Friday, June 18, 2010

The check isn't in the mail

The administration is moving toward requiring all government checks be sent electronically beginning March 11.
This includes payments for Social Security, unemployment insurance, veterans benefits, railroad retirement, and government benefits will now be required to have their money automatically deposited into their personal bank accounts. Americans without bank accounts can get paid using the Treasury Department's Direct Express Debit MasterCard program.

The reason is financial -- a supposed $303 million in savings in the first five years.

What do you think about this?  Comment here.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with this idea. I have had direct deposit of my federal checks since 1980 and I haven't missed a payday yet! when I was in the service, those who received hard copy checks always received their checks the day after pay day...as an encouragement to switch over. The costs of printing, reconciling, and storing is huge. In 1995 that cost was about $15 per check issued. Anyone who still receives hard copy check should update soon.

gerardf1957 said...

My Aunt who is 96 and my father who is 87 do not want direct deposit because they do not want their bank account info given to anyone espically the gov't. A credit card is useless to them. I know this problem will go away as the seniors die but what about the senior citizens that do not want to be forced to go the way that is proposed.

Anonymous said...

Anyone who agrees that taking more business away from the postal service must not be an employee.

Anonymous said...

That 303 million is money out of the Postal Service Pocket. And I agree, some people want the money in their hand, not the bank's. Using a card won't pay the paper boy or fit in a Coke machine.

Anonymous said...

I know that old people are great at hooking up VCRs and Stereos so another electronic gadget should pose no problem.
My father is 80 and is quite familiar with credit cards but he prefers a hard copy check. While I have no problems using a debit card I would not force someone to switch because I can do it. This problem will fix itself in the long run as our generation grows older. Not to mention the fact that many are not aware of all the scammers out there and they need to safeguard their PIN whenever they use it.
I wonder what is next..forcing one type of medical coverage on the older generation.
It's all about making use of our wise power to choose. That should never be taken away but the road to socialism is paved with freedoms lost.

Anonymous said...

I can't say that I'm surprised at this proposal. What a loss for the Postal Service. If the government takes this step, the public will perceive the Postal Service as 'yesterday's form of communication' even more than they already do. This is teaching future generations that paying attention to machines is more important than communicating with the people behind the machines. When I go through the drive-thru at my bank, the tellers invariably inform me that my transactions can be taken care of online if I prefer. I know that they are probably forced to give this reminder to customers, because the banks want to save money, and hire fewer tellers. I wonder how many people think about the lost jobs that are behind all of this 'progress'?

Anonymous said...

Great... Now how is the Postal Sevice suppose to convince customers to mail letters, when our own Federal government(the same people who direct the Postal Service)is pulling there letter mail from our mail system. Way to show support.......

Anonymous said...

I doubt it's going to make much of a difference actually. I know I have hundreds of people in my town who must receive social security yet our office handles less than 20 actual checks a month. Most people are already using direct deposit.

Anonymous said...

I got a sinking feeling in my stomach when I read the article. Just another blow to our Postal Service which is struggling to survive. I guess we're just not informed enough to know what's best for us and need to be pointed in the right direction by our kindly, paternal, all-knowing government.

Anonymous said...

Another way our government is getting rid of the US Postal Service! Not a good idea. If the governement can not use us why would the genreal public?

WAYWARDCATS said...

I agree with many of the previous comments. If the government is committed to making us a viable private industry serving the public's needs then why remove such a substantial part of our revenue. I think they need to rethink how they expect us to operate with our retirement and pricing controls if they are going to become part of the problem and not part of the solution.

Anonymous said...

Interesting comments..but are you thinking as a business or the fact that we want to keep our jobs. Many banks are going to paperless statements, making those who still want hard copy to pay a monthly fee. What if they charged $5 for each hard copy check...would that make people switch over? If it were your business and your payroll costs could be reduced by eliminating hard copy payroll checks...wouldn't you do it? How many of you have some of your bills paid directly from your accounts, so you don't have to write a check? As for those "hold outs"....when I retired from the Army...you had to have direct deposit. When my parents began receiving their Social security, they had to have direct deposit too. Times do change....despite our desires to keep them the same.

Anonymous said...

Mixed emotions on this one. The move will save taxpayers, but USPS will see some loss of revenue. The costs are not only in printing and mailing, but other jobs as well. So, how many other government employees will be affected?

Francis said...

I would unless a person or persons is disabled or too senior we should allow systems to automate it. If it saves money to USPS also to generate paper checks and mail them, it is also good to USPS also however we need to be empathetic to all those people at rural locations,disabled or senior who cannot drive how do they get access to ATMS or kiosk from where they can get their paycheck. So it should take of these situations as well.

Anonymous said...

No one should be forced to have direct deposit. If those cards work like the one my husband had last year for his unemployment, it deducted a fee every time you used it!!!!!

Anonymous said...

The federal government has bailed out everyone with some type of funding but for the US Postal Service they take away our revenue! What kind of help is that. I agree if the people see this action taken it will only reinforce them to discontinue mailing their bills, cards and letters. Allowing the USPS to go further in debt and more jobs lost. How can that be a savings? More people will then be forced to rely on the govt for their many programs to help them survive.....welfare etc. Who thought this brain child up?