Home Banking and Bill Payment allows you to perform banking transactions, pay your bills, and communicate with Customer Service quickly and easily from the comfort of your home or wherever you happen to be.  These services provide secure access at any hour of the day.  When you have questions or need help, you have several resources: this guide, on-line help at your fingertips,  and Customer Service through secured mail messages or by telephone.

Complete and submit the Home Banking and Bill Payment Enrollment Application as instructed.  Upon notification that the application has been processed, you may access the service by following the instructions indicated below.  If you require assistance, please contact the Customer Service number that was provided to you.

You receive a unique user ID and a temporary security code when you register for the service.  The first time you access the service you must change the temporary security code to one you select.  Your security code may be any 4- to 8-digit alphanumeric value.  You should protect this code just as you do your ATM PIN number, and change it often.  If you forget your security code, contact Customer Service.  You will be asked questions based on the personal information you provided when you applied for the Service.  If your answers confirm this information, your security code will be reset and the next time you access the service, you will be prompted to change your password.

Use Home Banking to review account balances and history, transfer funds, review and change scheduled transfers, view transfer history, make loan payments and loan advances.

Home Banking’s Account Balance feature tells you the account number and account type of the accounts you are using with Home Banking.  When you select an account from the list, you get the available and actual balance for that account.

Home Banking’s Account History feature enables you to review account history that our institution maintains for each account.

Home Banking’s Account Transfer feature offers three types of transfers:

• Immediate - A transfer is attempted immediately.  You are notified if the transfer is successful while you are on-line (like a transaction at an ATM).  The money is actually moved based on the same schedule as transactions performed at an ATM.

• One-time - A transfer is made on a date you specify.

• Automatic - A transfer occurs as often and as many times as you specify.

Transfers that are made on future user-specified dates are called “scheduled” transfers.  These transfers may be either one-time or automatic.  The first transfer date may be no more than 18 months in the future.  Scheduled transfers are processed on the scheduled date.  Transfers scheduled for non-business dates (such as January 1 or weekends) are processed on the next business day for one-time transfers and on the previous business day for automatic transfers. 

Home Banking’s Scheduled Transfers feature lets you review one-time or automatic transfers or cancel a transfer before it occurs.  You can also change information, depending on the type of scheduled transfer:

• One-time transfer - You can change the amount and date of the transfer.

• Automatic transfer - You can change the amount, next transfer date, number of transfers, and transfer frequency.  The changes affect all future transfers.

If you want to change the FROM or TO account, you must cancel the transfer and set it up correctly.  An immediate transfer takes place the instant you confirm it, so it cannot be modified or canceled afterward. 

Home Banking’s Transfer History feature provides the details, including the status of transfers you’ve made.  You have several ways in which to select which transfer(s) you want to review.  If you don’t specify any criteria, you get all available transfer history.  If you specify:

• Account number - You receive all transfers for that account.

• Transfer dates - You receive transfers from the start date to the end date.

• Transfer amount - You receive all transfers within plus or minus $10 of the specified amount.

If you want to direct the search to a more restricted list of past transfers, specify a combination of transfer details. 

Home Banking’s Loan Advance feature allows you to make immediate, one-time, or automatic advances from a loan.  An advance can be completed on an open-end loan. 

Home Banking’s Loan Payment feature allows you to make immediate, one-time, or automatic payments to a loan. 

What You Need to Know About Enhanced Authentication

We take your online security seriously.   Therefore, we are introducing Enhanced Authentication for your <Virtual Branch Home Banking and/or Bill Payment> system. 

• What is it?

It is a new tool that provides extra protection for your online data and helps guard against fraudulent online activities like phishing scams (malicious requests for personal information) and identity theft.

• Do I have to use it?
  Yes, everyone will be required to use Enhanced Authentication.  However, there will be a Grace Period – a period of time during which you can log in as usual until you are ready to enroll.
   
• How does it work?
  In addition to your Logon ID and Security Code, the system recognizes your computer and usage patterns. If a questionable logon attempt is detected, the system will require additional identity verification before allowing access.
   
