Have a Question About ESL? Look Here for an Answer!

Please view the Three Great ESL Checking Options chart to determine the best product for you.

Once signed in to personal online banking, you may register for ESL Bill Pay by either clicking Bill Pay or you may mouse over Bill Pay and click Pay a Bill.

To gain access to Business Online Banking and Business Bill Pay, complete and sign the Business Online Banking Request Agreement. Drop off the signed agreement at any ESL branch or mail to:

ESL Federal Credit Union
Payment Operations Department
P.O. Box 92827
Rochester, NY 14692

Once we receive your signed agreement, we'll help you quickly complete the one-time registration process.

You may contact Deluxe directly at 800.252.3414 to place a check order for business style checks or accessories.

Yes, ESL has online applications for our consumer and Home Equity loan products. 

Please view our Business Loans page to determine which product is best for you, and the necessary documentation.

Select Job Opportunities from the Great Opportunities drop down in the Careers section. You may search by work location, title, career area, and keywords.

Please contact an ESL Representative to close your account.  Some important reminders:

• Be certain all of your deposits have cleared the account, and that you have no outstanding checks. 
• Be certain that you have notified any party that normally deposits or debits your account for automatic ACH payments or credits. Those ACH transactions must be canceled before closing your account. 
• If you use the account as a funding account for ESL Bill Pay be certain that all payments have cleared your account. You can change your debiting account by contacting an ESL Representative. 
• If you have a cash reserve associated with that checking account it must be paid in full, and will be closed when we close your checking account. 
• If you have a Visa Debit card attached to the account we can attach it to another checking account.  Otherwise it will be canceled when the account is closed.

Chip cards, sometimes referred to as EMV chip cards, are the latest in technology to help mitigate the risk of fraud for in-store transactions. The chip card contains a microchip that adds an additional layer of security. View details.

The ESL ABA Routing Number is 222371863.  

For first time login instructions, refer to the instructions found on these pages on our website:

• ESL Online Banking (refer to “Sign Up”)
• ESL Mobile Banking

If you’re still not able to login, please connect with us so we can help.

Please view our personal and business Supported Browser pages.

To activate your card, please call 844.433.1140.

If you know your PIN, you may also activate your card at any ESL ATM. Just perform an ATM transaction that requires entry of your PIN (balance inquiry, deposit, withdrawal, or transfer).

It would be in your best interest to contact ChexSystems so that you may ensure the record does not have any outdated information on it.

To contact ChexSystems, please call 800.428.9623 or visit their website. 

No, you are not. You are covered by the Visa Zero Liability Policy.

A Mortgage Originator can answer questions about ESL's mortgage products, programs being offered, and the steps to getting a mortgage.

Please contact a Mortgage Originator to inquire on your mortgage status.

If you applied for your mortgage online through our web center you will receive emails advising you of the status of your application.

Yes, you may opt to receive your credit card statement online.

Building a home can be an exciting experience. Working with builders and architects is a challenging commitment that can result in the home of your dreams. ESL has several ways to help you finance that dream.

ESL also offers business loans.

The daily limit for ESL Visa Debit Card purchases is $5,000 when you use your card as credit. The daily limit for purchases made with your PIN is $1,000, which includes the daily cash limit you can withdraw from an ATM.

The daily limit for ESL Visa Business Debit Card purchases is $5,000 when you use your card as credit. The daily limit for purchases made with your PIN is $1,000, which includes the daily cash limit you can withdraw from an ATM.

If you are unable to log in, please:

• Access the ESL Home page.
• Click Sign In.
• Click Trouble Logging in?  
• To gain access to online banking you must have a new password sent to a registered phone number.

If you need further assistance please contact an ESL Representative. 

During the Account Opening process you were given a member number on the “Congratulations” screen. If you opened your membership as a joint applicant, we would have sent your member number to the email address you provided as part of your application within 1-2 business days. . If you did not save your member number, please connect with us so we can help.

Europay, MasterCard, and Visa. This is the same as calling it a chip card or chip-enabled card.

As an ESL member, you have a unique member number that identifies you and your relationship with ESL. Your member number is listed at the top of each of your ESL statements.

You may also contact an ESL Representative to obtain your member number.

There is no fee for a stop payment. Please view ESL Stop Payment Fees and Conditions.

1. From the careers page click Browse Job Openings.
2. Select an opportunity.
3. Click Apply On-Line.
4. Follow instructions to complete the candidate presence (profile).

The daily limit for ESL Visa Business Debit Card purchases is $5,000 when you use your card as credit. The daily limit for purchases in which you use your PIN is $1,000, which includes the daily cash limit you can withdraw from an ATM.

To edit information for an existing payee:

1. Sign in to online banking.
2. Click Bill Pay.
3. Locate the payee in your My Bills & People I Pay list. 
4. Click Options.  
5. Click Account Information.
6. You may be able to edit some or all of the following: 
   • Account Number 
   • Category 
   • Nickname 
   • Address (if paid electronically, this field cannot be edited) 
   • Phone Number

If you do not get the option to change the address, but still need to update it, delete or hide the payee and set it up again. 

Please view the Three Great ESL Checking Options chart to determine the best product for you.

No. However, the card should be close (within 1-2 inches) to the Contactless Symbol on the contactless-enabled terminal.

The terminal reads the card best when it is flat over the Contactless Symbol, versus at an angle.

Yes, you have the option to change your Free checking account to a Premier checking account at anytime. 

The request can be completed by contacting an ESL Representative. 

ESL Business Members may visit an ESL Branch Location to complete the process. The process will require a new account to be opened. 

ESL Bill Pay is a FREE service that is available for all ESL members with an ESL Checking account. Standard three to five business day delivery is free. A fee may apply for expedited payments. View our Online and Mobile Banking Access Fee schedule.

For ESL Business accounts, fees may apply to certain checking accounts.

Connect with an ESL Representative so we can help.

Acceptable file formats are Microsoft Word documents (.doc, .docx), Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf), and text documents (.txt, .rtf, .rtx).

Some loan applications may not receive an instant approval, but that doesn't mean they have been declined.  The application may require review by our loan originators before we can approve your request.

To learn more about your loan application please contact an ESL Representative.

A Returned Item fee in is charged for any Check/Money Order deposited to your account that is returned to ESL unpaid.  Please view our personal or business fee schedule.

If you are interested in employment at ESL, please view our ESL Careers page for job opportunities and complete details on how to apply. 

When making in-store purchases and your ESL chip card is used with a chip-enabled terminal, the chip produces a unique code that cannot be duplicated to validate your purchase. Because the transaction is verified using the unique code and not your card information, the merchant can’t store your card and/or personal information in their system. This keeps your account information safer and drastically reduces the chance of card cloning, data breaches, and other fraudulent activity.

In some cases it takes time to update ESL Online and Mobile Banking with your account information. If your account is not visible in 10 minutes, please connect with us so that we can help.

For the first time you sign in to online banking, you must use a four-digit PIN. Once you are in, you will be required to create a password. If you do not have an online banking PIN, please contact an ESL Representative.

To gain access to Business Online Banking, complete the Business Online Banking Request Agreement. Drop off the signed agreement at any ESL branch or mail to:

ESL Federal Credit Union
Payment Operations Department
P.O. Box 92827
Rochester, NY 14692

Once we receive your signed agreement, we'll help you quickly complete the one-time registration process.

You can withdraw up to $1,000 per calendar day from an ATM with your ESL ATM or Visa® Debit Card.

Purchasing a home can be a very complicated transaction from a legal perspective.  A Real Estate Attorney will assist with this process..

You may activate your ESL Visa Credit Card online or by calling 866.820.6039.

A realtor, or Real Estate Agent is trained to assist someone buy or sell their home.

A replacement card is automatically issued to the address on record in the middle of the month the card is due to expire. Your current card is good through the last day of the month.

If you have not received your card, please contact an ESL Representative.

Your new debit card and check book will arrive in the mail seven to 10 business days after opening your account. If you don’t receive them, please connect with us so that we can help.

To sign in to personal online banking, enter your member number and use your online banking PIN as your initial password. If you do not have an online banking PIN, please contact an ESL Representative.

To gain access to Business Online Banking, complete the Business Online Banking Request Agreement. Drop off the signed agreement at any ESL branch or mail to:

ESL Federal Credit Union
Payment Operations Department
P.O. Box 92827
Rochester, NY 14692

Once we receive your signed agreement, we'll help you quickly complete the one-time registration process.

Yes. View details.

To reset your ESL Careers password please

• Click the Edit your Profile link on the Careers page. 
• Select the Forgot your password? link on the log-in screen.
• Enter either your username or your email address.

Personal members are able to receive up to five free Official Checks/Money Orders per month when you have an active checking account and receive direct deposit.  

Business members will incur a fee for each Official Check or Money Orders purchased.

ESL keeps all applications on file for a minimum of one year, unless you direct us to do otherwise. Please be sure to update your presence (profile) as you progress in your career.

You may review the business account required documentation or contact an ESL Representative.

Yes, ESL offers both personal and business overdraft services.

If eBills are available for one of your existing payees, Get eBill will display to the left of the payee name.

If eBills are available for a new payee, a screen displays from which you can set up eBills while you are adding the payee.

You should hold your contactless card to the contactless-enabled terminal for 1–2 seconds.

No. Contactless technology requires the merchant to first initiate the payment, and the contactless card must be held in close proximity (1-2 inches) to the terminal for a transaction to take place.

You may order checks within Online Banking by mousing over I'd Like To... and clicking Order Checks. 

You may also contact an ESL Representative for assistance.

1. Locate the Payee in your Payee List.
2. Click Options.
3. Click Stop receiving electronic bill.
4. Click Yes, stop my eBill.

For complete details about ESL Business Accounts, please view our Business or Commercial section.

You will receive an email notifying you that your application has been received. If you don't receive it almost immediately, please check that your "junk mail" filter has not stopped it.

Please view our personal or business fee schedules for a complete list of ESL fees.

ESL's financial statement may be viewed in the ESL Corporate Information section.

No, all ESL cards come with chip and contactless capabilities (except the ESL ATM card).

ESL may at its discretion choose not to cash or accept for deposit a draft or check that is more than six months old or past the expiration date, if one is listed on the checks.  If you have a stale dated or expired check, please contact the maker (person or business who issued the check) to get a replacement check.

View our Funds Availability Disclosure for further information.

There are several ways to fund an account once it’s opened. (Please note that most accounts will be automatically closed if not funded within 30 days. If not funded within seven days, Certificate accounts will be closed.)

1. ESL Mobile Banking – Use the Mobile Deposit feature to deposit a check into your account.
2. ESL Online Banking – Use the Transfer To/From Your Outside Account feature. You’ll find this option under the “Account Transfer” tab.
3. Use your Debit Card to deposit funds at an ESL ATM.
4. Come into a branch.

When a deposit is made at an ESL ATM:

• Check deposits - generally, the first $225, $1,000, or the full amount (as described in the Funds Availability Policy) of your deposit will be available immediately.
• Cash deposits – the full amount will be available immediately.

ESL Investment Services, LLCoffers a variety of options to meet your investment needs.  To make an appointment with a Financial Consultant please contact an ESL Representative.

The minimum payment owed on and ESL Visa Credit Card will be either 2.0% of the outstanding balance, or $30.00, whichever is greater.

Your Real Estate Agent can help you prepare a purchase offer on standard real estate purchase forms.

Depending on your relationship with ESL, you could have $225, $1,000, or the full amount of your check deposit available immediately. If any amount is held it will be made available by the second business day. This hold may be longer for checks deposited depending on the type and/or amount of check (greater than $5,000). For complete details on ATM deposits, please view our Funds Availability Policy.

If you are unable to login please:

• Access the ESL Home page.
• Click Sign In.
• Click on Trouble Signing In? 
• Please follow the prompts to gain access to Online Banking. 

If you need further assistance, or would like to speak with someone about Business Online Banking, please contact an ESL Representative. 

During the digital account opening process, we display a “Congratulations” screen that includes a member number and a summary of accounts when we’re able to automatically approve your application.

In some cases, we need to validate information with you before we can finalize your request. If you did not see a “Congratulations” screen, we’ll send an email to you with instructions on how to provide the additional information we’ll need to complete your application. In many cases you will be asked to send us proof or identification documents through our secure email process. (Be sure to check your spam folder as well!)

If we need to validate information for accounts opened jointly, we will send separate emails to both the primary and joint applicants. If one or both applicants do not meet eligibility requirements to open a membership or account, the application will be closed.

If you have any questions or did not receive an email with further instructions, please call us at 585.336.1015 or 877.336.1015 during business hours so that we can help.

ESL may at its discretion elect not to cash or accept for deposit a draft or check that is post dated.

View our Funds Availability Disclosure for further information. 

No.

You may contact an ESL Representative by phone, online chat, email, or at a branch.

You may also reach ESL after hours by sending a secure email.  Once logged in to personal online banking please:

• Click Support located in the upper right corner. 
• Click Member Center. 
• Click Send us secure email. 

To send a secure email once logged into business online banking please:

Click Online Services.
Select Member Service Center.
Click on the Click here to send an email link.

• You are 18 or older. 
• There has not been account activity for 1 year. 
• The combined balance in your share account is less than $100 and you do not have an active loan account with ESL. 

When you apply for an opportunity via our Careers site, your information will be forwarded to the appropriate recruiter for consideration. If an appropriate match exists between your experience and the position requirements, you will be contacted by a recruiter.

To file a Bill Pay ebill please: 

1. Click File next to the View Bill link of your Payee. 
2. This will move the eBill into your bill history. A new message Waiting for bill... should appear.

Yes. ESL supports Web Connect and Express Web Connect to Quicken and QuickBooks. You are able to either export directly from ESL or go to Quicken/QuickBooks and directly import your information.

Personal cards:

• Debit
• HSA
• ESL Visa Credit Card
• ESL Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card
• ESL Visa Secured Credit Card

Business (Rewards and Non-Rewards):

• Business Debit
• ESL Visa Business Credit Card

Please review our Premier Checking account details page.

ESL also offers Business Checking accounts.

Beginning October 2020, you will receive a contactless card when your card is set to expire. If you would like to receive a contactless card before your current card expires, please contact us.

To clear the Action Required warning for a payee please:

• Click Correct the issue now then either
• Enter the requested eBill information and click Update eBill information.
• OR
• Click Cancel eBill enrollment.

All ESL rates are available on our Rates page.

1. Click on the Job Opportunities section of the careers page.
2. From the job board, click on the Sign In tab in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
3. On the login sign-in screen, click the Create/Reset Forgot your password link.
4. Enter your email address.
5. You will receive an email from identity-noreply@ultimatesoftware.com.

It would be best to speak with a Loan Payments Solutions Representative regarding options that may be available to you. Our Loan Payments Solutions Department may be reached directly by calling 800.842.4402.  They are available 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Friday.

Once you are signed in to ESL Business Online Banking:

• Select the account from which to export transactions.
• Arrive at Account Details screen.
• Select appropriate file type from Export drop down on right side.
• Open the file.
• Save file to the appropriate location on your computer.

