With less than two weeks until the March 1, 2013, deadline to pay all federal benefits electronically, the Treasury Department reported today that nearly 96,000 Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) checks are sent each month to benefit recipients in Kentucky.

The Treasury Department is urging Social Security and other federal benefit recipients to not delay and switch now to either direct deposit or the Direct Express® Debit MasterCard® card. Check recipients can sign up for direct deposit or the Direct Express® card by calling toll-free 1-800-333-1795, visiting www.GoDirect.org, or talking to their local federal paying agency office. The process is fast, easy and free.

More information can be found by visiting www.GoDirect.org. Media assets, such as downloadable radio actualities from Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios and other key Treasury officials (WAV and MP3 formats), public service announcements and educational materials, graphic elements and key numbers, are available for download. County- and city-specific check data also are available upon request.