Starting next year, the Government will no longer send out Social Security checks

Because they're going with a paperless system of only electronic transfers or Gubment debit cards. Same goes for veterans benifits, railroad pensions and Federal disability payments. They want to make sure its impossible to drop off the grid if you're entitled to any type of government support.

Don't wait for Social Security check in the mail

Mail drop: Social Security payments, other federal benefits, switching soon to direct deposit

Starting next year, the check will no longer be in the mail for millions of people who receive Social Security and other government benefits.

The federal government, which issues 73 million payments a month, is phasing out paper checks for all benefit programs, requiring people to get payments electronically, either through direct deposit or a debit card for those without a bank account.

Henderson said electronic payments are safer and more efficient than paper checks; in 2010, more than 540,000 federal benefit checks were reported lost or stolen. The switch will save the government about $120 million a year. Social Security will save $1 billion over the next decade, according to the Treasury Department.

"You think of that paper check floating out there in the delivery system, with personal information on it, it's much more susceptible to fraud versus an electronic payment," Henderson said.

AP


There's also the fact that credit card companies have been zapping people with hidden fees on their benifit cards.

Drawing Benefits Via a Debit Card? There's a Fee for That .

Instead of paper checks, Oregon officials pay weekly unemployment benefits by loading the money onto debit cards that come with several unusual fees.

After she found a job last year, 48-year-old Jennifer Schmidt of Riddle, Ore., was charged an "inactivity fee" of $2 by U.S. Bancorp for not using her debit card once she stopped drawing unemployment.

.The $2 fee sank the balance on her card into the red, triggering an overdraft fee of $17.

One reason why financial institutions like prepaid debit cards: They largely escaped the recent crackdown by U.S. lawmakers and regulators on fees, interest rates and billing practices for credit and debit cards.

Last year, 10 state treasurers successfully prodded lawmakers to shield prepaid debit cards from part of the Dodd-Frank financial-overhaul law that limits so-called "swipe fees" charged to retailers. Prepaid debit cards also are exempt from a 2009 law that outlawed fees for infrequent card use. In addition, most of those cards aren't subject to Federal Reserve rules requiring debit-card users to agree before banks can charge them for overdrawing the balance in their account.

WSJ

So, not only are they making it harder to live off the grid, away from the meddling hand of Big Gubment, they are also (Surprise, surprise!) helping the banks stick it to the consumers by forcing people without bank accounts to take debit cards with tons of unregulated fees.

So now, if you try to live out your retirement years without having to be tied down by the banks and their gotcha fee structure, Big Gubment has found a way to help them reach their greedy fingers into your poskets anyway.

But hey, it will save Big Gubment money and help reduce fraud so who could be against that?

reply to post by FortAnthem


Receiving a direct deposit payment to your bank account is great and convenient. All my GI Bill monies were directly deposited into my account and I wouldn't want it any other way. Every job I've worked payed me via direct deposit and all my future jobs will as well. I don't see the problem here and the US Govt saves money on stamps, paper, and people to mail and sort them. I suppose there will always be those who want to do it the old fashion way but things change.

The hidden fees on the credit cards is crap and the fact the can and will take so much $$ peoples accounts are being overdrawn is BS! These banks love to pull this move off and its really vile. But these cards are for people who don't have a bank account. Why do they not have a bank account? At least the Gov't can even help these people who have no account and allow them to receive the money they are depending on. It does indeed suck these banks take advantage of them and needs to be addressed.

But either way, I don't see how any of this will stop anyone from going off the grid? Going off the grid but still depending on Gov't checks is kinda backwards isn't it? The Govt depositing your SS check into your local Credit Union is harmless and does not stop you from going off the grid imo.

Also, the title is kinda misleading. When I read it I expected to read about how broke the US Gov't is and can't pay anyone their benefits, but then I remembered the Federal Reserve can always see to it the US Gov't pays it bills by printing more money.

reply to post by FortAnthem


Let me get this straight: you don't like 'big gubment' and want want to live outside the system, 'off grid', but want to collect social security?

reply to post by Swills


The problem is; with debit cards and by putting money directly into your account, it gives them more opportunity to track your transactions. You can already see the move toward a paperless monetary system. When people can no longer exchange paper bills for good and services, it ensures that the gubment can tax you for every transaction you make.

Say goodbye to the corner lemonade stand and yardsales. If the gubment gets its way, it will be impossible to conduct any type of transaction without paying taxes and business licencing fees. With all electronic payments, the gubment can know what you spent each and every last dollar of your paycheck on.

Do you really want Big Brother to know how much you spend at the titty bar every year? Much less what guns and ammo and survival gear you bought. With the ever expanding definitions of what makes a person a potential "domestic terrorist" I don't want the gubment to have any way to track all of my purchases.

