[Nfbf-l] social security payments go digital

[Sherri]

I found this in of all places Dear Abby and thought that those of you who 
receive your social security checks as paper cheks should be aware of the 
following.


      BENEFITS PAYMENTS GO DIGITAL TO SAVE MONEY, IMPROVE SAFETY
      DEAR ABBY: Please help me spread an important message to people who 
receive Social Security or other federal benefits each month via one of the 
estimated 5.4 million paper checks each month. Starting March 1, 2013, the 
Treasury Department is requiring all Social Security, VA, SSI and other 
federal beneficiaries receive their benefits by electronic payment. Senior 
citizens and other federal beneficiaries may choose either direct deposit or 
the Treasury-recommended Direct Express Debit MasterCard.
      This new payment method is not optional. It is the law. Besides saving 
taxpayers money, switching to electronic payments provides a safer, more 
convenient and cost-effective way for people to get their federal benefits 
than paper checks.

      Individuals who need assistance in switching to electronic payment can 
call the Treasury's secure Go Direct Call Center at 800-333-1795. Our agents 
are specially trained to answer questions and complete the switch-over 
process in less than 10 minutes.

      We urge people not to wait until the last minute to make this 
important change. Thank you for your help, Abby. -- WALT HENDERSON, GO 
DIRECT CAMPAIGN DIRECTOR

      DEAR MR. HENDERSON: You have come to the right place. Dear Abby 
readers are the most caring and generous people in the world, and I know 
they will be glad to help us spread the word.

      Readers, if you or people you care about will be affected by this 
massive change in the way benefits are being distributed, please clip or 
copy this column and be sure those people are informed. And when you do, 
tell them that when they make the call, they must have either their most 
recent benefit check on hand, or know their 12-digit federal benefit check 
number. To arrange for direct deposit, they will also need to know their 
bank's or credit union's routing transit number and their account number.