To change the bank account receiving your Social Security payment, sign in to your my Social Security account at ssa.gov and update the routing and account numbers under direct deposit — or call 1-800-772-1213. The critical rule: do not close the old account until the first payment actually lands in the new one. Changes made close to your payment date may not take effect until the following month, and a payment sent to a closed account gets returned and reissued, costing you weeks.
What’s the safest order of steps?
- Open the new account first and confirm it’s active.
- Update SSA: online (my Social Security → direct deposit), by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or at a field office. Have the new routing number, account number, and account type (checking/savings) ready — they’re printed on your checks or shown in your banking app.
- Note the effective date SSA gives you. If your next payment is within the next few days, assume the old account gets one more deposit.
- Keep the old account open until you’ve seen a full payment arrive in the new account.
- Then close the old account.
Banks can also start the change for you through the Treasury’s enrollment process, but doing it directly with SSA gives you a confirmation and an effective date you can rely on.
How long does the change take?
SSA’s general guidance: allow 30 to 60 days for a direct deposit change to fully process. In practice, changes made early in the month often catch the next payment, while changes made within a week or two of your payment date usually don’t. That’s why the overlap rule matters — the one scenario that reliably causes a missed month is closing the old account the same week you request the switch.
If a payment does bounce off a closed account, the bank returns it to Treasury and SSA reissues it — but that round trip can take a couple of weeks. Call SSA immediately if it happens rather than waiting.
Can you change it for someone else?
Only if you’re their authorized representative payee — then the payment goes to the payee account you manage, and you make changes through the payee’s own account access or a field office. A power of attorney is not sufficient for SSA; Social Security doesn’t recognize POA for managing benefits.
If you receive both SSI and Social Security, confirm the change applied to both records — they’re separate payment records and occasionally one gets missed.
How do you avoid direct deposit scams?
Redirecting deposits is a standard fraud play: scammers who phish your my Social Security login or your personal details change the bank information and steal a month’s benefit. Protect yourself:
- SSA never calls out of the blue demanding you "verify" bank details or threatening arrest. Hang up on anyone who does.
- Use a strong, unique password and keep two-factor authentication on your my Social Security account. Creating your own account also blocks a scammer from creating one in your name.
- SSA mails a notice when direct deposit information changes. If you get one you didn’t initiate, call 1-800-772-1213 the same day.
- You can also add a "block electronic access" flag to your record so no one — including you — can change information online or by phone until the block is lifted in person.
What if you don’t have a bank account?
Two options: the Direct Express debit card (Treasury’s card for federal benefits — call 1-800-333-1795 or ask SSA to enroll you) or opening a low-cost account; most major banks offer accounts certified as Bank On, with no overdraft fees, that accept direct deposit. Paper checks have been phased out for nearly all recipients.
FAQ
Will my payment date change when I change banks?
No. Your payment date is set by your birthday (or your benefit type), not your bank.
Can I split the deposit between two accounts?
No — SSA sends each monthly benefit to a single account.
I’m switching to a credit union. Anything different?
No, just use the credit union’s routing number and your member/account number in the same fields.
How do I confirm the change went through?
Log back in to my Social Security a few days later — the direct deposit section shows the account on file, and you’ll get a mailed confirmation notice.