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Beginning September 30, 2025, a new federal regulation—Executive Order 14247: Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Account—will require most federal payments be made electronically via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT).

This initiative is part of a nationwide effort to phase out paper checks for payments such as Social Security benefits, treasury checks, tax refunds, vendor payments and other federal disbursements. The goal of this change is to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and minimize fraud and delays associated with paper checks.

What This Means for You

Starting September 30, 2025, all payments to and from the Secretary of the Treasury—including Social Security benefits, tax refunds, and vendor payments—must be issued electronically.

If you currently receive payments by check, you will still receive them after the deadline. However, to ensure faster processing and avoid potential delays, we strongly encourage you to establish an electronic or alternative payment method before the transition date.

What To Do

To remain in line with the mandate, we recommend that you set up direct deposit (or another approved electronic payment method) to receive federal disbursements electronically. You can enroll for direct deposit at GoDirect.gov or at your relevant paying agency.

For payments to the Federal Government, such as those to the IRS, the Treasury Department has provided access to its secure payment systems.

If you need assistance with enrollment, please reach out to your branch representative for support. For any further questions, please contact our Customer Relations team at 315-484-2201.