What Do You Need to Change Your Social Security Direct Deposit?
You will generally need your new bank’s routing number, account number, and the type of account receiving the deposit.
Before you start, gather:
- Your bank’s nine-digit routing number
- Your account number
- The type of account
- Access to your personal my Social Security account if you plan to make the change online or generate a telephone verification code
Double-check every number before submitting the change. A wrong routing or account number can prevent your payment from reaching the intended account.
If you are unsure where to find your routing or account number, check your bank’s website or app or contact the bank directly rather than guessing.
How to Change Social Security Direct Deposit Online
For people receiving Social Security retirement, survivors, or disability benefits, SSA says the fastest way to update bank information is through a personal my Social Security account.
To change your direct deposit online:
- Sign in to your personal my Social Securityaccount.
- Locate the option for managing or updating your direct deposit information.
- Enter your new bank routing number.
- Enter your new account number.
- Select whether the account is checking or savings.
- Review the information carefully.
- Submit the change and keep any confirmation provided by SSA.
SSA redesigned the my Social Security portal in 2026, but beneficiaries can still use the account to set up or change direct deposit.
Using the official SSA website also reduces the risk that you will accidentally provide your Social Security or bank information to a fraudulent website.
Can You Change Social Security Direct Deposit by Phone?
Yes. Beginning April 28, 2025, SSA allows direct deposit changes by phone, but you generally need a one-time verification code before calling.
This is an important change from SSA’s older telephone procedures.
Before calling:
- Go to SSA’s official one-time-code service at ssa.gov/PIN.
- Sign in to or create your personal my Social Security account.
- Generate the one-time code.
- Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.
- Give the code to the SSA representative when requested.
- Provide your new bank information.
SSA’s telephone representatives are generally available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. local time. The TTY number is 1-800-325-0778.
What if you cannot generate the one-time code?
If you cannot create or access a personal my Social Security account and therefore cannot generate a telephone verification code, SSA says you generally need to change your direct deposit at a Social Security office or arrange the change through your financial institution.
This means simply answering personal identifying questions over the phone is no longer the standard process for changing direct deposit.
How to Change Your Bank Information at a Social Security Office
You can change direct deposit information in person if you cannot complete the transaction online or by phone.
Use SSA’s official office locator to find the Social Security office that serves your area.
SSA’s current identity-verification guidance states that people visiting an office solely to change direct deposit information do not need an appointment. However, office procedures can change, so checking the office’s current information before traveling is sensible.
Bring the information needed to identify yourself and your new bank account. That may include:
- Identification requested by SSA
- Your new routing number
- Your new account number
- The account type
Do not send sensitive bank or Social Security information through an unofficial website, email, or text message.
Can Your Bank Change Your Social Security Direct Deposit?
Yes, some banks can send updated direct deposit information directly to Social Security through the federal Automated Enrollment process.
Ask your bank or credit union whether it participates in Automated Enrollment, or ENR.
If it does, the financial institution may be able to submit your updated bank information directly to SSA without requiring you to call or visit a Social Security office.
Not every financial institution offers this service, so confirm with your bank first.
This can be especially useful if you have trouble accessing your personal my Social Security account.
Can SSI Recipients Change Direct Deposit Online?
SSA states that people receiving Social Security retirement, survivors, or disability benefits can generally change direct deposit through the My Profile section of a personal my Social Security account. SSA’s FAQ says that this particular online service is not currently available in the same way to people receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
If you receive SSI, SSA instructs recipients to report changes to the bank account used for direct deposit. Current SSA guidance provides telephone and in-person options.
SSA has also stated that an SSI recipient with a personal my Social Security account may be able to change direct deposit by telephone after generating a one-time verification code at ssa.gov/PIN. If you cannot generate the code, SSA may require you to visit an office or work through your bank.
Because SSI has separate reporting requirements, report bank-account changes promptly rather than assuming an online profile update is sufficient.
Should You Close Your Old Bank Account Before Changing Social Security Direct Deposit?
It is generally safer to keep your old account open until you have confirmed that your Social Security payment is being deposited successfully into the new account.
Changing your bank account and changing SSA’s payment records are two separate events. Closing the old account before the new direct deposit information is active can create complications if a payment is sent to the old account.
A practical sequence is:
- Open and verify the new account.
- Submit the direct deposit change to SSA.
- Confirm that SSA has the new information.
- Monitor both accounts around your next payment date.
- Confirm that the benefit arrives in the new account.
