You started a new job, signed up for Social Security, or filed for unemployment, and now you need your money to land in your bank account instead of arriving as a paper check. Direct deposit handles that automatically, but the exact place you enter your bank details depends entirely on who is paying you.
The fastest setup is usually whichever portal you already log into: your employer's payroll site, your bank's app, or your benefits agency's account. In every case you need the same three things ready: your bank's nine-digit routing (ABA) number, your account number, and your account type (checking or savings).
This guide walks through each surface in order of how quickly most people can finish, from employer paychecks to federal benefits, VA, IRS refunds, and state unemployment. Find your payment source below and follow the exact path.
Gather Your Bank Details First
Before you open any portal, locate your routing and account numbers. The reliable source is a physical check; most bank apps and websites also display them in account details.
If an employer asks for verification, attach a voided check, not a deposit slip. Deposit slips can carry a different routing number and cause failed deposits. You will also need to know whether the account is checking or savings.
Add Direct Deposit in Your ADP Employee Portal
If your employer uses ADP and offers self-service, this is the quickest paycheck route. Log in at workforcenow.adp.com and click Myself in the navigation bar.
- 1.Under the Pay section, select Payment Options.
- 2.Click + Add Bank Account.
- 3.Enter your routing number and click Next.
- 4.Enter your account number and click Next.
- 5.Select Savings or Checking.
- 6.Specify a dollar amount or percentage to deposit into this account.
- 7.Toggle the slide buttons to confirm you double-checked the account number and agree to the terms.
- 8.Click Add to finish.
Expect to receive paper checks for one pay period until the deposit takes effect. The exact menu path can differ across ADP products (RUN, Workforce Now, Portal).
Generate a Prefilled Form From Your Bank (Chase or Bank of America)
If your employer has no online portal, your bank can hand you a completed form to give payroll. This saves you from copying numbers by hand.
Chase Mobile app or chase.com: Sign in and choose your checking account. Go to Account services (scroll up to find it in the app; use the drop-down menu on the website), then choose Set up direct deposit form. Download, print, or email the prefilled form to your employer. You can instead pick Download the form (PDF) and fill it in yourself. The form needs your employer's name and address, your Employee ID or account number with the depositor, your account number, and your routing number.
Bank of America Online Banking or Mobile app: In Online Banking, log in and download a prefilled direct deposit form, complete it with your account and ABA routing numbers plus your employer's name and address, then give it to payroll. In the Mobile Banking app, tap the Erica icon and request to Download a prefilled direct deposit form, then complete and submit it. Note that direct deposit is not available for SafeBalance Banking for Family Banking accounts.
Complete a Paper Authorization Form for Your Employer
When neither a portal nor a bank form fits, your employer's payroll office can supply a direct deposit authorization form. Fill in your bank name, account type, account number, and routing (ABA/transit) number, then sign it.
Attach a voided check if requested and return it to payroll. In most states, employers can set up direct deposit only after securing your agreement; they cannot force it.
Update Direct Deposit in Your my Social Security Account
For Social Security or SSI, the online account is the self-service route. Create or sign in to your personal account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. You must be 18 or older, have an SSN, a U.S. mailing address, and a valid email.
- 1.Select the blue Benefits & Payment Details link on the right side of the screen.
- 2.Scroll down and select the Update Direct Deposit button.
- 3.Choose whether you are the owner or co-owner of the bank account.
- 4.Enter your routing transit number, account type, and account number, then select Next.
- 5.Review and verify the banking information, select Submit, then select Done.
Have your Social Security claim number ready. A bank can also push your details to SSA through the Automated Enrollment (ENR) process, with no call or visit on your part.
Enroll Federal Benefits Through Treasury Go Direct
Banks generally cannot enroll federal benefit payments through their normal digital direct-deposit flow, so use the U.S. Treasury instead. You have several options.
- By phone: call the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center at 1-877-874-6347 to enroll in direct deposit, or to request a Direct Express Debit Mastercard if you have no bank account.
- By mail: download, print, and complete FS Form 1200 and mail it to Go Direct Processing Center, U.S. Department of the Treasury, P.O. Box 650527, Dallas TX 75265-0527.
- Online: enroll at godirect.gov.
- Direct Express hotline: 1-800-333-1795.
- Social Security line: 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778).
