With Direct Deposit, It Takes Three Months to Change Checking Accounts!

[aruzinsky]

Social Security directs deposits money into my checking account.  I opened a new checking account with the intention of closing the old account as soon as all of the old checks cleared.  I went online to tell Social Security to deposit my money into the new account.  Social Security told me that the change won't take effect for three months.  That's unreasonable because my old checking account has a $6000 minimum balance that I can't use until I close the account. 

 If you pay attention, you see gross government inefficiency everyday in your personal life.

[aruzinsky]

Summary and Conclusion:

1. On 7/2/21 I told SS to deposit my benefits into a new checking account. See Email:

2. On 9/1/21, SS sent me a letter with the lie, "As you requested on or about August 25, 2021 we changed your direct deposit information." See letter:

3. On 9/20/21, I received my first SS deposit into my new checking account.

[GailL1]

So it took some SS remote-worker almost TWO whole months to initiate your request (from 07/02 to 08/25) - I would blame this on the remote working method as compared to being inside an office where oversite is given in productivity.

Wonder when the Social Security Administration is gonna go back to face-to-face at the local offices??   Or has covid introduced a new way of working for these government employees?

I haven't seen or heard about any re-opening of these offices yet and I think the rest of them are still off-site working from what I hear about people trying to get things fixed or corrected over the phone.

[WebWiseWoman]

I so understand your frustration! I have changed accounts twice since 2005, most recently 2018.

First, I was unable to change via the online option so had to call in. After each call I was advised, depending on each bank's policies, it would take from one to three months.

Both times, the second deposit following my call went through to the new account (meaning approximately 40 days - 1 month banking-cycle +/-)

btw, when I was employed, it was the same amount of time to transfer those direct deposits to another bank...

Be patient and please update us when the change has taken effect so we know what's working and what isn't?

Thank you in advance!

#StaySafe