Bill Pay FAQs
Q - How do I register for Bill Pay?
A - Existing Online Banking customers may register for Bill Pay online. A registration form will come up automatically the first time Bill Pay is accessed. If you try to enter Bill Pay during the application-processing period, you will be shown a page requesting that you wait for the acceptance notification.
Q - When can I start using Bill Pay?
A - After enrolling for Bill Pay you will first receive an Approval e-mail. Once your account has been enabled, you will receive an Activation e-mail indicating that you may log on to your Internet Banking session, and begin using Bill Pay.
Q - What frequency of recurring payments is allowed?
A - The frequency of recurring payments can be weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, semi-monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and annually.
Q - How do I find my recurring payments?
A - Recurring payments are viewed by selecting View Payments. To view recurring payments:
- Click the payee name link. A popup screen appears showing the recurring payee name, account number, process date, confirmation number, payment status (i.e., pending-recurring), Payment frequency, and final payment date.
Q - How do I check the status of a payment?
A - Bill Pay tells you the status of your payment on the View Pending and History Payments page in the Status column. Please refer to the Status definitions for more information.
Q - What does payment status mean?
A - Payment Status indicates:
- a payment that is pending,
- a payment that has been sent.
- A single payment that is scheduled to be paid is shown as Pending-Single
- A recurring payment that has not been paid is shown as Pending-Recurring
- A payment that has been paid is shown as Payment Sent
A - To edit pending payments:
- In the View Payments screen, click the checkbox next to the payment to be changed.
- Click on Edit Payments. The Edit Payment screen appears.
- Click the appropriate field and enter the changes.
Note: If the payment is a recurring type payment, the Change Date button will be seen. If the payment is a one-time payment, the Change Date button will not be seen.
- Once the changes are correct, click the Edit Payments button.
Q - What does Estimated Total refer to?
A - The estimated total figure refers to the cumulative total amount for pending payments only. Totaling begins by adding the first payment to the next pending payment (by date), then to the next and so on. The total amount of all pending payments is shown in green. The 'Estimated Total' value assumes no payments will be edited or deleted and payment dates (pending and recurring) will be maintained.
Q - How do I transfer funds?
A - Currently there is no method to transfer funds between accounts using Bill Pay. You may transfer between Newburyport Bank accounts using the Transfer feature in Online Banking.
Q - What description will show on my account history?
A - Account history gives specific information about the payee name, ACH post date and the amount paid, which helps avoid confusion associated with unused check numbers.
Q - How do I view my history payments?
A - Payment history is viewed in the View Payments screen. When first viewed, payments for the past 15 days pending payments for the next 30 days are shown. For additional payment history:
- Enter a new date range using the Next Payment Date Range fields.
- Click on the Next Date Range button.
Q - How far back can I view historical payments?
A - At least six months of payment history can be viewed online. Metavante maintains payment history for up to seven years.
Q - How quickly is Bill Pay updated when a new payee is added or when a payment account number is changed?
A - When you update payee information, the new information is available immediately.
Q - Are annual summaries including amounts paid by category or payee provided?
A - No special reports are included with the Bill Pay service.
Q - Can I use Bill Pay with all my accounts?
A - No, only a single checking account may be used for payments.
Q - When is Bill Pay available?
A - You may schedule payments 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Q - How are Bill Pay transactions reflected on my checking account?
A - All Bill Pay transactions are reflected as an ACH debit on the account statement.
Q - How do I add new payees?
A - You add payees by using the Add Payee page.
Q - How do I search for a payee?
A - To search for a payee:
- Select Payee.
- Click the Search for Payee button.
- Click the General, or VISA or MasterCard entry fields and enter the payee's name or the first 8 digits of the card number, as applicable.
- Click the Search for Payee button.
- If the payee's name is found on the database, click on the checkbox to the left of the Payee's name.
- Click the Select Payee button, the Add Payee screen appears.
- Add the Payee's nickname and account number. The account number may be found on the bill.
- Click the Add button, the Payee will be added to the list of Payees.
Q - Can I sort my list of payees?
A - Payees are automatically sorted then displayed alphabetically starting from the top of the page.
Q - How do I delete a payee?
A - Pending payments must be deleted before a payee can be deleted. To delete a payee:
- Click the View Payments button, the View Payments screen appears.
- In the fields under Next Payment Date Range, enter the "From" and "To" dates for the pending payment.
- Click the Next Date Range button, all pending payments falling between these selected dates will be displayed within the View Payments screen.
- Click the checkbox next to the payment to be deleted.
- Click the Delete Payments button, the payment will be deleted from the view payment summary.
- Click the Payee button.
- Click the checkboxes of the payee to be deleted.
