ESL Courtesy Pay Frequently Asked Questions

What is an overdraft?

An overdraft occurs when you do not have enough money in your checking account to cover a transaction and you do not have overdraft protection.

How can I avoid overdrafts?

First, be sure to sign up for one of the overdraft protection options ESL offers

  1. Cash Reserve Line of Credit
  2. CheckOK overdraft coverage from a linked account
  3. ESL Courtesy Pay (you will be automatically enrolled if you meet the qualifying criteria)

In addition to signing up for overdraft protection, there are many things you can do to help avoid overdrafts on your checking account before they occur.

  1. Use ESL Internet Banking to monitor account balances and transactions frequently.
    1. If you're not a current Internet Banking user you can register now using your member number and Internet Banking PIN. If you don't know your PIN, chat with an Internet Representative and they will assist you.
    2. ESL Representatives are also available to sign you up through:
      1. ESL Online Chat
      2. ESL Tele-Banking Center at 585.336.1000 or 800.848.2265
      3. Your local branch
  2. Sign up for email alerts based on balance thresholds. Log into Internet Banking and click email notifications to set up alerts.
  3. Set up balance alerts to be sent to your cell phone. Internet Banking email notifications can be sent to your cell phone by using your cell number plus your carrier extension (contact your carrier for details). For example Verizon wireless could have an address of 5851234567@vtext.net or ATT could be 5851234567@att.net (standard text messaging rates apply).
  4. Balance your checkbook on a regular basis.
  5. Schedule payments in advance through ESL Bill Pay to avoid late fees.
What happens when I don't have enough money to pay for a checking transaction?

Depending on the overdraft protection service you have on your checking account, there are several things that can happen.

If you have enough coverage to pay for an item using one of the ESL overdraft protection service options, your item will be paid.

If you do not have overdraft coverage, your item will be returned and you will be charged an insufficient funds or uncollected funds fee.

Overdraft Terms
  1. Overdraft — ESL Courtesy Pay pays checks, automatic withdrawals via ACH, and ESL Bill Pay transactions on your behalf rather than returning the item to the payee. If you register, ESL Courtesy Pay will also cover ESL Visa ® Check Card transactions. Your account becomes overdrawn by the amount of the item, plus an overdraft fee up to $37.
  2. Insufficient Funds — Insufficient funds occurs when you do not have enough money in your account to cover a transaction and ESL returns the item to the payee. The item is NOT paid and the insufficient funds fee is deduced from your account.
  3. Uncollected Funds — Uncollected funds are funds that you have deposited, but are not available for withdrawal. If an item such as an electronic withdrawal or check is presented against the funds when they are still on hold, the item is returned to the payee and you will be charged a $37 uncollected funds fee.
What is ESL Courtesy Pay?

ESL Courtesy Pay is an overdraft protection service that can be used in conjunction with an ESL Cash Reserve Account or CheckOK. ESL Courtesy Pay allows eligible checking account holders to overdraw their checking account up to a specified limit in order to avoid bounced checks, returned automatic withdrawal (ACH) and ESL Bill Payments. If you register, ESL Courtesy Pay will also cover ESL Visa Check Card transactions.

How does it work?
  1. Each checking account is assigned an overdraft limit, based on the type of checking account you have.
  2. When a transaction is presented for payment and there are not enough funds in the account to cover the item, ESL Courtesy Pay allows the transaction to be processed and overdraws the account by the amount of the transaction PLUS the fee and may take the account above the ESL Courtesy Pay limit.
  3. ESL Courtesy Pay works in conjunction with any other overdraft protection option you have. It takes effect if your CheckOk Account and/or your Cash Reserve Account have insufficient funds or credit.
How do I sign up for ESL Courtesy Pay?

ESL Courtesy Pay is not a loan or other credit product and requires no application or credit approval. Any new checking accounts will automatically be enrolled to cover Checks, ACH, and ESL Bill Pay transactions as soon as they meet the enrollment criteria below. However if you want ESL Courtesy Pay to cover ESL Visa Check Card transactions you must register and meet the enrollment criteria below.

Enrollment Criteria:

  1. You must be a member in good standing;
  2. You must be 18 years of age or older (custodian and guardian accounts are not eligible);
  3. Your checking account must be open for a minimum of 60 days;
  4. Delinquent, late, or charged-off loans are not eligible;
  5. You cannot have any legal or administrative orders, including attachments, garnishments, or levies against your accounts;
  6. You cannot have any pending bankruptcies or financial counseling arrangements.
If I'm not initially enrolled in ESL Courtesy Pay, what do I need to do to qualify?

In order to be automatically enrolled in ESL Courtesy Pay to cover Checks, ACH, and ESL Bill Pay transactions, you must meet the following criteria:

  1. You must maintain your membership in good standing;
  2. Your checking account must be opened more than 60 days;
  3. Your checking account must be funded with at least $1.00 for a period not less than 30 days before the item was presented to ESL for payment;
  4. Your ESL loans and credit cards must be current;
  5. There cannot be any legal or administrative orders, including attachments, garnishments, or levies against your accounts with us;
  6. There cannot be any pending bankruptcies or financial counseling arrangements with us;
  7. The primary account holder must 18 years of age or older, and the share draft account is not an account set up by a fiduciary.

