Paytrust Online Bill Pay Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions about Paytrust bill pay service?
Here are answers to frequently asked questions about Paytrust.
If you do not find the answers to your specific question, or would like additional information, simply contact us at info@paytrust.com or 1-800-PAYTRUST. Our staff is available to assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, except for holidays.
General Frequently Asked Questions
- How does Paytrust work?
- How is Paytrust different from online banking?
- Can I use Paytrust to pay anyone?
- Can I pay my bills from multiple bank accounts?
- Is Paytrust available in my area?
- Do I have to change banks?
- Do I have to have online banking to use Paytrust?
- Can I still see the details of my bill before I approve it?
- What if my payee cannot accept electronic payments?
- How do my payees know I am using Paytrust?
- How can I get help or have a question answered?
- How does Paytrust work?
Paytrust is the easy way to receive, pay and track all your bills online. Paytrust completely eliminates the paperwork of paying bills by receiving your mailed bills for you. Paper bills are sent to a Paytrust Processing Center and scanned for posting to your account. Electronic bills arrive directly to your account. You can then view all your bills in Paytrust, and pay with one click.
- How is Paytrust different from online banking?
Paytrust is a complete online solution for bill delivery, payment and management. It works with any bank and any payee you may have. With Paytrust, you can pay from up to 10 different banks accounts. While many banks offer the ability to issue payments online, you're still required to track and manage all of the paper bills that come to your house. By receiving your bills and managing the process online, Paytrust truly removes the burden of handling monthly bill payments. And Paytrust allows you to make payments to anyone-even someone who doesn't normally send you a bill. So you can have fewer headaches, fewer worries and a lot more free time.
- Can I use Paytrust to pay anyone?
You can use Paytrust to pay anyone with a U.S. mailing address. To issue a payment from the Paytrust Bill Center, you will need to set up a Payee Profile. Most payees are Business Payees, and many of them can be found in our Common Payees database. Some payees may be a little more unique, such as a neighborhood lawn service or a friend you wish to give a gift check. You can enter complete contact information into a Personal Payee Profile, and we can issue payment to anyone you want. Please note: certain payments, such as tax payments to the IRS are discouraged, but may be scheduled at your own risk.
- Can I pay my bills from multiple bank accounts?
Yes, you can pay your bills from multiple bank accounts. You can use up to 10 different accounts at different banks.
- Is Paytrust available in my area?
Paytrust is currently available anywhere in the United States. Due to banking rules and Internet security restrictions, the Paytrust service is not currently available in any other countries. U.S. subscribers can access Paytrust to receive and pay their U.S. bills, even while traveling abroad.
Services are provided by RealNet Payments LLC, a licensed money transmitter in the jurisdictions listed here. Paytrust is a registered trade name of RealNet Payments LLC in the jurisdictions listed here.- Do I have to change banks?
No. Paytrust works with any bank or transaction account that allows check-writing privileges.
- Do I have to have online banking to use Paytrust?
Paytrust works with your current bank and does not require online banking.
- Can I still see the details of my bill before I approve it?
Yes, Paytrust provides both summary and detail information for your bills. You can view or print a full image of the bill at any time.
- What if my payee cannot accept electronic payments?
Paytrust will issue a paper check if your payee cannot accept electronic payments.
- How do my payees know I am using Paytrust?
When you enroll in Paytrust, and any time afterwards, you can select which of your bills you would like to receive online. Paytrust works with any of the payees you have today. Paytrust will assist you in notifying your payees to send your bills, either electronically or by mail, to your Paytrust account for online delivery in the Bill Center.
- How can I get help or have a question answered?
If you experience difficulty with the service, or if you have questions about your account, call 1-800-PAYTRUST to contact us. Our staff of trained support representatives is available to assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except for holidays. In the Bill Center, Paytrust also features rich, context-sensitive online help that can answer most typical questions.
Getting Started with Paytrust FAQs
- How do I get started with Paytrust?
- How do I add a bank account?
- How do I add a payee?
- How do I direct my paper bills to be presented online?
- How long before I begin to get my bills through Paytrust?
- Do I have to use Paytrust for all my bills?
- What is an automatic payment?
- What is the Personal Notes feature, and how is it different from the memo field on a check?
- How do I obtain a copy of my Subscriber Agreement?
- How do I get started with Paytrust?
You can complete your online enrollment in Paytrust by clicking on the Start for Free button at the top of this page.
- How do I add a bank account?
To add a bank account (also called funding account), select "Add a funding account" link in Paytrust (to simplify this process have a check handy). Enter your financial institutions data including: Name, Account type, Account number, Routing transit number, Starting check number, and click "Continue."
