives. In the meantime, current cards with Comerica will continue to work.
During the changeover, cardholders will need to use separate mobile apps to manage balances.
The Social Security Administration says you should also make sure your contact information is up to date so you do not miss any alerts.
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