The paper Social Security check will go the way of the Pink Princess rotary-dial phone, the typewriter and yes, sadly, Elvis in roughly seven months. Nearly 6 million people throughout the country still need to decide how they’re going to get their money.

People can sign up for direct deposit to a bank or credit union account; or they could opt to have money deposited electronically via the Direct Express Debit MasterCard.

But if they end up with the government-issued debit card, they must watch where they withdraw that money to avoid getting hit by a string of fees. Hint: It could cost you more than you’d imagine by going to an ATM at some huge national banks.

Not surprisingly, the Treasury is touting the popularity of its Direct Express debit card, launched four years ago. The card is an option for receiving Social Security benefits, especially for those who don’t have regular bank accounts for direct deposit.

A study released last week showed that 95 percent of cardholders are satisfied with the Direct Express card. About 93 percent would recommend the card to someone else. More than 2 million active cardholders receive Social Security retirement benefits and Supplemental Security Income benefits, as well as other benefits.

Thankfully, the government’s debit card does not have the outrageous fees of other prepaid debit-card plastic that you might pick up off the shelf at the store.

But it doesn’t mean consumers are completely off the hook.

One free ATM withdrawal is allowed each month on the Direct Express Debit MasterCard. Additional ATM withdrawals are 90 cents.

To get one free ATM withdrawal, consumers must go to one of about 60,000 ATMs in the network. That network includes ATMs at Comerica Bank, Charter One, PNC Bank, Privileged Status, Alliance One, the MasterCard ATM Alliance and MoneyPass.

Plenty of bank names, though, aren’t in the network. And it could cost up to $3 or so a pop to get access to your Social Security money at some ATMs — no free withdrawals — if you go out of the network.

At Chase, for example, it costs $3 for a noncustomer withdrawal from a Chase ATM. The $3 fee is the same at Bank of America for non-customers to use ATMs in its banking centers.

Walt Henderson, director of the electronic funds transfer strategy division for the U.S. Treasury, said Treasury is looking for opportunities to expand the network.

An ATM locator is at the bottom of www.usdirectexpress.com, where cardholders can locate the surcharge-free ATMs by ZIP code.

Plus, consumers can use the card for purchases and get cash back for free at many stores.

Bottom line: Watch for the ways to get access to the money without paying extra fees.

The U.S. Treasury has a push now to get people who receive paper checks to make a change before March 1, when paper checks will stop.

A very limited group of retirees age 90 and older would still be able to receive a paper check as part of a waiver.

Baby-boomer retirees and others who sign up for Social Security benefits now already are forced to deal with a no-paper mandate; they must use direct deposit or receive Social Security benefits via the debit card.

Henderson said the Treasury is encouraged that more people are listening to the message and making a switch already.

Now about 6 million paper checks are sent to federal benefits recipients, or 9 percent of total monthly payments. That’s down from 11 million checks, or 16 percent of total monthly payments in early 2010.

Stay card-fee free

Strategies to avoid fees with the federal Direct Express Debit

MasterCard:

• There’s no credit check, no minimum balance required or any

up-front charge to sign up or monthly fee for the Direct Express

debit card for Social Security benefits.

• A consumer with the Direct Express card could go to any bank

or credit union that displays the MasterCard acceptance mark and

get cash from a teller — not an ATM — free of charge.

In general, many people would not want to withdraw all their

money from the card at the teller for safety reasons, such as the

risk of having the money stolen. Money on the card is protected,

even if the card is stolen.

• Bill pay is free when you go to a biller’s website, such as Verizon

or a utility company, and use the card to pay a bill.

• There is a $1.50 fee to transfer money from the card to a

personal bank account.

• There’s a 3 percent fee to buy items outside of the U.S.

• There’s a 75-cent monthly fee to get a paper statement. Go

online to get account information at www.usdirectexpress.com or

use the toll-free phone service, 800-333-1795.

• One free replacement of the card is allowed each year. After that,

there is a $4 fee to replace the card.