The Social Security Administration today announced that Fifth Third Bank is the new financial agent for the Direct Express® program, replacing Comerica Bank. The announcement from SSA Chief Communications Officer Nick Perrine notes that “New enrollments with Fifth Third Bank will begin in May 2026, and the transition for existing customers will start in Summer 2026. Beneficiaries will receive advance notice and new debit cards from Fifth Third Bank.”
The announcement stressed the importance of beneficiaries keeping their contact information up to date to ensure they receive all communications and provided a direct link for any questions about the Direct Express® program or the transition.
A Glance at Direct Express®
Direct Express® was first launched in May, 2008, and has served as a safe and reliable electronic alternative to receiving paper checks for Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Veterans benefits. The debit card is currently used by approximately 3.4 million Americans, most of whom do not have bank accounts and cannot accept paper checks. An estimated 57% of Direct Express® recipients have no income other than their government benefits.
About 49% of Direct Express®cardholders are SSI recipients, while 48% are Social Security recipients. The remainder receive Veterans benefits (2%), with all other federal payments paid to 1% of cardholders.
The link provided above connects readers to the full content of the posted article. The URL (Internet address) for this link is valid on the posted date; socialsecurityreport.org cannot guarantee the duration of the link’s validity. Also, the opinions expressed in these postings are the viewpoints of the original source and are not explicitly endorsed by AMAC, Inc.; the AMAC Foundation, Inc.; or socialsecurityreport.org.
Thanks for explaining this–I had never heard of Direct Express so good to know more about that program, how it works, and what % are using it for what purpose..