Starting next year, the check will no longer be in the mail for millions of people who receive Social Security and other government benefits.The federal government, which issues 73 million payments a month, is phasing out paper checks
for all benefit programs, requiring people to get payments
electronically, either through direct deposit or a debit card for those
without a bank account.
The
changes will affect people who get Social Security, veterans' benefits,
railroad pensions and federal disability payments. Tax refunds are
exempt, but the Internal Revenue Service encourages taxpayers to get
refunds electronically by processing those refunds faster than paper
checks.
About 90 percent of people who receive federal benefits already get their payments electronically, the Treasury Department
says. New beneficiaries were required to get payments electronically
starting last year, and with a few exceptions, the rest will have to
make the switch by March 2013.
How will these affect the older generation ??
I think just like all other things going on with technology today this is going to have a learning curve with the older generations. While there are always going to be people who fight change and technology, the change over must happen sometime. I think the department definitely needs to prepare its workforce to deal with troubleshooting and customer service for those who get these benefits. The truth of the matter is, in the coming years many things will be strictly through technology and its something that people need to learn.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to point out that online methods are probably much more secure and efficient (both time and cost) than using paper mail. A possibility is to allow some older beneficiaries to apply to keep the old paper method, but I think strictly technology is totally acceptable.
I agree that the older generation is going to have to "catch up" with technology but I do not think that making social security checks an online affair is the best option. I think that it needs to be gradually implemented and allow some to keep the paper mail for a period of time and then slowly make it universal for all those that receive the checks. Just does not seem completely fair to implement it and give no other options.
ReplyDeleteI do not really see the big deal in this, other than the fact the old timers will have to adjust. Most of these people who are receiving these benefits have people around them who are more technology savvy. This makes sense in today's society, it is much more efficient. Almost all employers these days offer direct deposit, and most of us opt for it.
ReplyDelete