Once you enter your bank account information, we will then confirm your account.We will make two deposits under $1 to the newly added account during the next two to three business days.
- You will find out the exact amounts of these two deposits by using online banking or your statement. Please look for transactions with "Paytrust" or similar wording as the description.
- When you see the deposits in your bank account log into Paytrust and follow the instructions to confirm your account by entering the amounts of these two deposits. As soon as you enter the correct amounts, you can use your account to pay bills.
- How do I add a payee?
To add a new payee to your account, from your navigation links click "Add a new payee." The Add a Payee page appears. Just follow the onscreen instructions.
- How do I direct my paper bills to be presented online?
Upon enrollment, you will be assigned a unique box address at Paytrust's state-of-the-art mail processing center in Sioux Falls, SD. You can find your unique Paytrust box address by logging into Paytrust and clicking on the "Personal profile" link. Your Paytrust box address is the same as the "Billing address" given on this page.
To setup online presentment of paper bills, simply contact your biller and have them change your billing address to match your new Paytrust box address.- How long before I begin to get my bills through Paytrust?
Once you bank account is confirmed, you can immediately register a payee and make a payment through the Paytrust Bill Center. However, it typically takes a few weeks, or until the next bill cycle, for your first bill to arrive online through Paytrust.
- Do I have to use Paytrust for all my bills?
No, Paytrust is compatible with all of your current payment processes, including your checkbook and online banking. You decide which bills you want to receive and/or pay through Paytrust.
- What is an automatic payment?
1. Automatic payment in response to an e-bill.
An automatic payment in response to an e-bill is a payment that you set up to go out every time you receive this e-bill without requiring your approval each time. You can pay the full bill, pay the minimum due, pay nothing and file the bill, or create your own rule for how the bill gets paid. For example, you could tell us to pay your credit card bill automatically in three different ways:
- Pay the entire bill if it is $200 or less. Pay nothing and send an e-mail notification if it is more than $200.
- Pay the minimum amount due every month.
- Pay nothing and send an e-mail notification.
You can also select when to pay the billeither when the bill arrives or a designated number of days before the bill is due (10 is the default).
You will receive an e-mail notification when an automatic bill has been paid.
2. Automatic payment at regular intervals.
This type of automatic payment gets paid by establishing the interval when the payment should be made, along with other supporting payment details. You specify the amount, the frequency, the start date and the end date or the number of payments to make (for due date models it is number of payments instead of end date). Based on the duration of the loan you could also establish the end date of the automatic payment rule For example, you could have us schedule a payment for your car loan in the amount of $300 on the 1st of every month for the next 36 months.
- What is the Personal Notes feature, and how is it different from the memo field on a check?
Personal Notes are reminders you can add to any payment or filed item. Common uses for a Personal Note include reminders about why a payment was made, the occasion for a gift, or a dispute with the payee. Personal Notes are completely private, and can only be seen by you. In contrast, the memo field on a check is printed right on the check for the purpose of making an additional note to the payee.
- How do I obtain a copy of my Subscriber Agreement?
You can print a copy of your Subscriber Agreement using your browser's print function.
How Paytrust Works FAQs
- How does Paytrust get my bill information?
- How will I know when I have new bills?
- Who authorizes payment amounts and dates?
- What happens if I don't pay a bill?
- What is my billing address with Paytrust?
- What happens to the hard copies of my bills after they have been scanned?
- What if some piece of important information, other than a bill, is sent to Paytrust?
- Do I have to pay the whole bill amount?
- How are the payments issued?
- When is my last chance to stop a payment?
- How long does it take for a Paytrust payment to be received?
- How will I know when payment has been sent?
- When will the amount on the checks I authorized be deducted from my account?
- How is my Paytrust service fee handled?
- What happens if I do not have enough money in my checking account to cover my bills?
- How does Paytrust get my bill information?
Electronic bills are posted immediately to your account. Paper bills are scanned and posted to your account within 24 hours of receipt.
- How will I know when I have new bills?
Paytrust uses e-mail to let you know the status of your bills. For every payee you establish, you can control how many e-mail notifications you would like to receive and when you would like to receive them. You can also check Paytrust at any time to verify the status of your bills.
Only you can authorize payments. You have complete control over whom you are issuing a payment to, the exact payment amount, when the payment should be sent or whether to pay the bill at all. If you have a flat fee or regularly occurring bill that you would like to have paid each month, Paytrust can be instructed to do it for you automatically. Please note: Your Paytrust service fee will be automatically debited from your default payment account each month.