ESL's dispute forms are available on on Personal Forms page.  If you cannot find the appropriate form please contact an ESL Representative.

The completed form may be faxed to 585.336.1138.

Your account number and PIN will remain the same, but you will need to contact any merchants who automatically bill your account to update the expiration date and 3-digit security code.

Please view our Branch Office Locations page for our locations and hours of operation.

Since there is no visual examination on all checks received by ESL, we may pay drafts that have been post dated and have not yet matured unless the member provides specific advance notice that the draft should not be honored until the posted date.  ESL has adopted the general standard of the financial services industry of automated collection and payment procedures so that it can process the greatest volume of checks and other items at the lowest possible cost to all its members. In recognition of this, we will disregard all information (including the date) on the item other than information that is encoded onto the item in magnetic ink according to general banking standards, whether or not that information is consistent with other information on the item.

View our Funds Availability Disclosure for further information. 

Our Digital Account Opening tool can be used to open both single titled accounts and joint accounts (when there are two owners named to the accounts.) As part of the digital account opening process, you’ll be asked if you would like to open a joint account. If you select yes, you’ll be prompted to provide information, documentation, and signatures for both applicants requesting account opening.

Additional things to know about joint accounts:

• While two people can be named as owners of a single checking or savings account, each member has a unique member number and member daily dividend account.
• If you and/or the person you’d like to include as co-owner on the account are new to ESL, we’ll establish new a unique membership for each of you.
• Access to ESL Online and Mobile Banking is also exclusive to each member so while both members will have online/mobile access to joint accounts, login information is unique to each member. In the event one of the applicants do not meet eligibility requirements to open a membership or account, the application will be closed.

Please view the Firefox Settings document for details.

To set up or change your PIN, please call 844.433.1140.

If you are hearing impaired, please contact an ESL representative for further assistance with setting or changing your ESL ATM or Visa Debit Card PIN.

ESL does not exchange foreign currency. If you need to exchange foreign currency for U.S. dollars, or exchange U.S. Dollars for a foreign currency, we recommend visiting EFX Currency Exchange located at 1855 Monroe Avenue, Rochester, NY 14618.

You may dispute a transaction on your ESL credit card on our website or by calling ESL’s Credit Card Services Department directly at 866.820.6039.

Once you are logged into online banking please:

• Hover over I'd Like To...
• Click on Manage Credit Card.
• Click on View Transactions under Quick Links.
• Under Posted Transations, locate the transaction you would like to dispute.
• Click Dispute Transaction.
• Review the instructions and then click on the Dispute Transaction link.
• Please provide all of the requested information.  

In order for your dispute to be processed you will need to provide copies of support documents such as receipts, letters, etc.  If you do not have access to a scanner to upload these support documents, you can fax them to the Disputes Team. The fax number is 402.315.4958.

For assistance with specific Visa transaction detail, please contact Visa directly at 866.820.6039. 

You should receive your ESL ATM or Visa Debit Card in the mail approximately seven to ten business days after you order it. To set up or change your PIN, please call 844.433.1140.

Please view the Google Chrome Settings document for details.

In some cases, we need to validate information with you before we can finalize your request. This generally means that your application needs more information to complete the process and we’ll send an email to ask you to provide proof or identification documents through our secure email process.

We’ll send that request within one business day to the email you provided when opening your accounts online. (Be sure to check your spam folder as well!)

If we need to validate information for accounts opened jointly, we will send separate emails to both the primary and joint applicants. If one or both applicants do not meet eligibility requirements to open a membership or account, the application will be closed.

If you have any questions or did not receive an email with further instructions, please call us at 585.336.1015 or 877.336.1015 during business hours so that we can help.

A post dated check is typically a check that has a future date on it.

View our Funds Availability Disclosure for further information.

You may use your new chip card the same way as your old card. Chip-enabled terminals will be a slightly different experience, but there are no new restrictions on where you may use the card.

Our corporate headquarters address is:

ESL Federal Credit Union
225 Chestnut St
Rochester, New York  14604

For additional information please view our Customer Service page.

You may change your address by logging in to Online Banking and then:

• Mouse over I'd Like To...  
• Click Request an Address Change.

You may also contact an ESL Representative.

Your ESL Visa® Business Credit Card balance will be exported to Quicken/QuickBooks; credit card transaction detail is not exported.

ESL offers several types of Overdraft Services. Cash Reserve and CheckOK can help you avoid the inconvenience and fees associated with an insufficient funds transaction.

The Cash Reserve is a loan that is connected to your checking account. In case of an overdraft, the Cash Reserve loan account will cover the amount you overdraw from your checking account.

Your Cash Reserve payment will be calculated based on the account balance on the last calendar day of the month.

All positions that appear on our website are up-to-date. If you do not see the position listed, it has been filled or it is no longer available. If you applied for the position, you will be notified via email. You may also check the status of positions you have applied for by viewing your presence in the recruiting system.

You may learn about Call Certificate on its product page.

If eBills are available for one of your existing payees, Get eBill will display to the left of the payee name. Click the link, select your billing cycle, and click Get your eBill delivered here. You can also schedule due date reminders and automatic payments here.

If eBills are available for a new payee, a screen displays from which you can set up eBills while you are adding the payee.

An updated feature to ESL debit and credit cards that allows merchant terminals to use near-field communication (NFC) capability to read the chip on the card.

No. Merchants that accept tap to pay for purchases will also display a contactless symbol on their terminal.

If you don’t see a contactless symbol while you are checking out, you can still insert or swipe your card.

Yes, ESL Free Checking means FREE and much more.

ESL also offers Business Checking accounts.

To gain access to Business Online Banking, please submit a completed Business Online Banking Request Agreement. 

To view a filed Bill Pay eBill:

1. On the Bill Pay screen in Online Banking, click or tap the View payment history link in the My Payments section.
2. Click or tap Switch to: History Bills.
3. You can change the date range, perform a filtered search, or click on any column header to sort your eBills.

Or for a specific payee:

1. Click or tap Options below the payee.
2. Click or tap Your Bill (eBill).
3. Click or tap View eBill history.

In order to change the name on your account we need a written request, signed in your new name, along with official documentation reflecting the change. The most common forms for proof of name change are: 

• Divorce decrees 
• Marriage licenses  
• A court order (depending on reason for change). 
• We will also need a current form of identification with your former or new name on it.

Once you have prepared the documents please contact an ESL Representative.

Please view our Branch Office Locations page for our branch locations and hours of operation.

It’s easy to make purchases with your debit or credit chip card. Simply insert the chip end of your card into the terminal with the chip facing up. Leave your card in the terminal, and follow the prompts on the screen.

This video demonstrates a chip card being used at a chip-enabled terminal:

A stale dated check is typically a check that is older than 6 months.   

View our Funds Availability Disclosure for further information.

To report your ESL ATM or Visa Debit Card lost or stolen, please contact an ESL Representative. You may also dial 800.754.4128 to report your card lost or stolen after hours.

ESL does not charge you a fee or a different interest rate to transfer your balance on high rate credit cards to your ESL credit card.

Yes, ESL has safe deposit boxes at several of our branch locations!  

Please contact an ESL Representative if you would like to rent a safe deposit box.

The annual fee for the box depends on the box size.

• Double click the mortgage account on the Account Access screen. 
• Click on See account details located under the Next due date. 
• The amount displayed for the escrow includes the total amount paid for the tax year listed

Visa monitors card transactions and may place a fraud block on your card if it is suspected that the card has been stolen.

To verify if your card is blocked, or to learn more about the suspicious activity that initiated the block, please contact ESL’s Credit Card Services Department at 866.820.6039.

If you are traveling outside of the United States please call 1.585.336.1000.  Collect calls will be accepted.

The annual fee for safe deposit depends on the size of the box.

Yes. You can make surcharge free ATM transactions using your ESL ATM or Visa® Debit Card at Presto! ATMs located at any Publix Super Market in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama.

Please view the Safari Settings document.

While your card is in the chip-enabled terminal, the embedded chip creates a one-time use code to help reduce in-store fraud. If the card is removed prior to transaction approval, the purchase will be canceled.

Please view our ESL Membership page to learn how to establish a personal or business membership.

An expired check is a check that is past the expiration date that is listed on the check. 

View our Funds Availability Disclosure for further information.

In order to better align the delivery of tax documents with IRS deadlines, we no longer include tax documents as part of statements. Members enrolled to receive Online Statements will receive their tax documents within Online and Mobile Banking; Members who are not enrolled to receive Online Statements will receive 1098 Mortgage Interest Statement and the 1099 INT Interest Income forms by mail, sent separately from statements to home addresses.

Our interviews consist of the following:

1. Work Approach Assessment—Measures your interest and preferences for the job
2. Structured Behavioral Interview—Behavioral-based interview designed for the position

Yes, ESL offers two types of Visa Business Credit Cards for business customers, with and without rewards.  Both have the same low interest rate.  Our rewards card offers the ability to earn points on purchases and carries a $50 annual fee.

Bill Pay eBills are filed automatically for 24 months once they are paid.

The contactless functionality can’t be turned off. Contactless payments are processed the same way as a chip transaction where the data is encrypted.

CheckOK is an overdraft service which transfers funds from your designated savings account to your checking account when there are insufficient funds to cover a transaction. View overdraft service options available for personal and business accounts.

Yes, if the merchant presents an option to enter your PIN for your purchase.

Checks may take up to three weeks for standard delivery.

Click the payment field to activate drop down and view:

• Mindue (Minimum Due) 
• Balance
• Date and amount of last payment sent

Or, click View bill to locate this information in the eBill.

ESL offers a variety of Business Overdraft Services.

ESL has a rich history in the Rochester community, and we're glad to share it with you. Our Great Company section offers information about our story, values, culture, and community.

Cash Reserve overdraft protection is advanced in $100 increments to cover any overdraft you may have up to the line limit. The advance will occur at the end of the business day. Please click here to learn more about ESL Cash Reserve Accounts. 

ESL also offers overdraft services for our business accounts

Yes you can transfer funds using TEL-E$L!

All ESL business memberships are assigned a unique company ID number that identifies the company's relationship with ESL.  The company ID is listed at the top of each of the monthly statements.

You may also contact an ESL Representative to obtain your company ID.

Many merchants already made the switch over to using chip-enabled terminals; however, not all merchants have. For merchants that are not using a chip-enabled terminal, the same chip card can be used as a traditional swipe transaction.

As we deliver more functionality for a great online banking experience, this requires transmitting additional data to your computer. Those with slower connections will experience longer load times and a less-than optimal experience.

We strive to ensure that our solutions perform well and have as little impact as possible to load times. While we will continue to enhance system performance we will not be putting any special effort in optimizing the experience for end users with dial-up connections. With all of the enhancements and optimizations we're delivering with online banking, we recommend that end users have at least a DSL connection in order to have the best online banking experience.

You may use your ESL ATM or Visa® Debit Card at any ESL ATM to get unlimited, fee-free transactions. You may also make surcharge free ATM transactions at Presto! ATMs located at any Publix Super Market in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. Checking customers with direct deposit or an ESL Premier Checking Account can make up to five transactions per month at any non-ESL ATM without an ESL fee; however, the ATM owner may still charge a fee.

If you are mailing an ESL credit card payment, please send that to:

ESL Cardholder Service
P.O. Box 2711
Omaha, NE 68103-2711

You may also make your payment online with ESL Mobile or Online Banking.

While you still are able to redeem some types of savings bonds at an ESL branch you may only purchase a savings bond directly from the U.S. Treasury from their website.  

You may make additional payments to the principal of your loan at any time after you have satisfied your regular monthly payment. 

To make a principal only payment please: 

• Mouse over Account Transfer.
• Click Pay my ESL Loan
• Fill in the Amount you wish to transfer.
• Select the account you are transferring funds FROM. 
• Select the account you are transferring funds TO. 
• Select the Overpayment radio button and choose Principal Only Payment option from the drop down list. 
• Click Transfer Funds - be sure to record your confirmation number.

To report an ESL credit card lost or stolen, please call 866.820.6039.

Generally ESL does not cash or accept for deposit a post dated check when the check is presented to ESL at a teller or ATM.

View our Funds Availability Disclosure for further information.

A chat session initiated within Online Banking that is not kept as active, may expire once your timeout period has been reached. To prevent your chat session from being disconnected, click Continue when prompted with the Online Banking Timeout window.

For ATM locations and hours of service, please view our ATM and Branch Locator.

Yes. If a merchant doesn’t accept chip cards through a chip-enabled terminal, simply swipe your card. Keep in mind, you may need to sign for your purchase.

The higher your balance, the higher your Dividend. An ESL Representative will be happy to tell you what you can do to increase your Owners' Dividend.

To obtain your TEL-E$L PIN please contact an ESL Representative.

According to our annual Employee Pulse Survey, over 96.2% of employees say they're proud to work at ESL and 95.68% consider ESL a great place to work, among other things. Click to learn more about what employees have to say.

An FCC regulation requires phone companies to do more to verify authenticity of user[s] before showing phone usage records. 

Because of this, phone company eBills will present a login page to authenticate that it is the customer trying to view his or her bill. ESL is not able to present the bill itself.

Please note, you may login to your phone company's website via the login screen ESL presents to view your bill, which is provided as the bill in the bill center.
 

A completed application may be faxed to the Business Banking Department at 585.336.1561.

No. Your card can only be read when in close proximity (within 1-2 inches) of a terminal that accepts contactless payments. Our contactless debit and credit cards have the same security features as a chip card.

The fee for your checks will typically be deducted on the first Tuesday after your order is placed.

To sign up for CheckOK on your ESL personal accounts:

• Sign in to online banking.
• Mouse over Manage Money.
• Click Manage Overdraft Services.
• Click Request or Remove CheckOK service.
• Complete form and submit. 

To request CheckOK for ESL business accounts, please contact an ESL Representative.

Yes. Here’s why:

• Just like with a chip card, each transaction generates a one-time code.
• You can’t pay accidentally – your card must be within 1-2 inches of the terminal for the sale to take place. And even if you accidentally tap twice, you won’t be billed twice.
• Tapping to pay with our contactless cards means you don’t need to hand your card to anyone and helps you avoid touching surfaces at checkout.

Images of cleared Bill Pay checks are available online for three months. To view those checks:

1. In Online Banking, click or tap View Payment History on the right side of the Bill Pay screen.
2. Select the dates you need from the Change drop down.

For copies of Bill Pay checks that cleared more than three months ago, please contact an ESL Representative.

ESL offers a variety of Business loans, or contact an ESL Representative.

ESL offers many benefits to employees. This includes medical, dental, vision, and retirement plans, along with a robust employee recognition program, numerous wellness initiatives, and terrific employee events. To learn more, visit our benefits page.

TEL-E$L is our Automated Telephone Service. TEL-E$L can be accessed by calling 585.336.1000 or 800.848.2265. 

To access personal accounts, you must use your Member Number and four digit TEL-E$L PIN to access the system. 

