TIC Federal Credit Union

Q: What is eBranch?
A: eBranch is TIC's online home banking platform that allows TIC members to gain instant access to their account(s) from anywhere in the world. Members no longer have to wait for their statements to arrive, drive to a branch, or call in over the phone to find out the status of their account(s). With eBranch, members get real-time information on their account(s) with just a couple of clicks of a mouse. If you would like more information on eBranch, click here.

Q: What can I do with eBranch?
A: Basically, anything that you can do in one of our physical branches. With eBranch you can balance your checkbook, check the status of each of your TIC accounts, transfer money between your TIC accounts, make a payment on your TIC loan, view or print a chronological history of transactions on your accounts, export transactions from eBranch into your personal financial management software (works with Microsoft Money^TM and Quicken^TM), track your favorite stocks, pay your bills on-line (must have signed up for TIC's Bill Pay service), and apply for a loan. All of this can be done from the privacy of your own home or anywhere in the world that you may be located.

Q: How do I access and sign up for eBranch?
A: To access eBranch:

You are now signed up for eBranch!

Q: How much does eBranch cost?
A: eBranch is Free for ALL TIC members.

Q: What personal financial management software is compatible with eBranch?"
A: Any personal financial management software that accepts an OFC, QIF or CSV file. The two programs that have been tested and are known to work with eBranch are Microsoft Money^TM and Quicken^TM.

Q: What accounts can I access in eBranch?
A: All of your TIC accounts (i.e., savings, checking, loans, Certificate Accounts, etc.).

Q: How current is my balance?
A: Since eBranch is "real-time" information, you balance is always current. For example, if you transfer money from one account to another, your balance will change in both accounts as soon as you execute the transfer.

Q: How do I export my transactions from eBranch to my personal financial management software?
A: To export your transactions:

Q: Can I transfer money from one account to another in eBranch?
A: Yes. You can transfer money between any of your personal TIC accounts with the same member number (i.e., your regular savings, checking, Christmas Savings, Tax Savings, etc.). eBranch makes it easy for you. Just click on the "Account Transfer" button located at the top of any of the eBranch pages and follow the instructions. You cannot, however, transfer money from your account to another member's TIC account.

Q: Can I tell when a transfer has posted to my account?
A: Yes. Transfers through eBranch are posted the instant that you make them. Immediately after making a transfer, you can click on the account that you transferred the money from or to, to confirm that it was posted. You will see the transfer listed as the most current transaction posted in your account summary.

Q: Can I stop or modify my request to transfer funds?
A: Yes. eBranch will prompt you to "confirm" your transfer before you actually perform it. You can modify the amount of the transfer, the account you are transferring from/to, or cancel the transfer all together at that time.

Q: Can I use TIC's eBranch from overseas?
A: Yes. You can access your accounts through eBranch from anywhere in the world that you have access to a computer and the Internet.

Q: How do I enroll in Bill Pay?
A: You must first open a Rewards Checking account and register for eBranch (home banking). If you are already a Rewards Checking account holder, but are not registered for eBranch, click here to register for eBranch. If you are a Rewards Checking account holder, and are registered for eBranch, follow the steps below to register for Bill Pay:

Q: Will I be able to use Bill Pay with any of my accounts?
A: You will only be able to use Bill Pay with your Rewards Checking account.

Q: When is Bill Pay available?
A: Bill Pay is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Q: Do I need to be registered for eBranch to use Bill Pay?
A: Yes. If you are not registered for eBranch, click here to register. If you would like more information on eBranch, click the eBranch hyperlink above.

Q: From which account will my payments be made?
A: Your payments can only be made from your Rewards Checking account.

Q: How many days does it take a payment to reach the payee?
A: It depends on the creditor. If the creditor accepts electronic payments, it will take from 3 to 5 working days. If the creditor does not accept electronic payments and must be mailed a check, it takes 5 to 10 working days. Since a payment can take 3 to 10 working days to reach the creditor, it is best to always schedule payments at least 10 working days prior to the due date.

Q: When can I begin paying bills through Bill Pay?
A: You can begin using Bill Pay as soon as you receive your welcome E-mail containing your User ID and Personal Security Code from our payment processor. The first time you enter Bill Pay, you will be asked for your User ID number and PSC that you received through E-mail. After you sign-in the first time, you will only need your existing eBranch password to access Bill Pay, but you will need to keep your Bill Pay User ID number in your records. Your User ID number is the number our processor will request if you contact them for assistance.

