Fiscal Service December 22, 2010 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of the Treasury (Treasury), Financial Management Service (FMS), is amending its regulation to require recipients of Federal nontax payments to receive payment by electronic funds transfer (EFT), effective May 1, 2011. The effective date is delayed until March 1, 2013, for individuals receiving Federal payments by check on May 1, 2011; and for individuals who file claims for Federal benefits before May 1, 2011, and request check payments when they file. Individuals who do not choose direct deposit of their payments to an account at a financial institution would be enrolled in the Direct Express[supreg] Debit MasterCard[supreg] card program, a prepaid card program established pursuant to terms and conditions approved by FMS. Treasury waives the EFT requirement for recipients born prior to May 1, 1921, who are receiving payments by paper check on March 1, 2013; for payments not eligible for deposit to a Direct Express[supreg] prepaid card account; and for recipients whose Direct Express[supreg] card has been suspended or cancelled. In addition, this rule establishes the criteria under which a payment recipient may request a waiver if the EFT requirement creates a hardship due to his or her mental impairment or remote geographic location.