The Tri-County Bank

Our mission is to deliver quality financial resources that focus on the development and prosperity of our clients, communities and bank family through leadership and passion.

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Q:	What is Electronic Bill Pay?
A:	Electronic Bill Pay is the most convenient service to be introduced since ATM's. As a subscriber, you can pay any bill by Internet or from any touchtone phone 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Q:	How do I get started?
A:	The first thing you'll need to do is organize all the information about any individual, family member, friend, business, merchant or professional who generates an invoice for products or services that you want to pay through Electronic Bill Pay. Gather together the names, billing addresses and your account number with the company or individual (phone numbers are appreciated if available). Next, complete a subscriber enrollment form. Be sure all questions are answered then present your enrollment form to The Tri-County Bank for processing.
Q:	How soon can I start making payments?
A:	It takes approximately 1 to 2 weeks for your enrollment form to be processed and for you to receive confirmation in the mail. Your welcome letter will contain all the information you need to begin making payments.
Q:	Is there anyone I cannot pay through Electronic Bill Pay?
A:	Only government taxing authorities or court directed payments such as alimony and child support. No payments outside the United States. There are limitations on payments to security companies such as Ameritrade for stock purchases or trade.
Q:	Should the processing date I give be the date the payment is actually due?
A:	No. you need to allow at least five business days for payments to reach your payee. Be sure to remember that, although you can schedule a payment at any time, payments are actually sent to payees only on business days.
Q:	How far in advance can I schedule a payment?
A:	You can schedule a single payment for up to 60 days in advance.
Q:	How soon are funds actually taken out of my account?
A:	Bill payments are debited from your account on the processing date you requested.
Q:	What happens if I don't have enough money in my account to cover a bill payment?
A:	If funds are not available on the requested processing date, your bill payment will be canceled.
Q:	What is the difference between a variable/single bill payment and a recurring payment?
A:	A variable/single bill payment is a one-time payment such as your telephone bill where the amount fluctuates each time. Or perhaps it is a payment you do not make regularly such as a florist you use only occasionally. A recurring payment is one made regularly for the same dollar amount, on the same day each month such as your car or mortgage payment. You need only to set up a recurring payment once in the system and only call again when the payment is to be changed or canceled. Otherwise, your recurring payments will be made automatically.
Q:	When and how are my payments delivered and how can I ensure that my payee receives my payment by the due date?
A:	You may schedule payments to be initiated on the day you enter the information, on a future date or on the same date each month. Although you can enter payment information 24 hours a day 7 days a week, payments can only be initiated on business days. After funds are withdrawn from your account, we may remit your payments by electronic funds transfer, or if the biller does not accept electronic payments, by mailing your payee a check drawn on an account we maintain for this purpose, or by some other appropriate means. Because of the time it takes to remit your payment to the payee, they will not receive payment on the processing date (the date you instructed us to deduct the funds from your account). Therefore, in order to provide sufficient time for payments to be received by your payee, the processing date should be at least five (5) business days before the bill's actual due date.
Q:	Why does it take up to five business days for payments?
A:	Although a number of your payees accept payments electronically, many do not. For those that do not accept electronic payments, we must send a check to that payee through the U.S. mail. Once the check is received by the payee, it may also take a day or so for that payee to process the check and post it to your account. Even for electronic payments, it may take two or three days for your account to be posted.
Q:	How close to the original payment date can I change or cancel a bill payment?
A:	You can change or delete a bill payment until 4:00 p.m. EST of the processing date you originally gave us.
Q:	What should I do if a payee has not posted my payment?
A:	First, be sure to allow the five (5) business days for a payee to receive your payment. If a payee does not post your payment within five (5) business days of the date you requested the payment to be processed, simply dial the bill paying system and press "0" for subscriber services. We will follow up on the payment and get back to you within 24 hours.
Q:	How do I add more payees?
A:	While using the Electronic Bill Pay system, dial "0" for subscriber services. A representative will process your request within 24 hours. Once you are given a merchant code, you will be able to make payments to this payee immediately. Or, if easier, put your request in writing and present to The Tri-County Bank for processing. You may also use the "ADD MERCHANT" button online.
Q:	What do I do with the payment coupon book stub?
A:	These are no longer necessary items. You are welcome to just file them away if you deem appropriate.
Q:	How can I prove payments and transfers were made?
A:	Each time you enter a payment you are given a transaction number so you can be sure we received your request. In addition, payments will appear on your monthly statement. Or, you may call the Electronic Bill Pay system to hear a listing of your most recent transactions.
Q:	How do I pay for my Electronic Bill Pay service?
A:	The monthly subscriber fee will be automatically withdrawn from the account you designate for bill paying on the anniversary date of your initial sign up. Your anniversary date will be included in the welcome letter.
Q:	What if I have a question and want to talk to a real person?
A:	At any time while using the Electronic Bill Pay service, you can reach a subscriber service representative by pressing "0". Subscriber Service's hours are 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, Pacific Time. If calling outside of these hours, simply leave us a message and we'll call you back on the next business day. We are closed on Federal Holidays.
Q:	How can I be sure no one else can access my bill paying service?
A:	You will access the system by entering the SUBSCRIBER/USER ID and PIN chosen by you. Only individuals with this information can access your account. Be certain not to release this information to anyone you do not want to fully authorize as a user on your account. SAFE GUARD! SAFE GUARD!.
Q:	If a subscriber asks a bank employee, "How secure is the Bill Pay Process," this is the answer you should give them:
A:	When a subscriber comes to the Bill Pay site a secure connection is established that prevents any outside parties from viewing transaction information. Any data that is transferred between locations is also made over secure connections utilizing data encryption, and all account information is kept behind a firewall to prevent any outside access.
Q:	If I currently have an automatic debit for a bill coming out of my checking account, should I cancel this debit and use my new bill pay program?
A:	It is recommended that you NOT cancel any auto debit UNLESS your new bill pay program has the ability to electronically remit this payment to your merchant. To determine if your merchant is electronic with your new bill pay program, simply call the service and this information will be provided to you. Merchants who have their own debit program will often times not ALLOW 3rd party processors to remit payments to them. Our main concern is that your bill be paid in a timely manner and safely. Some typical merchants are, Insurance companies, Utility companies and Mortgage companies.
Q:	How can I cancel my Electronic Bill Pay service?
A:	To make sure no payments are missed or duplicated while you're taking over bill payment yourself, you will first need to delete any pending scheduled payments. Then dial the Electronic Bill Pay line, press "0" for subscriber services and we'll be happy to take your request.

