No More Paper Checks: What Every Social Security Recipient Needs to Know Before September 30

Starting September 30, 2025, the Social Security Administration is making a permanent change: no more paper checks. If you’re still receiving your benefits by mail, it’s time to switch. Not next week. Not next month. Now.

This isn’t just another policy change—it’s a potential crisis for those who don’t act. Missed payments can mean missed rent, empty fridges, or worse. I’m writing this not as a bureaucrat, but as someone who has stood with people on the margins for over 20 years. If you’re my client, my colleague, or part of this movement—we don’t wait for disaster. We move first. We protect each other. And we get it done.

Who This Impacts

Less than one percent of beneficiaries still receive paper checks. Most of them are vulnerable—elderly, unhoused, disconnected from tech, or facing reentry. That’s exactly who I built Mysti’s to serve.

If that’s you, I see you. And if you serve them, please…. we expect you to act.

Why This Change Is Happening

• Speed: Electronic payments land on time. No waiting on the mail.

• Safety: Paper checks are 16 times more likely to be lost or stolen.

• Savings: Every paper check costs the government about 50 cents. Electronic transfers cost 15 cents. That’s real money that could go toward real services.

This isn’t about control—it’s about getting people what they’re owed, without unnecessary risk.

Your Two Options

1. Direct Deposit

   
   

   If you have a checking or savings account, enroll through your bank or online at ssa.gov/deposit. It’s quick and reliable.

2. Direct Express® Card

   
   

   Don’t have a bank account? The Direct Express card is a prepaid debit card just for your benefits. No credit check. No fees to receive your money.

If you don’t know how to enroll, ask your case manager. Ask my team. Or ask me directly—we’ll get you squared away.

What I Expect From Community Partners

If you work in reentry, housing, health, or social services, this is your moment to lead. Don’t assume your clients got the notice in the mail. Don’t wait until they lose their income for a month. Add this to your intakes. Add it to your outreach. Talk about it at every event and resource fair you attend this summer.

We don’t do passive support. We do prevention.

Why I’m Speaking On This

Because I’ve lived it. Because I built Mysti’s for this exact kind of moment. And because I believe leadership means showing up before people ask for help.

When you move with heart, with urgency, and with strategy—people follow. If you’re a client, follow me to safety. If you’re a partner, follow me toward better systems. If you’re in leadership, follow me forward—and I’ll do the same for you.

We are not here to watch our people fall behind.

We’re here to make sure they never have to catch up again.

For support or guidance, speak with our staff and connect with my team.