Sometime after September 30, 2025, the last batch of paper checks from the U.S. Treasury will drop into American mailboxes. After that, they stop for good. An executive order signed on March 25, 2025, directs the Treasury Department to end paper delivery of Social Security benefits, tax refunds, veterans’ payments, federal pensions, and all other government disbursements. Every recipient still getting a paper check must switch to direct deposit or a government-issued prepaid debit card before the cutoff.
That affects an estimated 460,000 to 500,000 people, according to figures Treasury officials cited when announcing the mandate. Most are older adults. Many live in rural areas with limited internet access. Some have never had a bank account. And as of June 2025, with fewer than four months left before the deadline, outreach to these recipients has been thin.
Why the government is ending paper checks
The executive order frames the shift as a matter of fraud prevention, cost savings, and speed. Paper checks can be stolen from mailboxes, altered with chemicals, and cashed fraudulently. They also cost more to print, mail, and process than electronic transfers. Treasury has flagged these vulnerabilities for years, but previous administrations stopped short of setting a hard deadline. The 2025 order removes that ambiguity.
The legal foundation is not new. Under 31 U.S.C. Section 3332, Treasury has long held the authority to require electronic delivery of federal payments. A final rule updating the regulatory framework under 31 CFR Part 208, published in the Federal Register on February 21, 2024, narrowed the categories of people eligible to keep receiving paper checks and gave agencies clearer authority to mandate electronic transfers. The executive order builds on that rule and sets the September 30 enforcement date.
Who is affected beyond Social Security
Social Security retirement and disability payments account for the largest share of remaining paper checks, but the mandate covers all federal disbursements. That includes Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans Affairs benefit payments, Office of Personnel Management (OPM) retirement annuities, Railroad Retirement Board payments, and IRS tax refunds. If the federal government currently mails it as a check, it falls under the order.
How to make the switch
Recipients have two main options, and both can be set up well before the September 30 deadline:
Direct deposit into a bank or credit union account. Anyone with a checking or savings account can enroll through GoDirect.gov or by calling the Electronic Payment Solution Center at 1-800-333-1795. Social Security recipients can also update their payment method through their my Social Security account online or by visiting a local Social Security office in person.
Direct Express prepaid debit card. For people who do not have a bank account and do not want to open one, the Direct Express card is the government’s designated alternative. Operated by Comerica Bank under a Treasury contract, the card lets recipients receive deposits automatically, withdraw cash at ATMs, and make purchases in stores and online. No credit check or minimum balance is required. Enrollment is available online or by phone at 1-800-333-1795.
One detail worth knowing: the Direct Express card does carry some fees. According to the program’s fee schedule, cardholders get one free ATM cash withdrawal per deposit but are charged $0.85 for additional withdrawals at network ATMs. Out-of-network ATM fees, balance inquiry fees at ATMs, and charges for replacement cards also apply. There is no monthly maintenance fee, but an inactivity fee of $1.50 per month kicks in after 18 consecutive months without a transaction. Recipients weighing this option should review the full fee schedule on the Direct Express website before enrolling.
Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service has published implementation guidance confirming that all federal payments currently delivered by paper check will shift to electronic methods starting on the September date.
Who can request a waiver
A narrow set of exceptions still exists under 31 CFR Section 208.4. Waivers may be granted for individuals who can demonstrate a hardship or an inability to manage an electronic account, as well as certain legacy recipients who were previously exempt. But the 2024 rule tightened these categories significantly, and most current paper-check recipients will not qualify.
The waiver process itself remains poorly defined. The regulations require agencies to offer a way to request an exception, but they do not spell out what documentation is needed, how long a decision should take, or where to appeal a denial. In practice, that can mean navigating multiple agencies, phone lines, and written forms while the deadline approaches.
As of June 2025, neither Treasury nor the Social Security Administration has published data on how many waiver requests have been filed since the 2024 rule took effect, how many have been approved, or which reasons most commonly lead to denials. Advocacy groups, including the National Council on Aging and the Center for Benefits Access, have called for greater transparency, arguing that without public numbers it is impossible to tell whether the hardship standard is being applied fairly.
The people most likely to fall through the cracks
The roughly half-million people still receiving paper checks are not holdouts by choice in most cases. They tend to be adults over 70, individuals with cognitive or physical disabilities, and residents of communities where the nearest bank branch is a long drive and broadband is unreliable. Some live in assisted-care facilities where a caregiver or representative payee manages their finances. Others have had bank accounts closed due to overdraft problems or have deep distrust of electronic systems after experiencing fraud.
During the 2024 rulemaking process, the National Council on Aging submitted public comments warning that many of the people it serves “have never used a debit card or logged into a website” and that “without hands-on help, telling them to go online is not a real solution.” Legal aid organizations have echoed that concern. Staff at community legal services offices say they are fielding a growing number of calls from recipients confused about the change, with the most common questions being whether they will still receive their money and how to enroll without a computer.
A Treasury spokesperson, in a statement accompanying the Bureau of the Fiscal Service’s implementation guidance, said the agency “is committed to ensuring that no one loses access to their federal payments” and encouraged recipients to call the Electronic Payment Solution Center for personalized help. But outreach beyond the agency’s website and phone line has been limited. There has been little public detail about in-person enrollment assistance, multilingual materials, or formal partnerships with community organizations that serve hard-to-reach populations.
What happens if you miss the deadline
Treasury has not published a detailed explanation of what will happen to payments for recipients who have not enrolled by September 30. The executive order does not say benefits will be canceled, but it does direct agencies to stop issuing paper checks. That creates a real gap: if a recipient has not set up an electronic payment method and does not have an approved waiver, their payment could be delayed or returned until enrollment is complete.
For Social Security recipients, even a short disruption can cascade quickly. Many depend on that monthly deposit to cover rent, medication, utilities, and groceries. A single missed payment can trigger late fees, lapsed prescriptions, or food insecurity, problems that are far harder to fix than they are to prevent.
It is also possible the September 30 timeline could shift. Legal challenges or congressional action could delay enforcement, though as of June 2025 no lawsuit has resulted in an injunction or postponement of the mandate.
What to do before September 30
Anyone still receiving a federal payment by paper check should act now, not in September. Waiting until the final weeks risks long hold times, processing delays, and the possibility that a payment cycle is missed during the transition. Here is what to do:
- Decide whether to use direct deposit into a bank or credit union account or the Direct Express prepaid card.
- Gather your Social Security number, current mailing address, and bank account details (if choosing direct deposit).
- Enroll online at GoDirect.gov, through your my Social Security account, or by calling 1-800-333-1795.
- If you believe you qualify for a hardship waiver, contact the agency that sends your payment. For Social Security, call 1-800-772-1213 and ask about the exception process under 31 CFR 208.4.
- After enrolling, confirm that your first electronic payment arrives as expected before the paper-check cutoff.
The transition is mandatory for nearly everyone, and the deadline is firm unless altered by a court or new legislation. With fewer than four months remaining as of June 2025, the window to switch without risking a gap in payments is closing fast. For the hundreds of thousands of people still waiting, the time to act is now.
