How much does BillPay cost?
BillPay is free when you pay at least 3 bills per months. If fewer than 3 payments are made in a month, a $6.00 service fee applies.

How do I enroll for the BillPay service? 
Fill out the online enrollment form. You will be redirected to the CheckFree web site.

Do I need any special software or hardware to use Bill Pay?
To use BillPay, you only need a browser (capable of 128-bit US Security Encryption) installed on your PC; e.g., the latest versions of either Microsoft’s Internet Explorer or Netscape’s Navigator. If you do not have sufficient browser encryption, you will receive an "Insufficient Browser Encryption" error message when you try to log on to the Web Billing and Payment service. In addition to the error message, you will be provided with links to sites where you can obtain the required encryption upgrades for your browser.

What do I do if I forget my password?
If you forget your password, you will need to call CheckFree Customer Care at 1-800-268-5652. They will send you a letter by US mail identifying your password.

How do I change my user name or password?
To change your user name and password:

1. Click on the My Profile Tab.
2. Click on the Edit button below your current user name and password.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen and click Save Changes.Remember: Your user name and password will be case-sensitive, so you must enter both the user name and password exactly as you created them.

What if I want to change my address or e-mail for BillPay?

1. Click on the My Profile Tab.
2. Click on the Edit button below your current name and address.
3. Make the changes you want on the screen and click Save Changes.

How do I terminate or discontinue BillPay?
In the event you wish to discontinue BillPay, you must contact Northwest Resource FCU within ten (10) days prior to the actual service discontinuation date. 

Who can I pay using BillPay?
You can pay any individual or entity, except as listed below, as long as the individual or entity has an address in the United States or its possessions/territories (i.e., American Samoa, Guam, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, N. Mariana Islands, Palau, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands) or be receiving mail at an FPO or APO address (APO - Abroad, APO - America or APO - Pacific). Payee examples include: your monthly telephone utility bill, rent, credit card bills, day care, or sending a check to your son/daughter who’s away at college. The following payment types are prohibited through CheckFree:

1. Tax payments
2. Court ordered payments
3. Payments to payees outside the United States or its possessions/territories as detailed above.

1. Gather all the information about your payee before you start (address, phone number and account number). This information should be located on your last bill or invoice from the payee.
2. Click on the Payee Setup tab. Check to see if your payee is in the predefined list. If it is, all you need to enter is your payee account number. If not, you will need to add a custom payee by following the instructions on the screen. Information needed is payee name, address, phone number, and your account number with the payee (if any).
3. Add the account number and zip code for your Payee and press Submit. 

How do I delete a payee?

1. Click on the Payee Setup Tab.
2. Click the Delete Button next to the payee you wish to remove.
3. Verify Yes if you wish to remove the Payee.

What if I do not have an account number for one of my payees?
Sometimes you will want to set up a Payee with whom you do not have an actual account number; however, the Web Billing and Payment system requires an account number value for every Payee that you establish. In these cases, simply type in an appropriate annotation (e.g., if paying your dentist for your child’s orthodontic work, you could type in "John's orthodontic work" or "John's 10/15 appointment"; if sending money as a birthday gift, you could type in "Happy Birthday".) Note: The maximum length for this account number field is 25 alphanumeric characters.

What do I do if one of my payee's address changes?

1. Click on the Payee Setup Tab.
2. Click the Edit Button next to the payee you wish to edit.
3. Make all appropriate changes.
4. Click on Save Changes to save all your changes.

How is the payment sent to my payee? When is the money for my payments taken out of my account?
You will not always know if your payment is sent electronically or by paper check. While many payments will be made electronically, some payees cannot receive electronic payments (such as individuals). CheckFree will choose one of three payment methods to process your payments. Which method is used will depend on many variables; however, all transactions will be itemized on your monthly statement. The three payment methods are:
1) All electronic payment - On the payment date you specify, an electronic credit is sent to your payee, and an electronic debit is sent to your account. Your account will be electronically debited on your scheduled payment date. This method is used when the company or payee you are paying has an electronic agreement set up with CheckFree. 
2) Electronic-to-check payment - A check is drawn on CheckFree's account and mailed to your payee several days prior to the payment date you specify. Your account will be electronically debited on your scheduled payment date.  
3) Laser-printed check - A check, drawn on your account with your account encoding printed on the bottom, is mailed to the payee. Payees receiving laser checks deposit them just like ordinary checks. Your account will be debited as if you had written a personal check when the payee cashes the check and it is presented for payment. 
NOTE: If you are not sure how your payee is going to be paid, plan on the money coming out of your account on the scheduled payment date. If your payee received a laser check, the money will not come out of your account until they cash it, however; it would be wise to plan on your account being debited on your scheduled payment date. 

