The US Department of Treasury launches a wide-scale information campaign aimed at offering Social Security Income and Supplemental Security Income recipients in Arizona and 11 additional Western states information on receiving their monthly payments via debit card.

The Treasury has taken up this initiative in a bid to persuade benefit recipients to switch from getting paper checks via mail every month to receiving the funds via a Direct Express Debit MasterCard. This program is targeted at all benefit recipients, and particularly to those without bank accounts, who can stop relying on paper checks and avoid check-cashing charges, which can be as high up as USD 20 per check. Additionally, the Treasury Department is looking to cut its mailing expenses, given that mailing a check is charged with 98 cents, whereas depositing the money in a bank account attached to the new debit card option costs just 10 cents.

The Direct Express Debit MasterCard is currently available in Western states. Those who seek to enroll in the new program do not require a bank account, nor do they need to undergo a credit check.