How to get your Social Security Disability Deposit directly into your Account?

Many disability claimants have moved to their urban hometowns or family houses during the Covid-19 lockdown. This means that for many, the mail box for their disability payments maybe temporarily inaccessible. Fortunately, as the SSA has made huge efforts in facilitating the disability claimants with their online services as much as possible, you could also choose to opt for a direct deposit into your account rather than a mailbox.

Do I have to Sign-up for a Direct Deposit for my Disability Payments?

Yes, the Social Security Administration now requires almost all of the disability benefits claimants to opt for the remote deposit rather than a physical paycheck. This means that all disability claimants may now receive their benefits paychecks electronically. You can choose to receive your online benefits amount either through a bank account or a Direct Express Debit card. Also, this is a must requirement by the SSA for both the SSI and SSDI benefits payments.

What is a Direct Express Debit Card?

The SSA has devoted a specialized debit card without the need to be attached to a bank account. You can use this Direct Express Debit Card to receive or spend your disability payments without the need to have a bank account attached. This is very handy for the older disability claimants who may find it very difficult to manage the nitty gritty affairs of a bank account.

Once the claimants opt for the Direct Express Debit Card for their go through disability paychecks, the SSA then adds your monthly disability payments to the card on the day that you are scheduled to receive your benefits. Another advantage is that the claimants can use their Direct Express Debit Cards just like a regular debit card in all places that accept the Mastercard. In fact, the disability claimants can also use the Direct Express Debit Cards to get cash.

How to get a Direct Express Debit Card: If you want to opt for Direct Express instead of an electronic payment into your bank account, you can simply call 800-333-1795 at Direct Express and Sign-up for free without any monthly charges.

Given the three platforms i.e., Direct Express Debit Card, Direct Deposit or an Electronic Transfer Account (ETA), all three offer an ample amount of financial security and ease of online transactions during the pandemic.

Where can I Sign-up for Direct Deposit?

You can choose to set up for an electronic deposit/direct deposit at a bank or credit union, or you can sign-up at the SSA's website www.socialsecurity.gov/deposit or by visiting your neatest local Social Security field office. If you are unable to go in-person, you can also do so by making a call at the SSA or visit the SSA website.

How can I Sign-up for an Electronic Transfer Account, ETA?

The federal governments in collaboration with the banks have set up the electronic transfer account for people such as disability claimants, SSI claimants, retirees etc to have a place to receive their social security paychecks even if they don't have a bank account. The Electronic Transfer Account, ETA enables federal payments to be deposited directly into your ETA. Each bank has its own custom set of services allocated to an ETA account, however, there are some federal government rules for the ETA accounts.

For instance, if you have an ETA account, the bank is allowed to charge no more than $3.00 per month as charging fee, allow you a minimum of four withdrawals/transactions per month and also enable you to withdraw money from an ATM. You can consider talking to your disability attorney for more information in choosing which platform to opt for receiving your disability paychecks.

Given the three platforms i.e., Direct Express Debit Card, Direct Deposit or an Electronic Transfer Account (ETA), all three offer an ample amount of financial security and ease of online transactions during the pandemic. Here are a few other benefits of opting electronic disability paychecks:

• -No loss/delays of disability paychecks through mail;
• -You get payments directly into your Direct Express or ETA which you can also use as an ATM;
• -No long queues or wait hours to cash your check or any extra check-cashing fees;
• -Ultimate quick transactions on the business day your next payment was due;