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A new rule from the U.S. Treasury Department requires all enrolling federal benefits recipients (those applying for Social Security, SSI, VA or other federal benefits on or after May 1, 2011) to receive their monthly payments electronically, as a direct deposit to either a savings or checking account or to a prepaid card. The Direct Express Debit MasterCard is the default method of payment if no other option is selected.Those already receiving benefits electronically do not have to take any action.Current benefits recipients who are already getting payments by paper check have until March 1, 2013 to enroll in the electronic payment option of their choice. They can sign up anytime before the deadline at their bank or credit union, or by contacting GoDirect.org(www.godirect.org; 800-333-1795). Anyone who doesn’t enroll in one of the options by the deadline will automatically begin receiving their payments via the Direct Express debit card.The only current benefits recipients who will be allowed to continue receiving payments by check after March 1, 2013 are those who are granted an exemption because they are:- age 90 or older as of May 1, 2011,
- mentally impaired, or
- living in an area too remote to make an electronic financial transaction.
While the Direct Express Debit MasterCard is likely to be the lowest-cost prepaid card option available, recipients should be aware that they could incur fees.- Making more than one ATM withdrawal per deposit (month) will cost 90 cents per withdrawal, plus any surcharges imposed by the ATM owner if the machine is not part of the Direct Express network.
- Additional replacement cards beyond one free replacement card per year will cost $4 each.
- Mailed monthly paper statements will cost 75 cents per month.
Benefits recipients also should be aware that money directly deposited into a savings or checking account could be vulnerable if the customer is unable to repay a short-term loan or overdraft coverage extended by the same bank. While a certain amount of federal benefits are, by law, off-limits to creditors' claims, banks that extend these types of credit to their customers are able to access the borrower's account directly and take the money that is owed. This can leave seniors and others with insufficient funds to pay for their essential expenses. 
Dear Friends,
In last year's Citizens United decision, the Supreme Court essentially invited big corporations and other special interests to secretly buy our elections and our government. But Americans understand the danger of undisclosed political money in our elections. Polls show that more than 9 out of 10 people support tougher requirements for disclosure of corporate political spending.
President Obama is considering an executive order that would force government contractors to reveal their political spending. But the Chamber of Commerce and other opponents are pushing back hard, and we need to urge the president to stay strong on this and stand up for regular Americans. Petition to President Obama:
We support your effort to require corporations bidding for government contractsto disclose their campaign contributions.
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Tell the President it's time to lead on this critical issue. Sign Common Cause's citizens' petition calling on him to issue the executive order.
The special interests are collecting hundreds of millions of dollars to elect the lawmakers who will represent their interests – not the public interest – in 2012. Congress has failed to act on legislation that would require more transparency. This executive order would be a check on corporate power.
Please sign the petition today. We will deliver the signatures at a press conference Wednesday on Capitol Hill.
Sincerely,
Bob Edgar
and the rest of the team at Common Cause
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