Retire the Check

April 24^th, 2011-The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced this week that they are retiring paper checks for new recipients of Social Security and other Federal benefits beginning May 1.  The move to electronic payment options is expected to save taxpayers one billion dollars over the next 10 years as an average of 10,000 people a day become eligible for Social Security payments.  For our client contacts at Weber Shandwick Worldwide in Minneapolis representing the Treasury Department, we booked and produced an RMT with the Treasurer of the United States Rosie Rios, and distributed video illustrating the Go Direct program.  Our team, booked some important radio stations and networks for the RMT including Federal News Radio and WTOP in DC, MarketWatch Radio, Money Matters Financial Network, Wall Street Journal Radio, KNX in LA, KGO in SF, WBZ in Boston, and KMOX in St. Louis, among others.  Treasurer Rios said people already receiving paper checks for Federal benefits will have until March 1, 2013 to switch to a direct deposit option.  And she said it costs the government 92-cents for each paper check that is cut and mailed.  The video release has received more than 200 broadcasts and over seven million in audience so far, and we’re expecting more usage as the May 1 deadline approaches.  Watch history happen on Newsinfusion.