It’s official: paper checks are going the way of Blockbuster cards and dial-up internet. In a move that might finally drag federal payments out of the 20th century, President Trump signed an executive order on March 25th to phase out nearly all paper-based payments from the U.S. government by September 30, 2025.

The rationale? Paper checks are a mess – prone to fraud, theft, delays, and the kind of accounting chaos that gives auditors nightmares. According to the feds, those old- school checks are 16 times more likely to vanish or get tampered with than electronic payments. Meanwhile, the infrastructure to handle paper cost taxpayers over $657 million in 2024 alone. That’s a lot of stamps and scanner toner.

Going forward, if you want your tax refund, benefits, or government contract money, you’ll need to hop aboard the electronic train. That includes direct deposit, prepaid cards, digital wallets, and even real-time payment systems – just don’t panic, it’s not a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), the order insists.

Of course, there are a few lifelines for folks still clinging to their checkbooks like they are life preservers on the Titanic. Exceptions will be made for those without access to banking services, for national security ops (James Bond still gets his checks, apparently), and for other “undue hardship” cases.

The plan includes a public awareness campaign to let folks know about the switch – because no one likes finding out their check didn’t arrive in the mail after waiting three weeks and dodging porch pirates.