General Questions - Payment Questions

General Bill Payer Service Questions

• How do I activate the Bill Payer Service?
  From the homepage of our Web site (http://www.sesloc.org), click on SESLOC eBranch.  Enter your Member Number and Password.  Then click on the “Pay Bills” icon located at the top of the page. You will automatically activate the Bill Payer Service once you agree to the Terms and Conditions that appear on your monitor screen after clicking on “Pay Bills.”  You also must have a SESLOC Federal Credit Union checking account to use the Bill Payer Service.
• Is there a monthly fee to use SESLOC’s Bill Payer Service?
  There no monthly fee for the use of SESLOC’s Bill Payer Service.  All other checking account fees apply to the Bill Payer Service.  Please check the Fee Schedule for fees applicable to the Bill Payer Service.
• Can I pay bills from my savings account?
  No.  This service will only withdraw funds from your SESLOC Checking Account.
•  Can I pay anyone through Bill Payer Service?
  No.  Government agencies may not be paid through Bill Payer Service.  This includes the Department of Motor Vehicles, County Tax Assessor, and Internal Revenue Services, child support paid to the court, and so on. The exception is city-run utilities, such as local water agencies. You may not pay collection agencies or payees outside the U.S.
  
• Is it safe?
  Yes.  SESLOC FCU has chosen web browsers that are capable of conducting a secure session with an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) enabled web server.  This means that data transmitted between your computer and our server are scrambled.  Even if the transmission is tapped, the eavesdropper will not see any meaningful data.  When the data finally arrives at our server, the data is then unscrambled.
• What if someone has seen my SESLOC eBranch password?
  Immediately go to “More” in SESLOC eBranch and then to “Change Password” and change your password.  If you believe someone may have accessed your accounts without your authorization, contact SESLOC Federal Credit Union immediately at (805) 543-1816.
• How do I log off safely?
  To safely log off and ensure that no one sees your transactions, click the “Goodbye” icon and close your browser window.
• Why do I get the message:  “Connection Expired?”
  As a safety measure, the Bill Payer system will automatically log you off after 15 minutes of no activity.
• How do I cancel the Bill Payer Service?
  You may cancel this service at any time by selecting the “Stop Bill Pay Service” option from within the Bill Payer Service “Additional Functions” menu or by writing to us. A signature is required on written requests.  If you subsequently wish to resume this service, you will need to re-build your payee list.
• What if I have a general question on Bill Payer Service?
  Call SESLOC FCU at (805) 543-1816 or email: info@sesloc.org.

Payment Questions

• How are payments made to merchants?
  Payments are made either electronically by ACH, which is transmitted 2 business days prior to the due date, or by check, which is mailed 5 business days before the due date.  The payment method depends upon the payment method accepted by the merchant.
• How many days in advance should I schedule my payments?
  A)  For new payees who do not appear on the global payee list:  When establishing a new merchant or payee, payments cannot be made until the merchant is verified.  It may take up to 10 business days to verify the payee’s remittance address, your account information, and establish a payment method for each of your new payees. Most important, this verification process does not begin until you actually schedule a payment.   Allow at least 10 days from the date you entered the scheduled payment to process your first payment. For subsequent payments, allow 3 business days for merchants who accept electronic payments and 6 business days when a check is required.
  
  B) Many payees, such as utility companies, are listed on the global list.  This list is a directory of pereviously verified merchants or payees.  If you select a payee from this list by clicking on it, your payment can be sent the next day. You must verify that the address for the payee is the same as the address for your payment, since some merchants have multiple remittance addresses.
• How does a payee get listed on the global list?
  When two or more people enter the same payee, this person or merchant is automatically added to the global list.
  
• When is the money deducted from my account?
  Funds are withdrawn from your checking account up to 5 business days before the due date if the merchant requires payment by check. Funds are withdrawn 2 business days before the due date for merchants who accept electronic payment.  Please allow adequate time for your payment to reach the payee by the payment due date.  If you designate the payment due date as "today" (i.e. the same date you enter the payment), the processing date will be the next business day.  Be sure to allow adequate time, since it will still take 2 to 5 business days to reach the payee.
  