Also imagine if they restrict what you can use the money on the cards for. There are already moves to prevent welfare cards from being used in gambling establishments and for purposes the gubment frowns upon. What if they put all gubment debt cards under the same umbrella as welfare payments?

Originally posted by stanguilles7
reply to post by FortAnthem

 

Let me get this straight: you don't like 'big gubment' but want want to live outside the system, 'off grid', but want to collect social security?

They've been taking money out of my paychecks ever since I was old enough to work.

I am entitled to that money in my retirement years. Just because I accept the money that the gubment owes me doesn't mean that I can't have a beef with that gubment. It doesn't make me their slave. If I want to have them deliver my checks to a PO box so I can live away from their ever prying eyes, that should be my right.

In other words, you want to PRETEND you are self-sufficient by having the rest of us pay your way. That's kind of an oxymoron.

The trend to paperless is inevitable. It's simply more efficient. There are only two bills I get that are not on auto pilot: The water company (less than 300 customers) and the garbage company. You can pay online, but they haven't got their act together enough for auto-pay yet. I consider that an inconvenience.

reply to post by FortAnthem


I do see your point about living off the grid, but really you still have to have some sort of mailbox or p.o. box and you have to physically go there and collect your check and cash it. Almost all stores or buisness have a option of paying electronically.

I do see this as ending the USPS or the final nail in the US postal service coffin...

On the surface this doesn't bother me, it is simply more efficient to do it this way. But what does worry me is that everything is becoming cashless, which in an emergency situation can and will become problematic. Just last week the gas station at the end of my street installed a new air pump that has no coin slots just an electronic payment system.

Originally posted by FortAnthem
reply to post by Swills

 

The problem is; with debit cards and by putting money directly into your account, it gives them more opportunity to track your transactions. You can already see the move toward a paperless monetary system. When people can no longer exchange paper bills for good and services, it ensures that the gubment can tax you for every transaction you make.

Say goodbye to the corner lemonade stand and yardsales. If the gubment gets its way, it will be impossible to conduct any type of transaction without paying taxes and business licencing fees. With all electronic payments, the gubment can know what you spent each and every last dollar of your paycheck on.

Do you really want Big Brother to know how much you spend at the titty bar every year? Much less what guns and ammo and survival gear you bought. With the ever expanding definitions of what makes a person a potential "domestic terrorist" I don't want the gubment to have any way to track all of my purchases.

Also imagine if they restrict what you can use the money on the cards for. There are already moves to prevent welfare cards from being used in gambling establishments and for purposes the gubment frowns upon. What if they put all gubment debt cards under the same umbrella as welfare payments?

You seem to be drifting from your original concern, which was direct deposit for SS checks. Now, if you are getting SS checks, the government is already aware of your money, and where you are cashing or depositing it. Even with a paper check you still have to cash it to use cash in the 'untraceable' ways you describe. That doesnt change with a direct deposit. You can still take your money out as cash and spend it at the titty bar if you want.

And, most importantly, if you want to live 'off grid', dont collect government checks.

Originally posted by FortAnthem

Originally posted by stanguilles7
reply to post by FortAnthem

 

Let me get this straight: you don't like 'big gubment' but want want to live outside the system, 'off grid', but want to collect social security?

They've been taking money out of my paychecks ever since I was old enough to work.

I am entitled to that money in my retirement years. Just because I accept the money that the gubment owes me doesn't mean that I can't have a beef with that gubment. It doesn't make me their slave. If I want to have them deliver my checks to a PO box so I can live away from their ever prying eyes, that should be my right.

Okay, fine. You are entitled to your entitlement handouts.

But whether they come via check or direct deposit makes no difference in terms of them 'spying on you'. Take cash out and spend it at the titty bar you survivalist you!

Originally posted by stanguilles7
And, most importantly, if you want to live 'off grid', dont collect government checks.

That's easy for you and most of us to say but, what about military veterans collecting their pensions,do they have to give up their privacy because they rely on a government check?

Not everyone living off a government check is living on welfare or sucking up unearned money from the taxpayers. Many have earned the right to their government checks either by working all their life in government or military service or by paying into the system with the promise that they would get something back in their retired years.

Accepting a check from the government should not entitle them to invade your privacy.

reply to post by FortAnthem


The US Gov't can and are doing this anyway, the Patriot Act alone allows them to accomplish this. They might be spying on my account already, and the Banks don't even have to tell me. I wouldn't worry about direct deposit, I'd worry about this damn bills they keep passing.

Has anyone considered with everything getting paid out electronically, what a "glitch" in the system might do?

Terrorist EMP?

Just a regular blackout from a storm?

