How Does ACH Payment Processing Work For Small Businesses
If you’re a small business owner or have ever wondered how the ACH Network works, then you’ve come to the right place.
The ACH Network is used for processing payments via electronic funds transfers and has been around since the mid-20th century. It’s actually one of the oldest methods of transferring money from person to person or business to business in existence today—and it’s still going strong!
In this article, we’ll go over how eMerchantbroker’s ACH payment processing is scaling small businesses’ growth through effective operations.
What Is ACH Payment Processing?
ACH is an electronic payment network that allows you to transfer money from one bank account to another, much like a debit or credit card transaction. As such, it’s widely used by businesses and consumers alike. These transactions can be for business payments or consumer payments, including direct deposit and direct debit transactions.
ACH payments are made electronically through electronic funds transfer. The ACH network consists of more than 12,000 financial institutions and more than 5,000 direct participants who process nearly 24 billion electronic transactions each year. Besides, the ACH system also facilitates government payments through the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).
Small businesses can typically use the payment system for recurring payments like utility bills or rent, as well as payroll. Banks use ACH payments to transfer money in real time between banks and businesses.
To maximize ACH benefits, eMerchantbroker features ACH debit that helps businesses deposit money in their merchant accounts in 7 business days. This helps business pay their loans on time, pay employees, and remit tax within the required timeline.
How Does It Work?
ACH payments are made directly from a bank account. This can be either a business checking account or a personal bank account.
ACH payments are processed through the Automated Clearing House (ACH). This is a network that facilitates electronic transactions between financial institutions and their customers, similar to how money moves between banks when you make a deposit at an ATM machine.
An ACH payment will typically be made on a recurring basis for daily, weekly, monthly or other regular intervals. For example, processing payroll once per week or paying an invoice twice each month.
The Benefits of ACH Payments
ACH payments are much more efficient than other payment methods. This is because ACH transactions are processed automatically and don’t require the use of a third party.
When you make payments using this method, your money transfers directly from one bank to another without going through an expensive middleman like PayPal or Stripe. This means that there’s no processing fee for your business!
In addition to being more efficient than other payment methods, ACH payments are also more secure. Unlike credit cards or debit cards, which expose sensitive customer information during the checkout process, ACH transfers protect consumers by eliminating personal financial details. These may include account numbers during checkout steps like entering credit card information into forms on websites that accept online payments.
How To Incorporate ACH Payments in Small Businesses
It’s a good idea to know how to incorporate ACH payments into your business practices if you want to be fully equipped for the future.
ACH processing allows you to pay vendors and suppliers directly from your bank account or credit card, which is much faster than sending checks through the mail. You can also use ACH payment processing to pay bills, such as taxes or utilities.
There are several ways that you can use ACH payments in your small business. Here are a few examples:
- Receiving Payments
ACH payments are a great way to receive money from customers. They’re quick, easy, and convenient and they don’t require you to have a physical location or any other kind of infrastructure in place.
ACH payments work like this: Your customers can log into their bank account or mobile app and make a payment directly from their checking account. The money will be deposited into your bank account within one or two business days, depending on the bank you use and whether it’s an electronic or paper check (paper checks take longer).
- Paying Employees
ACH payments have become more popular with small businesses because they’re easy and inexpensive for both employers and employees alike. The cost of ACH transfers is much lower than checks or bank wires because there are no fees associated with them (unless you choose an expensive service provider). And since ACH payments are typically made electronically between bank accounts instead of paper checks being mailed from one location to another (which takes longer), employees get paid faster too!
- Paying the Government
When it comes time to pay taxes, you might be tempted just send in a check like always, but why not try something new?
The government allows businesses with less than 100 employees to pay their taxes using ACH payments. You simply need to fill out an authorization form, which can be found on the IRS website. Once you have completed the form and filed it with the IRS, you will receive an ACH number from them which can be used for tax payments.
You can use ACH payments to make sure that the IRS gets its money on time every year by setting up an automatic withdrawal from your checking account each month. This way, there’s no chance of forgetting about it or accidentally sending too much money.
- Paying for Supplies
A business that has a retail location may need to pay for supplies with an ACH payment. When you pay for supplies, you are essentially paying for the products you need to run your business. This can include anything from office supplies and equipment to food and drinks. If you have a retail location, you will also need to pay for rent and utilities.
When paying for supplies with an ACH payment, it is important that you remember that these payments must be made within 30 days of purchase. The same rule applies when paying utilities or rent with an ACH payment. You should always make sure that these payments arrive on time so that your company does not suffer any penalties or fees because of late payments.
Focusing on The Fundamentals of ACH Payments
ACH payments are made by the bank and processed through the Automated Clearing House (ACH). With ACH payments, you can make a deposit or withdrawal from your business accounts electronically rather than writing a check or getting cash.
This makes them an attractive option for small businesses that need to do more than just use cash. It also allows them to avoid processing fees because they aren’t charged by third parties like credit card companies.
While some payment options may be more convenient, they can come with added costs associated with processing. Or other factors that may not apply when using an ACH payment system.
For example, credit cards have transaction chargebacks which means businesses have to pay money back if there is fraudulent activity on their cards which isn’t the case for ACH transactions. So it’s important to understand how these two types of payment options differ before making any final decisions about the best system that meet your needs as a small business owner.
You should also know that there are laws governing both checks and credit cards. But not necessarily regarding how checks work online versus traditional methods where banks send out physical checks. Instead of making funds available electronically immediately after receiving authorization from another party such as Visa/MasterCard etcetera
Risks and Considerations to Know
Now that you know how the process works, it is important for you to understand some of the risks and considerations.
ACH Payments are safe, but there are risks. It is not uncommon for companies to lose funds due to fraud or human error. There are also regulations that apply to ACH payments, which means your bank can hold your money if they feel like there’s a problem with your account or with their system.
ACH payments can be used for many different purposes. These include payroll processing, direct deposit of government benefits such as tax refunds, and Social Security benefits through direct deposit (an option most employees prefer over paper checks).
It can also come in handy for corporate expenses such as equipment rental payments made by check or credit card. But paid off monthly in advance directly from a company’s bank account rather than writing out individual bills each time they need something rented. All these reasons show why ACH payment processing has become so popular among small businesses today!
Kick-Off ACH Payment Processing For Your Small Business Today
We have discussed how ACH payments work and why businesses should consider using them. We’ve also covered some of the basics of how ACH payments are processed, as well as some important considerations when processing them on your own. Overall, it’s clear that ACH payment processing is a great option for businesses looking to make the switch from checks or credit card payments.
If you want to start your payment processing today, contact eMerchantbroker experts at (800) 621 – 4893 for guidance.