- What happens if I don't pay a bill?
Paytrust will send you an e-mail notification that a bill is overdue. Bills are never paid unless you authorize them. If you choose not to pay a bill, or pay by some other means, you can file the bill without issuing a payment.
- What is my billing address with Paytrust?
Upon enrollment, you will be assigned a unique box number at Paytrust's state-of-the-art mail processing center in Sioux Falls, SD. For bills you have redirected to the Bill Center, this will be your billing address. Some merchants ask for a billing address to confirm credit card purchases made by telephone or over the Internet. In addition, your payees may reference this address when verifying your account or identity with them.
Tax payments and court-ordered payments are discouraged and made at your own risk and with no guarantee. Payments to payees outside of the United States are not allowed through this service.
- What happens to the hard copies of my bills after they have been scanned?
Your original paper bill is stored for 30 days from the day of receipt, after which it is shredded for security purposes and recycled. Paper bills received from your payees are converted into electronic form within 24-48 hours from when they are received at the Paytrust Processing Center.
Bill summary and transactional information is available for 24 months online. Bill images are maintained online for 24 months from the date the bill is posted online. After 24 months, your bill images are deleted from the system.
Each year in January, Paytrust offers you the option to purchase a personalized end-of-year CD which contains all of your previous calendar year's bill history information. On the CD you can access all of your bill images from the previous year, and all of your summary information. This CD is an optional benefit, which we provide at an additional cost.- What if some piece of important information, other than a bill, is sent to Paytrust?
Any non-bill notices, such as a rate change, will be scanned and delivered through the Bill Center. Account-related items sent to Paytrust, such as a calling card, are immediately forwarded to your home mailing address. All other items received, such as merchandise ordered online, cannot be accepted and will be returned to sender. Please be sure to indicate your home as the shipping address when ordering items online, through catalogs, etc.
- Do I have to pay the whole bill amount?
No. You decide and approve the amount of payment for every bill.
- How are the payments issued?
Only you can authorize a payment from Paytrust—you tell us who, when and how much to pay. Payments are issued electronically or via paper checks, depending on the payee's capabilities. Both electronic payments and paper checks always include remittance information, ensuring that your payee can accurately record that a payment has been received for your account.
- When is my last chance to stop a payment?
You can choose to stop a payment up until 12 midnight EST on the night prior to the day you have designated for your payment to be sent. For example, if you have designated that your payment should be sent out on the 10th, you can stop the payment up until midnight EST on the 9th. You cannot stop a payment on the designated day a payment is to be sent.
- How long does it take for a Paytrust payment to be received?
Payments are issued electronically or via paper checks, depending on the payee's capabilities. Paytrust recommends that you plan to allow for 5 working days for paper checks to reach your payees. We recommend that you allow at least 4 business days for electronic payments to reach your payees. Both electronic payments and paper checks always include remittance information, ensuring that your payee can accurately record that the payment has been made for your account.
- How will I know when payment has been sent?
You will receive a Payment Confirmation e-mail on the day that your payment is sent.
- When will the amount on the checks I authorized be deducted from my account?
If the payee accepts electronic payments, the amount is deducted from your account on the scheduled payment date that you have authorized. If the payee is being paid via paper check, the amount is deducted from your account when your payee cashes the check.
- How is my Paytrust service fee handled?
For your convenience, the process of paying your monthly service fee is automated. Seven days prior to the due date, you will receive an email notice from Paytrust and you can review the detailed statement in your Outbox. On the day your payment is due, Paytrust will debit your default payment account via Electronic Funds Transfer (or issue a check on your behalf if your bank doesn't offer EFT). In accordance with the Terms and Conditions of the Paytrust service, this monthly fee will be deducted from the checking account you designate as your "default" payment account.
- What happens if I do not have enough money in my checking account to cover my bills?
Paytrust issues standard, approved payments against your checking account. Just as with a paper check, you have to maintain sufficient funds in the account to cover all payment obligations. Paytrust is unable to notify you if you have insufficient funds. Please note: you may be charged a fee for payments that are returned for insufficient funds.
Paytrust Capabilities FAQs
- Can I pay my bills from my savings account?
- What Web browsers do you support?
- Can I print a copy of my bill?
- Can I set up a joint account in Paytrust?
- Can I download Paytrust transactions into Quicken?
- Are there plans for Paytrust to be able to download into Quicken?
- Is Paytrust compatible with Excel?
- Does Paytrust support bill payment by credit card?
- Can I pay all of my bills at one time?
