About the Direct Express® Card
The Direct Express® Debit MasterCard® card – issued by Dallas-based Comerica Bank as the Treasury Department’s financial agent – is a prepaid debit card and electronic payment option for federal benefits. Launched in the spring of 2008, the card is a Treasury-recommended, safe, convenient alternative to paper checks.
There are no sign-up fees, monthly fees or overdraft charges. No bank account or credit check is required to enroll. Cardholders can make purchases, pay bills and get cash at thousands of ATMs and retail locations. Some fees for optional services may apply. For more information on card fees and features, see the Direct Express® card brochure.
FAST FACTS
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No bank account is required to sign up for the card. There is no credit check or minimum balance requirement.
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Most services are free, such as purchases at retail locations; cash back with purchases; optional notification of deposits to the card by phone, email or text message; and optional low balance alert when the account balance falls below a certain level. See the card fee table for more details.
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The Direct Express® card is convenient. Federal benefit money is deposited to a Direct Express® card account each month on the cardholder’s payment day.
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Cardholders may make purchases and pay bills anywhere Debit MasterCard® is accepted. They can also get cash at thousands of retail locations, banks, credit unions and ATMs.
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Funds on the Direct Express® card are FDIC-insured (up to the legal limit), and the card account is protected by a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for ATM withdrawals and at retail locations.
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It’s fast, easy and free to sign up for the card. People who receive Social Security, VA, SSI, Railroad Retirement or Black Lung benefits, or their representative payees, can sign up by calling (800) 333-1795 or online. New federal benefit applicants can sign up for the card at the time they apply for federal benefits.
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To make purchases, cardholders should present their card when paying at any location that accepts MasterCard® debit cards. The money is automatically deducted from the account.
Card Services and Fees
There are no sign-up, monthly account or overdraft fees. Free services include:
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Purchases at retail locations.
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Cash back with purchases.
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Optional notification of deposits to debit card by phone, email or text message.
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Optional low balance alert when account balance falls below a certain level.
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Access to the website 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Unlimited balance inquiries at ATMs, by phone or online.
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Access to the toll-free customer service number 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Cash withdrawals through bank or credit union tellers.
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One free replacement card per year.
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One free ATM cash withdrawal for each deposit posted to your account each month, provided you use one of the more than 50,000 surcharge-free network ATMs.
Optional services available for a fee include:
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ATM cash withdrawals after free transactions are used in U.S including the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Surcharge by owner may apply. ($0.90 each withdrawal after free transactions are used)
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Monthly paper statement mailed to you. ($0.75 per month)
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Funds transfer to a personal U.S. bank account. ($1.50)
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Card replacement after one free each year. ($4.00 per card after one (1) free each year)
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Expedited delivery of replacement card. ($13.50 each time)
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ATM cash withdrawal outside of U.S. Surcharge by ATM owner may apply. ($3.00 plus 3% of amount withdrawn)
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Purchases at Merchant Locations outside of U.S. (3 percent of purchase amount)
Direct Express® Card Surcharge-Free ATM Network
