No more paper SS checks. It will affect less than 1/2M people out of the 5.6M UNBANKED households

[underpants]

This was less than I expected. There are still a lot of people with no banking contact at all.


UNBANKED HOUSEHOLDS: In 2023, 4.2 percent of U.S. households—representing about 5.6 million households—were unbanked, meaning no one in the household had a checking or savings account at a bank or credit union.

NONBANK MONEY ORDERS, CHECK CASHING, AND MONEY TRANSFER SERVICES: In 2023, 8.0 percent of all households used nonbank money orders, 2.7 percent used nonbank check cashing, and 6.6 percent used nonbank money transfer services

https://www.fdic.gov/household-survey


The federal government must stop issuing paper checks by Sept. 30 in favor of direct deposit, prepaid cards, or "other digital payment options," per an order Trump signed yesterday.

Nearly 456,000 Americans are still receiving paper Social Security checks as of March, per Social Security Administration data.

That's about 0.7% of the approximately 68.2 million total recipients.

https://www.axios.com/2025/03/26/trump-social-security-paper-checks-direct-deposit

[yellow dahlia]

1. Eliminating choice.

It feels fascist and overbearing. Some of our aging population, don't embrace the technology of direct deposit, and they shouldn't have to. IMHO

[questionseverything]

3. Plus you have to have money to open a bank account

My granddaughters first job did direct deposit, she had to have an account to get paid, the minimum amount to start a checking account was $25.

Most of the people in the situation described in the article may not have that $25. And that’s if you haven’t previously gotten yourself in trouble with overdrafts or something

[yellow dahlia]

4. Good point.

[underpants]

7. My wife's company was bought by a bigger one

They instituted direct deposit only. There were a lot of people not happy. These were old salts in their 40’s or 50’s. They had completely separate business from their spouse (husbands mostly). They had their business and they don’t need to know mine. They had a bank account but each added into it. Now they were going to have open their own account.

[Sewa]

2. They'll have to pry my social security check from

My cold dead hand. 😡💀

[rsdsharp]

6. That may well be the idea.

[Silent Type]

5. Think I read they will issue loaded debit cards. Not sure if that is much difference than a check.

[underpants]

8. Which encourages more spending.

Debit cards were designed to disassociate purchases from your banking account. Writing checks slows the decision so you are less likely to spend. Cash in hand means physically handing away your money. I have this and I am….now….having less of this.

The tap cards (I use them) an Apple Pay hyper acceleration it.

[Big Blue Marble]

9. Isn't the point that these people do not have bank accounts and

thus do not write checks? Most likely they cash the SS check and use cash.

[underpants]

10. It is.

I was just extrapolating it out.

[Silent Type]

12. So a pocket full of cash doesn't encourage spending. I'd take a card over a check any day. Though I'm fine with checks.

[IcyPeas]

11. He said he'd pay Elon with a check for a tesla the other day: WATCH

Watch the first 20 seconds !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Tree Lady]

13. That's like going into a grocery store

and seeing a older person writing a check, very seldom happens anymore.

[Skittles]

15. now it's getting to be us older folk using cash

I simply do not see why I should open myself up to identify theft for every small transaction.

[Tree Lady]

16. lol I did almost all cash started during covid

then gradually went back, i have one visa i put all my stuff on, costco and at end of year even with just us get a bunch of money back.

I keep all credit bureaus frozen and have holders that keep my cards from being hacked. Sigh....its not a safe world.

[Silent Type]

14. I suspect most who get checks cash it, and might have to pay a fee. A card is probably better and safer.

[William769]

17. I can't remember the last time I got a paper check.