ACH Mandate

ACH stands for Automated Clearing House, and it functions as an electronic fund transfer system. It connects banks and credit unions within the ACH network. This is a reliable method for various financial transactions, including direct deposits of paychecks and regular debits for recurring deposits.

This digital fund transfer is called ‘Direct Payment via ACH’. It facilitates straightforward direct payments electronically. Businesses call this facility automatic bill payment, automatic debit, electronic bill payment, etc. 

You can use this facility for ACH credit or ACH debit payments. As the funds are transmitted digitally, the security of your bank information is enhanced. It helps reduce the chances of loss or theft. 

To know about the ACH mandate in detail, the objectives of ACH, the process of registering for ACH and much more, read on.

An Automated Clearing House (ACH) transaction takes place between two banks. One, from where the debit transaction originates, and the second, with the receiving bank where the credit entry of the same reflects. 

To successfully complete your transaction, some banks may levy ACH charges. Meaning a fee may be involved, but not all banks levy these charges. Thus, the ACH transaction is an electronic transfer that takes place when you put in a request with your bank. 

Only the individual or entity that is making the payment can initiate it, i.e., someone who wants to transfer and does not receive funds. Additionally, the type of transaction affects the applicable ACH charges. 

Meaning not all ACH transactions carry a charge. ACH deposits do not have any charges, whereas ACH direct payments may come with nominal charges.

ACH’s full form in banking is an Automated Clearing House. It is different from ECS, or Electronic Clearing Service, in the following ways.

of ACH transfers are based on how the funds get transferred. Here are the two types of ACH transfers that you must know about: ACH credit and ACH debit.

1. ACH Credit

ACH credit is a type of ACH transfer in which the money is transferred from the payer’s bank account to the receiver’s bank account. Under ACH credit transactions, the money is transferred into the account. For example, you set up a payment through your bank to pay a bill.

2. ACH Debit

An ACH debit transfer is a form of ACH transfer under which the money is withdrawn from the bank account. In this transfer, the payer grants the receiver authorisation to collect payment from their account, as per predetermined frequency for a predetermined duration. 

Under ACH debit, the money is pulled from the account. For example, you set up a recurring monthly payment for your EMI. In this case, the ACH debit will debit the amount automatically.

Depending on the type of ACH, the objectives vary. ACH direct payments and ACH direct deposits have different objectives.

1. You can use ACH direct payments in the following cases:

• Payment of taxes

• Payment of EMIs

• Subscriptions

• Gifts and donations that are recurring

• Tuition fee

• Mortgage loan payments

• Membership fees

• Recurring investments

2. You can use ACH direct deposit in the following scenarios:

• Payroll

• Pension

• Annuities

• Refund of taxes

• 401K disbursements

• Dividend payments

• Interest payments

• Expense reimbursements

e-ACH is typically an electronic ACH that allows the use of online portals and electronic transfers to ensure the success of a transaction. e-ACH can be used to either debit or credit recurring payments. ACH e-Mandate is a payment service brought about by NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) to collect recurring payments.

The ACH form helps with the ease of transactions made through ACH and ensures that the funds are directly credited to or debited from the bank account. A few important details have to be filled in the ACH form, such as:

• MICR number

• IFSC code

• Bank account number

• Phone number

• Email ID

Once these details are filled in and the form is submitted, the funds will be directly transferred into your bank account.

Several partner banks provide ACH facility, and some of these banks are:

• Axis Bank

• Citi Bank

• RBL Bank

• HDFC Bank

• State Bank of India (SBI)

To begin filling up the ACH form with these banks, you could either visit the bank to get the form physically or you could go to the bank’s website to download the ACH form. Procure the form, and ensure to accurately fill in the required details. 

Once you fill in all of these details and submit the form, the fund gets transfers directly to your bank account.

ACH mandate charges are essentially fees that certain banks and financial institutions charge. Typically, ACH transfers do not incur charges as much as other modes of transfer. However, certain banks charge transaction fees or service fees. The ACH charges are typically charged across 4 areas: 

• Credit fee

• Debit fee

• Discount fee

• Account fee

As these charges depend on the financial institution, it is best to verify with the bank about their charges beforehand.

Many people have ACH payments scheduled and pre-authorised regularly for certain payments and subscriptions. However, if you are looking to cancel your ACH mandate, you should either remove the subscription or contact the bank. 

Once you contact the bank, you will be asked to submit a request for the cancellation of the ACH mandate. Once you submit the request, depending on the bank, your ACH mandate cancellation process will begin and get cleared within 3-5 business days.

Check out the requirements that you need to make ACH payments successfully.

• The recipient’s financial institution’s name

• The recipient’s account number

• The type of account provided by the financial institution

• The ABA routing number of the financial institution