Thanks to Executive Order 14247, signed in March 2025, the Treasury Department has been directed to halt all paper check disbursements — not just for Social Security, but across virtually all federal payments — by the end of September 2025. So why the final push now?

The Social Security Administration is transitioning away from paper checks this year, only allowing electronic payments for beneficiaries.

The transition primarily affects a small group of beneficiaries who have not switched to electronic payment methods already, which is less than 1%, the administration wrote. Notices are being sent out to these individuals to explain the upcoming change and highlight the benefits of switching to electronic payments.