Social Security direct deposit account change showing old account still - what should I do?
I updated my direct deposit information at my local Social Security office on September 17th, but when I check my MySocialSecurity account online, it's still showing my old bank account number. My October payment is coming up soon and I'm getting worried it will go to the wrong account. Should I try to change it again online or just wait for the in-person change to process through their system? I don't want to confuse things by submitting multiple requests, but I also can't afford to have my payment delayed or sent to my old account that I no longer use. Has anyone dealt with this before? How long does it typically take for direct deposit changes to show up online?
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Jungleboo Soletrain
I had the exact same issue last year. The rep at the SSA office told me it would take 24-48 hours, but it actually took about 7-10 business days for the new account to show up online. Even though the website was still showing my old account, my payment actually went to the new account! Their system updates the payment routing faster than the online portal updates. I'd recommend not making any additional changes online as it might actually delay things further or create confusion in their system.
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Anna Xian
•Thank you for sharing your experience! That's a relief to hear. Did you call to confirm which account it was going to before the payment date, or did you just wait it out?
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Rajan Walker
When you make direct deposit changes in person at an SSA office, it typically takes 7-10 business days for those changes to be fully processed and reflected in the online system. However, the actual payment routing often updates in their internal system before the website shows the change. I would strongly recommend NOT making another change online, as having multiple pending requests can cause delays or even payment errors. If you're concerned, you can call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to confirm that your change request is in the system and which account your upcoming payment will be directed to.
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Anna Xian
•Thank you for this information! I'll resist the urge to make changes online. I've been trying to call that number for days but can't get through to a real person.
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Nadia Zaldivar
same thing happened when i changed mine!!! website showed old account for like 2 weeks but payment still went to new account. dont worry about it
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Anna Xian
•Thanks! That gives me some peace of mind. I just don't want to miss my payment.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
The SSA systems are INCREDIBLY slow to update! This is completely normal though frustrating. Their internal payment system and their web portal are separate systems that don't sync in real-time. I've been dealing with SSA for 14 years (I'm on SSDI) and this happens EVERY TIME anything changes. DO NOT submit another change request - it'll just restart the process and possibly cause your payment to be delayed. The change you made in person WILL be effective for your next payment even if the website doesn't show it yet.
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Anna Xian
•Thank you for explaining this! It's so strange that their systems don't communicate better with each other. I'll leave it alone and trust that the in-person change will work.
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Ev Luca
I would call and double-check because when I changed my direct deposit last year, they made a mistake and my payment went to my old closed account! Had to wait an extra 3 weeks to get my money!
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Anna Xian
•Oh no! That's exactly what I'm worried about. Did you initially change it in person or online?
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Ev Luca
I did it in person at the office but the lady must have typed something wrong. Just make sure to call and verify before payment day!
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Avery Davis
•I tried calling SSA about a direct deposit issue last month and spent 3 days trying to get through! Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - literally saved me hours of frustration. They connect you directly to an SSA agent who can verify which account your payment will go to. Better to check now than deal with a missing payment!
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Collins Angel
The direct deposit change process at SSA has a few quirks that aren't well explained to beneficiaries. When you submit a change in person, it's entered into their payment processing system first. The MySocialSecurity portal pulls data from a different database that updates less frequently. Based on the Sept 17th date, your change should be effective for your next payment even if the website doesn't reflect it yet. If you're concerned, you can request a written confirmation of the change at your local office. They can print out verification showing which account will receive your next payment.
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Anna Xian
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! That makes sense about the different systems. I might stop by the office again to get that written confirmation if I can't get through by phone.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
WAIT!! Whatever you do, DO NOT submit another change online!!! That will override your in-person request and could delay your payment by 30+ days! This happened to my mother and she ended up having to get an emergency payment. The SSA computer systems are ancient and don't talk to each other well. Your change IS in their system even if the website doesn't show it.
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Anna Xian
•Thank you for the warning! I definitely won't make any changes online. It's frustrating that they don't explain these details when you submit changes in person.
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Nadia Zaldivar
btw my sister works for social security and she says this happens ALL THE TIME. the website updating slow is normal, but your money will go to right place
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Anna Xian
•That's really reassuring - thank you! Glad to hear from someone with inside knowledge that this is normal.
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