Paper checks will be abolished for all federal benefits, including Social Security, eventually, but people who currently receive checks will have some extra time to adjust to the new rules. Individuals who apply for Social Security, Veterans Affairs or other federal benefits on or after May 1, 2011, will have to select an electronic payment method -- either a debit card that will be reloaded each month or direct deposit to a bank account. The direct deposit option, which is safer than a check and involves no fees, is the best option for most people. But current beneficiaries who receive...