Bill Pay 101

Q: How do I register for electronic bill payment?
A: Bill Payment registration is easy!

The first time you attempt to access the bill payment section of Internet Banking, you will be prompted to begin online registration. You are first requested to read and accept the authorization disclosure. If you don't accept the disclosure terms, you will not be able to use Bill Payment.

Once the disclosure is agreed to, you complete the online registration form. The registration form is then forwarded us for review. We are responsible for checking the information on the form and approving your application. Once you are ready to use Bill Pay, you will receive an email. Access to bill payment does not require a separate logon. Simply log into your online account and click on the "Bill Pay" button to add payees and schedule payments.

Q: Are there any requirements to keep my Online Bill Pay and Presentment account?
A: Since the bill pay is accessed through the online banking, online banking access is required. Other than that, we only require that you use your bill pay and presentment at least once every three (3) months. Additionally, we reserve the right to cancel your bill pay account access if we suspect your account has been compromised or misused. If you want to cancel the service at any time, please contact us.

Q: When can I start using electronic bill payment?
A: You can begin bill payment once you have received an email from us (usually the next business day) that tells you that you're set!

Q: How does bill payment work?
A: To help you understand the process, we have provided a diagram.

Q: Can I schedule regular automatic payments?
A: Yes. You can schedule weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly, bi-monthly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, and annual recurring payments for the same amount. The final payment of a recurring payment is designated by a 'Final Payment Date.'

Q: How does a payee get paid through bill pay?
A: Payees are paid one of two ways: by check or an electronic credit. If the payee is paid by check, the funds are debited from your account on the day you specify and the check is then mailed. However, a payee may also be paid electronically.

Q: How can I tell if a payee will be paid with a check or electronically?
A: The Bill Pay service will try to pay through electronic means if it's possible, otherwise it will be paid with a check. For both electronic and check payments, the amount will be debited from your account before being sent. The payment may initially start as a check, but later may become available for electronic payment if it later becomes possible. If a payment is paid by check, the payment is guaranteed to reach the payee in 5 days; however, if it's paid electronically, the payment will only take 3 business days.

Q: What do the checks look like?
A: Here is a sample check that will be mailed to your payee:


Q: How long does it take for my bill to be paid?
A: When you enter a payment, the process starts on the "send date" that you enter on the payments screen. On the following day, the payment is withdrawn from your account and sent to the payee. Depending on the method the payment is sent, it will take a few days to reach the payee. If the payment is scheduled to be paid by a check, allow 5 business days. Or if it is by an electronic debit, allow 3 business days. See the diagram below for the bill payment timeline.
Bill Pay Timeline
The payment may be received sooner than the recommended time, however, you will be responsible for any late charges you may incur if you don't allow the recommended time period.

Q: When I add a new payee to my bill payment account, or change my account number, how quickly will the change take place?
A: When you update the information for the bill payment account, the changes are implemented virtually instantaneously.

Q: Can I receive a summary of my bill payments sorted by category or payee?
A: Yes! Simply categorize your payees within the payee detail screen. Then you can create custom reports that will allow you to summarize by the categories.

Q: Can I use electronic bill payment with all my accounts?
A: You can use any checking account for bill payment funding accounts. If you want to add a checking account to the bill pay, please contact us. Savings accounts cannot be used with the bill pay at this time.

Q: Can I specify which account my payment comes out of?
A: Yes. Inside the "Profile" section of the bill pay, you will see a listing of all your accounts you can use with the online bill pay. The "Primary" account is the default account that will be debited unless you specify to come out of another account. When making manual payments, you can select which account you want to pay from with the drop-down menu. However, for automatic and reoccurring payments you will have to specify which account is funding the payment within the payee details screen. If you want to add a bill pay funding account, contact us.

Q: When is bill payment available?
A: You can schedule payments 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, the payments will only be paid on processing days (no holidays or weekends).

Q: Are my bill payment transactions reflected as Internet Banking transactions?
A: All bill payment transactions become part of the Internet Banking transaction history and show up within online banking, your statement, and any files exported into your financial software.

Q: What do Online Bill Pay transactions look like on my statement?
A:Here is an example of what each bill pay transaction will look like on your statement:

01-02 150.00 DISCOVER CARD SE
BILL PAYMT PPD
PC123456789
Q: How do I add new payees?
A: You can add payees by accessing the "Add Payee" screen. New payees will be added to the payee list immediately.

Q: Can bill payment be used when I am out of the country?
A: Bill payment provides you with peace of mind when you are traveling for an extended period of time. All you need is access to the Internet with a secure browser and you can see and pay your bills while out of the country. Payees must be located within the 50 United States and Territories.

Q: Who can be paid using the bill payment system?
A: Anyone in the 50 United States and territories who can accept a check can be paid using the bill payment system. You can pay practically anyone - charge accounts, utilities, auto loans, professionals, even a lawn service or a relative. However, tax payments (such as federal, state and local) and court directed payments (such as alimony and child support) cannot be processed through our online bill payment system.

Q: Can I pay my bills on the weekend?
A: You can set up your payments during the weekend. However, the system will prohibit you from scheduling a single payment and the first of a recurring payment on the same weekend. This is because payments scheduled for the weekend are always processed on the Friday before. Therefore, when scheduling payments on a weekend, the first day for which you can schedule payments (single or recurring) is the first business day following the weekend.

Generally, single or recurring payments that fall on a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday are processed on the previous business day and are debited from your account within two business days. If a bank holiday falls on either a Friday or Monday, the debit will occur within three days.

Q: If I schedule multiple bill payments for a single day, how will my account be debited -- as a lump sum or separately?
A: Each bill payment is debited from your account separately.

Q: What if I do not have sufficient funds on the day my account is debited?
A: Following is a summary of our Bill Pay Insufficient Funds procedure: Q: Are all debits and credits sent out at the same time?
A: Yes, they are all sent out at the same time.

Q: How is my account debited for online bill payments?
A: Your account is debited via ACH.

Q: What is ACH?
A: ACH stands for "Automated Clearing House". It simply means that a transaction was processed completely electronically.

Q: If I make an error in selecting an electronic payee and it results in a late fee, am I responsible for the charges?
A: If you select an electronic payee with an address that is different from that indicated on the payment coupon, then you are responsible for the late fee. You always have the option to manually enter a different address for a payee.

If you select an electronic payee with the address that matches that indicated on the payment coupon, you allowed the 3 days for an electronic payment or 5 business days for a check payment, or the payment was routed incorrectly, then our bill pay provider will take responsibility for the late fee.

Q: How do I place a 'stop payment' on a bill payment?
A: A payment may be edited or deleted anytime before the "process date." Payments that are processed electronically cannot be stopped. However, on a bill payment paid by check, a stop pay can be placed anytime before the item is cashed or deposited. To place a stop payment on a bill payment, please call 1.866.657.1804.