ACH Pull vs Bill pay Push

[john398]

---

@thom02099 wrote:

---

@longtimelurker wrote:

Pushes are useful when the issuer website has some restrictions on payment, e.g. you cannot pay until a balance is posted, only pay X times per cycle, cannot pay more than 1.Y times current balance.    Doing a push overcomes these restrictions.

But, these are generally only when people are micro-managing utilization, so for many people not really needed.

The other time I use push is from Bluebird to a credit card.   You cannot pull from Bluebird (or rather, I don't know how!) and this is the quickest way to repay manufactured spend.

---

+1.  If one has credit cards, it's important to know the rules of the game, as far as what each issuer will allow.  If you know each company's rules, up front,  then you know when you need to PUSH vs PULL a payment. 

For example:  Wells Fargo will only allow 2 payments to PULL from within their on line account payment process.  However, one can PUSH as many times as you'd like. Chase also has limitations.   They require a 3 day window for payments, you make a payment, then have to wait 3 days to PULL another payment, whereas you can PUSH whenever you'd like. 

And....as Lurker said, this all really comes down to micro-managing accounts.  Yes, there may be times when one needs to do a PULL and PUSH to a payment, but for most folks I don't think it's really necessary.

---

The 3 day window for Chase payments disapeared for me last month, I am not sure why but I was able to pay daily

[Pat94108]

They both have pros and cons. Like some have said, when you use ACH pull, the payment is credited on the same day unlike a push that can take up to two or three days to arrive to your payee or sometimes four if the bank has to mail a live check. 

People sometimes prefer push as they don't like having a company having their banking info and pulling money out of their account (I have read stories about companies pulling the wrong amount of money for instance) . With push, you are in control of all that and you manage your bills from one website (your bank's) as noted by BlackBeauty. In the end, it's all a matter of prefereces (I used both) but ACH pulling is usually faster.

[thom02099]

---

@longtimelurker wrote:

Some utilities charge for a (pull) payment from a bank account?  Wow!  Mine charge for credit card, but that makes a little more sense.  Generally ACH payment is much cheaper for the business than someone sending in a check.

---

Yup, my city utilities charges regardless of the method of pull.  And I just renewed my license plates on line with the Colorado Department of Revenue and they charged a $3 "convenience fee".  Bad enough that they jacked up the renewal fees across the board, now this convenience fee?!!?

[DaveSignal]

I use both, depending on the account or the timeframe.  There are good reasons to use either method, as has already been mentioned in previous posts here.

[Stiga9]

That is great info from everyone. For me, since I only pay once a month and i'd like to get it paid ASAP, then an Automatic ACH Pull seems to suit my needs better. And there is no fees for me to do an ACH pull for all my payees.

[injustifiiable]

---

@DaveSignal wrote:

I use both, depending on the account or the timeframe.  There are good reasons to use either method, as has already been mentioned in previous posts here.

---

+100 on this one. Good example: Credit One will update the available credit on the 2nd business day the payment is made if you push it from your bank. If you do a pull payment from their site, they can put a hold on it  for up to 15 days.

[Blackbeauty212]

Hmmmm this is why I never bothered with these shady starter/rebuilder card companies.... 

1 - A push from your bank to Credit One is 99.9% sent elecrontically through the ACH, there's no reason for them to hold Available credit. Immeda

2 - I hope all they do is Hold the available credit for 2 Bus Days, but post the payment immedately. Its illegal(by Fed Law) to Hold ACH payments, they must be posted on the date recieved. Just like DD from you job your bank by law must make those funds available immediately because it passes through the ACH.