May is Older Americans Month
Markell Encourages Delawareans To Go Direct! To Safeguard Money, Identities
May is Older Americans Month, and Delaware State Treasurer Jack Markell urges seniors who receive Social Security and federal benefit recipients to safeguard their money and identities by switching to direct deposit today.
"Senior citizens should be enjoying the best of their lives, not worrying about paper checks," State Treasurer Markell said. "Switching to direct deposit will give Delaware's wonderful senior population peace of mind. They will not have to worry about the checks being stolen or lost in the mail and will not have to stand in line at the bank waiting to make a deposit."
Paper checks make up only 20 percent of the total number of Social Security payments, but they account for more than 90 percent of reported problems. According to the United States Treasury, in fiscal year 2007, for example, nearly 60,000 Treasury-issued checks were forged -- totaling an estimated $56 million in federal dollars.
The Delaware Go Direct! Campaign, which is a partnership between the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Federal Reserve Banks, and the Delaware Office of the State Treasurer is an outreach program designed to encourage seniors, people with disabilities and others who receive Social Security and other federal benefits to make the switch to direct deposit.
"The bottom line is that direct deposit is the safest and most cost-effective way for Delawareans to receive their benefits," Mr. Markell said. "And direct deposit isn't just safer, it also gives senior citizens greater control for over their money and easier access to their funds."
To learn more about how Go Direct! can protect your finances, please visit the State Treasurer's website at www.Treasurer.Delaware.gov or call: 302/672-6700.
###