- Click the Delete Payee button, a new screen appears showing payee(s) to be deleted.
- Click the Cancel button to abort and return to the Payee list or;
- Click the Delete button to permanently delete the payee(s) from the payee list. A deleted payee confirmation screen will confirm this payee has been deleted.
Q - How long does it take to add a new payee to a payee list?
A - New payees added using the Add Payee page will be added to the payee list immediately.
Q - How do I change a payee's information?
A - Only the Nickname and Account Number may be edited once a payee is set up. To edit these items:
- Select Payees and your list of payees appear.
- From the Payee list, select the checkbox to the left of each payee to be edited.
- Click the Edit Payees button and information on selected payees appears.
- Fields for Account Number and Nickname contain the current description - edit fields you want to change.
- Click the Submit button and a confirmation page appears with the updated information and a status indicating whether the change was successful or not.
- Clicking the Continue button brings you back to the Payees page where you can confirm the change.
A - If your payee changes names, send the new payee name via E-mail to Metavante. Payee name changes will be updated by Metavante.
Q - Why do I get the Duplicate Payment Warning?
A - Duplicate Payment warnings are caused by scheduling a payment on the same date, for the same amount, and to the same payee. The system will not allow you to schedule duplicate payments.
Q - If I receive an error message while scheduling payments, how can I be sure the payments are actually scheduled?
A - Return to the View Payments screen and verify your payment has been scheduled. From the View Payment screen, you may edit, delete, or re-schedule your payment(s). Make sure that you are viewing the relevant date range.
Q - How do I schedule recurring payments?
A - To schedule recurring payments:
- Click the Schedule Payments button, the Schedule Payments screen appears showing current payees.
- Click the checkbox next to the payee to receive recurring payments.
- Click on the Amount field, then type in the amount of the payment. Do not include a dollar sign or comma.
- Press the Tab key or click the Recurring Date button, the Payment Date screen appears.
- Select the frequency of payment from the appropriate Payment Date drop-down menu.
Note: Entering payment data into any field causes the associated payment type to be selected. For example, selecting Monday from the drop-down box in the weekly field will cause the recurring payment radio button to be selected. Likewise, entering a date into the single payment date field causes the single payment radio button to be selected. This is done to provide visual feedback to the user of what type of payment has been selected.
- In the Final Payment Date field, enter the date of the last recurring payment. Use the Tab key to navigate through the date fields.
- Click the OK button, a Payment Confirmation screen appears indicating payment was successfully scheduled.
Q - How do I skip a recurring payment?
A - Recurring payments cannot be skipped, only deleted.
Q - How do I delete a recurring payment?
A - CAUTION, deleting a recurring payment deletes all pending payments associated with that recurring payment. To delete a payment:
- Click the View Payments button, the View Payments screen appears.
- In the fields under Next Payment Date Range, enter the "From" and "To" dates for the pending payment.
- Click the Next Date Range button, all pending payments falling between these selected dates will be displayed within the View Payments screen.
- Click the checkbox next to the payment to be deleted.
- Click the Delete Payments button, the payment will be deleted from the view payment summary.
- Reschedule the new payment.
Q - What happens if sufficient funds (Non-sufficient funds or NSF) are not available in the account used for Bill Pay?
A - If a 'non-sufficient funds' condition exists, the debit will be returned via banking channels. The ACH return will prompt the system to block your Bill Pay account, preventing you from making more Bill Pays until the NSF condition is resolved. Any future dated recurring payments scheduled for release during the time the account is blocked will not be sent.
Q - Can I use Microsoft Money or Quicken to pay bills?
A - No. Bill Pay does not support Microsoft Money or Quicken.
Q - Can I use Bill Pay internationally?
A - Bill Pay provides you with peace-of-mind when you are traveling for an extended period of time. If you have Internet access with a secure browser, you may pay your bills while out of the country. Payments may only be made to payees within the fifty United States and territories.
Q - Can I use Bill Pay from outside the U.S.?
A - You may pay bills from outside the U.S. if you are using a compatible browser. Payments may only be debited from U.S. bank accounts and may only be made to payees inside the U.S.
Q - Can I pay bills to payees outside the U.S.?
A - No. Payments cannot be made to Payees outside the U.S.
Q - Is there a limit to the number of Bill Pay accounts I can set up?
A - Yes, you are limited to one Bill Pay account.
Q - When are funds debited from my checking account?
A - On the process date, Metavante generates an ACH debit (in the amount of the Bill Pay) to your checking account. Your checking account will be debited within two banking business days.
Q - What do payees actually receive?
A - Electronic payees receive payment information in an electronic format that credits their account. Non-electronic merchants or individual payees receive a laser-printed paper check sent through the U.S. Postal Service.
Q - How do I know which account my Bill Pays are made from?
