Frequently Asked Bill Pay Questions

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

Q: How much does Bill Pay cost?
A: Bill Pay is a FREE service.

Q: How do I sign up for Bill Pay?
A: 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. Failure to accept the disclosure terms prevents the registration process from proceeding.  After you have read and accepted the authoriztion follow these steps:

      1.  Sign into Online Banking

      2.  Click on the "Bill Pay" tab

      3.  Click "Sign up for Bill Pay"

      4.  Fill in requested information

      5.  Click "Continue"

After your application is submitted, you may begin using the Bill Payment service.

Q:  How do I make Bill Payments?
A:   You must add "Payees" to your account information before
      you can schedule any payments. 

     To add a payee:

     1.  Sign into Online Banking

     2.  Select the "Bill Pay" tab

     3.  Choose "Payees" and then "Add Payee"

     4.  Enter the appropriate information
          ( Be sure to select a payment category-you can create reports to view your
          bill pay activity by category!) 

     5.  When you are finished select "Add Payee."

     6.  You may be asked if you would like to set up an e-bill for this payee.
         (This is possible if you have an online account with this payee.)

          To sign up for e-bills enter your User Name, Password and choose your
          billing frequency.  Then select "Continue."  If you do not wish to receive
          an e-bill, simply check the box indicating your choice at the bottom of 
          the page and then select "Continue."

    To make a payment:

    1.  Select "Payments"

    2.  Select "Make Payments"

    3.  Enter the amount you would like to pay

    4.  Select the payment date

    5.  Choose "Make Payments" at the bottom of the page

    6.  Write the payment information in your checkbook register

You can check back to confirm that your payments have been processed or to see what's pending.  Your Payee Information will be saved.  The next time you pay a bill, you'll only enter the payment amount and the date.

Q: Is it possible to schedule recurring payments?
A: Yes. You can schedule weekly, semi-monthly and monthly recurring payments. The final payment of a recurring payment scheme is designated by a 'Final Payment Date.'

To schedule recurring payments follow these steps:

     1.  Select "Bill Pay" tab after you have signed in to Online Banking.

     2.  Click on "Payees."

     3.  Double click on "Payee Name."

     4.  Scroll down to payment options.

     5.  Fill in appropriate information.

     6.  Click on "Save Changes."

Q: When I add a new payee to my bill payment account, or change the account number of an existing Bill Pay Payee, how quickly will the change take place?
A: Once the payee information has been added/updated on the bill payment account, the change is implemented almost instantly.

Q: Can I use Bill Pay with all my accounts?
A: No, only checking accounts can be used for bill payment purposes.

Q: When can I start using electronic bill payment?
A: You can begin bill payment once you have been approved and set up to use the service.

Q: When is bill payment available?
A: You may schedule payments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except when our Bill Payment vendor Metavante is performing weekly maintenance Sunday mornings between 1:30am and 4:00am PST. However, payments are not processed on weekends and holidays.

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 in personal financial management applications when the transaction history is downloaded.

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 pay you bills while out of the country. Payees must be located within the 50 United States and Territories.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of bill payment accounts I can set-up?
A: No, you can add additional Funding Accounts for your Bill Pay. Please send a request using our Secure Email form located under Contact Us to do so.

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 following business day. 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 following 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 to five 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 separately.

Q: What if I do not have sufficient funds on the day the bill payment provider debits my account?
A: Following is a summary of Metavante's Insufficient Funds procedure:

• A block will automatically be placed on all accounts that have an ACH debit returned to bill payment services. If you have multiple funding accounts, please be aware that they will all be blocked. No additional bill payments will be processed until the account is properly funded and the return(s) cleared. You will receive a message stating that you have insufficient funds. 
• Please be aware of the following once the return(s) is cleared and the block is lifted:
• Recurring payments are reinstated. Future dated recurring payments will be processed. However, any instances of the recurring payment that occurred during the blocked period are not re-sent and remain cancelled.
• Single payments, even if scheduled to be processed for a date well into the future, remain cancelled and you will have to reschedule them if you want them to be paid.

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?
A: Your account is debited via ACH.

Q: What is ACH?
A: Automated Clearing House is a funds transfer system which provides for the interbank clearing of electronic entries for participating financial institutions.

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, and Metavante routes the payment incorrectly, then Metavante 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 have been remitted electronically cannot be stopped.

Q:  Who do I contact if I have a question about the status of a bill payment?
A:  Please call a Member Service Representative at 1-800-562-7328 or 1-781-878-0232 during regular business hours and we will help with finding a solution for you.

Q: Can I get a copy of an ACH Bill Payment?
A: You are unable to obtain a copy of payments made electronically, however, you may contact the Members Service Center at 781-878-0232 or 800-562-7328 to obtain other forms of proof of payment.

Q: Can I get a copy of a Bill Payment check?
A: Yes, at this time there is not a fee to obtain a copy of a check that was sent as a bill payment.  You may do so by calling  the Member Service Center at 781-878-0232 or 800-562-7328.