If you want your ESL Visa Check Card transactions covered by ESL Courtesy Pay you must register and must meet the above criteria.


What are the benefits of ESL Courtesy Pay?

ESL Courtesy Pay offers overdraft coverage in addition to Cash Reserve and CheckOK. For members who do not have Cash Reserve or CheckOK, ESL Courtesy Pay helps to avoid overdrawn checks, rejected ACH payments, bounced ESL Bill Pay transactions, and declined ESL Visa Check Card transactions.

Benefits include:

  1. Avoids late fees
  2. Avoids embarrassment
  3. Avoids additional charges from the payee for a bounced check or failed transaction
  4. No need to make alternative payment arrangements
  5. Eliminates blocked ESL Bill Pay accounts due to insufficient funds
  6. Avoids being reported to a credit agency for poor payment behavior
How much ESL Courtesy Pay coverage do I have

ESL Courtesy Pay limits are defined based on the type of checking account you have. If you have more than one checking account, each account will be covered by a separate ESL Courtesy Pay limit. These limits include any fees charged for each item that overdraws your account. Fees can take you above your ESL Courtesy Pay limit.

  1. Free Checking
  2. Premier Checking
  1. $500
  2. $1,000

What if I have a Cash Reserve or CheckOK on my checking account, can I still have ESL Courtesy Pay?

Yes, ESL Courtesy Pay acts as additional coverage once your Cash Reserve or CheckOK have reached their limits.

I didn't qualify for a Cash Reserve line of credit, can I still get ESL Courtesy Pay?

As long as you meet the criteria described above, you are likely to qualify for ESL Courtesy Pay.

If I have more than one checking account, do I have to choose which account has ESL Courtesy Pay?

No, each individual checking account receives an ESL Courtesy Pay limit based on the type of account you have.

What if I want ESL Courtesy Pay coverage on one checking account but not on another?

If you decide you do not want ESL Courtesy Pay on an account, you can decline the service for each account separately.

If you do not wish to be automatically enrolled in ESL Courtesy pay please log into ESL Internet Banking and complete the Registration/Decline form, visit your local branch, call 585.336.1000 or 800.848.2265 or click here and chat with an Internet Representative.

Why is ESL offering ESL Courtesy Pay?

ESL constantly strives to meet our members' needs. We want to offer our members a variety of ways to manage their checking accounts. ESL Courtesy Pay offers an additional overdraft option to our checking account holders who may not qualify for Cash Reserve or CheckOK services.

What transactions are covered by ESL Courtesy Pay?

In order to ensure that your primary payments are satisfied, ESL Courtesy pay will cover check, automatic withdrawal (ACH), ESL Bill Pay, and ESL Visa Check Card transactions.

Are ATM transactions covered?

Not at this time.

How can I tell if I qualify for ESL Courtesy Pay?

You can visit your local branch, call 585.336.1000 or 800.848.2265 or click here and chat with an Internet Representative.

When a checking account becomes enrolled in ESL Courtesy Pay, you will receive an enrollment notification.

How will I know if a transaction was covered by ESL Courtesy Pay?

You will receive a notice in the mail to tell you that your ESL Courtesy Pay was used, whether the item was paid or returned, and the associated fee for the service. You will also see a negative balance and the fee in your transaction history.

How long do I have to pay the overdraft back?

You should plan to pay the overdraft back as soon as you receive a notification that your account is overdrawn. If you do not pay the overdraft within 20 days, your ESL Courtesy Pay will be blocked.

How does ESL Courtesy Pay work with Cash Reserve and CheckOK?

If you have Cash Reserve or CheckOK set up as overdraft protection, ESL Courtesy Pay would perform as a back-up to those services only IF the Cash Reserve line was fully drawn or there were not enough funds in the CheckOK account to cover a transaction.

Can I write a check to take an advance against ESL Courtesy Pay?

No. ESL Courtesy Pay is not a loan and cannot be advanced by writing a check to yourself.

What if I do not want ESLCourtesy Pay coverage?

If you do not wish to be automatically enrolled in ESL Courtesy pay please log into ESL Internet Banking and complete the Registration/Decline form, visit your local branch, call 585.336.1000 or 800.848.2265 or click here and chat with an Internet Representative.

Please remember that if you opt-out of ESL Courtesy Pay, your items will be returned to the payee if there are not sufficient funds to cover them, and you will be charged an insufficient funds fee.

Is there a limit to the number of transactions that can be covered by ESL Courtesy Pay?

No, there is not a limit to the number of transactions that can be covered by ESL Courtesy Pay except the ESL Courtesy Pay dollar limit per checking account. However, there is a daily limit of seven fees that will be charged for overdrawing the account.