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Fight Procrastination by Changing Your Direct Deposit Early

September 6, 2018 • By

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Last Updated: November 3, 2023

September 6 is National Fight Procrastination Day. With our busy lives, it is easy to fall into that cycle of constantly postponing some tasks because of other things we need to address right now. This may be true for you when it comes to changing your payment method for Social Security benefits. Unfortunately, procrastinating on reporting changes can lead to delayed payments, resulting in undue hardship with bills and living expenses. Ultimately, it’s less hassle — and less stressful — if you report a direct deposit change as soon as it occurs. 

How can you change your direct deposit information with Social Security? The most convenient way is by creating a personal my Social Security account. Once you create your account, you can update your bank information without leaving the comfort of your home. Another way to change your direct deposit is by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to make the change over the phone. If you prefer to speak to someone in-person, you can visit your local Social Security office with the necessary information.

What exactly will Social Security need to make the direct deposit change? Because we are committed to protecting your personal information, we need some form of identification to verify who you are. If you are online, we verified your identity when you initially created your personal my Social Security account. All you need to do is log in with your secure username and password to gain instant access to your information.

If you call Social Security, we will ask identifying questions to ensure we are speaking to the right person. If you visit the office, you will need to bring a driver’s license or some form of ID with you. Once we have identified you are the correct person and are authorized to make changes on the Social Security record, all we need is the routing number, account number, and type of account established. We don’t ask for a voided check, nor do we obtain verification from the bank. Therefore, you should be sure you are providing accurate information to us.

The day of the month you report the direct deposit change makes all the difference. Though the exact date varies each month, generally, you will need to report changes by the 15th to see the effect on the next check. When the 15th falls on the weekend or a holiday, the cutoff is usually the previous business day. For example, if you switched banks or have a new account in September, you will need to provide the new information to Social Security by September 14 to receive your next payment in the new account. If you don’t report this change to us until September 28, your next payment will go into the old account.

Because you may be unsure if your direct deposit change will affect your next payment, we highly recommend that you do not close the old bank account until you have seen your first Social Security deposit in the new bank account. That way, you can feel secure you will receive your benefits on time, regardless of when the change was reported to Social Security. Waiting until you see the deposit in your new account also gives you the extra peace of mind that we processed the change correctly.

The first step in fighting procrastination is increased awareness. Knowing how easy it is to report a direct deposit change, what information to report, and when, can encourage you to get in touch with Social Security at the earliest possible moment. In addition, making sure we know about a change early ensures we help make the transition as smooth as possible.

When you have to report changes, be sure to contact us or visit us online. Social Security always strives to put you in control by providing the best experience and service no matter where, when, or how you decide to do business with us.

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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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Comments

  1. Retia M.

    Article is very helpful. THANKS.

  2. Danny G.

    Change of address notification:
    Danny and Pollyanna Casey

    Old address: 13772 W 67th Place, Arvada,Co
    80004

    New address: 13942 Maxwell Vista Dr, Buena Vista, Co.
    81211
    Effective date: Oct 15, 2018
    Call 303-424-0011 if questions. Thanks, D Casey

  3. Gregg G.

    I don’t know what to do. I recently lost my wallet and had to change bank info 2 days before the first. Today is the 8th and still no money. I have no gas and little food. It was supposed to be sent to my Paypal debit card.

    Fortunately, between SSA and paypal I have been retrained over the past two weeks into a skilled telephone waiter. and I know that ‘my call is important to them and will be answered in the order received,

    However, my question and/or issue will be discussed in different detail each time I call. None of their suggestions or promises will have any bearing in getting my issue resolved.

    I have to go now, to try and walk the few miles home, because I have no gas. fortunately, the MS has left my legs numb so I won’t feel most of the pain until I get there. The daily fatigue will probably let me sleep for several minutes tonight anyway and take my mind off my hunger. I’d call for a ride, but my phone is shut off.

    THANK YOU SSA FOR HAVING SUCH A SIMPLE PROCESS TO CHANGE BANKING INFO

    I’ll probably tell you myself as I’ll be camping behind the SSA office because I couldn’t pay my rent.

  4. alan m.

    When I try to access the “log in” hyperlink I always get a “can’t reach this page” response. This has been going on for several years now. Can something be done about this?

  5. ROBERT A.

    Want to change my deposit bank account number. The present one is no longer valid.

  6. Barb T.

    I need to make an appoitment, I turn 65 in March. I am currently on disability. What changes happen when I turn65?

  7. David S.

    Can I change my SS payment schedule from 3rd Wed to 2nd. Wed?

    • Ray F.

      Hello David. Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions web page for information on this topic. Thanks!

  8. john j.

    How do we change banks for our direct deposit?

  9. Eleanor L.

    I need to change the bank that receives my direct deposit of SS check each month. Can’t find where to do that on the website.

  10. THERESA L.

    I NEED TO CHANGE MY DIRECT ACCOUNT TO MY NEW ACCOUNT. MY SS IS XXXXXXXXX MY NEW ACCOUNT NUWBER FOR DIRECT DEPOSIT IS XXXXXX ROUTING NUMBER 071921891 .

    • Ray F.

      Hello Theresa. If you already receive benefits and you have a bank account, you can update your direct deposit information by using your personal my Social Security account.
      Just a reminder – We do not have access to personal information in this venue. Please be cautious about posting personal information on social media channels. Thanks!

      • Richard B.

        I moved in Oct 2018 and created an acc to update new personal info. Then on July 1, 2019, i got scammed, was advised by the bank to not invest any more. Had to change acounts; checking, savings and bank creadit card. Went online and changed my direct deposit acount info and went to local office with the info next day . Moved all but a small portion in old account to new. Statement says account closed yet still with a balance. Money came and went. got frantic and called 1-800 line 3 times , went to local office 2 times and updated on my SS site. was told the system had a glitch and would lose updates some times. Finally was told I’d be lucky to receive in august because every time I inquired in any manner, it created an exception that had to be cleared by payment dept. Also informing me that my personal info was never changed in Oct 18. Yet have emails on 7/11/19 acknowledge receipt of said changes. Got paid on 8/3/19, how about the missing month of july. OK, whew! My point? You can’t stress enough; leave old acc open

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