To access ESL business accounts, businesses must use their business account number (typically the Business Membership Savings) and four digit TEL-E$L PIN to access the system. 
 

The best way to estimate your potential Owners’ Dividend is to use the Owners' Dividend Calculator.  The calculation is for illustration purposes only. The estimate is based on a full year relationship. Actual payout depends on the length of time accounts were opened. Also, payout of an Owners’ Dividend is subject to eligibility requirements and is not guaranteed. 

Chip technology is not used to validate online, phone, or ATM transactions. These transactions are validated using the card number, expiration date, and 3-digit security code.

To dispute a transaction made with your ESL Visa Debit Card, you must first contact the merchant and ask them to resolve the issue. If the merchant is unable to resolve, you may then file a dispute with ESL by completing a Transaction Dispute Form. A dispute can also be submitted by calling 585.336.1000, using ESL Live Chat Banking, or by stopping into any branch location.

An International Service Assessment fee in the amount of 1% of the international transaction is charged by Visa for any purchase processed outside the US.

You may also wish to review ESL's Personal Banking Fee Schedule or Business Banking Fee Schedule.

• Login to Online Banking. 
• Click on Manage mobile alerts in the My Accounts section.
• Select from the options to setup an email notification. 

Generally ESL does not cash or accept for deposit a post dated check when the check is presented to ESL at a teller or ATM.

View our Funds Availability Disclosure for further information.

Yes. The policy covers all of Visa credit and debit card transactions that are processed over the Visa network-online or off.

To dispute an ATM transaction made with your ESL card, please complete an ATM Transaction Dispute Form. You may also file an ATM dispute by calling 585.336.1000, using ESL Live Chat Banking, or by visiting any branch location.

• Login to Online Banking. 
• Click on Manage mobile alerts in the My Accounts section. 
• In the Add New​ dropdown menu select Balance.
• Click Add.
• Select the Cash Reserve from the Account field.
• Select Greater Than in the Comparison field.
• Enter $1.00 in the Balance field .
• Click Save Notification.

No, we do not currently have coin counting machines at our branches. If you would like to deposit US coins they must be in a coin wrapper. Please do not include any personal or banking information on the coin wrappers.

If you need empty coin wrappers, please visit one of our branches.

Yes. Be sure to update your Apple Pay account with your new card information. Apple Pay is not available for business accounts.

• Use ‘Make a Payment’ online to make one-time payments or set up automatic payments.
  • Transactions > Credit Card
  • Payments made in SpendTrack will post to your credit card account the same day if it’s made by 6 p.m. ET.
• Use ‘Transfers’ in ESL Business Mobile/Online Banking to transfer money from your ESL Business Checking or Savings account to your credit card.
  • When you use ‘Transfer’ to make your payment, the amount is deducted from your ESL Business Checking or Savings account immediately but may take 1-2 days to post to your credit card account.

One of the Loan Payment Options ESL offers allows you to have your loan payment automatically debited from an account at another financial institution. You may access and submit the required form electronically.  Within Online Banking please:

• Mouse over Account Transfer.
• Click Set Up Loan Automatic Debit. 
• Arrive at the ESL Automatic Debit Registration Form.
• You may complete and submit the form online.  
• Your request will be processed by 5:00 PM on the next business day.

The payment would be debited from your designated account monthly for the minimum monthly payment due. This form is not used for a one time payment.

Please contact an ESL Representative.

A Membership Daily Dividend is an ESL savings account that uniquely identifies you as an ESL member. This account must remain open while you are a member.

You may use this as a savings account, making deposits and withdrawals as you would any other Daily Dividend savings account.

It only takes $1.00 to open an ESL Daily Dividend account. 

ESL also offers Business Savings accounts. 

1. Click View payment history in the My Payments section. 
2. You can then: 
   • Change the date range. 
   • Perform a filtered search for a specific payee, category, etc. 
   • Click on any column to sort your payments by who it was Paid to, the Amount, etc.

1. Click Options.
2. Click View History below the payee name.

To set up and view balance alerts within Business Online Banking: 

• Click Settings.
• Select Alerts from the drop down.

One of the Loan Payment Options ESL offers is autosweep.  Autosweep takes the loan payment from your ESL Checking or Savings account each month and applies it to your ESL Loan.

There is an electronic form within Online Banking to assist you with this request.  To access this form please:

• Mouse over Account Transfer.
• Click Setup Loan Automatic Sweep.

Yes, we conduct a variety of employment background checks. They consist of a Social Security Number scan, criminal record checks, employment and education verifications, and credit check. For individuals who have experienced financial challenges, running a credit check may be scary. We want you to know that we do not see or use your actual credit score to make a hiring determination. We instead review your credit report and then work with you to meet ESL’s credit parameters by providing tools and resources to improve your financial situation.

ESL will promptly research the dispute and within ten business days a provisional credit may be applied to your account, even if our research takes longer. ESL may request additional documentation in furtherance of our research to assist you in a resolution. The provisional credit may be reversed in the future, based on the outcome of our research. For example, we would reverse the credited amount if it is determined that no error occurred and that the transaction was actually legitimately made or if both ESL and the merchant credited your account after a dispute was filed resulting in a double credit.

Yes. Please view our Gift Card fees.

Simply follow these online shopping tips:

1. Shop with merchants you know and trust. 
2. Be sure to read delivery and return policies and privacy statements. 
3. Always use a secure browser and look for signs of security (e.g., secure url [https://] or locked padlock) so you know you're shopping in a secure environment. 
4. Never send payment information via email. 
5. Never provide your card number as proof of age. 
6. Keep a record of your transactions. 
7. Pay with your ESL credit or debit card. 

If you are unable to log in, please:

• Access the ESL Home page.
• Click Sign In.
• Click Trouble Logging in? 
• Please follow the prompts to gain access to Online Banking. 

If you require further assistance, or if you are locked out of Business Online Banking, please contact an ESL Representative.

Applying for Pre-approval is not available online so if you are interested in being pre-approved, contact an ESL Mortgage Originator at 585.336.1502 or 800.352.6669 Ext. 1502.  Being pre-approved for financing prior to finding a property can be a very smart thing to do.  Having a Pre-approval letter shows real estate brokers and sellers that you are a qualified buyer and may give more weight to your purchase offer.

The most important documents you will sign at closing are the note and mortgage, sometimes called the deed of trust. Unless there are special circumstances, these documents are usually prepared one to two days before your closing. Other documents are prepared by the closing agent the day before or the day of your closing. If you would like copies of the completed documents to be sent to you after they are prepared, please contact your ESL Representative.

100% protection. This policy guarantees ESL members maximum protection against fraud with complete liability protection for all of their Visa card transactions that take place on the Visa system. Should someone steal your card number while shopping, online or off, you are protected-and will pay nothing for their fraudulent activity.

Online Banking passwords must be a minimum of 8 characters. Passwords can be as long as 32 characters. All passwords must contain a mix of alphabetic and numeric characters. (At least 1 letter and 1 number or symbol are required).  Passwords are case sensitive. 

Please view ESL's Privacy Policy.

For your security, ESL cannot guarantee that your card will not be blocked if suspicious activity appears. The following actions can help to establish that you are in possession of your card:

• Contact an ESL Representative to inform us of your travel plans before you leave. 
• Check your account balance at ATMs with your ESL Visa Debit Card and PIN as you travel.
• Outside of the U.S., your debit card can only be used at an ATM to deduct funds from your ESL checking account. If you have a savings account linked to the card, you will be unable to access the funds in your savings account from a foreign ATM.
• Please consider the exchange rate when making purchases or withdrawals. The daily debit limit is $1,000 U.S., the credit limit is $5,000 U.S.
• In addition, an International Service Assessment fee of 1% of the transaction amount will be charged.

When a check is presented to ESL and the funds are not available to cover the check, it will be returned to the payee's bank.  The payee's bank will determine whether or not this check will be resubmitted again.  Generally the bank would resubmit a second time within a few days before returning the check to the payee.  

You may wish to contact the payee to confirm their banks process. You may be charged an Insufficient/Uncollected Funds Fee each time the check is presented if funds are not available. Please view our personal or business fee schedule.

ESL Federal Credit Union wants to help. That's why we've provided access to free and confidential financial counseling and education through Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Rochester (CCCS). You can work with a CCCS counselor to discuss your credit report and other financial concerns. Not only can these sessions help with your current situation, you can use CCCS for developing a workable spending and savings plan, getting out of debt, buying a home, or planning for your financial future. We also have Financial Educational Resources on our website as an additional tool for you to access.

Yes, ESL offers automatic Loan Payment Options.

To set up a recurring transfer within Business Online Banking: 

• Click Funds Transfers.
• Add your transfer information.
• Select Make This a Recurring Transaction.
• Click Transfer Funds.

Transfers can be scheduled to occur weekly, monthly, or twice a month. 

ESL Bill Pay stores 24 months of payment information. Details for older payments can be obtained from your monthly checking account statement or by contacting the payee. You may also reach out to an ESL Representative, and we can check if additional payment information is available.

To enroll in direct deposit, or change your direct deposit, please complete our Direct Deposit Form and submit it to your employer.

ESL also offers Cash Management tools for Business Banking.

To enroll in direct deposit, or change your direct deposit, please complete our Direct Deposit Form and provide it to whomever will be debiting or crediting your account.

ESL also offers Cash Management tools for Business Banking.

Yes. Here's how to assign a unique nickname for each of your accounts on Business Online Banking: 

Click Administration.
Select Set Account Name from the drop down.

If you recently applied for a position in the old online application system, you will have to reapply in the new recruiting system to be considered for the position. For assistance, please reach out to a member of the Talent Management Team at recruitment@esl.org.

To obtain a final payoff amount you will need to contact an ESL Representative.

When an electronic ACH debit attempts to post to your account and the funds are not available to cover the transaction, it will be sent back to the originator's bank.  Typically, the debit will be automatically resubmitted again within 1-2 business days.  

Your personal or business accounts may be charged an Insufficient/Uncollected Funds fee each time the debit is attempted if funds are not available.

Please do one of the following:

• Connect with an ESL Representative
• Call 1.888.353.9920 Visa Debit Card Suspicious Activity (within the U.S.)
• Call 1.585.336.1140 collect (outside the U.S.)

Yes! You can transfer funds in either Mobile or Online Banking by following these easy steps:

• Mobile Banking
• Log into Mobile Banking.
• Tap Transfer.
• In the To dropdown, you may select a recipient already available or tap Add a new recipient to add a new one.
• Online Banking
• Log into Online Banking.
• Select Transfer.
• In the To dropdown, you may select a recipient already available or select Add a new recipient to add a new one.

Please note, you cannot set up one-time future transfers or recurring transfers using Member to Member Transfers. If you’d like to set up recurring transfers to other ESL members, please contact us.

You may activate your ESL Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card online with or by calling 866.820.6039.

Yes, you can borrow funds to use as your down payment!  However, any funds that you borrow must be secured by an asset in your name.  Borrowing money against any asset that you own such as a second home is a perfectly acceptable source of funds.  If you are planning on obtaining a loan, make sure to include the details of this loan in the Liabilities section of the application.

We will accept your mortgage application even if you are not an ESL member when you apply online. However, because membership must be established before you close on an ESL Mortgage, all borrowers on the application will be asked questions regarding membership eligibility through one of our many member groups.

Once eligibility is confirmed, each borrower will be asked to open an ESL Savings Account, prior to closing on your mortgage loan.

All borrowers on the application must be listed as a primary owner of at least one ESL Savings Account.

An International Service Assessment fee of 1% of the transaction amount is charged by Visa for each purchase processed outside the U.S. You may also wish to review the ESL Personal Banking Fee Schedule or Business Banking Fee Schedule.

The minimum payment owed on an ESL Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card will be either 2.0% of the outstanding balance, or $30.00, whichever is greater.

This may be the result of Uncollected funds.  Please view ESL's Funds Availability Policy.

Uncollected funds occurs when an item (electronic withdraw [ACH] and/or check) is presented against an account and the funds in the account are not available. This may occur when there are funds on hold from a deposit or purchases made with your ESL Debit Card.

ESL won’t charge your personal or business a fee, but the payee may charge you a fee. If you have any additional questions please contact an ESL Representative.

No. Once the conversion takes place on June 12, 2018, candidates will not be able to access information uploaded in the old online application system.

Please view our comparison chart for Loan Payment Options.

You may use either a checking or savings account for direct deposit, you will also need ESL's Routing number, view our Direct Deposit form for complete details.

• Sign in to Business Online Banking.
• Select Online Statements from Quick Action menu on the right or from Transactions menu on the left.

If you are unable to view your online statements, try adding ifs.hepsiian.com as a trusted site in your browser settings. If you have any additional questions, please contact us. 

1. Sign in to Online Banking.
2. From the Bill Pay menu, select Change a Bill Pay Funding Account.
3. Complete and submit the form for each change you wish to make.

*Please note that these changes are not immediate. Processing a Bill Pay funding account change can take two to three business days. You will receive an email confirmation once your request has been completed.

To make an electronic deposit or withdrawal, please be sure to use your complete account number and ESL's routing number. You may view our Direct Deposit form for complete details. 

ESL also offers Cash Management tools for Business Banking. 

Your candidate profile in the previous system is now referred to as the candidate presence.

Let us know before you go:

• Connect with an ESL Representative prior to travel.
• Verify we have your correct phone number and email address for contact.
• Use your PIN for debit card transactions, if possible.
• Carry ESL phone numbers with you when you travel:
  • General: 585.336.1000 or 800.848.2265
  • Fraud Department: 585.336.1140 or 888.353.9920

In general, be on the alert for opportunities that may attract thieves:

• Receipts – Do not leave credit card receipts on the table at restaurants; sign them and hand them directly back to the server. Keep your copy of all receipts.
• Wallets – Stolen wallets frequently lead to identity theft, so instead of carrying your wallet in your pocket or having it easily accessible in your bag, use travel pouches that are worn inside your shirt.
• Checks – Leave checkbooks at home in a locked safe or drawer. Checking account takeover is one of the hardest types of financial fraud to clear up.
• Camera phones – That tourist with a camera phone may actually be taking a shot of your credit card or driver’s license. Keep important personal information out of view from others.
• Mail – Put your mail on postal hold whenever you travel, and arrange for mail to only be picked up by you at the post office when you return.
• Hotels – Lock up all valuables in room or hotel safes while you are out, including laptops, passports, and other documents that contain your personal information. Do not leave these items with a hotel employee to transport or hold – carry them yourself.
• Airplanes – Do not put any items that contain your Social Security Number, card numbers, or financial institution account numbers in checked luggage. Always carry them with you.

Spanish language ATMs are available at our Chestnut Street Office, Culver Ridge Office, Irondequoit Office, Lake Ave. Drive-up, and State Street Office. Click here to view our ATM and Branch locator tool.

Simply use your ESL Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card for all your purchases. You’ll earn rewards points based on the type of transaction:

• 3 points per $1 on dining
• 2 points per $1 on gas, groceries, and travel
• 1 point per $1 on everything else

New accounts are eligible for 20,000 bonus rewards points if you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days from account opening.