• What is the “due date?”
  The date the payment must be received by the payee.
• What if I need to pay a bill immediately, or the due date I entered is less than 5 days prior to the due date?  Will my bill get paid?
  If you have previously made a payment to this payee, OR if the payee is selected from the global list of payees, payments can be sent as soon as the next day, providing funds are available in your account.
       Payments are processed once every business day.  Payments entered by 12:00 a.m (midnight) Pacific Time will be processed the following business day.  Remember, you must allow 3-5 business days for the U.S. Postal Service to deliver your payments if the merchant requires a paper check.  If the payment must arrive immediately, consider an alternate form of payment, such as a wire transfer or overnight delivery service.
• Can I pay my SESLOC Federal Credit Union loan using the Bill Payer Service?
  It is not advisable to pay your SESLOC Federal Credit Union loan via the Bill Payer Service.  You should transfer payments within  your SESLOC accounts using SESLOC eBranch.
• Do I need to tell my merchants I’m using an online Bill Payer Service?
  No.  Using our online Bill Payer Service will not change the way your payments are credited.
  
• What if I enter incorrect merchant information?
  It is important that you enter your information accurately.  An incorrect address will delay payment to your merchant and could result in late charges.  Also, an incorrect account number may result in the payment being posted to the wrong account.
• When must the money be available in my checking account?
  We will withdraw the funds from your designated account the morning of the processing date (2 or 5 business days prior to your payment due date); therefore funds must be available by the end of the business day the night before the processing date.
• When is the payment actually sent?
  On the same day the funds are deducted from your account.
• What if the money is not available in my account?
  We will make a total of three (3) attempts to make the payment and notify you by electronic message on SESLOC a la Modem.  If funds are still not available in your checking or overdraft account after the 3rd attempt, we will not make the payment and an NSF fee will be assessed to your account.
  
• Will you draw on funds from an overdraft account to pay my bills?
  Yes.
• Is there a maximum dollar amount for each payment?
  Yes, the maximum amount per single payment is $9,999.99. 
  
• How far in advance can I schedule a payment?
  You may schedule a payment up to three years in advance.
• How do I verify my bill has been paid?
  The “Bill Payer Service” transaction will appear in your checking account (view under “Accounts” in SESLOC eBranch) with the merchant name, date and amount paid.  Or you can use “Additional functions” in “Pay Bills” to view the history for a specific merchant. However, your most reliable source of information is from the payee.  Review your regular statements to ensure the payment was received and credited properly.
  
• If my bill was paid late, who pays the late charges?
  You will not be responsible for the late charges if:
  
  1. you entered in the correct due date
  2. you allowed the required days for payment before due date
  3. you entered the correct account information
  4. you entered the correct merchant information
  5. you had sufficient funds in your account to make the payment
  You are responsible for any late fees that occur if:
  
  1. you have not given us accurate or complete information
  2. you do not have sufficient available funds in your account
  3. a check we mailed was delayed or misdirected by the postal service
• Can I cancel a scheduled payment?
  Yes, as long as the funds have not been deducted from your account.  In Bill Payer Service, select “Additional functions,” then click “Change Payee/Payment.”  Select the merchant and click “Change.”  This will bring you to the “Change Payment” screen.  Go to the “Payment Due Date” section and click on the down arrow.  Scroll to the very top and click on the blank or empty slot.  Do this for the day, month and year.  This will cancel your scheduled payment.  You will not be able to zero out the payment amount.  Don’t worry.  It has no effect since you have no payment scheduled.  Click “Next” and then “Finish” to complete the change.  The other option you have is to delete the payee altogether.  This will delete the merchant completely from your list.  If you wish to make another payment to this merchant, you will have to set it up again as you would a new merchant.
• Can I stop payment on a Bill Pay check or ACH payment?
  If payment is by check and the check has not yet cleared, you may stop payment, even though the funds have been deducted from your account.  We require your signature on a stop payment form. Please call SESLOC member support for details and to determine if the check has cleared.
        If payment is made electronically (ACH), once the funds are deducted from your account, the payment cannot be stopped. If funds have not been deducted, simply delete the scheduled payment.
• What if a merchant says they haven’t received my payment? Or what if I have a question on a specific Bill Payer Service?
  
  1. Check to see if the funds were deducted from your account.
  2. Check to see if all merchant information you entered is correct.
  3. Check to see when payment was sent (funds are mailed the same day funds are deducted from the account) and allow 5 business days from the mail date for the payment to be received by the merchant.
  If you have general questions, call SESLOC at (805) 543-1816 or email: info@sesloc.org.