Direct Express Benefits Card, the Fourth Way You Could Receive a Second Stimulus Check | The State

Beneficiaries of programs such as Social Security, Medicaid, Among others, they could receive the second stimulus check on the same card in which government authorities send them federal aid regularly, also known as Direct Express®.

Direct Express® is a prepaid debit card for recipients of federal benefits electronically. The system is similar to the prepaid debit cards sent by the Treasury Department to about 8 million people, but it is not exactly the same.

Essentially, the above is a payment option whereby the appropriate agencies electronically process the funds to the beneficiaries without the need for a paper check.

“When you sign up for your federal benefits on the Direct Express® card, you will receive your payment each month without having to worry about cashing your check, or fear that it will be lost or stolen. Instead of receiving a check, your money will be automatically deposited into your Direct Express® card account on payday. You can use your card to make purchases at stores that accept the MasterCard® debit card, withdraw cash from automated teller machines (ATMs), or make cash withdrawals when making purchases. You can also use your debit card online to make payments and to buy money orders at the US Post Office, ”says the website usdirectexpress.com/.

“The debit card (Direct Express®) offers the ease and security of using electronic operations to spend and access your money instead of using cash for purchases. You don’t need a bank account to sign up and get the card. There is no minimum balance or credit check requirement. ”They add from the website.

Notifications from the Social Security Administration about the second stimulus check

Agencies such as the Social Security Administration have already included notifications on their website alerting beneficiaries that they could receive the second stimulus check to their “Direct Express®.

The SSA page clearly states that if you received the first stimulus check to your Direct Express you should receive the second payment the same way.

If you received the first disbursement by direct deposit, you will automatically receive the second in the same account where you received the first EIP.

If you received the first check using a non-Direct Express debit card, you may receive a new card in the mail with the funds from the second check.

What does the IRS say about receiving the second stimulus check?

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which leads the process of distributing stimulus checks for the first and second rounds, has indicated that to most recipients of Social Security programs, railroad retirees and those who receive funds from veterans , they would automatically receive payments without the need for additional paperwork.

“Most Social Security retirement and disability beneficiaries, railroad retirees, and those receiving veterans benefits do not need to do anything at all to receive a payment. Earlier this year, the IRS worked directly with the relevant federal agencies to obtain the information necessary to submit the new payments in the same manner that benefits are normally paid for this group. For eligible individuals in this group who did not receive a payment for any reason, they can file a 2020 tax return, ”reads a recent IRS statement.

If you are a recipient of a government program, the greater probability is that it will receive the payment in the same way that it received the first disbursement.

Here you can find more information about the second stimulus check deposited in Direct Express