Hackers?

Call me old fashioned, or just make me one ( ) but I prefer analog over digital sometimes.

Originally posted by FortAnthem


Accepting a check from the government should not entitle them to invade your privacy.

It doesn't entitle them to that. But your claims that they can spy on you because of direct deposit are silly considering they could do the same with a deposited or cashed check.

Want to live off grid, as you claim? Then live off grid, and stop doing things that allow you to be 'tracked'. Simple.

reply to post by Swills


Its really a shame that the American people have just come to accept this as their "new normal".

Whether I'm doing something wrong or not, I still don't want the gubment to have the power to snoop into my private life or my financial transactions without probable cause of wrongdoing.

The increasing reliance on computers puts us all at risk of having our personal papers and records invaded at any time without our ever knowing. What's even more alarming is the fact that our electronic records can be hacked and our money stolen right out from under us or some piece of incriminating eveidence can be manufactured without our ever knowing about it.

How many times have they used the "kiddie porn" excuse to get rid of someone inconvenient to the gubment? Think of how easy it would be for a professional gubment hacker to get into your computer and plant all sorts of filthy evidence.

Another thing to worry about if everything goes digital; what happens in the event of an EMP? Do we lose all our money and our records in the blink of an eye because of a solar flare or a nuclear weapon airburst?

I would rather have some cash money on hand in that event instead of having the whole economy going digital (even if its only Federal Reserve Notes).

CONSPIRACY TIME

What if the government goes cashless, paperless then sparks it's own EMP to wipe out our national "debt"?



Sorry, ADHD.

Sometimes my mind wanders.

Originally posted by FortAnthem
reply to post by Swills

 

Its really a shame that the American people have just come to accept this as their "new normal".

Whether I'm doing something wrong or not, I still don't want the gubment to have the power to snoop into my private life or my financial transactions without probable cause of wrongdoing.

The increasing reliance on computers puts us all at risk of having our personal papers and records invaded at any time without our ever knowing. What's even more alarming is the fact that our electronic records can be hacked and our money stolen right out from under us or some piece of incriminating eveidence can be manufactured without our ever knowing about it.

So you have no problem using your computer to post on online forums. You have no problem with keeping your money in a bank that keeps all their records on computers. But once the Government decides to deposit your checks electronically, you get all up in arms?

If you were really concerned, you would not have a bank account in the first place.

How many times have they used the "kiddie porn" excuse to get rid of someone inconvenient to the gubment? Think of how easy it would be for a professional gubment hacker to get into your computer and plant all sorts of filthy evidence.

You clearly have no idea what you are talking about. But I'm sure it was the 'government' who put that kiddie porn on your computer.



]

Originally posted by beezzer
Has anyone considered with everything getting paid out electronically, what a "glitch" in the system might do?

Terrorist EMP?

Just a regular blackout from a storm?

Hackers?

Call me old fashioned, or just make me one (

) but I prefer analog over digital sometimes.

An EMP could not take out an entire national or multinational computer database.

Banks do not have a enough money to "cover" checks or any payment. They create the money from the signature, a valid signature is needed to create the money out of thin air at the time of processing. Ever wonder how a bank can have 1 million in deposits yet cover millions a day in payments? Printing.

So, in the case of Electronic payments, what is the creation mechanism? What is the recourse?

The key to have a "sound" scam such as the fiat currency system is the willingness of have at least some viable mechanism to control over rampant printing. The signature is one such mechanism, as nothing is printed until the signature is in place and validated. In the case of direct deposit, where is that control mechanism? In the case of debit cards, which can easily be pilfered out of the mailbox come the scheduled delivery date, where is the protection mechanism there? Could you run to the SS office and say "someone stole my debit card" and get a new one or is it assumed you are lying and no replacement will be issued? If they stop payment on the wrong debit card, are you then out on the street? If they issue a new one, pay "twice" the payment then they have printed extra money and watered down the money supply creating inflation. Could the savings of a few bucks on printing checks be off set by the inflation of the currency based on over printing due to fraud and theft?

Can they still print money with no signature is the key issue for me?

Lastly, this dooms the post office. Which is really interesting because the post office is the only legal way in which a legal notice, think irs, criminal court, civil court, can be delivered and accepted. Losing the USPS renders legal notices in limbo.

Originally posted by stanguilles7

Originally posted by beezzer
Has anyone considered with everything getting paid out electronically, what a "glitch" in the system might do?

Terrorist EMP?

Just a regular blackout from a storm?

Hackers?

Call me old fashioned, or just make me one (

) but I prefer analog over digital sometimes.

An EMP could not take out an entire national or multinational computer database.

True. But it could take out everything in your neighborhood. As well as your account info.