How does the payment post to my checking account and appear on my statement?
The payment may be deducted from your Payment Account by two methods:

1. Via an electronic debit through the Automated Clearing House Association (ACH), or
2. Via a draft drawn on your account and processed through the Federal Reserve System (as if you had written a check drawn on your checking account.)

The payment deduction method is determined systematically based upon CheckFree’s operating procedures. All bill payments debited from your account will appear on your monthly statement. ACH debits will reflect the name of the payee (e.g., XYZ Utility Company) as well as the date and amount; however, laser drafts will be reflected on your statement with simply a date and check number. All payments can be viewed with the payee’s name, payment amount and payment date by reviewing your recent payment history under the electronic Payment List option provided to you.

How many days does it take for my payment to reach the payee?
While it is anticipated that most transactions will be processed in four (4) business days before your selected Scheduled Payment Date, it is understood that, due to circumstances beyond the control of CheckFree, particularly delays in handling and posting payments by slow responding companies or financial institutions, some transactions may take a day or even a few days longer to be credited by your payee to your account with the payee.
For this reason, it is necessary that all Scheduled Payment Dates selected by you be no less than five (5) business days before the actual due date, not a late date and/or a date in the grace period. (For example, the payment should be entered no later than Monday before 8 p.m., Eastern Standard Time [EST], for a payment to arrive on Friday.) Payment instructions entered after the 8:00 p.m. EST cutoff time or on a non-business day will be considered entered on the next business day. If you properly follow the procedures described herein and CheckFree fails to send a payment according to the Payment Instructions received, CheckFree will bear responsibility for all late charges (up to $50 per late payment). In any other event, including but not limited to choosing a Scheduled Payment Date which is not five (5) business days before the due date or on or past the due date stated on your invoice or bill, the risk of incurring and the responsibility for paying any and all late charges or penalties shall be borne by you.

What is the cutoff time for entering payments?
The cutoff time is 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST). Payments scheduled after 8 p.m. EST will be processed for the next business day. The earliest possible date to schedule a payment (four business days from today if before 8 p.m. EST) will be defaulted on your payment screen.

How do I view my scheduled payments?
Scheduled payments as well as past payments can be viewed by selecting the Payment History Tab.

What is Quick Pay?
Quick Pay allows you to pay multiple bills at a time on a single page, choosing either from your entire Payee List or from your Categories. Once you choose your payees or categories, all you need to do is complete the amount and date for each payee, and select Pay All Marked.

Can I schedule a payment in advance? How far in advance?
Yes. You can schedule a payment up to one year in advance of the payment due date. Do not forget to allow five (5) business days in between the scheduled payment date and the due date. A good example of when you might use a payment that far in advance could be to pay annual dues to an organization or association, or to send a "birthday or anniversary" check to someone special. To state "Happy Birthday" on the check, simply type this in the account number field. The account number field cannot be left blank.

What about payments I make every month for the same amount? How can I do this easily without repeating the payment request every month?
You can establish a recurring payment; a recurring payment must be made at a specified frequency (e.g., weekly, biweekly, monthly, quarterly, tri-annually, semi-annually, or yearly) for the same amount of each occurrence: 

1. Click on the Repeating Payments Tab.
2. Click the Add Repeating Payment Button.
3. Select the payee you wish to make repeating payments to from the drop-down menu.
4. Fill in the appropriate information and click the Add Button.

How do I change a variable or recurring payment?

1. Click on the Repeating Payments Tab.
2. Click the View/Edit link next to the payee you wish to change.
3. Change the information you wish and click on the Save Changes Button. 