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Q:	How do I apply for an Online Banking account?
A:	You may enroll in Online Banking by either visiting the closest bank branch location to complete a paper application or by navigating to your bank's web site, clicking on the Online Banking and linking to the application. You may either have to print the application, and take it into the banking office, or you may be able to complete the entire application online. When you enroll, your Online Banking system user profile is set, along with the defaults that will appear in some of the data entry fields in this program. You can always change these defaults through the Customer Information pages after you first enroll. You will be notified as soon as the enrollment process is complete and the Online Banking system is available for you to use.
Q:	How much do Online Banking and Bill Pay cost?
A:	Online Banking is FREE to all bank customers! You'll be able to access your accounts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will also be able to check your current account balances, transaction details, transfer funds between accounts, and perform many self-service features like making stop payments and reordering checks. It's truly your 'one stop shop' for banking. There is a small monthly fee for Web Pay will allow you to pay your bills within minutes and have a confirmation of payments made. You can also schedule regular payments ahead of time or on a recurring basis. You'll never go back to licking stamps and addressing out envelopes!
Q:	Once I apply for Online Banking, which of my accounts will I be able to view online?
A:	In addition to having access to your checking account, you can also view your savings, personal loans, mortgage loans, and some investment accounts.all online. These accounts will be listed in the Account Summary section once you login to Online Banking. Your accounts will be separated by category: deposit accounts, certificate of deposits and IRAs, credit card accounts, and loan accounts.
Q:	What if I have a question about my account?
A:	There are three easy ways to contact the bank concerning questions about your account. You may click, call, or visit. Click (Contact us) With e-mail, you can contact the bank 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call If you would like to speak with a bank representative, you can call the bank during regular banking hours and someone will be glad to assist you. Visit Another way to contact a bank representative would be to visit the bank branch location nearest you during regular banking hours and someone will be glad to assist you.
Q:	How safe is my account information with Online Banking?
A:	Online Banking uses the latest and most innovative security technology available today. Technology such as Windows NT and SQL ( a powerful, relational database language), cryptography, firewalls, digital certification and authentication, are all utilized to make sure that all of your online transactions are secure and authentic.
Q:	Where can I find more information about security?
A:	Read the bank's security statement for more detailed information. This document will provide you with all the information you need about how the bank keeps your account information safe.
Q:	How can I make sure I am following the proper security measures online?
A:	All transactions are encrypted for security, and the Online Banking system is as secure as using an ATM. There are, however, a few steps you can take to ensure your account information is secure. Never leave your Online Banking system user name and password where another person can find them. Always use the Exit option on the Main Menu to leave the Online Banking system when you're done. If you just close your browser, or move to another web page, you could be leaving your connection to the system open. This could allow another person to access your accounts if you step away from your machine.
Q:	How does Online Banking work?
A:	You first access the Internet via your Internet Service Provider or ISP. Once you've gained online access, you then connect to the bank's web site. Click on the Online Banking button or link within the bank's web site. This will take you through a series of firewalls and secure connections, which link you to the Online Banking server. This server houses the software you see when accessing your account information. As updates are made to the bank's database and account information is updated, data is then sent from the bank to the secure Online Banking server and made available for you to view.
Q:	How do I access my account for the first time?
A:	Enter the User ID and password assigned to you as indicated in the welcome letter or e-mail you received from the bank. The first time you log in, you will be asked to change the password to one that is more familiar to you. It's a good idea to change your password regularly. Select a password that has some meaning to you, but that would be difficult for others to guess. Please do not use your Social Security Number, phone number, address, birth date/family member's birth date, or anniversary. Use at lease six characters, although eight is better. Avoid using single words or names. Try to include non-alphabetic characters, such as punctuation marks or brackets, in your password. You may also use special characters such a @ or &.

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