U.S. Social Security: Physical Address Now Required

The MCK’s Client Based Services is offering an update to an earlier report regarding community members who have been receiving notices concerning their U.S. Social Security Benefits. ‘CBS’ now saying that anyone who receives U.S. Social Security benefits and who have been receiving notification letters from the U.S. Social Security Administration that they should expect an upcoming change to regular benefit payments. The letters are notifying beneficiaries that payments to Canadian bank accounts associated with a Post Office Box and not a physical address can no longer be processed by direct deposit. According to Social Security’s new process, these payments must now be processed by cheque and mailed out to beneficiaries. Lindsay Leborgne from the Mohawk Council of Kahnàwake saying this situation is not unique to Kahnàwake:

“The woman at the Social Security Administration said that there a lot of very small towns in the U.S. that also don’t have regular house delivery, they use post office boxes. So, apparently this is the system that everyone is going to be using so we’re going to have to adopt the same thing. So, remember whatever your Post Office box is, you write your post office number, don’t put ‘P.O. box’ though, your number and ‘River Road’ Kahnàwake, Quebec, J0L 1B0 and it’ll be delivered to their box.”

To ensure there are no delays to receiving benefits, it is being recommended anyone affected confirm their mailing address by contacting the U.S. Social Security Administration’s regional office in Burlington, Vermont at 1-877-840-5776 on or before March 23^rd. Client Based Services saying that although some individuals have been able to speak to a representative fairly quickly, there have been delays of upwards of 30-minutes for others so patience will be required. For questions or further assistance, please contact the MCK’s Client Based Services at 450-638-0500.