ESL Card Control is a secure mobile app (separate from ESL Mobile Banking) that allows you to control how, when, and where your personal ESL debit and/or Health Savings Account (HSA) cards are used.

You can turn your card off (and back on) if you misplace your card, add spending control by amount, merchant, or location and receive immediate transaction alerts.

Sometimes online banking or Bill Pay need to have your temporary internet files or old cookies cleared out of your browser's cache to work properly.

Once you have deleted them please restart your browser and try logging into online banking again.  Please be aware that you will be prompted to receive a Single-Use Access Code to login.

Information about child support, alimony, or separate maintenance income does not need to be provided unless you wish to have it considered for repaying this mortgage loan.

In the online mortgage application, click on "I'd like to refinance the existing mortgage balance on my home".  Be sure to add the closing cost amount to your current mortgage balance to determine how much you would like to borrow.  At the end of the application there is a comment section.  Please make a note of your intention to finance your closing costs.

To setup alerts please: 

• Login to online banking. 
• Click on Manage mobile alerts in the My Accounts section. 
• Select from the options to setup an email notification. 

Email notifications for maturing certificates are not available within Business online banking. 

ESL Card Control is available for iPhones in the App Store® and for Android smartphones in Google Play™ store. Please be sure to have iOS version 10.3 or later for iPhones and version 5.1 or later for Android smartphones.

ESL Card Control is only available for smartphones and is not fully compatible with other devices such as laptops, tablets, PCs, or wearables.

There is no annual fee for ESL uChoose Rewards — our credit card rewards program.

Delete spam emails that ask for personal information, and keep your anti-virus and anti-spyware software up-to-date. Shop online only with secure web pages (check the bottom of your browser for an image of a lock or look for “https” in the address bar). Never send credit or debit card numbers, Social Security Numbers, and other personal information via email. 

Your Cash Reserve payment will be calculated based on the account balance on the last calendar day of the month.

Based on an APR of 17.9% interest will accrue on your Cash Reserve a rate of approximately $0.05 per $100.00 outstanding per day.

ESL offers additional overdraft services for personal and business accounts.

In our new recruiting system, positions are called opportunities.

Yes, view a complete list of ESL Business Services.

Direct Deposit is when your employer or any agency provides funds to you directly into a designated account rather than providing you with a check.  View complete Direct Deposit details.

ESL also offers Cash Management tools for Business Banking.

1. Locate the payment in the Scheduled payments list of the My Payments section. 
2. Click the corresponding edit icon. 
3. Update the payment information that you want to change.
4. Click Save changes

1. Click Options next to the Payee. 
2. Click on the Automatic payment tab on the left side of the Options window. 
3. Change the information that you want to update. 
4. Click Save.

Direct Deposits are processed Monday through Friday, from midnight to 11 a.m., excluding bank holidays.  Once the ACH transaction posts to your account it should be immediately available.

If you are mailing a deposit or payment to an ESL loan please send that to:

ESL Federal Credit Union
P.O. Box 92827
Rochester, NY 14692-9938

If you are mailing an ESL Visa Credit Card Payment please send that to:

ESL Federal Credit Union
P.O. Box 41769
Philadelphia, PA 19101-1769

ESL offers additional Loan Payment Options.

Once we receive all the appropriate paperwork, we will process the Business Online Banking Request Agreement in 2-3 business days. After that, the Company Administrator will receive an email from ESL with Business Online Banking login information. 

Once the email is received, please follow the instructions on this page.

Tear up or shred credit card statements; ATM, credit, and debit card receipts; bank deposit receipts; loan solicitations; and other documents that contain personal financial information.

You may redeem your reward points in mobile or online banking.

• From mobile banking: More > Credit Card & Rewards
• From online banking: I’d like to… > Manage Credit Card & uChoose Rewards

Please note, you can only redeem rewards points online through ESL uChoose Rewards.

No. The PIN associated with the ESL Visa Gift Card cannot be used to make withdrawals at an ATM or to request cash back at the merchant when used as a debit transaction. It can only be used to perform a debit transaction when making purchases.

ESL Card Control is only available for smartphones and is not fully compatible with these other devices.

To setup alerts please:

• Login to online banking. 
• Click on Manage mobile alerts in the My Accounts section. 
• Select from the options to setup an email notification.

Email notifications for cleared checks are not available within Business Internet Banking.

In the online mortgage application, click on "I'd like to refinance the existing mortgage balance on my home".  Since you plan on paying for your closing costs out of pocket, you do not need to include the closing cost amount as part of your current mortgage balance.

There are many great options for redeeming your rewards points — from cash back to merchandise to travel experiences and activities to gift cards and much more. Because your rewards points don’t expire, you may redeem them as quickly as you earn them or build them up to redeem for something bigger.

Please note, you can only redeem rewards points online through ESL uChoose Rewards.

Licensed appraisers who are familiar with home values in your area perform appraisals. We order the appraisal as soon as the application deposit is paid.  Generally, it takes 10-14 days before the written report is sent to us.  We follow up with the appraiser to insure that it is completed as soon as possible.  If you are refinancing, and an interior inspection of the home is necessary, the appraiser should contact you to schedule a viewing appointment.  If you don't hear from the appraiser within seven days of the order date, please inform your ESL Representative.  If you are purchasing a new home, the appraiser will contact the real estate agent, if you are using one, or the seller to schedule an appointment to view the home.

No. ESL Card Control is free to use.

You may setup transactions alerts for the ESL Visa Credit Card by logging in to esl.org and then please:

• Go to I’d like to… > Manage Credit Card & CURewards.
• Click Communications. 
• Click Visa Transaction Alerts.

Once you read the disclosure you may click the Continue button to be redirected to Visa's website to setup the alerts of your choice.

Empty your mailbox quickly and get a mailbox lock. When mailing bill payments and checks, consider dropping them off at the post office or a secure mailbox.

Recurring transfers scheduled within Business Online Banking will continue to process if you are locked out.

Please view ESLs options for Saving and Paying for College.

To change the nickname on your funding account for Bill Pay please:

• Locate the I want to... box under the My Payments section of the main payment page.
• Click on the Manage funding account(s) link. 
• Click the Edit link that corresponds to the account you would like to edit. 
• Change the Account nickname and click Save. 

To delete or hide a Bill Pay payee:

In Online Banking

• Click or tap the payee’s Options link.
• Click or tap on the Delete it or Hide it link in the Options window.

In Mobile Banking

• On the Bill Pay Payees screen, tap the payee you wish to delete
• In the top right corner
  • Android – tap the three dot menu then select “Delete payee”
  • IOS – tap Edit then select “Delete payee”

*Please note that once a Bill Pay payee has been deleted, you will no longer be able to view that payee’s payment history within Online Banking. If you think you may need to refer back to the payment history, please hide the payee instead.

• ESL Courtesy Pay is an overdraft protection service for personal and business accounts that can be used in conjunction with an ESL Cash Reserve Account, Business Overdraft Line of Credit, or CheckOK. Courtesy Pay allows eligible checking account holders to overdraw their checking account up to a specified limit to avoid bounced checks, returned automatic withdrawals (ACH), and ESL bill payments.
• Registration is required if you want Courtesy Pay to cover ESL Visa® Debit Card transactions. View registration information.
• ESL Visa Business Debit Card transactions do not require additional registration to be covered.

No. You need to bring your cash reserve down to zero first. Once you do that, please contact an ESL Representative so we can close out your Cash Reserve and start CheckOK for you.

Recurring transfers scheduled within Business Online Banking will occur at approximately 5 a.m. on the scheduled date. 

Your Social Security Number is a major target for identity thieves because it can give them access to your credit report and bank accounts. Never carry your card with you. Instead, memorize your number and keep the card in a secure place at home or in a safe deposit box. Never write or print your Social Security Number on checks. You may also ask your employer to remove your Social Security Number from your paycheck stubs.

Personal ESL debit cards and ESL Health Savings Account (HSA) Cards can be registered in the app. This service is not available for ESL Credit Cards, ESL Prepaid Cards, ESL Business Debit Cards, or ESL Business Credit Cards.

Once you've initially enrolled, it's easy to enroll multiple computers and browsers! 

Just login to online banking from the additional computer or browser you want to enroll. Once you complete the Verify your identity screen by entering the Single-Use Access Code please click the Yes. Register this computer button.

Points are updated monthly and displayed online through ESL uChoose Rewards, on your monthly statement, or you may call 866.820.6039.

Please note, you can only redeem rewards points online through ESL uChoose Rewards.

Our goal is to have your loan ready for closing as soon as possible!  Generally the items that take the longest to receive are things such as the appraisal and the title work.  We'll want to get those ordered as soon as possible to avoid any delays.

If you are purchasing a new home, we'll do our best to meet the date you and the seller have agreed upon.  If you are refinancing we can typically close your loan within your rate lock period. It could take longer if there are extenuating circumstances with title problems or credit issues.

If you own rental properties, we'll generally ask for the most recent year's federal tax return to verify your rental income.  We'll review the Schedule E of the tax return to verify your rental income, after all expenses except depreciation.  Since depreciation is only a paper loss, it won't be counted against your rental income.

If you haven't owned the rental property for a complete tax year, we'll ask for a copy of any leases you've executed and we'll estimate the expenses of ownership.

Yes, you must be a member of ESL Federal Credit Union in order to use online or mobile banking. (If you are eligible to become a member you may apply for membership online.)

You may register as many personal ESL debit and/or Health Savings Account (HSA) cards as you’d like.

You may access your balances and hear recent transaction history by calling the number on the back of your card (866.902.6082).

No. You may redeem them as quickly as you earn them or build them up to redeem for something bigger.

At least once a year, obtain and review your credit report for suspicious activity. You can request a free copy of your report at www.annualcreditreport.com or by contacting any one of the three major credit reporting agencies. Learn how in our Building Credit resource.

You can set up one-time or recurring principal loan payments in Business Online Banking. To do so:

• Select Transactions.
• Select Loan Payment.
• Select the From and To accounts.
• Select Principal Only under Payment Type.
• Complete other fields and click Continue.

No problem, you simply need to apply for another Cash Reserve loan and cancel CheckOK.  You may contact an ESL Representative for assistance.

ESL Courtesy Pay offers personal or business 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 Debit Card transactions.

Benefits include:

• Avoids late fees
• Avoids embarrassment
• Avoids additional charges from the payee for a bounced check or failed transaction
• No need to make alternative payment arrangements
• Eliminates blocked ESL Bill Pay accounts due to insufficient funds
• Avoids being reported to a credit agency for poor payment behavior

eMail notifications regarding Bill Pay transactions are automatically turned on. To make changes to an email notification please: 

• Locate the I want to... box under the My Payments section of the main payment page. 
• Click the Edit reminder and alert preferences link. 
• Click the checkboxes that are associated with the Reminders and Alerts you want to stop receiving. 
• Click the Save button at the bottom of the page.

You may place a stop payment on a Bill Pay transaction only if it is sent as a paper check.  To place the stop payment please speak with an ESL Representative. It would be best to contact the payee and notify them that a stop payment has been placed on the check. 

Although ESL does not charge a fee, it is possible that the payee may charge a fee due to the stop payment.

• If you opt to receive your Secure Access Code via text, use the number that appears in the message portion of the text, not the number from which the text is sent.
• If you requested the Secure Access Code more than once, use the Secure Access Code you received last. For example, if you first requested it be sent to an email address but then went back and requested it be sent by text, use the number sent to you via text.
• Each Secure Access Code is unique and is only valid for about 15 minutes. If you’re not able to enter the Secure Access Code within that time period, you will need to request a new one to be sent.

ESL strives to meet our members' needs so we offer our members a variety of ways to manage their checking accounts. Courtesy Pay offers an additional overdraft option to our personal and business checking account holders who may not qualify for a Cash Reserve Account, Business Overdraft Line of Credit, or CheckOK services.

Your Cash Reserve account must be closed in order to use CheckOK. 

Always be on the defensive with your financial information. Never give out personal information to telemarketers or respond to emails from someone claiming to represent your bank, credit card company, a government agency, a charity, or other organization. If you think the request is legitimate, contact the company directly to confirm their claims.

You may redeem your points at any time as long as your account is in good standing and you have enough points to redeem for the requested award. Because your rewards points don’t expire, you may redeem them as quickly as you earn them or build them up to redeem for something bigger.

Please note, you can only redeem rewards points online through ESL uChoose Rewards.

You can use your ESL Visa Gift Card at most places Visa Debit is accepted. See Terms and Conditions for further information.

Once your cards are registered, you can begin putting controls in place immediately.

To turn your card off, toggle the Card On/Off button, and the little green circle in the top right corner of the card image will turn red. This means, all transactions (except recurring) will be declined. To turn your card back on, simply toggle the Card On/Off button, and the little red circle will turn green. Turning your card off and on is instant.

In Control Preferences, you can put controls in place based on your location, merchant types (gas station, groceries, restaurants, etc.), transaction types (in-store, online ATM, etc.), and spending limits.

In Alert Preferences, you can set your alerts based on your location, merchant types, transaction types, and spend limits.

It's simple. All you need is your member number and an online banking PIN. If you do not have a PIN, you may contact an ESL Representative to request one.

Once you have your PIN, go to the ESL home page enter your member number/User ID and PIN on the left side. You will be prompted to change your PIN to a new online banking password the first time you log in. See our security page for more information on password security.

Congratulations on your new job!  If you will be working for the same employer, complete the application as such but enter the income you anticipate you'll be receiving at your new location.

If your employment is with a new employer, complete the application as if this were your current employer and indicate that you have been there for one month.  The information about the employment you'll be leaving should be entered as a previous employer.

We will ask for copies of your most recent pension or social security award letter, documentation of receipt of the most recent consecutive two months payments and the past two year's 1099's.

When you sign in to Personal Online Banking with your member number, all accounts on which you are an owner will be displayed.

To view account details on the Account Access screen, click Quick Peek to view the most recent transactions. For all transactions, click the account name.

Yes. If you have an ESL debit or HSA card loaded into your digital wallet, the settings you put in place using ESL Card Control will apply to these cards as well as the physical card.

You can activate your ESL Visa Gift Card and obtain your PIN by calling 866.902.6082. You will have the option to select your own PIN, if you choose.

We don’t have a specific education loan product, but our ESL Home Equity Line of Credit is a great option to help finance educational costs.

Use the Secure Access Code via the delivery method you requested most recently.

Courtesy Pay is not a loan or other credit product so an application or credit approval is not required. All new checking accounts are automatically enrolled to cover checks, automatic withdrawals (ACH), and ESL bill payment transactions as soon as they meet the enrollment criteria below. To add Courtesy Pay to cover ESL Visa® Debit Card transactions, you must register (registration details) and meet the enrollment criteria:

• Be a member in good standing;
• Be 18 years of age or older (custodian and guardian accounts are not eligible);
• Your checking account must be open for a minimum of 30 days;
• You cannot have any delinquent, late, or charged-off loans;
• You cannot have any legal or administrative orders, including attachments, garnishments, or levies against your accounts; and
• You cannot have any pending bankruptcies or financial counseling arrangements.
• To remain eligible for ESL Courtesy Pay, you must bring your account balance positive once every 10 days.

