After Weeks of ‘Final’ Deadlines, Government Quietly Reverses Plan to End Social Security Paper Checks
Introduction For months in late 2025, the message from the Social Security Administration (SSA) and U.S. Treasury was clear and urgent: switch to direct deposit or risk interruptions in your monthly benefits. A September 30, 2025 deadline was repeatedly called the “final” cutoff for issuing most paper checks for Social Security, SSI, VA benefits, and other federal payments. Millions of beneficiaries—especially seniors and those in rural or low-banking areas—rushed to set up electronic transfers amid warnings of lost or delayed …