Q: What bills can I pay through Bill Pay?
A: You can pay almost any bill - utilities, auto loans, charge accounts, even your baby-sitter. However, some payments are not allowed, such as tax payments and court ordered payments.

Q: How do I set up a merchant?
A: Click on the "Add/Edit Merchant" button. Complete the required fields for your new merchant and click on the "Add Payee" button. Use caution when setting up your merchant. Once you submit your entry, the address cannot be edited.

Q: What should I do if the Merchant Account ID does not match when trying to select a payee from the database?
A: When you try to set up a payee and do a search, there may be several payees that appear identical. When you select the first one you may encounter an error that the Merchant ID is not correct. The reason for this is some corporations have different payment centers within the same location. You will need to find the correct merchant account or enter the payee as an unlisted payee.

Q: What if the merchant's address changes?
A: If your merchant's address changes, you must treat it as a "new" payee and add a brand new merchant record. By doing this, you will then have two merchant records - the old and the new. You may delete the "old" record, but doing so will delete your payment history for that merchant. In order to maintain your payment history, simply keep the "old" merchant record in your database, but make payments through the "new" record.

Q: Can I set up Bill Pay to send recurring payments?
A: Yes. Complete the "Recurring Payments" section on your merchant information screen. All recurring payments will be marked with a symbol. Once you set up a recurring payment, the same amount will automatically be sent every month until you edit or delete the payment.

Q: How far in advance can I schedule a recurring payment?
A: You can schedule a payment up to one year prior to the due date.

Q: How is the payment sent to my merchant?
A: If a merchant will accept electronic payments, your bills will be paid electronically. Merchants who do not accept electronic payments will receive a check through the mail.

Q: Why do I need a confirmation number for each payment?
A: The confirmation number is noted on each transaction you make and is needed when you make a research request from our processor. It will allow them to identify which specific payment requires attention. Think of the confirmation number as your check number. You will need to record the confirmation number in your check register just as you would for an actual check.

Q: How can I check if merchants have received payment?
A: You can contact your merchant or review your next month's statement to determine if payment has been received.

Q: Who is TIC's payment processor and why would I call them?
A: Our payment processor is Metavante Corporation. They process the electronic payments and checks for our Bill Pay program. When you need to stop payment on a check, request a copy of a check, research a past payment or require other types of assistance, call a TIC Communication Center Representative at 706.320.8500.

Q: How do I stop payment on a check?
A: To stop payment, call a TIC Communication Center Representative at 706.320.8500.

Q: What happens when I get an Error Message: RDB Communication Failure?
A: When this message appears while in the Bill Pay platform, we have lost connection with Metavante Data Services temporarily. Please try again later.

Q: What happens if a payment was not sent to a merchant?
A: First, check to see if a payment was properly scheduled and the merchant was not just set up as a payee. Also, check to see if the payment was accidentally deleted. Or more commonly, a recurring payment that was purposely deleted, but was not set back up with the correct information.

Q: What do I do if I am unable to delete a payee?
A: First, check to see if this is a recurring payment with this payee. If this is a recurring payment, that payment must be deleted first before you can delete the payee.

Q: What if I want more information on a payment that was sent out?
A: You will need to call a TIC Communication Center Representative at 706.320.8500.

Q: Is the Bill Pay service secure?
A: Yes. Any information that you transfer through eBranch or Bill Pay is protected by several security measures. You must first access your account on our secure platform by using a password. Your information is further protected by encryption, firewall and a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Protocol that are in place to ensure your financial transactions remain confidential.

Q: Is there a difference between Payee and Merchant?
A: No. These terms are used interchangeably to identify the recipient of your payments.

Q: What do I do with the invoice or payment coupon I normally send with my check?
A: You do not need to send your payment coupon to your merchant. As long as you include your account number when paying through Bill Pay, your merchant will credit that account. If you prefer, you can attach your monthly invoices to your Bill Pay confirmation report for your records.

Q: Do my merchants need to know that I will now pay them through Bill Pay?
A: No. It is not necessary to notify your merchants that you will be submitting your payments through Bill Pay.

Q: Can I use Bill Pay overseas?
A: Yes. You can pay your bills from anywhere in the world you have access to the World Wide Web with a secure browser.

Q: What are eStatements?
A: eStatements are an electronic version of your savings or checking account statements. You are able to view, print and save (to your hard drive) your current/historical eStatements right from within eBranch. You will receive eStatements much quicker than paper statements sent through "snail mail."