A - This account was selected during the Bill Pay registration process. If you are not sure what account has been selected, please call the Bank.
Q - When may Bill Pays be scheduled for processing?
A - Metavante processes payments on all days excluding Sundays and Federal Reserve Board recognized holidays. In cases where a payment gets scheduled on a Sunday (this can potentially happen on a recurring payment), the payment is processed on the day before (Saturday). If you happen to be setting up the payment on this particular Saturday, the Bill Pay will be processed on the next banking business day. Also, please note that weekly recurring payments may not be scheduled on Saturdays.
Q - How is the payment deducted from my checking account?
A - The payment is deducted by direct ACH debit.
Q - Are payments made electronically or by check?
A - Payments are made either by paper check or electronically by ACH credit. The method employed on any single payment depends on whether Metavante has established an electronic payment relationship with the payee and they are found on the electronic payee database.
Q - Who can be paid using the Bill Pay user interface?
A - Anyone in the fifty United States and territories who can accept a check, with the exception of tax payments (such as federal, state and local), court-directed payments (such as alimony and child support) and any other government related payments.
Q - Can I pay my bills on the weekend?
A - You may set up your payments during the weekend. However, Bill Pay prohibits you from scheduling a single payment and the first of a recurring payment on the same weekend. This is because payments scheduled for Sunday are processed the day before. Therefore, when scheduling payments on a weekend, the first day you may schedule payments (single payment or the first of a recurring payment) is the first business day following the weekend.
A - The Federal Reserve Board's bank holidays for 2006 are:
- New Year's Day - January 2
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - January 16
- President's Day - February 20
- Memorial Day - May 29
- Independence Day - July 4
- Labor Day - September 4
- Columbus Day - October 9
- Veterans's Day - November 11
- Thanksgiving Day - November 23
- Christmas Day - December 25
Q - What are the Federal Reserve holidays for 2007?
A - The Federal Reserve Board's bank holidays for 2007 are:
- New Year's Day - January 1
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - January 15
- President's Day - February 19
- Memorial Day - May 28
- Independence Day - July 4
- Labor Day - September 3
- Columbus Day - October 8
- Veterans's Day - November 12
- Thanksgiving Day - November 22
- Christmas Day - December 25
Q - What is the lead-time for processing payments?
A - The payee will be in receipt of payment within three (3) banking business days for an electronic payee and five (5) banking business days if the payee is paid by check.
Q - How are multiple Bill Pays within a single day debited?
A - Each Bill Pay is debited separately.
Q - Explain the timing of payment debits and credits.
A - All debits and credits are sent out (at the same time) on the process date you designate.
Q - Does Metavante use a "process date" or "due date" processing model?
A - Metavante uses the 'process date' model. Under the process date model, payments are initiated on the process date you designate. Special rules govern when payments are processed for particular days, so please refer to the Schedule Payments/Bill Pay Help section. The process date model is advantageous because it reduces confusion about the timing of the payment debit and when payees are in receipt of payment.
Q - Does Metavante have payment amount limits?
A - Metavante has a payment cap of $ 9999.00, regardless of how the payment is disbursed. The Bill Pay user interface limits the entry of payment amounts greater than this amount.
Q - If I select an erroneous electronic payee and this causes a posting delay and late charge, what is the process and who bears the burden of the late charge?
A - If you select an electronic payee address that matches your payment coupon exactly and Metavante routes the payment to a different payment center, Metavante is responsible for the late charge and will reimburse any payee-imposed late fees, up to $50.00. If you select an electronic payee with an address that is different from that indicated on the payment coupon, you are responsible for the late charge. You always have the option to manually set up a payee with the (correct) address found on the payment coupon.
Q - How do I place a 'stop payment' on a Bill Pay?
A - A payment may be edited or deleted anytime before the payment is processed. For stop payment requests initiated after processing, you must contact Metavante Customer Support. Payments remitted electronically cannot be stopped.
Q - Who handles customer support for Bill Pay?
A - Bill Pay Support may be contacted by email or telephone. Please review the support page to determine the nature of your inquiry and direct your questions or issues to the appropriate are. Links to Customer Support are displayed at the bottom of most Bill Pay pages.
Q - What are Metavante's support hours?
A - Metavante Customer support hours includes telephone coverage for the following periods:
- Monday-Friday: 7:00am-9:00pm CST (8:00am-10:00pm EST)
- Saturday: 8:30am-5:00pm CST (9:30am-6:00pm EST)
- Sunday: Closed
Q - What if my account information is incorrect?
A - To change your address and phone number, you must contact the Bank during normal business hours.
Q - How do I close my Bill Pay account?
A - Contact the Bank during normal business hours to close your Bill Pay account.
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