Social Security and government payments go all-electronic

I came across this article regarding people's social security checks. I personally thinks it is a good idea to have to direct deposited into your account and/or have it as a debit card. They do that with food stamps so why not social security card?? Less paperwork to get in the mail although the more that things go that way less work for the post office works/carriers. There would be a cut in labor I imagine. Here is the article I cut and paste and also a link to the article as well:



Today the Treasury Department will announce that all payments from the U.S. government will be made electronically to consumers. So people receiving Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans, Railroad Retirement and U.S. government benefit recipients will receive benefits either through direct deposit into a bank account or through Treasury's Direct Express debit card.

"Today's announcement is a win-win for the American public because it makes government more convenient and cost-effective while generating significant savings for the country," says OMB Director Peter Orszag about the program that is estimated to save the government $303 million in the first five years – including $48 million annually on postage. "This is precisely the type of smart, streamlined improvement that this Administration is committed to making across government to boost efficiency and modernize how we do business."

Some experts wonder, however, how easy adapting will be, particularly for those seniors who haven't gravitated to direct deposit or debit on their own.

Some 85% of seniors already receive their Social Security payments online. For some of the rest, making the change might be a little daunting says James Van Dyke of Javelin Strategies, a researcher in the field. There are people who are consciously concerned about security, he notes, but there are others who are creatures of habit. They may work in high-tech fields with high-tech clients but they still go into bank branches to get cash. "People are wedded to the past for their financial services more than in other industries," he says. "They choose their bank because it was their parents' bank. And they have a tactile thing about a piece of paper."

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