How do I know if a payment has been sent?
A list of all bill payment transactions are listed in the Payment List (under Bills). Payments are either designated as:

• "Scheduled", meaning the payment has not been processed;
• "Processed" if the payment is being processed or has already been sent.

What happens if my payment is not made on time?
With the CheckFree guarantee, if BillPay does not properly complete a bill payment on time, we will pay any late fees or finance charges (up to $50 per transaction) as long as your account is in good standing with the merchant. We will also be liable to you if we fail to stop a payment based on your timely order to do so. However, you are responsible for scheduling your bill payment sufficiently in advance of its due date, not its late date, to avoid the imposition of late fees and excess finance charges in accordance with CheckFree's terms and conditions.

How do I cancel a payment that I have already scheduled? What if the payment has already been sent?
Refer to the online Help Tab to inquire about canceling payments.

What do I do if my payee never received my payment?
Refer to the online Help Tab to inquire about lost payments or call CheckFree at 1-800-268-5652.

What are e-bills?
E-bills are bills sent to you electronically by the payee. You can choose to either have the BillPay service pay the bills automatically (under a certain dollar amount) through e-bill Auto-Pay, or pay the bills according to your schedule or amount. Note: Not all merchants are set up for the e-bill service. E-bill capable merchants are indicated by an asterisk (*) in the predefined payee list.

How do I set up my payee for e-bills?
The fastest way to add e-bill capability to one of your payees is to choose the e-bill option while setting up the payee in the Payee Setup Tab. If you wish to add e-bill capabilities later, you can click on the Sign Up hyperlink next to the payee in the Payee Setup Tab.  Once you are signed up for e-bills, you will have a orange box with an "e" in it next to your payee to signify you are receiving e-bills.

Should I continue to pay my bill from a particular e-biller with a check until I receive my first e-bill from that biller?
Yes. You should continue paying your bill as usual until you receive your bill through your online service. Most billers will use their established billing cycle, so you should receive your e-bill around the same time of the month that you receive your paper bill now. If you have already paid your bill using a check and your first e-bill is a duplicate, you can just file it away and pay your next bill using BillPay.

How do I know when I have new e-bills to pay?
When you log on to CheckFree, you will see a box that tells you if you have new e-bills.  You can also view them by clicking on the e-bills tab.  Also, you receive an e-mail reminder to notify you of new bills in your account mailbox if they have not been viewed within four days of delivery.

Will I still receive a paper bill in the mail from the e-biller?
No. You will no longer receive your paper bill. However, you can print out any bill if you would like to keep a paper copy for your records. Your bills, statements, and notices are available online for six months from their arrival date; then they are archived.

When can I expect to receive my e-bill each month?
You can expect to receive your bill at approximately the same time of the month that your paper bill arrives now.

If I don’t understand something on my e-bill what should I do?
You have two choices for contacting an e-biller: you can look on your bill for a telephone number or you can fill out an online support form. To send a support request to the e-biller, access the appropriate Help location on their website. To find a telephone number, look for a Contacting Us or Customer Service section in the bill.

What do I do with the part of the invoice or bill that I usually mail back to the payee with my payment? Doesn’t the vendor need that to process my payment?
No. You can simply throw that part away. All of the necessary information is provided by CheckFree to the payee with each payment.

Do I need to contact each of my payees and let them know that I am going to be using an automated bill pay system to pay them?
No, that isn’t necessary.

What happens if someone gets into my bill payment account and schedules unauthorized transactions?
Through the CheckFree Guarantee, as long as you notify CheckFree within two (2) business days of when you first suspect fraud, your liability for unauthorized transactions is limited to only $50. This is similar to the protection provided by most major credit cards.

Without a check stub or a canceled check, how can I prove that I made a payment?
One of the advantages of paying your bills using this service is that your payment cannot get lost in the US mail, and there are generally far fewer opportunities for errors to occur. However, in the event that you do need to provide proof of payment, there are many different tracking systems in place. Your bank statement will reflect debits to your account showing the payee as the e-biller. In addition, CheckFree archives previous versions of your e-bills and confirmation numbers for your bill payments.

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