Changing Your Social Security Direct Deposit Is About to Get a Lot Faster — and Safer

The Social Safety Administration is making two modifications to the method for direct deposit change requests.

These are requests that Social Safety recipients make to the SSA when they need their advantages despatched to a special checking account than the one the company has on file.

The SSA says it’s creating stronger identification verification procedures as a approach to enhance safety for profit recipients. As well as, the company will full direct deposit change requests extra shortly.

The modifications are anticipated to be accomplished by March 31.

Expedited processing of direct deposit change requests

The SSA says it’s going to full all direct deposit change requests inside one enterprise day. This timeline will apply whether or not you make your request through your on-line Social Safety account (also referred to as a “my Social Safety” account) or a neighborhood SSA workplace.

Beforehand, on-line direct deposit modifications had been held for 30 days earlier than going into impact.

Stronger identification verification procedures for direct deposit modifications

Up to now, the SSA has merely requested questions over the cellphone in an try and confirm the identification of callers requesting modifications to their direct deposit data. However the agency says making such inquiries by cellphone “is not sufficient to stop fraud.”

As an alternative, these requesting a change to their direct deposit financial institution data quickly might want to take one of many following steps:

• Allow two-factor authentication, also referred to as multi-factor authentication, with their on-line Social Safety account. The SSA web site has instructions for setting up this security measure.
• Show their identification throughout a go to to a neighborhood Social Safety workplace. This step is important even when somebody begins the direct deposit change request course of over the cellphone.

This alteration will apply to requests for direct deposit modifications in addition to claims for advantages.

Round 40% of Social Safety fraud entails illegitimate requests for modifications to direct deposit data, in accordance with the SSA.

In a press release saying the change, Lee Dudek, performing commissioner of the Social Safety Administration, says:

“Individuals should have their Social Safety information protected with the utmost integrity and vigilance. For much too lengthy, the company has used antiquated strategies for proving identification. Social Safety can higher shield Individuals whereas expediting service.”