Q: How does bill payment work?
A: To help you understand the process, we have provided a diagram.
Q: Is it possible to schedule recurring payments?
A: Yes. You can schedule weekly, semi-monthly and monthly recurring payments. A ‘Final Payment Date’ designates the final payment of a recurring payment scheme.
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. Failure to accept the disclosure terms prevents the registration process from proceeding.
Once the disclosure is agreed to, you complete the online registration form. The registration form is then forwarded to us for review. We are responsible for checking the information on the form and for assigning you a payment plan. The registration information is then transmitted to M&I Data Services, our bill payment providers, for their approval process. After M&I approves the application, they send an acceptance 'welcome letter' to you via regular mail. You should receive the welcome letter within 8-10 business days. The welcome letter contains a temporary Account ID. Approximately two business days later, a separate letter containing a Personal Security Code is delivered. The Account ID and Personal Security Code are only used to allow access to the bill payment feature the first time. After that, access to bill payment does not require a separate logon.
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 an annual summary of my bill payments sorted by category or payee?
A: Not at this time.
Q: Can I use electronic bill payment 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 received both your Account ID and your Personal Security Code. These items are required for the initial bill payment logon screen.
Q: When is bill payment available?
A: You can schedule payments 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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: 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 pay your 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: Yes, you are limited to one bill payment account.
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 separately.
Q: What if I do not have sufficient funds on the day M&I Data Services, our bill payment providers, debits my account?
A: Following is a summary of M&I Data Service's Insufficient Funds procedure:
- A block will automatically be placed on all accounts that have an ACH debit returned to bill payment services. No additional bill payments will be processed until the account is properly funded and the return(s) cleared. If a payment request is received while the account is blocked, a letter will be sent notifying you that the payment(s) will not be processed. A copy will also be sent to the Financial Institution.
- Upon the first return, M&I Data Services will automatically re-send all ACH returns under $100.00. Exception: debits for payments in which the credit portion was sent electronically will be resent regardless of the dollar amount without financial institution verification.
- M&I Data Services will contact the financial institution to verify all returns exceeding $100.00. If funds are available, they will re-send the return(s). If funds are unavailable and if the payment was made by check, a stop payment will be placed.
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 M&I routes the payment incorrectly, then M&I data services 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.