If you have no bank account, the Direct Express Debit Mastercard lets you receive benefits without one.
Change VA Direct Deposit in Your VA.gov Profile
For VA payments, sign in to your VA.gov profile with a verified sign-in. You can update direct deposit online for disability compensation, pension, or education benefit payments by providing your bank account number and routing number.
For anything outside those three benefit types, or if you lack internet access, use one of these alternatives:
- Phone: call VA benefits (TTY 711), available 24/7; standard hours are Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET. A separate line handles international direct deposit (Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET).
- In person: visit your nearest VA regional office using the VA location finder.
- By mail: complete the Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form (VA Form SF-1199a).
Set Direct Deposit for Your IRS Tax Refund
You choose direct deposit when you file, not in a separate portal. If you e-file, select direct deposit as your refund method in your tax software and type in the account number and routing number.
On a paper return, enter the routing and account numbers in the refund section, or use Form 8888, Allocation of Refund, to split the refund across one or more accounts at a U.S. bank, mutual fund, brokerage firm, or credit union. Deposit only into an account in your own name, your spouse's name, or a joint account in both names. No more than three electronic refunds can be deposited into a single account or prepaid debit card.
Enroll Unemployment Direct Deposit in Your State Portal
Unemployment is handled by your state agency, so the path depends on where you filed. Have your routing number, account number, and account type ready from a check.
Illinois (IDES): Sign in at benefits.ides.illinois.gov. Hover over the Individual Home tab and select Enroll in Direct Deposit/Edit My Direct Deposit. Complete the Direct Deposit Security Questions page and click CONTINUE, then click CONTINUE again. You are redirected to NoCheck.com; select Change Payment Method, choose Direct Deposit from the dropdown, and enter your routing and account information (the bank name auto-populates). Verify your identity with your Driver's License Number or State ID, then click CONFIRM. Allow up to 24 hours for the account info to update.
California (myEDD): For unemployment, log in to myEDD and select UI Online > Register or Manage > Profile, find Benefit Payment Option, select Update Your Payment Option, choose Direct Deposit, click Save, enter banking details, accept terms, and click Submit. For disability and paid family leave, log in to myEDD and select SDI Online > Profile, find Benefit Payment Option, select Edit Payment Option, and follow the same Direct Deposit flow.
Texas (TWC): Log in to Unemployment Benefits Services and select Payment Option from the Quick Links menu. New claimants (the default is debit card) select No to reach the Change Payment Option screen; returning claimants select Yes. Enter your nine-digit routing number, account number, and account type using a check rather than a deposit slip. You can also call Tele-Serv at 800-558-8321, option 5.
New York (NY DOL): Log in with your NY.gov ID, click Unemployment Services, click Update Your Personal Information, then Update/Register for Direct Deposit, and enter your routing number, account number, and account type.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long before direct deposit actually starts? Expect a delay. Chase says it usually takes up to two pay cycles. ADP says you will still receive paper checks for one pay period. Treasury Go Direct says federal benefits take one to two payment cycles, so you may get paper checks in the meantime.
Should I give my employer a voided check or a deposit slip? A voided check. Deposit slips can contain a different routing number, which causes failed deposits. Use the check when entering details for state unemployment too.
Can I split my IRS refund across more than one account? Yes. Use Form 8888, Allocation of Refund, to send it to accounts at a U.S. bank, mutual fund, brokerage firm, or credit union. Remember that no more than three electronic refunds can go into a single account or prepaid debit card, and the account must be in your name, your spouse's name, or a joint account.
I have no bank account but receive federal benefits. What are my options? Request the Direct Express Debit Mastercard, which lets you receive federal benefits without a bank account. The hotline is 1-800-333-1795, and you can also request the card when enrolling by phone at 1-877-874-6347.
My California direct deposit failed. What happens? EDD reverts you to a debit card or check, and you must re-enroll with corrected information to use direct deposit again. Successful deposits appear as 'UI Deposit' or 'DI Deposit' and usually post within three days of eligibility.
Why does Texas keep paying me by paper check after I enrolled? TWC takes up to eight days to verify your bank account, and payment requests made during that window are paid by warrant (paper check). After verification, expect payment within two business days after TWC processes a request. If you used direct deposit on a past claim, TWC reuses that old account, so update it if it has closed or changed.