Q: How much does TIC's eStatements service cost?
A: eStatements are available at no cost for ALL members who have enrolled in eBranch.

Q: How do I sign up for eStatements?
A: To sign up for eStatements, log onto eBranch. Click the "Account Access" and then click the "eStatements" button. You will be presented with a Financial Disclosure Statement. Please read and accept the disclosure statement. You will then be presented with the eStatements menu screen. The cut-off date for registering for eStatements is the 25th of the month:

You will receive an e-mail reminder notifying you when you can view your first eStatement. Until your first eStatement is available for you to view, you will see the statement "no statements are currently available, please try again later" on the eStatements menu screen in eBranch.

Q: How do I view my eStatement?
A: To view your eStatement, log onto eBranch. Click on "Account Access" and then click on the "eStatements" button. You will be presented with the eStatement menu. Click on the PDF icon located to the right of the statement month/year you wish to view. Your entire statement will be presented to you.

Q: Why am I required to update my e-mail address periodically?
A: Your correct e-mail address is necessary in order for TIC to send you a monthly reminder of when your eStatements are available for viewing.

Q: Will my eStatement still be available on eBranch if for some reason I don't receive my e-mail reminder?
A: Your eStatement and e-mail reminder are independent of each other. If you do not receive the reminder, your eStatement will still be available through eBranch.

Q: Do I need any special software to view my eStatement?
A: Your entire eStatement may be viewed in PDF format using Adobe Acrobat Reader software. The Adobe Acrobat Reader program is a separate utility that can be downloaded for free through the eStatement menu screen.

Q: What if I don't have Adobe Acrobat Reader?
A: Adobe Acrobat Reader is free software that you can download at any time through the eStatements menu. Click on the "Get Acrobat Reader" icon on the eStatements menu to download and install the software.

Q: How do I print my eStatement?
A: The Adobe Acrobat Reader program allows you to print the entire statement or separate pages by clicking on the printer icon at the top of the Reader program screen.

Q: How do I save my eStatement?
A: Your historical eStatements will be available online for up to six months. After six months, they will be purged. However, your eStatement may be saved to your hard drive for future reference. To do so, click the "Save" (diskette) icon located at the top of your Adobe Acrobat Reader or Internet browser program. Navigate to the directory on your hard drive where you would like to save your eStatements. Accept the default file name or rename the file and click the "Save" button.

Q: Can I receive a paper statement and an eStatement?
A: No. By signing up for eStatements, you waive the monthly receipt of a paper statement. TIC can provide you with a paper copy of any historical statement you require in person or by mail. To obtain a paper copy of a statement, you will need to request it in person at one of our branches, by telephone at 706.320.8500, or send a written letter of request to:

Q: Can I receive the statement(s) of my joint account?
A: For legal reasons, statements must be delivered to the primary account holder only.

Q: Is my eStatement information secure?
A: Yes. Our online banking has the highest standard of privacy protection available. All transactions and eStatements are secured with multiple layers of encryption, firewalls, screening and filter routers. The security measures used exceed industry standards in protecting the confidentiality and safety or your financial information. The Internet delivers your financial information to you, while a private network is used to access our host computer. All data is modified in such a way that it is unreadable to anyone else, giving you the peace of mind that your financial information is protected.

Q: Can I have my eStatement e-mailed to me instead of viewing it through eBranch?
A: No, your eStatement cannot be e-mailed to you.

Q: How long will my eStatements be available for viewing?
A: Historical eStatements will be available for viewing for up to six months, after which time they are purged. It is advised that you save your eStatements to your hard drive if you think you may need them in the future.

Q: Does eStatements require a separate password from eBranch?
A: No. eStatements does not require its own password. Your eBranch password is all you will need.

Q: What if I want to cancel eStatements?
A: You can cancel eStatements at any time and revert back to paper statements. To do so, you will need to send an e-mail through eBranch stating that you no longer wish to receive eStatements, or you can notify us by telephone at 706.320.8500.

Q: Can I have my eStatement e-mail reminder sent to more than one e-mail address?
A: No. We can only send your eStatement reminder to the e-mail address you have on file through eBranch.

Q: How do I notify the credit union if my e-mail address changes?
A: You can change your e-mail address at any time through the eBranch User Options. Otherwise, you will be periodically requested to confirm your e-mail address during eBranch logon.

eBranch Enrollment