- How long does Paytrust store my records?
- Can I pay my bills from my savings account?
Currently, United States banking regulations limit the number of transactions that can be made from a savings account. Paytrust works with any transaction account that provides check-writing privileges. Paytrust requires receipt of a voided check that has been pre-printed with your name and has an ABA routing number in order to set up that account for payment privileges.
- What Web browsers do you support?
We regularly monitor and test browsers to ensure the highest security standards. The following browsers and operating systems are supported:
Operating System Microsoft Internet Explorer® Microsoft Edge® Apple Inc. Safari® Mozilla Firefox® Google Chrome® Windows® 7 SP1 11 N/A Latest two versions Latest two versions Windows® 8.1 11 N/A Latest two versions Latest two versions Windows® 10 11 Latest two versions N/A Latest two versions Latest two versions OS X 10.10
(Yosemite™)N/A 9.1 Latest two versions Latest two versions OS X 10.11
(El Capitan™)N/A 9.1 Latest two versions Latest two versions OS 9.3 N/A Mobile Safari Note: Cookies and JavaScript must be enabled.
Other browsers and operating systems may be used; however, they are not supported and some features may not function properly. A new version of a browser or operating system will be supported shortly after the release date.
For maximum security, always use the latest version of a browser. Beta versions of browsers and operating systems are not recommended or supported. Additionally, if a browser or operating system is no longer supported by the vendor, it is not supported.- Can I print a copy of my bill?
Yes, it's easy to print a copy of any of your bills in Paytrust. Just access the Bill Detail page for the bill you want a copy of and click the "Print" link.
- Can I set up a joint account in Paytrust?
Yes, you can have a joint account with Paytrust. Paytrust even lets you pay bills from multiple bank accounts, if you would like. For joint accounts, each subscriber must have check-writing privileges.
- Can I download Paytrust transactions into Quicken?
No, Paytrust does not download transactions directly into Quicken. However, you can download your Paytrust payments together with all other transactions from your financial institution into your Quicken registers, if the financial institution associated with your Paytrust account supports Quicken.
- Are there plans for Paytrust to be able to download into Quicken?
We have researched and tested the available download options and have not been able build a solution that will work effectively. At this point, downloading from the Financial Institution that holds your accounts is the easiest and quickest way to automatically download.
- Is Paytrust compatible with Excel?
Yes, Paytrust will allow you to export to Microsoft Excel CSV format.
- Does Paytrust support bill payment by credit card?
Paytrust will only issue payments from an account with check-writing privileges. You can use Paytrust to pay your credit card with a check, but cannot use your credit card to pay other bills through Paytrust at this time.
- Can I pay all of my bills at one time?
Yes. You can pay multiple bills simultaneously from your Inbox. You can also pay any of your established payees by using the Make a Payment to Any Payee option.
- How long does Paytrust store my records?
Your original paper bill is stored for 30 days from the day of receipt, after which it is shredded for security purposes and recycled. Paper bills received from your payees are converted into electronic form within 24-48 hours from when they are received at the Paytrust Processing Center.
Bill summary and transactional information is available for 24 months online. Bill images are maintained online for 24 months from the date the bill is posted online. After 24 months, your bill images are deleted from the system.
E-Bills FAQs
- What is the difference between E-Bills™ and Scanned Bills?
- What are E-Bills™?
- When registering a payee for E-Bills™, which User ID & Password do I enter?
- Is the login information for my payees' Web sites kept private/secure?
- Which billing address is used for E-Bill-enabled payees?
- I registered a payee for E-Bills™. Why am I receiving the paper bill at home?
- Are payments to E-Bill-enabled payees made electronically?
- What is the difference between an E-Bill™ and Scanned Bill?
An E-Bill™ is an electronic version of your bill that we retrieve directly from your payee's Web site and display for you online in the Paytrust Bill Center.
Scanned Bills are Paper bills which are sent to our processing center where they are scanned and displayed for you online in the Paytrust Bill Center.- What are E-Bills™?
An E-Bill is an electronic version of your bill that we retrieve directly from your payee's Web site and display for you online in Paytrust. There are 3 types of E-Bills:
- E-Bills™ which are generated by the payee and sent to us. These E-Bills™ are considered transactions.
- E-Bills™ which require login information that you have established at a payee's website. These bills do not count as transactions.
- Your member bill. This does not count as a transaction.
- When registering a payee for E-Bills™, which User ID & Password do I enter?