- Then decide whether to close the old account.
Your bank can tell you what happens to deposits sent to a recently closed account.
How Long Does It Take Social Security to Change Direct Deposit Information?
Do not assume that submitting a change means the very next payment will automatically go to the new account.
The effective payment date can depend on when the request is submitted and processed in relation to SSA’s payment cycle.
When using SSA’s online services, follow the effective-date information shown during the transaction and keep the confirmation of your change.
Most importantly, do not close the old bank account solely because you submitted the request. Wait until you are satisfied that the new payment instructions have taken effect.
If your next payment date is approaching and you are uncertain which account SSA has on file, check your personal my Social Security account or contact SSA directly.
What If Social Security Sends Your Payment to Your Old Bank Account?
If SSA sends a payment to an old account that is still open, contact the bank about accessing or transferring the funds. If the account is closed, contact the bank and SSA to determine what happened to the payment.
A financial institution may reject a payment sent to a closed or invalid account. What happens next depends on the circumstances surrounding the account and transaction.
If an expected Social Security payment does not arrive:
- Check both your old and new accounts.
- Verify the direct deposit information in your personal my Social Security account if that service is available to you.
- Contact your financial institution.
- Contact SSA at 1-800-772-1213 if the payment still cannot be located.
Avoid repeatedly changing your banking information while a missing-payment issue is being investigated unless SSA or your bank specifically tells you to do so.
What If You Entered the Wrong Routing or Account Number?
Contact Social Security as soon as possible if you discover that you submitted incorrect bank information.
Do not wait until the next payment date if you already know the information is wrong.
Check:
- The routing number
- The account number
- Whether you selected checking or savings correctly
- Whether the account can accept direct deposits
If you believe a payment was already sent using incorrect information, contact both SSA and your financial institution.
How Do You Know Whether Your Direct Deposit Change Went Through?
Keep the confirmation from your direct deposit update and verify the information through your personal my Social Security account when that service is available to you.
Then check your new bank account on your scheduled payment date.
Do not rely solely on a text, email, or unsolicited telephone call claiming that your Social Security banking information has changed. When in doubt, sign in through SSA’s official website or contact SSA using its published telephone number.
What If Your Social Security Direct Deposit Was Changed Without Your Permission?
An unauthorized direct deposit change can be a sign of identity theft or benefits fraud, so contact SSA immediately.
SSA’s Office of the Inspector General has warned about scams designed to convince beneficiaries to redirect Social Security payments to accounts or prepaid cards controlled by scammers.
If you believe someone changed your direct deposit information without permission:
- Contact SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213.
- Contact your bank.
- Secure your personal my Social Security account.
- Change compromised passwords.
- Review your financial accounts for unauthorized activity.
- Report suspected Social Security scams through SSA’s official scam-reporting resources.
Do not call a telephone number supplied in a suspicious text, voicemail, email, or social-media message.
Beware of Social Security Direct Deposit Scams
Never change your Social Security direct deposit because an unsolicited caller or message tells you to move your benefits to “protect” your money or claim a prize.
In September 2026, SSA’s Office of the Inspector General specifically warned about schemes in which scammers ask beneficiaries to redirect their Social Security deposits as part of a supposed contest or prize. Victims can lose access to their benefit payments after the money is redirected.
The OIG has also warned about scammers impersonating government or bank employees and telling victims that they need to move money to protect it from fraud. Government agencies will not instruct you to secretly move your money to another account for safekeeping.
Protect yourself by following these rules:
- Do not share your bank information because of an unsolicited call, email, or text.
- Do not give anyone your my Social Security login credentials.
- Do not disclose a one-time verification code to anyone except as required during an official SSA transaction you initiated.
- Do not move benefits to a new account because someone promises a prize or increased benefits.
- If something seems wrong, hang up and contact SSA using the telephone number published on SSA.gov.
What If You Do Not Have a Bank Account?
You can still receive Social Security or SSI payments electronically without opening a traditional bank account by using the Direct Express® program.
The Direct Express® Debit Mastercard® is a prepaid debit card used to receive federal benefits. Your payment is deposited electronically onto the card on your scheduled payment date, so your monthly benefits are available on that day.
You can use the card for purchases and to pay bills.
It also lets you get cash at thousands of locations.
You can enroll by calling 1-800-333-1795.
SSA also provides information for people who want to open an account with a bank or credit union.
