Paper Federal Checks Phased Out Sept. 30, 2025

The IRS will phase out paper tax-refund checks nationwide starting Sept. 30, 2025, under Executive Order 14247 and will shift refunds to electronic payments, with detailed guidance for 2025 returns due before the 2026 filing season. The agency says 93% of refunds were direct-deposited in 2025 and that electronic payments are faster, cheaper and more secure, noting paper checks are about 16 times more likely to be lost, stolen or delayed. The Social Security Administration is making a parallel change, stopping mailed paper benefit checks on Sept. 30, 2025; the move affects fewer than 1% of beneficiaries—still hundreds of thousands—and requires recipients to sign up for direct deposit or alternatives such as the Treasury’s Direct Express card, prepaid debit cards, or digital wallets, with limited exceptions. Advocates warn vulnerable groups including older adults, people with disabilities and unbanked individuals may face challenges, and the SSA says it is notifying affected recipients and offering assistance. Separately, the SSA has recently withheld as much as 50% of monthly benefits for some people with outstanding overpayments, and beneficiaries should watch for cost-of-living and payment-schedule updates expected in October.