1. Sign in to online banking.
   1. Mouse over Bill Pay.
   2. Click Request Bill Pay Research.
   3. Complete the form and click Submit.
   4. Our Bill Pay provider (FIS) will need to speak with your payee, so please contact the payee to authorize them to speak with FIS about your account.
   5. Once the research is complete, you will be notified via email of the outcome.
2. You may also contact an ESL Representative for assistance.

You can find additional Bill Pay information and help in our Online Banking Guide and Bill Pay Demo.

If you need further assistance please contact an ESL Representative.

Courtesy Pay is not a loan or other credit product so an application or credit approval is not required. All new business checking accounts are automatically enrolled as soon as they meet the enrollment criteria:

• Be a member in good standing;
• Your checking account must be open for a minimum of 60 days;
• All loans are current and in good standing;
• You cannot have any legal or administrative orders, including attachments, garnishments, or levies against your accounts; and
• You cannot have any pending bankruptcies or financial counseling arrangements.

The Secure Access Code is valid for only about 15 minutes. If you’ve “timed out,” just press the back button to begin again.

We don’t have a specific home improvement loan product, but we have other loan options to help you meet your goals:

• ESL Personal Loan
• ESL Home Equity Line of Credit
• ESL Home Equity Loan

Use our Home Equity Comparison Chart to easily choose which home equity solution is right for you.

No. Turning your card off does not affect the status of the account associated with your card; it only prevents the ability to make transactions using your card. In addition, you can also turn off any recurring payments you have set up that use your card (you’ll find the option to manage this under Controls and alerts > Transaction types > Auto pay.)

Other account transaction activities like writing and depositing checks, making bill payments, and processing ACH transactions will still occur even when the card is turned off.

There are several customizable features in online banking. All of them can be changed using the My Settings link on the top right side of your online banking screen. For example, you can: 

• Change your password. 
• Change your security contacts.
• Nickname your accounts to make them easier to recognize.

If you're selling your current home to purchase your new home, we'll ask you to provide a copy of the settlement or closing statement you'll receive at the closing to verify that your current mortgage has been paid in full and that you'll have sufficient funds for our closing.  Often the closing of your current home is scheduled for the same day as the closing of your new home.  If that's the case, we'll just ask you to bring your settlement statement with you to your new mortgage closing.

Two years personal tax returns are required to verify the amount of your dividend and/or interest income so that an average of the amounts you receive can be calculated. In addition, we will need to verify your ownership of the assets that generate the income using copies of statements from your financial institution, brokerage statements, stock certificates or Promissory Notes.

Typically, income from dividends and/or interest must be expected to continue for at least three years to be considered for repayment.

My Location allows you to control in-store transactions based on the physical location of the primary device. When using My Location, in-store transactions must be within an 8-mile radius of the primary device to be processed. Any in-store transactions made outside of the 8-mile radius will be declined. No other transaction types are impacted by your My Location settings.

You must enable Location Services on your phone to use My Location.

Visit the Visa ATM locator page to find ATMs in and out of town or around the world.  Our ATM & Branch Locator page will help you find ESL ATMs closer to home.

Once you complete the Verify your identity screen by entering the Single-Use Access Code please click the Yes. Register this computer button.  You will not need to answer the validation questions upon each login from this computer and browser. 

We don’t have a specific debt consolidation loan product, but our Personal Loan and Home Equity Line of Credit have flexible terms to meet your needs.

• Pressing the back button when asked to “Select a delivery method” will return you to the initial login screen. Just enter your User ID and Password to begin again.
• Pressing the back button when asked to “Enter your Secure Access Code” BEFORE you have entered a code will return you to the “Select a delivery method” screen. Select a delivery method and enter the code you receive next.

Courtesy Pay will cover overdrafts for checks, automatic withdrawals (ACH), ESL bill payments, and ESL Visa® Debit Card transactions (registration required).

Masking account numbers, or other related sensitive customer information, is a fraud prevention best practice that helps keep your information secure. It also allows ESL to meet certain regulatory requirements in the protection of customer information. If you need to verify the account number for a specific payee, please contact an ESL Representative, and we’d be happy to further assist.

No, every time you’re prompted to receive a Secure Access Code, you’ll be sent a new, unique number.

You may complete the following steps to add a memo to a Bill Pay payment sent by check.  (This option will not appear for payments sent electronically.):

• When adding your payment information, prior to clicking the Pay button, click the Memo link under the Pay button.
• Type your Memo and click the Save button.
• Enter the payment’s Send On date and Amount (if you have not already done so) and click the Pay button.

Courtesy Pay will cover checks, automatic withdrawals (ACH), ESL bill payments, and ESL Visa® Business Debit Card transactions.

You can find information about your Cash Reserve account:

• In Online and/or Mobile Banking:
  • Your outstanding balance, available credit and amount due is displayed on the account summary screen. You can click or tap “Cash Reserve” for information about your transactions.

• In your monthly Share statements:
  • Transactional and billing information appears on your monthly Share statement and is located after your Checking account(s) information, labeled as “OVERDRAFT PROTECTION.”

Absolutely! The ESL Online Banking system uses the most current encryption methods available.  Please see our Security page for more information.

My Region allows you to set up a maximum of three regions to control in-store transactions only. You can set My Region based on country, city, state, zip code, or even popular destinations. You can also create your own region by zooming in/out on the map (must be at least a 5-mile radius).

When My Region is set, in-store transactions outside the selected region(s) will be declined.

Any student loan should be included in the application.  If you are not sure exactly what the monthly payment will be at this time, enter an estimated amount.

Not all situations are appropriate for a 45 day rate lock.  Keep in mind if you select a 45-day rate lock, and you are unable to close within that time frame your rate lock will expire.  Consequently, you will lose your rate lock protection.  That means, if rates rise you will pay the current market rate.  If rates stay the same or decline you will pay a lock fee to continue with your mortgage application.

Some merchants list their centralized office address instead of the store’s actual location. The list of central office locations is continually being updated. This may also be the case for many vendors who travel to different locations, for example, food vendors at concerts or festivals whose business address will fall outside the My Location or My Region parameters within the app.

All Single-Use Access Codes will be texted from 44833.

Yes, one option for paying loans is using a non-ESL Debit Card. Convenience fees and exclusions may apply and there are many other options available for making loan payments. View all Loan Payment Options to compare your choices.

No, once you have signed in for the first time and have registered a device, you will not be prompted to enter a Secure Access Code. You will be prompted to enter a Secure Access Code under these circumstances only:

• At initial login for a specific device (computer, laptop, tablet, or mobile).
• When using an unregistered device.
• When using a different browser.
• When “cookies” are cleared from your device.

• Each checking account has a $250 limit. When there are insufficient funds for a transaction presented for payment, Courtesy Pay allows the transaction to be processed. The account is overdrawn by the amount of the transaction PLUS the fee which could take the account above the Courtesy Pay limit.
• ESL Courtesy Pay works in conjunction with any other overdraft protection option on the account. It takes effect if your CheckOK Account and/or your Cash Reserve Account have insufficient funds or credit.

Yes, when scheduling an automatic Bill Pay payment twice monthly, the first payment will be on the same date each month (e.g. the 6th), the second payment will be 15 days later (21st).

To cancel a one-time Bill Pay payment please:

• Locate the payment in the Scheduled payments list of the My Payments section.  
• Click the red X next to the payment you wish to cancel. 
• Click the Yes, Cancel Payment button.

• Each business checking account is assigned an overdraft limit, based on the checking account type.
  • Business Classic Checking - $500
  • Business Premier Checking - $1,000
  • Business Analyzed Checking - $1,000
  • Business Analyzed Checking Plus - $1,000
• When a check, automatic withdrawal (ACH), ESL bill payment, or ESL Visa® Business Debit Card transaction is presented for payment and there are insufficient funds to cover the item, Courtesy Pay allows the transaction to be processed. The account is overdrawn by the transaction amount PLUS the fee which could take the account above the Courtesy Pay limit.
• Courtesy Pay works in conjunction with any other overdraft protection option you have. It takes effect if your CheckOK Account and/or your Business Overdraft Line of Credit have insufficient funds or credit.

The new Business Online Banking system features a Secure Access Code security feature that keeps your accounts safe by adding another layer of security. This multi-layer authentication verifies your login by validating User ID, Password, device, and browser before providing access. Feel free to register a device when you are the sole user (like your own computer at work or your tablet, etc.). This will allow you to bypass the Secure Access Code process for future logins. Do not register a device that has shared access.

Alert preferences let you know every time a card transaction is attempted. You can set alerts for all transactions or selected transactions based on location, transaction type, merchant type, or amount.

On the Log in to my account screen where you received the error message please click the I can't access my account link below the Log in button.   Please follow the onscreen prompts for assistance with your Username or Password.

If you need further assistance please contact an ESL Representative.

The actual closing will normally take place at our Corporate Headquarters (225 Chestnut Street, Rochester, NY 14604.)  If your property is not located within Monroe County, New York, or its surrounding counties, then we'll typically perform the closing by mail either with you directly or with your attorney or a closing agent in the area where your property is located. You'll be able to discuss the closing arrangements with your closer when you schedule your closing.

Gifts are an acceptable source of down payment, if the gift giver is related to you or your co-borrower.  We'll ask you for the name, address, and phone number of the gift giver, as well as the donor's relationship to you.

If your loan request is for more than 80% of the purchase price, we'll need to verify that you have at least 5% of the property's value in your own assets.

Prior to closing, we'll verify that the gift funds have been transferred to you by obtaining a copy of your bank receipt or deposit slip to verify that you have deposited the gift funds into your account.

Only the primary device will receive alerts. Use the settings menu in ESL Card Control to set your phone as the primary device.

If you have made multiple unsuccessful attempts to access a page on our website, perform the following:

1. Close all open browsers.
2. Open a new browser and type www.esl.org in the address bar. Please do not use a bookmark or a favorite.
3. Attempt to login again.

If your login is unsuccessful, perform the following:

1. Confirm you are using a supported browser.
2. Review the instructions under Additional Information on the supported browser page to review your browser settings.
3. If you require further assistance, connect with an ESL Representative so we can help.

To cancel an automatic Bill Pay payment please:

• Click the payee's Options link.
• Click on the Automatic payment tab on the left side of the Options window. 
• Click the Turn off link in the upper right corner.
• Click the Yes button to confirm your cancelation request when you are prompted.

Yes, you can register multiple devices (computer, laptop, tablet, mobile). You will need to repeat the initial login process for each device.

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

To set up or change your PIN, please call 844.433.1140.

ESL Bill Pay allows you to edit either a single automatic payment or the automatic payment rule.  To do so please:

• Locate the payment in the My Payments section.
• Click the payee's Pencil icon. 
• Click either the Edit only this payment or the Edit payment rule button.
• Change the information that you want to update. 
• Click the Save changes or the Update button.

If you have Cash Reserve set up as overdraft protection, Courtesy Pay would perform as a backup to that service only if the Cash Reserve line was fully drawn.

1. Close all open browsers.
2. Open a new browser and type www.esl.org in the address bar. Please do not use a bookmark or a favorite. 
3. Attempt to login again.

If your login is unsuccessful, perform the following:

1. Confirm you are using a supported browser.
2. Review the instructions under Additional Information on the supported browser page to review your browser settings.
3. If you require further assistance, call us at 585.336.1000 or use chat banking.

To request a temporary limit increase for purchases using your ESL Visa Debit Card, please contact an ESL Representative.

The daily limit for ESL Visa Debit Card purchases is $2,500 when you use your card as credit. The daily limit for purchases made with your PIN is $600, which includes the daily cash limit you can withdraw from an ATM.

The daily limit for ESL Visa Business Debit Card purchases is $5,000 when you use your card as credit. The daily limit for purchases made with your PIN is $600, which includes the daily cash limit you can withdraw from an ATM.

Generally, the income of self-employed borrowers is verified by obtaining copies of personal (and business, if applicable) federal tax returns for the most recent two-year period.  

We'll review and average the net income from self-employment that's reported on your tax returns to determine the income that can be used to qualify.  We won't be able to consider any income that hasn't been reported as such on your tax returns. Typically, we'll need a full two-year history of self-employment to verify that your self-employment income is stable.

When completing the online application, you will be asked to provide credit card information or information for an ESL account to accommodate efficient processing of fees you have to pay before closing.

Intent to Continue:  ESL needs your express indication that you wish to continue with your online application before further processing of your application will occur and before any fees (other than the fee for the credit report) are collected.

Fees Due:  You will be charged a non-refundable credit report fee for completing an online application, regardless of your intent to continue.  

Fees for the application and the appraisal will be collected only after you have reviewed your Good Faith Estimate form and have provided ESL with notice of your intent to continue. The Good Faith Estimate will be included in the package of documents mailed to you within days of submitting your online application.  Your package will have specific instructions for giving notice of your intent to continue.  

Further processing of your application will not occur until we receive your intent, and any delay could impact your closing in a timely manner. 

There are a couple of situations that could cause your computer's enrollment to become deactivated. For example, deleting cookies from your computer or resetting your password will "un-enroll" your computer. You will need to use the Verify your identity screen to get into online banking.  You may than re-enroll your computer. 

Because some employers clear cookies from computers on a regular basis, sometimes daily, you will need to use the Verify your identity screen to be able to access online banking. 

You will also be prompted to Verify your identity when you login using a browser that you have not previously enrolled your computer with.  For example, if you enrolled your computer when using an Internet Explorer browser, but now login using Chrome for the first time, you will be asked to Verify your identity. Simply follow those steps and enroll your computer.

Learn more about ESL Online Banking supported browsers.

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 for your personal or business accounts.

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 ® Debit Card transactions. Your account becomes overdrawn by the amount of the item, plus a fee.

To schedule a Bill Pay payment please:

• Type in a Send on date or click on the Calendar icon to select a date using our calendar widget.
• Type in the Amount of the payment.
• Add a memo (if desired) by clicking on the Memo link. 
  • The Memo link will only be available if the payment is sent by check.
• Click the Pay button.

You should receive your ESL Visa Business Debit Card in the mail approximately seven to ten business days after you order it. To set up or change your PIN, please call 844.433.1140.

To activate your card, please call 844.433.1140.

To schedule an automatic Bill Pay payment please:

• Click the payee’s Options link. 
• Click on the Automatic payment tab on the left side of the Options window. 
• Fill out the requested information. 
• Click the Save button.

The next scheduled payment will be listed under Scheduled Payments​ in the My Payments section.  Additionally automatic payments are indicated with a loop icon and the number of days until the next payment displayed to the left of the payee in the My Bills & People I Pay section.

First, be sure to sign up for one of the overdraft services ESL offers for personal and business accounts.

