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U.S. Treasury Requires Electronic Federal Benefit Payments

If you still receive a paper check for your Social Security or other federal benefit payments, you are out of compliance with the law. The Treasury Department requires federal benefit payments to be made electronically - through direct deposit to a bank or credit union account or to the Direct Express® Debit MasterCard® card.

Want direct deposit?

It's fast and easy to get direct deposit of your benefits right into your checking or savings account.

GoDirect: Get Direct Deposit

Prefer a prepaid debit card?

No bank account or credit check is required for the Direct Express® card, a Treasury-recommended prepaid debit card.

Prefer a prepaid debit card? DIRECT EXPRESS SIGN UP for the Direct Express card
GoDirect: Get Direct Deposit
Prefer a prepaid debit card? DIRECT EXPRESS SIGN UP for the Direct Express card

With direct deposit, the U.S. Treasury sends an electronic message to your bank or credit union crediting your account with the exact amount of your benefit. The difference is, your check isn't printed or mailed.

You also can call toll-free (800) 333-1795 or contact the local office of the agency providing your federal benefits.

Do you want a bank account?

Electronic Transfer AccountThe U.S. Department of the Treasury designed the ETA for Federal payment recipients. The ETA (Electronic Transfer Account) is a low-cost account you can open at a participating federally insured bank, savings and loan, or credit union.

How do I make changes to my existing direct deposit?

If you are already receiving your federal benefit payment by direct deposit, and would like to have your payments sent to a different account, you will need to call the federal agency that pays your benefits. Go Direct® is not authorized to make changes to your existing direct deposit information, however, we have a full list of the agency contact information to help make this easier.

Do you want to enroll by mail?

You can also enroll by mail by printing, completing, and mailing the necessary forms.

Be Ready

Be Ready

If you want to get your federal benefit payments paid by direct deposit to your checking or savings account, you'll need your:

  • Social Security number or claim number
  • 12-digit federal benefit check number
  • Amount of most recent federal benefit check
  • Financial institution's routing transit number*
  • Account number* and type - checking or savings

Image of Treasury Check

Image of Check

*This information is often on personal checks.

If you want to get your benefit payments through the Direct Express® card, you'll need your:

  • 12-digit federal benefit check number
  • Amount of most recent federal benefit check
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Bank Account Number”. Required field.
Bank Account Number

See the example image.

The bank account number can be found in the lower left-hand section, to the right of the bank routing number.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Bank Account Number”. Required field.
Bank Account Number

See the example image.

The bank account number can be found in the lower left-hand section, to the right of the bank routing number.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Bank Routing Number”. Required field.
Bank Routing Number

See the example image.

The routing number can be found in the lower left-hand section.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Bank Account Number”. Required field.
Bank Account Number

See the example image.

The bank account number can be found in the lower left-hand section, to the right of the bank routing number.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Bank Account Number”. Required field.
Bank Account Number

See the example image.

The bank account number can be found in the lower left-hand section, to the right of the bank routing number.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Bank Routing Number”. Required field.
Bank Routing Number

See the example image.

The routing number can be found in the lower left-hand section.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Check Number”. Required field.
Check Number

See the example image.

The check number can be found in the upper right-hand section.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Claim Number”. Required field.
Claim Number

See the example image.

The claim number can be found on a Medicare card or 1099 form.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Payment Amount”. Required field.
Payment Amount

See the example image.

The amount can be found directly below the check number.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Benefit Recipient First Name”. Required field.
Benefit Recipient First Name

See the example image.

The first name can be found in the “Pay To The Order” section.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Benefit Recipient Middle Name”. Only required if present on check.
Checking Account Number

See the example image.

The middle name immediately follows the first name.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Benefit Recipient Last Name”. Required field.
Checking Account Number

See the example image.

The last name immediately follows the first name or middle name when present.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Benefit Recipient Suffix”. Only required if present on check.
Checking Account Number

See the example image.

The suffix immediately follows the last name.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Representative Payee”. Only required if present on check.
Representative Payee

See the example image.

The Representative Payee is the proceeding name before the Benefit Recipient's name.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Benefit Recipient Address”. Required field.
Benefit Recipient Address

See the example image.

The address can be found directly under the Benefit Recipient's name.
Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “International Addresses”. Optional field.
International Addresses

Is this an international address?

SSA recipients check here to denote this is an international address if you live outside of the U.S., Puerto Rico, or a U.S. Territory.

NOTICE: Go Direct can only enroll payments with International addresses for recipients of Social Security benefits. If you receive any other benefit payment type and reside internationally, or do not have an account with a U.S. bank or credit union, you may not enroll online through Go Direct. For more information on how to complete your international enrollment please click here. More information...

Social Security recipients:

If you live outside the United States but do not have an account with a U.S. bank or credit union you may write the Social Security Administration at: Social Security Administration Office of International Operations P.O. Box 17775 Baltimore, Maryland 21235-7775 for more information on international payment options. Or visit them online at:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10137.html or
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/foreign/

Veterans Compensation and Pension recipients:

If you live outside the United States and want to sign up for direct deposit please contact the VA at: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/foreign/forfaq.htm

Office of Personnel Management (Civil Service) benefit recipients:

Retirees, annuitants, and survivor annuitants already receiving benefits, but living outside the United States that want to sign up for direct deposit please contact the Office of Personnel Management (Civil Service) by calling1 (888) 767-6738.

Railroad Retirement Board:

Recipients already receiving Railroad Retirement (RRB) benefits, but living outside the United States that want to sign up for direct deposit please contact the nearest Railroad Retirement Board office or call the Railroad Retirement Board at 1-877-772-5772. For instructions on International Direct Deposits visit RRB online at:

http://www.rrb.gov/PandS/IDD.asp or download the International Direct Deposit Form
http://www.rrb.gov/pdf/PandS/OF_1199I.pdf

Department of Labor benefit recipients:

A toll-free number has been designated for each of the nine Division of Coal Mine Workers' Compensation district offices. Visit the Department of Labor web site. For a list of district offices and their phone numbers.

Beginning of help description tool-tip. It begins with a heading 5 called “Corporation Acting As Representative Payee”. Only required if acting as representative payee.
Corporation Acting As Representative Payee

Check this option if you represent a corporation which is acting as a representative payee.

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