The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that it will be completely phasing out the issuance of paper checks by the end of this year.
Last September, all four members of Maine’s congressional delegation joined together in urging the SSA to delay the implementation of this policy, citing concerns over the impact it would have on people who live in rural areas, particularly those who may be elderly, disabled, or low-income.
President Donald Trump (R) signed an executive order in March of 2025 with the intention of “modernizing payments to and from America’s bank accounts.”
According to the order, issuing paper checks “imposes unnecessary costs; delays; and risks of fraud, lost payments, theft, and inefficiencies.”
President Trump also suggested that paper checks are sixteen-times more likely to be lost or stolen “to be reported lost or stolen, returned undeliverable, or altered than an electronic funds transfer (EFT).”
It was also noted that the government spent $657 million in FY24 to maintain the “physical infrastructure and specialized technology” necessary for digitizing paper records.
Click Here to Read the Full Executive Order
The SSA reports that less than one percent of Social Security recipients currently opt to have paper checks sent to them.
To ease this transition for this population, the SSA is encouraging Social Security and Supplemental Security Income recipients to switch their preferred method of payment to electronic as soon as possible.
SSA has also noted that the cost of sending Americans paper checks is now approximately twenty times the cost of a making automated payments.
Beneficiaries can make the switch through their my Social Security account by adding their bank information for direct deposits.
Agency technicians are available for those who need tech support Monday through Friday from 7:30am until 4pm.
Americans without a bank account can have payments sent to them on a prepaid debit card.
Those who are interested in this option can enroll in the Direct Express debit card program at GoDirect.gov or call 1-800-967-6857.
Waivers are also available for anyone who cannot transition to paper checks.
Americans who are interested in pursuing a waiver can contact the Treasury Department’s Electronic Payment Solution Center at 800-967-6857, Monday through Friday from 9am until 7pm.