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

• Use ESL Mobile Banking or Online Banking to monitor account balances and transactions frequently.
  • If you're not a current Mobile/Online Banking user you can register now using your member number and PIN. Your PIN may have been established when you joined ESL. If you don't know your PIN, contact an ESL Representative and they will assist you.
• Sign up for email alerts based on balance thresholds. Log into Mobile or Online Banking and click email notifications to set up alerts.
• Set up balance alerts to be sent to your cell phone. Mobile and Online 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).
• Balance your checkbook on a regular basis.
• Schedule payments in advance through ESL Bill Pay to avoid late fees.

In the event you need to return an item you purchased with your Visa Gift Card, the merchant will handle the item in accordance with Visa guidelines. The merchant may credit your card (put the funds back on the card) thereby increasing your available funds.

You are not required to enroll a phone number. Enrolling a phone number allows you to choose to receive a Single-Use Access Code via phone call or text. Additionally, you can reset your password on your own if needed, rather than contacting ESL to do it for you.

When resetting passwords, a temporary password will be sent to a registered phone number as this provides a more accurate authentication of your identity. You will then be prompted to create a new password for future logins.

Generally, a co-signed debt is considered when determining your qualifications for a mortgage.  If the co-signed debt doesn't affect your ability to obtain a new mortgage we'll leave it at that.  However, if it does make a difference, we can ignore the monthly payment of the co-signed debt if you can provide verification that the other person responsible for the debt has made the required payments, by obtaining copies of their canceled checks (or other proof of payment) for the last twelve months and all payments have been made in a timely fashion.

Closing fees, more commonly referred to as Settlement Charges, are the fees you will be charged for obtaining and closing on your mortgage loan.

When you apply for a mortgage loan, lenders are required to provide you with a disclosure called the Good Faith Estimate (GFE) that summarizes the Settlement Charges connected with your mortgage loan request, along with other information about your application

Your Settlement Charges that you will see on your GFE will include:

• Our origination charges:  These fees are paid to a lender to compensate for its services.  These services include processing or reviewing/underwriting your application or closing your loan.
• Your credit or charge (points):  These are charges related to the interest rate you have chosen.  These are usually called discount points or rate lock fees.
• Required services that we select:  There are certain charges for settlement services required by the lender and provided by third parties the lender has selected.  This usually includes property appraisers, credit bureaus, employment or tax verification service providers.
• Title services and lender’s title insurance:  These charges include the cost for the title work needed to show the ownership of the property if the borrower usually pays this cost.  These charges also include a type of insurance called title insurance.  Lender’s title insurance protects the lender if there is ever a problem with the title to your property.
• Owner’s title insurance:  In the case of a purchase transaction, your GFE will include information about the cost of owner’s title insurance. This optional insurance protects you, as the new owner, if there is ever a problem with the title to your property.
• Required services that you can shop for:  Sometimes there are settlement services we need but that you as the borrower can obtain for us.  When that occurs, the GFE will list the service you can obtain.
• Government recording charges:  These are fees and taxes charged by states and some municipalities, whenever a deed, mortgage, or other document is recorded in the public records.
• Transfer taxes:  These include taxes charged by the states and some municipalities on the mortgage amount, or on the amount of the sale price of the home.
• Initial deposit for your escrow account:  This is the current estimate of the amount of money you would need to bring to closing to fund an escrow account.  The lender would use money from this account to pay for certain future charges for real estate taxes and insurance.
• Daily interest charges:  This is the charge for the daily interest on your loan from your funding date to the first day of the next month.
• Homeowner’s insurance:  In the case of a purchase transaction, you will be given an estimate of the cost for your required homeowner’s insurance (sometimes called hazard insurance).

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT “OUR ORIGINATION CHARGE”

Origination charges may vary widely based on how a lender runs its business.  Some lenders contract with third parties for services, while others may perform these same services in-house.  In this latter case, that charge would be disclosed in the section called OUR SETTLEMENT SERVICES on the GFE, rather than disclosed in the section called REQUIRED SERVICES THAT WE SELECT.

Because of these differences between lenders, it is important to review your Good Faith Estimate carefully and completely.  If you are comparison shopping, compare the bottom line “Total Estimated Settlement Charges” on each of the GFE forms you receive.

A single-use access code makes it more difficult for phishers and attackers to access your accounts without your knowledge. Logging in to online banking from an unregistered device will require using both your User ID and Password and your phone number or e-mail address to access your account. By doing this, even if a phisher or an attacker manages to steal your password and tries to use it to log in, they would be unsuccessful because they would need your phone number or e-mail address as well. 

Challenge questions often can be easily answered by an impostor who may know you or has used an Internet search engine to get information about you (e.g., mother’s maiden name, high school graduated from, year of college graduation, etc.). In view of the amount of information about people that is readily available on the Internet and the information that individuals themselves make available on social networking Web sites, ESL no longer considers such basic challenge questions to be as effective as they once were. 

Single-use access codes have been used for several years elsewhere and are considered to be one of the stronger authentication technologies in use. The single-use access code is good for 10 minutes after it is generated or until it is entered in ESL.org, whichever comes first. Anyone attempting to fraudulently access your account must intercept the code and use it in real time prior to you entering it.

Each merchant location has its own return policies and will handle the returns in the same manner as any other Visa transaction and may take up to seven business days to be credited to your Card. They may credit your ESL Visa Prepaid Card; provide a cash refund, or a store credit.

Depending on the overdraft services you have on your personal or business 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 services, your item will be paid.
• If you do not have overdraft services, your item will be returned. ESL won’t charge you a fee, but the payee may charge you a fee.

If you received a Bill Pay check that was issued from your own account please contact an ESL Representative.

We’re here to help. Just call us at 585.336.1000 or 800.848.2265.

Payments are sent to the payee before funds are withdrawn from your account.  If the payment is returned for any reason, the Bill Pay service will be blocked.  If the payment was returned because the account did not have sufficient funds Bill Pay will most likely resubmit the payment. The debit attempt cannot be stopped.

While the block is in place any Bill Pay payments scheduled to occur during the blocked period are canceled.

Once the Bill Pay payment successfully clears the checking account, the block will be lifted within three business days. A request to remove the block sooner can be processed by contacting an ESL Representative. 

Once the block is removed; any automatic and one-time payments scheduled to be sent during the blocked period would need to be rescheduled.

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. ESL won’t charge you a fee, but the payee may charge you a fee.

You may use your account at another bank or credit union to pay your ESL loan using mobile and online banking. You cannot use a credit card to pay your ESL loan via your phone or PC.

Completing our on-line application is as easy as 1-2-3!  Use it to apply for a Purchase Mortgage (a signed offer to purchase a specific property is required), a Cash Out Refinance, or a No Cash Out Refinance.

We'll ask you questions about your personal finances and the home. You'll probably know all the answers off the top of your head.

But just in case you may want to have the following information available (for all applicants) before you start your on-line sessions:

• Personal information including dates of birth, social security numbers, current and previous residence address, and employment information (including full address and phone numbers)
• A summary of all debts including outstanding balances, account numbers, and monthly payments
• A summary of assets including current values, institution names and type of accounts

The application is divided into sections and you can track your progress through each section at the top of each screen.  It should take less than 20 minutes to complete the application.

Move through the application by using the back and next arrows at the bottom of each screen.  Don't use the back and next button on your browser while your completing the application.

We use exciting new technology in order to provide you with the most convenient on-line mortgage application ever!  As you answer some of the questions, you'll note that questions below may change, disappear or new questions are added instantly.  We don't ever want to waste your time asking for information that isn't important in your situation, so we evaluate the information we need based on your answers.

If you need additional help answering a question, click on the question mark at the end of the question for more information.

If you don't have time to complete the application right now or if you need to gather information before you finish, we'll save the information you have completed.  When you're ready to finish, return to the site and enter your User ID and password to continue.

Application:

Our online application will ask you to provide information regarding your income, source(s) of income, employment and employer, assets, the property you are interested in purchasing or refinancing, and other personal identifying information. You will be informed that a credit report will be required in connection with your application and asked to approve us pulling your credit report for your application.  Additionally, you will be asked to identify the method of payment (credit card charge or debit of ESL account) for fees you will have to pay before closing.

The process should be quick and easy, but will be made even easier if you have your paystubs, monthly statements and other documents about your income and assets with you when you complete the online application. If you are prepared and know the information being requested, the application can take as little as 20 minutes to complete.

An ESL representative will contact you if we need clarification of the information you have submitted, or you have omitted information critical to successfully submitting the application.

Applying for a product or program ESL does not currently offer, or one that is available only through an ESL Mortgage Loan Originator, your submission will not be successful.  We will send you an email notification if this occurs.  

Once your application is submitted successfully, we can offer the option to request that your interest rate be locked.  

ESL will prepare and mail you your application package.  This package contains important documents and disclosures, some of which will require your signature and signatures of any co-borrowers.  It contains a list of the supporting documentation ESL will need from you to verify information you have provided in your online application.  

Your package will contain important information regarding our need to receive your express intent to continue with the application you have submitted.  

Please pay close attention to these directions.  No further processing of your application will take place until we receive your intent.

• Your delay in providing us with your intent could:
• Impact the ability to close your loan in a timely fashion or within your rate lock period if you have locked your rate,
• Result in your application being withdrawn for incompleteness.

Once you have provided your intent to continue, you will also need to provide any fees that are due prior to closing.  The appraisal will be ordered at this time.

Approval:

Once your loan request is approved, we will issue a mortgage loan commitment letter that outlines the terms and conditions of approval.  You may need to clear certain conditions prior to being able to schedule a closing.  Please read your commitment letter carefully and sign and return all documents requested.

Closing:

We will contact you to coordinate your closing date.

Title insurance may be necessary.  If you are purchasing a home that is new to you, we’ll work with your attorney to insure the title work is ordered as soon as possible.  If you are refinancing, we can order the title work for you – at your request.

Closings for a purchase transaction will be coordinated directly with your attorney.  We will schedule a refinance closing directly with you.  

All closings take place at ESL Corporate Headquarters- 225 Chestnut Street, Rochester, NY 14604. Exceptions to this are made only infrequently and must be requested and approved well in advance of your given closing date.

We look forward to making this process as easy and convenient as possible!

• Use ‘Make a Payment’ to make one-time payments or set up automatic payments.
  • Click I’d like to… then Manage Credit Card & uChoose Rewards
  • Payments will post to your credit card account the same day if it’s made by 6 p.m. ET.
• Use ‘Transfers’ in ESL Mobile/Online Banking to transfer money from your ESL Checking or Savings account to your credit card.
  • When you use ‘Transfer’ to make your payment, the amount is deducted from your ESL Checking or Savings account immediately but may take 1-2 days to post to your credit card account.

Click here to learn more about all ESL Loan Payment Options, including how to pay your credit card from another financial institution.

When you have depleted all the funds on the card and no returns are necessary, simply destroy and discard the card.

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. The item is NOT paid. ESL won’t charge you a fee, but the payee may charge you a fee.

When you schedule a Bill Pay payment, ESL Bill Pay sends the funds to the payee on your behalf. ESL Bill Pay will debit your account 1-2 business days after the payment has been sent. 

A minimum of three business days is required for electronic payments to reach the payee; five business days are required for check payments.  Once the payment is received by the payee, it is up to the payee to credit the designated account.

The Online Bill Payment Service enables you to set up recurring payments, make one time payments, and track your payments to individual merchants directly through Online Banking without ever writing a check.

To be automatically enrolled in Courtesy Pay to cover checks, automatic withdrawals (ACH), and ESL bill payments, you must meet the following criteria:

• You must maintain your membership in good standing;
• Your checking account must be opened more than 30 days;
• 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;
• Your ESL loans and credit cards must be current;
• There cannot be any legal or administrative orders, including attachments, garnishments, or levies against your accounts with us;
• There cannot be any pending bankruptcies or financial counseling arrangements with us; and
• The primary account holder must 18 years of age or older (custodian and guardian accounts are not eligible).
• To remain eligible for ESL Courtesy Pay, you must bring your account balance positive once every 10 days.

If you want your ESL Visa® Debit Card transactions covered by ESL Courtesy Pay, you must meet the above criteria and contact an ESL Representative to register. ESL Visa Business Debit Card transactions are automatically covered at enrollment.

If the purchase amount exceeds the available card balance, then you must inform the merchant of the amount you want to pay with the Visa Gift Card and that you will pay the difference in cash, check, credit or debit card. If the purchase amount exceeds the available balance of the Visa Gift Card, the transaction will not be approved.

When completing the online application, you will be asked to provide credit card information or information for an ESL account to accommodate efficient processing of fees you have to pay before closing.

Intent to Continue:  ESL needs your express indication that you wish to continue with your online application before further processing of your application will occur and before any fees (other than the fee for the credit report) are collected.

Fees Due:  You will be charged a non-refundable credit report fee for completing an online application, regardless of your intent to continue.  

Fees for the application and the appraisal will be collected only after you have reviewed your Good Faith Estimate form and have provided ESL with notice of your intent to continue. The Good Faith Estimate will be included in the package of documents mailed to you within days of submitting your online application.  Your package will have specific instructions for giving notice of your intent to continue.  

Further processing of your application will not occur until we receive your intent, and any delay could impact your closing in a timely manner. 

During the closing you will be reviewing and signing loan documents.  The ESL Closer or your attorney will be able to answer any questions you have.

Just to make sure there are no surprises at closing, your ESL Closer will contact you a few days before closing to review your final fees, loan amount, first payment date, etc.

The most important documents you will be signing at the closing include:

Note

This is the document you sign to agree to repay your mortgage. The note will provide you with all of the details of your loan including the interest rate and length of time to repay the loan. It also explains the penalties that you may incur if you fall behind in making your payments.

Mortgage / Deed of Trust  

This document pledges a property to the lender as security for repayment of a debt. Essentially this means that you will give your property up to the lender in the event that you cannot make the mortgage payments. The Mortgage restates the basic information contained in the note, as well as details the responsibilities of the borrower. In some states, the document is called a Deed of Trust instead of a Mortgage.

HUD-1 Settlement Statement  

This document provides an itemized listing of the final fees charged in connection with your loan. If your loan is a purchase, the settlement statement will also include a listing of any fees related to the transaction between you and the seller. If this loan will be a refinance, the settlement statement will show the pay off amounts of any mortgages that will be paid in full with your new loan. Most items on the statement are numbered according to a standardized system used by all lenders. These numbers will correspond to the numbers listed on the Good Faith Estimate that will be provided in your application package. This document is also commonly known as the closing statement and both the buyer and seller must sign this document.

You may set up one-time or recurring principal loan payments. To do so:

• Sign in to online banking.
• From Account Access screen, mouse over Account Transfer. 
• Click Schedule a Transfer. 
• Click Add.
• Enter Transfer Amount.
• Select FROM and TO accounts.
• Click Overpayment.
• Select Principal Only Payment.

If you opt out of Courtesy Pay, your items will be returned to the payee if there are not enough funds to cover them. ESL won’t charge you a fee, but the payee may charge you a fee.