When adding or editing an E-Bill-enabled payee to your Paytrust account, you will be prompted to enter your login information for that payee's Web site—exactly as you would if you were accessing your account at their Web site. If you are not yet registered for online access to your account through the payee's Web site, please take a moment to do so before continuing with the E-Bill setup process. Note that you should enter your User ID and Password (or other requested information) for the payee's Web site—not your Paytrust User ID and Password.
- Is the login information for my payees' Web sites kept private/secure?
Paytrust is committed to safeguarding the privacy and security of all of your personal information. Your login information is kept confidential, and is used only to retrieve an electronic version of your bill from the payee's Web site so that we can present it to you online within the Paytrust Bill Center. For your security, the login credential information you enter is encrypted using 56-bit or 128-bit encryption.
- Which billing address is used for E-Bill-enabled payees?
Enabling Paytrust to securely retrieve E-Bills from your payee's Web site eliminates the need to change your address on file with that payee and redirect your paper bill to the Paytrust Processing Center.
- I registered a payee for E-Bills™. Why am I receiving the paper bills?
Some payees may continue to send a paper bill to your home even after you begin receiving the bill online. Some payees may offer the option of "turning off" the paper bill - either by indicating such a preference on their Web site, or by contacting their Customer Service department via phone or e-mail. If a duplicate paper bill is received at the Paytrust Processing Center, it will be scanned and presented to you as a notice (rather than a bill).
- Are payments to E-Bill-enabled payees made electronically?
The fact that a payee is enabled for the presentation of E-Bills™ is not necessarily an indication that they can accept payments via electronic funds transfer (EFT). E-Bill presentation and EFT payment are distinctly separate technology initiatives. Depending on the particular payee's capabilities, payments are issued either electronically or via paper check.
Client Services FAQs
- What happens if I forget my User ID?
- What happens if I forget my password?
- What happens if a bill gets lost?
- What happens if I have a dispute with a payee?
- How can I get help with my account?
- What happens if my bill is paid late through Paytrust?
- What if my e-mail address changes?
- How do I handle credit card orders since I have started using Paytrust?
- How do I cancel my service?
- What happens if I forget my User ID?
Call us at 1-800-PAYTRUST or email us at support@paytrust.com. After your identity has been verified, a Client Services Representative will provide you with your ID.
- What happens if I forget my password?
See the Forgot your password section of the sign-in page. For security purposes, you will be asked a series of questions to verify your identity. Once your identity has been verified, a temporary password will be sent to the primary email account on file. This password is only good for one use and must be changed once you enter the Bill Center. If you experience any difficulties using the online help, contact us at 1-800-PAYTRUST or support@paytrust.com. After your identity has been verified, your password can be reset to allow you access to your account.
- What happens if a bill gets lost?
Paytrust logs and tracks every bill that comes into the Paytrust Bill Center to assure it is delivered to your account. As an added level of service, Paytrust can detect if a regularly occurring bill has not been received when it was expected, and will send an automatic notification to alert you that it has not arrived.
- What happens if I have a dispute with a payee?
If you have an issue with a specific charge on a bill, you will need to contact your payee directly, just as you do today. You can pay whatever amount you like while you are disputing a specific item or charge, or even decide whether to pay the bill at all.
- How can I get help with my account?
If you experience difficulty using our service, or have a question about your account, contact us at 1-800-PAYTRUST or support@paytrust.com. Our highly-trained team of Client Services Representatives is available to assist you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except holidays.
- What happens if my bill is paid late through Paytrust?
Paytrust issues payments exactly on the date that you specify. It is important to realize that not all payees accept electronic payments. In such cases, Paytrust will issue a paper check and therefore you should select a payment date that is at least a week before a bill due date. This will allow a paper check issued by Paytrust on your behalf to arrive at your payee on time. Remember, with a paper check, the money stays in your account until the payee processes the payment. For payees who accept Electronic Funds Transfers, you should schedule the payment four business days in advance of the due date. However, you should be sure that your checking account is funded on the day you issue payment, as some EFT payments are posted to your payee's account on the same day. In the highly unlikely event of a payment error, Paytrust will pay any penalty fees imposed by the payee.
- What if my e-mail address changes?
To change your e-mail address, log in to your account and update your Personal Profile.
- How do I handle credit card orders since I have started using Paytrust?
Some merchants (particularly online merchants) ask for a billing address to confirm a credit card payment. The Paytrust Box associated with the Paytrust Processing Center is your valid billing address if you have redirected that particular credit card bill to Paytrust.
- How do I cancel my service?
Please call Paytrust toll-free at 1-800-PAYTRUST (1-800-729-8787). A representative will assist you.
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