• How does it protect me against phishing?
  When you enroll in Enhanced Authentication, you choose a secret image and phrase combination. You will see this image and phrase each time you log on. When you see your secret image and phrase, you can be reassured that you are logging on to your actual Internet banking or bill payment site.

• Use the Bill Payment function to schedule payments to merchants, review and change scheduled payments, and review payment history.  Bill Payment offers an alternative to the traditional method of paying bills.  Instead of writing a check and mailing the payment to the merchant, you can schedule all your payments through Internet Bill Payment.  You can schedule payments to be made on certain dates.  Bill Payment provides a confirmation number for every payment and keeps track of your payment history.  These features make Bill Payment an excellent record keeper.  You no longer have to keep track of the payments you’ve made because Bill Payment does it for you.

Usage of Internet Bill Payment essentially involves three steps:

• Set up your personal list of merchants.  To pay bills, the merchant(s) you want to pay must be in your personal merchant list with all account numbers you have with each merchant.

• Set up a payment.

• Change or cancel your payment information as necessary.

Things You Should Know About Your Payments

Bill Payment uses one of the following methods to pay your bill:

• Internet payment to merchants on the electronic network.  When this method is used, you receive a recommendation to set up your payment at least two business days before the due date.

• Check payment to merchants who do not receive electronic payments.  When this method is used, you receive a recommendation to set up your payment at least five business days before the due date.  (See note below.)

Note:  The recommended lead times are provided to ensure the merchant receives the payment in a timely manner. Posting of the payment is the responsibility of the merchant. 

If you do not provide the correct merchant and account information, your payments may not be successfully completed.

If the payment is processed according to the recommended lead times for scheduling payments, and it is deemed late by the merchant/payee, our processor will be liable for up to a maximum of $50 of late fees assessed by the merchant.

Payments are processed Monday through Friday with the exception of federal holidays.  Payment processing begins at 2PM EST each day. You cannot schedule, change, or delete a payment to occur on that day after processing begins.         

Types of Payments

• A one-time payment is paid at a time you specify.

• An automatic payment occurs as often and as many times as you specify for up to 10 years.

Payments that are made on future dates that you specify are called scheduled payments.  These include one-time payments and automatic payments.  The first payment date may be no more than 18 months in the future.  Payments are processed on the scheduled date.  Payments scheduled for non-business dates (such as January 1 or weekends) are processed on the next business day for one-time payments and on the previous business day for automatic payments.

Payments for Government Obligations

Special care should be taken when scheduling payments for government obligations such as taxes and court-directed payments.  Ample time for the delivery, processing and posting of your payments should be allowed since you may incur significant penalties as a result of late payments.

Bill Payment’s Scheduled Payments feature lets you review your scheduled payments (one-time and automatic) and delete a selected payment before the payment occurs.  You can also change information, depending on the type of scheduled payment:

• One-time payment - You can change the amount and date of the payment and the financial account from which the payment is to be made.

• Automatic payment - You can change the amount, next payment date, number of payments, frequency of payments, and the financial account from which the payments are to be made.  The changes affect all future payments.

Bill Payment’s Payment History feature lets you find payments by specifying the payment details.  You have several ways to select which payment(s) you want to receive.  If you don’t specify any criteria, you receive all available payment history.  If you specify:

• Merchant name - You receive all payments for that merchant.

• Payment dates - You receive payments from the start date to the end date.

• Payment amount - You receive all payments within plus or minus $10 of the specified amount. 

If you want to direct the search to a more restricted list of past payments, specify a combination of payment details.

Use the secure mail feature to communicate with Customer Service.

Secure Mail offers the capability to review, save, and delete received messages and to send new messages to Customer Service.  You can use this feature at any time to communicate questions, problems or requests.

Use Personal Options to change your security code, name, address, and phone number and to add or delete an account.

Personal Options can be used to change your personal information on the service; however, you must also notify our institution directly of any relevant changes to your name, address, or phone number.  The checking accounts you specify for bill payments are set up for you when you sign up for the service. 

You can add accounts to be used by Home Banking or change checking accounts to be used for bill payments; these accounts are available after they have been validated by our institution.  You can only delete an account after any scheduled transaction or payment attached to it has been canceled.