To opt out of Courtesy Pay for personal accounts:

• Sign in to online banking.
• Mouse over Manage Money.
• Click Manage Overdraft Services.
• Click ESL Courtesy Pay Registration/Decline Form.
• Complete and submit the form.

To opt out of Courtesy Pay for business accounts, please complete the Courtesy Pay Opt-Out Form.

Your payment is sent based on the payee. There are two types of payees:

• Electronic payees are sent via ACH payment. Electronic payments may take up to three business days to reach their destination. The Bill Pay service determines which payees can receive electronic payments.
• Check payees (those that were added to the system manually) will be issued a paper check by the Bill Pay system that will be sent to them via postal mail. Please allow five business days for a check to reach its destination.

The Bill Pay service determines how your payment will be delivered (by ACH or by check.)

In Online Banking, the icon that appears between the payee information and the payment fields indicates the payment method:

• = Payee receives electronic payments. There will be three business days between the “send on” and “delivered by” dates.
• = Payee is paid by paper check. There will be five business days between the “send on” and “delivered by” dates.

Bill payments must be made from an ESL Checking account. Bill payments may also be scheduled from your ESL Health Savings Account.

Courtesy Pay limits are defined based on the checking account type. If you have more than one checking account, each account is covered by a separate 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.

• Free Checking:  $250
• Premier Checking:  $250
• Business Classic Checking:  $500
• Business Premier Checking:  $1,000
• Business Analyzed Checking:  $1,000
• Business Analyzed Checking Plus:  $1,000

You may make additional payments to the principal of your loan at any time after you have satisfied your regular monthly payment. To make a principal only payment:

• Click the Pay link under the balance of your loan (or mouse over Account Transfer and click Pay my ESL Loan.) 
• Select the account you are transferring From. 
• Select the account you are transferring To. 
• Fill in the amount to pay.
• In the I want to drop down, click pay to principal.
• Click Make transfer. 
• Confirm your transaction and record your transfer confirmation number.

The "Interest Due at Closing", sometimes referred to as "per diem interest" is the cost of the interest on your new loan from the date of closing, to the end of that month.  This estimate is based upon the anticipated or desired closing date that you have previously entered, and may vary from the written estimate that will be included in your application package.  The estimate included in the application package will be based on a full-month's interest (30 days).  The final amount will be calculated from your actual closing date, to the end of the month.

If you'll be withdrawing funds from a 401(k) or retirement account to fund your down payment, we will ask you to provide evidence that you have the funds available by providing a recent statement.  We need to verify what the terms are for withdrawing funds.  Prior to closing, we'll verify that the funds have been transferred to you by obtaining a copy of your bank receipt or deposit slip.

Please view our comparison chart for Loan Payment Options.

The best way to pay ESL loans is through the regular Account Transfer menu in Online Banking. Payments made via Account Transfer are immediately credited to your loan. If you use Bill Pay to pay an ESL loan, a check will be mailed from our payment processor to ESL and it takes up to 5 days for the payment to be received by ESL.

CheckOK is available for ESL personal and business checking accounts.

CheckOK will cover ATM withdrawals, debit card purchases, ACH withdrawals, and checks.

You can find a lot of helpful information in our Online Banking Guide and Bill Pay Demo.

To pay your Home Equity Line of Credit in full online and keep it open:

• Click the Pay link under the balance of your loan (or mouse over Account Transfer and click Pay my ESL Loan.) 
• Select the account you are transferring From. 
• Select the account you are transferring To. 
• Fill in the amount to pay. 
• In the I want to drop down, select pay in full without closing.
• When you click Make transfer, the amount will adjust to the full amount due. 
• Confirm your transaction and record your transfer confirmation number.

Please call 866.902.6082 immediately. Additionally, refer to your disclosures provided at card issuance for the Full Terms and Conditions of use.

Once your application has been successfully submitted and receives preliminary approval, you are offered the option to request that ESL lock your interest rate and discount points.  

If your application is not successfully submitted or does not receive preliminary approval, you will not be offered the option to lock your interest rate. An ESL representative will contact you to discuss what options may be available in your situation.

You and the ESL Closer will be at your closing.  If you are purchasing a property, your attorney and the Seller's attorney will also attend.

You have the option of choosing either "Debit" or "Credit" from the merchant's terminal. If you choose "Debit", you will be required to enter a PIN to authorize the transaction. Please note, there is no cash back option with the ESL Visa Gift Card when selecting Debit. If you choose "Credit", you will receive a sales receipt to sign.

To pay your Cash Reserve in full and keep it open online:

• Click the Pay link under the balance of your loan (or mouse over Account Transfer and click Pay my ESL Loan.) 
• Select the account you are transferring From. 
• Select the account you are transferring To. 
• Fill in the amount to pay. 
• In the I want to drop down, select pay in full without closing.
• When you click Make transfer, the amount will adjust to the full amount due. 
• Confirm your transaction and record your transfer confirmation number.

Due to legal requirements, we limit the ability to make certain types of payments. Payments to payees outside of the United States are prohibited and may not be issued under any circumstances.

Time-sensitive payments are discouraged due to the time it takes (three to five days) for the payment to be delivered. If your payment is due immediately, our Expedited Payment service will deliver electronic payments on the next business day, for a small convenience fee. Some payees may also have real-time payments available at their websites.

Additionally, because of their sensitive nature, we recommend using alternative payment methods for these types of payments:

• Tax payments to the Internal Revenue Service or any state or other government agency
• Court-ordered payments, such as alimony or child support
• Payments to insurance companies

If you have CheckOK set up as overdraft protection on your checking account, Courtesy Pay performs as a backup to that service when there are not enough funds in the CheckOK account to cover a transaction.

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

To unenroll all of your computers and devices please contact an ESL Representative.

Please be aware that this will unenroll ALL of your devices, meaning you will need to receive a single-use access code next time you wish to login.

There is no charge to you for the credit information we'll access with your permission to evaluate your application online.  You will only be charged for a credit report once you have completed the application process and submitted your loan.

Yes, as a standard practice we will provide a copy of your appraisal during the mortgage application process.

If the transaction cleared electronically as an ACH ESL is not able to provide an image of the check. You may use your statement showing the ACH debit to the merchant as proof of payment. If you require an image of the payment, please contact the merchant with that request.

For any other transaction there is an electronic form available to assist you with this request.  To access this form please:

• Login to online banking.
• Mouse over I'd Like To...
• Click on the Order a Check/Statement Copy.
• This form allows you to order copies of checks that cleared more than six months ago (more recent checks are already available in your transaction history) and /or copies of statements.  

Please be aware there may be a research fee associated with this request.  

No, each individual personal or business checking account receives an ESL Courtesy Pay limit based on the account type.

• ​If you do not want ESL Courtesy Pay on a personal checking account, contact an ESL Representative or follow these steps to decline the service for that account:
  • Sign in to online banking.
  • Click Manage Money.
  • Choose Manage Overdraft Services.
  • Select ESL Courtesy Pay Registration/Decline Form.
• If you do not want a business account to be automatically enrolled in Courtesy Pay, please submit an ESL Courtesy Pay Decline Form.

For additional information in regards to your loan account, please:

Login to online banking. 
Arrive at the Account Access screen 
Click on the loan account. 
Click on the See account details link located under the balance information.
The amount displayed for the Next Payment is the current amount owed.

 In some areas of the country it is very customary, to have an attorney represent you at the closing.  Typically, if you are purchasing a property you will have an attorney represent you at closing, but in a refinance transaction you will not.

In order for bonus, overtime, or commission income to be considered, you must have a two year history of receiving it and it must be likely to continue.  For overtime and bonus income we'll need to obtain copies of W-2 statements for the previous two years and a recent pay stub to verify this type of income. We'll average the amounts you have received over the past two years to calculate the amount that can be considered as a regular part of your income.  For commission income we will need to obtain copies of  tax returns for the most recent 2-year period to verify the amount of business-related expenses.  We'll average the amounts you have received over the past two years to calculate the amount that can be considered as a regular part of your income.

To change your email address in online banking please

• Click My Settings
• Click the Update personal information link or the Update link in the Personal information section  
• Type in your new address and click Update 
   

Not at this time.

Please contact an ESL Representative. When a personal or business checking account becomes enrolled in Courtesy Pay, you will receive an enrollment notification.

To change the phone numbers through which you may receive a single-use access code in online banking please:

• Click My Settings.
• Click Update next to Security Contacts. 
• Type in your new phone number. 
• Select whether you want to receive phone calls and/or text messages to this number. 
• Click Update.

Typically, income from a second job will be considered if a two-year history of secondary employment can be verified.

Mortgage financing for condominiums is currently unavailable.  Reinstating financing option for this type of property is currently under review.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

Since the value and marketability of condominium properties is dependent on items that don't apply to single-family homes, there are some additional steps that must be taken to determine if condominiums meet our guidelines.

One of the most important factors is determining if the project that the condominium is located in is complete.  In many cases, it will be necessary for the project, or at least the phase that your unit is located in, to be complete before we can provide financing.  The main reason for this is, until the project is complete, we can't be certain that the remaining units will be of the same quality as the existing units.  This could affect the marketability of your home.

In addition, we'll consider the ratio of non-owner occupied units to owner-occupied units.  This could also affect future marketability since many people would prefer to live in a project that is occupied by owners rather than renters.

We'll also carefully review the appraisal to insure that it includes comparable sales of properties within the project, as well as some from outside the project.  Our experience has found that using comparable sales from both the same project as well as other projects gives us a better idea of the condominium project's marketability.

Depending on the percentage of the property's value you'd like to finance, other items may also need to be reviewed.

• Sign in to online banking.
• Mouse over Manage Money.
• Click Stop Payment and complete the form.

There is no fee for a stop payment. Please view ESL Stop Payment Fees and Conditions.

If you meet the criteria for ESL Courtesy Pay, you are likely to qualify.

No, there is not a limit to the number of transactions that can be covered by Courtesy Pay. Each checking account type has a Courtesy Pay dollar limit, and there is a daily limit of seven fees that will be charged for overdrawing the account.

You are able to view either the 300 most recent transactions or checking history from the past 12 months and savings and loan history from the past 24 months, whichever is less.

You are able to access checks that have cleared within the last six months. To access the check image, click the check number within your transaction history.

There are two main types of manufactured housing; mobile homes (now called "Manufactured Housing" under federal law) and modular homes.

Mobile homes are factory built with a steel undercarriage that remains as a structural component and limits the structure to a single story [Regardless of whether or not affixed to a permanent foundation].   ESL does not provide financing for mobile homes.

Modular homes do not have a steel undercarriage and includes pre-assembled, prefabricated, sectional, and pre-built homes. This modular type of manufactured housing is factory-built in sections and joined together on a permanent foundation.  ESL does provide financing for modular homes.  

If you are financing a modular home, please complete the application indicating that your home is a single family residence and discuss the particulars with the ESL Representative that will be assigned to your file.

We do not finance vacant land at this time.

In most cases we are able to offer financing for homes on large tracts.  What's most important is to determine if the size of your property is common for the area.  The appraiser must be able to provide detailed information about the recent sale of similar homes on similar lots that have occurred recently.  If that's not possible, we may not be able to provide the financing that you are looking for.

It's also important that your property be residential in nature.  If the property is a working farm or is used for any commercial purposes, we may have issues that will prevent us from making a loan to you for that property. Contact an ESL Representative if you have concerns about the acceptability of your property.

Clicking Quick Peek opens a new window that shows the balance and available balance along with the most recent transactions or payment activity for that account. High transaction volume accounts (like Checking) will show 5 days of account activity. Low volume accounts (like loans) will show 30 days of account activity.

We will mail you a notice when your ESL Courtesy Pay was used, and tell you 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.

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 10 days, your ESL Courtesy Pay will be blocked.

Desktop/Web Browser
To access your full account number in Personal Online Banking, please click on the account name to open the Account History page. On the left-hand side of the page, under the account title, please click Account Details.

Mobile App
To access your full account number in the Personal Mobile Banking App, please tap on the account name to open the Account History page. On the left-hand side of the screen, under the account title, please tap Details.

In most cases, we won't need to contact your landlord at all.  However, if you have a limited credit history obtaining information about your rental payment history may help us to approve your loan.  Please let us know if you would prefer that we not contact your landlord.

Both a home inspection and an appraisal are designed to protect you against potential issues with your new home.  Although they have totally different purposes, it makes the most sense to rely on each to help confirm that you've found the perfect home.

The appraiser will make note of obvious construction problems such as termite damage, dry rot or leaking roofs or basements. Other obvious interior or exterior damage that could affect the salability of the property will also be reported.

However, appraisers are not construction experts and won't find or report items that are not obvious.  They won't turn on every light switch, run every faucet or inspect the attic or mechanicals.  That's where the home inspector comes in.  They generally perform a detailed inspection and can educate you about possible concerns or defects with the home.

Accompany the inspector during the home inspection. This is your opportunity to gain knowledge of major systems, appliances and fixtures, learn maintenance schedules and tips, and to ask questions about the condition of the home. 

When you are logged in to online banking you may either click on the Help link in the blue bar at the top of the page, or the Check our FAQs link at the bottom of the page for additional assistance.

You may also contact an ESL Representative for assistance.

If you have a Business Overdraft Line of Credit set up for overdraft protection, Courtesy Pay serves as a backup to that service only IF the overdraft line has insufficient credit to cover the transaction.

Yes, view complete Health Savings account details or contact an ESL Representative.

When you are logged in to online banking you may either click on the Help link in the blue bar at the top of the page, or the Check our FAQs link at the bottom of the page for additional assistance.

You may also contact an ESL Representative for assistance.

To apply for an ESL mortgage, online, you must have a signed contract to purchase a specific property.  

If you are just beginning your search for a new home, you may want to consider applying for an ESL mortgage pre-approval by talking with an ESL Mortgage Originator at 585.336.1502 or 800.352.6669 Ext. 1502.

Interest rates fluctuate based on a variety of factors, including inflation, the pace of economic growth, and Federal Reserve policy.  Over time, inflation has the largest influence on the level of interest rates.  A modest rate of inflation will almost always lead to low interest rates, while concerns about rising inflation normally cause interest rates to increase.  Our nation's central bank, the Federal Reserve, implements policies designed to keep inflation and interest rates relatively low and stable.

There are a few situations that could cause your computer's enrollment to become deactivated.

For example, deleting cookies from your computer or resetting your password will "un-enroll" your computer. You will need to use the Verify your identity screen to get into online banking.  You may than re-enroll your computer.

Because some employers clear cookies from computers on a regular basis, sometimes daily, you will need to use the Verify your identity screen to be able to access online banking.

You will also be prompted to Verify your identity when you login using a browser that you have not previously enrolled your computer with.  For example, if you enrolled your computer when using an Internet Explorer browser, but now login using Chrome for the first time, you will be asked to follow the steps to Verify your identity. Simply follow those steps and re-enroll your computer.

Learn more about ESL Online Banking supported browsers.

The Premier Money Maker account does not incur a minimum balance fee with a monthly average balance of $25,000 or more. If the monthly average balance falls below $25,000, your account will be charged a $10.00 fee.