The Direct Express program began transitioning to a new financial agent in 2026, so people enrolling or using an existing card should rely on the latest official Treasury or SSA information rather than old instructions found on third-party websites.
Can You Still Receive Social Security Benefits by Paper Check?
Federal benefit payments are now generally required to be made electronically, although limited waiver procedures exist for people who qualify for an exception.
Electronic payments can be made through:
- Direct deposit to a bank or credit union account, or
- A qualifying electronic payment option such as Direct Express®
The U.S. Treasury states that federal payments generally must be delivered electronically unless a waiver is available under federal rules.
Social Security has continued its transition away from the remaining paper benefit checks. If you still receive payments by paper check or believe you qualify for an exception, use current SSA or Treasury guidance rather than relying on older payment instructions.
What If Your Bank Information Changes While Your SSDI Claim Is Pending?
If your banking information changes while your Social Security Disability Insurance claim is pending, make sure SSA has current payment information before benefits are issued.
Disability claims can remain pending for months, and some cases take considerably longer when appeals are necessary. During that time, you may:
- Change banks
- Close an account
- Open a new account after fraud
- Change a joint account after divorce or separation
- Need a different account because an account holder died
Bank information supplied when you originally applied may therefore be outdated by the time SSA approves the claim.
If your disability claim is approved, review the payment information associated with your case and promptly correct anything that has changed.
This matters not only for future monthly SSDI payments but also because an approved claimant may receive past-due benefits.
Can Someone Else Change Your Social Security Direct Deposit for You?
Do not give another person access to your Social Security account simply because you need help changing your bank information.
If SSA has appointed a representative payee to manage your benefits, different rules apply. Representative payees have responsibilities concerning how benefit payments are received, held, and used on behalf of the beneficiary.
A friend or relative who merely helps you with paperwork is not automatically authorized to control your benefit payments or bank account.
If you are unsure who has authority to make a change, contact SSA before giving anyone access to your account or banking information.
Frequently Asked Questions About Changing Social Security Bank Information
For most people receiving Social Security retirement, survivors, or disability benefits, SSA says the fastest method is to update bank information through a personal my Social Security account.
Have your new bank routing number, account number and account type. Depending on how you make the change, you may also need access to your personal my Social Security account for identity verification.
Yes. SSA currently allows telephone direct deposit changes using a one-time verification code. Generate the code through ssa.gov/PIN before calling 1-800-772-1213. If you cannot generate the code, SSA says you generally must handle the change through a Social Security office or participating financial institution.
The standard online direct-deposit change feature is not currently available to SSI recipients in the same way. SSI recipients may be able to make the change by phone using SSA’s one-time-code process or may need to work with SSA in person or over the phone.
SSA’s current identity-verification guidance says an appointment is not required when the only reason for the visit is changing direct deposit information. Check the local office’s current status before traveling.
Possibly. Some financial institutions participate in the Automated Enrollment process and can transmit new direct deposit information directly to Social Security. Ask your bank whether it offers this service.
It is safer to confirm that the change has taken effect and that your benefit reaches the new account before closing an old account, unless your bank tells you the old account must be closed immediately because of fraud or another security issue.
Check both your old and new bank accounts, confirm your direct deposit information if possible, and contact your financial institution. If you still cannot locate the payment, contact SSA directly.
Be extremely cautious. SSA’s identity-proofing guidance says it will not text you asking you to provide or confirm identity information. Do not follow a link in an unexpected message asking for your Social Security number, bank information, password, or verification code.
The Bottom Line
Changing the bank account used for Social Security payments is usually straightforward, but the correct method depends on the type of benefit you receive and whether you can use SSA’s online identity-verification tools.
For most Social Security retirement, survivors, and disability beneficiaries, start with your personal my Social Security account. If you want to make the change by phone, generate SSA’s required one-time verification code before calling. If online or telephone options do not work, you can use a local Social Security office or ask whether your bank participates in the federal Automated Enrollment process.
SSI recipients should follow SSA’s separate instructions because their online direct-deposit options differ.
Whatever method you use, double-check your routing and account numbers and avoid closing your old account until you know where your next payment will be deposited.
If a problem with your Social Security disability benefits goes beyond a routine banking update, for example, your SSDI or SSI claim has been denied, your benefits have been stopped, or you are dealing with an appeal, an experienced Social Security disability attorney can help you understand the next steps in your case.
This article provides general information and is not a substitute for individualized legal advice. Social Security procedures can change. Check SSA.gov for current instructions before changing payment information.
