American Express, Wal-Mart expand Bluebird program

New York -- American Express and Wal-Mart Stores announced Tuesday that they are expanding their reloadable prepaid card program, Bluebird, to include direct-deposit capabilities for government checks.



The Bluebird accounts will now be eligible for FDIC insurance, which will allow Bluebird customers to have their Social Security checks, military pay and other government benefit checks deposited directly into their accounts. The change eliminates delays for those who previously had to wait for their checks to clear. (Federal agencies are not allowed to wire money to accounts that aren’t protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.).



“Since launching Bluebird, we have been listening to our customers’ feedback and working hard to expand its features and services,” said Daniel Eckert, VP financial services for Walmart U.S. “Bluebird is helping customers streamline everyday money management without the frustration of navigating complicated dos and don’ts just to avoid fees. The enhancements we’re announcing today make Bluebird a great option for our active duty military personnel, government employees and other customers helping them take greater control of their everyday finances.”