A Money Maker is considered a savings account for direct deposit and direct debit purposes. 

Your phone may have a "short codes" block turned on.  It must be turned off to get the text message with the access code. Please contact your service provider for assistance with this. 

This issue appears to be more common with T-Mobile then other carriers.

Please review the complete list of Companies & Groups through which you may qualify for ESL membership.  If you qualify through multiple categories e.g. you live in the City of Rochester, and you work for one of our many eligible member groups, you need only select one category to show eligibility.

Generally, only income that is reported on your tax return can be considered when applying for a mortgage.  Unless, of course, the income is legally tax-free and isn't required to be reported.

You can pay a loan online if you are a joint account holder, or you may perform a member-to-member transfer after you set up the relationship. 

Member-to-member transfers are not available within Business Online Banking.

A Money Maker account is a tiered savings account in which dividends are paid based on the balance.  ESL offers both personal and business Money Maker Accounts

You can request to open a personal checking or savings account online. To access the online form:

• Sign in to online banking.
• Mouse over I'd Like To...  
• Select Request a New Share Account.
• Complete the form and submit.
• Your request will be processed within two business days.

Yes, the Schedule a Transfer feature supports member-to-member transfers. 

Member-to-member transfers are not available within Business Online Banking. 

Your information will be saved once you click on the Next button, which appears at the bottom of each page.  If you only complete a partial page and plan to return later, be sure to click on the Save & Close button to ensure that the information you entered on that page is not lost.  You can revise your information at any time before you submit your loan.

Having changed employers frequently is typically not a hindrance to obtaining a new mortgage loan.  This is particularly true if you made employment changes without having periods of time in between without employment.  

If you're paid on a commission basis, a recent job change may be an issue since we'll have a difficult time of predicting your earnings without a history with your new employer.

To discontinue sending funds to another member set up for member-to-member transfers:

• From Account Transfer drop down, select Member to Member Authorization Form.
• Complete and submit the Authorization Cancellation Form. 

Member-to-member transfers are not available within Business Online Banking. 

1. Click check number to view check image.
2. Click Print image in upper right of screen.
3. Click Print in print dialog box.

1. Click check number to view check image.
2. Right click on the image.
3. Select Save Picture As.
4. Browse to the location where you wish to save the image.
5. Name it appropriately.

You can transfer funds in either Mobile or Online Banking by following these easy steps:

• Mobile Banking
• Log into Mobile Banking.
• Tap Transfer.
• In the To dropdown, you may select a recipient already available or tap Add a new recipient to add a new one.
• Online Banking
• Log into Online Banking.
• Select Transfer.
• In the To dropdown, you may select a recipient already available or select Add a new recipient to add a new one.

Please note, you cannot set up one-time future transfers or recurring transfers using Member to Member Transfers. If you’d like to set up recurring transfers to other ESL members, please contact us.

If you've had a bankruptcy or foreclosure in the past, it may affect your ability to get a new mortgage.   Each loan is evaluated on its individual merits.

We ask for your daytime phone number so that we know the best number to reach you from 8am to 5pm, Monday through Friday.

Please list a telephone number where you can be reached during these hours, Monday through Friday, including a cell phone number if you can not accept calls at your place of employment.

If you cannot be reached by phone during these hours at all, do not answer the daytime phone question.  Instead, please make a note to us at the conclusion of your online application, telling us the best phone number and times of day (Monday – Friday) to contact you.  Please also include an email address.

Transferring funds from your account to another member's account in online banking is free. 

Member-to-member transfers are not available within Business Online Banking. 

This can occur if there are not enough funds available in the savings account.

1. Sign in to online banking.
2. Select your checking account to view account history.​
3. Click any check number that appears as a hyperlink.

No, when you perform a transfer using the Member-to-Member feature, the only information the person receiving the funds will see is your account number in their account transaction detail. 

Member-to-member transfers are not available within Business Online Banking.

Your best estimate of the value of the additional assets you own will be acceptable, if you do not have exact figures.  

Please remember that, in some instances, we use the estimates you provide to determine if you have sufficient cash to close the transaction and sufficient savings after your closing for underwriting approval purposes.  As part of the application process, we may require you to provide account statements or other documents to show us the exact value of your assets.

If you can't remember your password, please contact ESL at 585.336.1402, for TDD 585.336.1399.

Please view our Security page for tips on keeping your password secure. 

Check images are available online for six months.

The following account types offer online check images:

• Free Checking
• Premier Checking
• Money Maker
• Premier Money Maker

Home Equity checks are not available online.

No, at this time ESL is not a Quicken Bank.  Although you may not be able to set up Quicken to automatically download your ESL account transaction, there is a way to download transaction information from Online Banking and import it into your Quicken Register. To do this, please: 

• Click on the share or loan account you wish to download. 
• Click the Date Range dropdown and enter the timeframe you want to download. 
• Click Export and select the format you wish to use. 
• Click the Export button. 
• Click Save- Be sure to remember what folder you save it to. 

For more information about Quicken, visit their website.

Information About Our Site Security

We use leading-edge technology to ensure that all customer information is 100% safe. We protect our customers by using a combination of security measures that are among the most state of the art in the e-commerce industry.

Encryption

All customer information is encrypted using Secured Socket Layer (SSL) technology supported with digital certificates provided by Starfield Technologies. This means that your loan application information is safe and secure as it travels over the Internet.

Firewall Security

We use leading firewall and network security technology to protect our internal computer systems from unauthorized access. Our customers can be confident that their personal information is completely safe and private after they apply.

Federal Law requires all lenders to investigate whether or not each home they finance is in a special flood hazard area as defined by FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.   The law can't stop floods.  Floods happen anytime, anywhere.  But the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 and the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 help to ensure that you will be protected from financial losses caused by flooding.

We use a third party company who specializes in the reviewing of flood maps prepared by FEMA to determine if your home is located in a flood area.  If it is, then flood insurance coverage will be required, since standard homeowner's insurance doesn't protect you against damages from flooding.

Quicken and QuickBooks update and upgrade their Personal Financial Management (PFM) software every year.  Although ESL is not a Quicken bank, we are able to support the three most current versions.  

As each new version of the software is released, it will be supported until late into the spring three years later.  For example the 2015 version of Quicken and QuickBooks will be supported on esl.org until late spring in 2018.

For more information about Quicken, visit their website. 

Typically the image will be available as soon as a check clears your account. Checks generally clear your account at the end of each business day. There is one exception to this timing — it may take up to three business days for checks processed at an ESL branch to appear in online banking.

Sometimes a check clears your account before it's imaged. For example, if any of your checks are presented at an ESL branch, the funds are withdrawn from the account immediately, but the image will not appear for up to three business days.

If you are unable to see a check image, please contact an ESL Representative.

• Password protect your mobile device 
• Keep your mobile device in a secure spot when not in use 
• Secure your login information 

Convenience.  You'll have access to many of ESL's most popular loan programs.  Apply at your convenience.

There's no need to make an appointment with a mortgage originator when you choose an on-line lender. You can complete the loan application in the morning or at midnight in the convenience of your own home without any pressure to make a final decision until you are ready.  Once your application is approved you can also lock your rate at application or if you prefer you can choose to float your rate and lock at a later date.

If you have sufficient equity in your home after considering your new mortgage amount and the amount of your second mortgage, ESL may allow all or some portion of the dollar amount of the second mortgage to stay in place.  

However, you will also need to get permission from the lender of the second mortgage for this to occur. The lender will also need to agree to re-subordinate their mortgage to the new first mortgage that ESL is putting in place.  ESL will require evidence of their approval and will not schedule your loan closing until we receive their approval.  We do not control the decision of outside lenders in this process, but may be able to assist you in providing documentation that they require for approval, such as a copy of the appraisal or commitment letter for the new loan.

Keeping your second mortgage in place may impact the pricing of your new loan.  For example, there may be additional fees which will increase your closing costs.

The second mortgage lender may charge you a fee to approve and process the re-subordination of their mortgage.

The process of obtaining the approval of the lender of your second mortgage to subordinate its mortgage will add time to the approval and closing process of your new ESL mortgage, since we will not schedule your closing until approval to subordinate is received.  Make certain you have selected a long enough lock period to meet the longer time it will take to schedule your closing.

Yes, you may access your personal accounts via our Mobile Banking service. You may also use the Android or iPhone app.

You will use the same password to sign in no matter how you access your accounts. You can also use TouchID™ or FaceID™ with eligible Apple devices (iPhone 5S® or higher).

You may have one form of overdraft protection on a checking account. To replace your Cash Reserve with CheckOK, after you pay the balance down to zero we will close the Cash Reserve and open the CheckOK service. 

Please contact an ESL Representative, and we'll be happy to assist you.

 Your credit score is a number that reflects the information in your credit report.  Your credit score can change, depending on how your credit history changes.

There are many credit scoring models, but the one that dominates the U.S. market currently is the FICO credit score.  The majority of financial institutions in the United States use FICO scores in their decision making process.  FICO scores range from the low 300’s to 850.  

A consumer has three FICO scores, one for each credit report provided by the three major credit reporting agencies: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union.

ESL pulls scores from all three agencies in conjunction with your application and use the middle score of the three when evaluating your application.  If there is more than one borrower on your application, the lower of the two middle credit scores is used in the underwriting process.

The availability of all three credit scores and your actual credit score can impact the amount of fees you will be required to pay, your interest rate, or our ability to approve your loan request.

To determine the value of the property you are purchasing or refinancing, an appraisal will be required. An appraisal report is a written description and estimate of the value of the property. National standards govern not only the format for the appraisal; they also specify the appraiser's qualifications and credentials. In addition, all states now have licensing requirements for appraisers evaluating properties located within their states.

The appraiser will inspect both the interior and exterior of the home.  After the appraiser inspects the property, they will compare the qualities of your home with other homes that have sold recently in the same neighborhood.  These homes are called "comparables" and play a significant role in the appraisal process.  Using industry guidelines, the appraiser will try to weigh the major components of these properties (i.e., design, square footage, number of rooms, lot size, age, etc.) to the components of your home to determine an estimated value of your home.

The appraiser will create a written report for us and you'll be provided a copy during the application process.

Only personal accounts can be accessed through ESL Mobile Banking, however, ESL Business Mobile Banking is a great solution for managing accounts on the go for businesses of any size. By adding access to personal accounts to your Business Online Banking, you are able to view and transact on them within Business Mobile Banking.

To cancel CheckOK on a personal account:

• Sign in to online banking.
• Mouse over Manage Money.
• Click Manage Overdraft Services.
• Click Request or Remove CheckOK service.
• Complete form and submit. 

To cancel CheckOK on a business account, please contact an ESL Representative.

CheckOK automatically advances the exact amount needed to cover any shortfall in your checking account up to the available savings account balance.

 Mortgage insurance insures the lender against the risk that the borrower will not repay a mortgage loan.  For conventional loans, the insurance is obtained from private mortgage insurance companies and is commonly referred to as “PMI” – private mortgage insurance.  On an FHA loan, the mortgage insurance is referred to as “MIP” – mortgage insurance premium.

If you are putting less than 20% down on a purchase, or have less than 20% equity when you refinance, your loan approval will be subject to ESL’s ability to obtain PMI for your loan.  You will be required to pay the premium for PMI, which most frequently is a monthly premium collected along with your monthly principal and interest payment, and tax escrow payment.  The PMI premium is based on several factors including the term of your loan, your loan amount, your property value, your credit score, and whether your loan is a fixed rate or adjustable rate loan.

The benefit of PMI is that it makes mortgage financing for transactions with less than 20% equity more readily available to consumers in today’s market place.

PMI automatically terminates when the balance of your loan reaches 78% of the original value of your property.  It may also be possible to request cancellation of PMI prior to this point.  Approval of the request to cancel PMI is subject to ESL approval, and would be contingent on demonstrating that your mortgage balance is less than 78% of the current value of your property (as determined by a property appraisal performed or ordered by us, at your expense).

The maximum percentage of your home's value depends on the purpose of your loan, how you use the property, and the loan type you choose, so the best way to determine what loan amount we can offer is to complete our online application!

ESL will overdraw your savings account for the fee. 

If you do not have enough funds in your checking account and the savings account which is associated with your CheckOK to cover a check, the check will be returned for insufficient funds.

If you've ever purchased a home before, you may already be familiar with the title insurance. But if this is your first home loan or you are refinancing, you may be wondering why you need another insurance policy.

The answer is simple: The purchase of a home is most likely one of the most expensive and important purchases you will ever make. You, and especially your mortgage lender, want to make sure the property is indeed yours: That no individual or government entity has any right, lien, claim, or encumbrance on your property.

The function of a title insurance company is to make sure your rights and interests to the property are clear, that transfer of title takes place efficiently and correctly, and that your interests as a homebuyer are fully protected.

Title insurance companies provide services to buyers, sellers, real estate developers, builders, mortgage lenders and others who have an interest in real estate transfer. Title companies typically issue two types of title policies:

1) Owner's Policy. This policy covers you, the homebuyer.

2) Lender's Policy. This policy covers the lending institution over the life of the loan.

Both types of policy are issued at the time of closing for a one-time premium, if the loan is a purchase.  If you are refinancing your home, you may have an owner's policy that was issued when you purchased the property. In either case, we'll only require that a lender's policy be issued.  You can choose whether or not to obtain an owner's policy.

Before issuing a policy, the title company performs an in-depth search of the public records to determine if anyone other than you has an interest in the property. The search may be performed by title company personnel using either public records or, more likely, the information contained in an abstract of title.

After a thorough examination of the records, any title problems found must be cleared up prior to your purchase of the property or your refinance.  Once an owner's title policy is issued, if any claim which is covered under your policy is ever filed against your property, the title company will pay the legal fees involved in the defense of your rights. They are also responsible to cover losses arising from a valid claim. This protection remains in effect as long as you own the property.  The same is true of a lender's policy, except that only the lender is protected, not you and the policy is only good for as long as the loan is unpaid.

The fact that title companies try to eliminate risks before they develop makes title insurance significantly different from other types of insurance. Most forms of insurance assume risks by providing financial protection through a pooling of risks for losses arising from an unforeseen future event, say a fire, accident or theft. On the other hand, the purpose of title insurance is to eliminate risks and prevent losses caused by defects in title that may have happened in the past.

This risk elimination has benefits to the homeowner, the lender and the title company. It minimizes the chances that adverse claims might be raised, thereby reducing the number of claims that have to be defended or satisfied. This is supposed to keep costs down for the title company and the premiums low for the homebuyer.

Buying a home is a big step emotionally and financially. With owner's title insurance you are assured that any valid claim against your property will be borne by the title company, and that the odds of a claim being filed are slim indeed.

The Success screen lets you know your part of the transaction is complete and ESL has received your deposit. Check your account for the funds to be deposited.

You may not see your deposit post immediately to your account if there was difficulty in automatically recognizing important features of the check (e.g., account number, routing number, etc.). An ESL representative will review the deposit by the next business day. In these cases, you will receive an email once the deposit has been accepted or declined. 

There is a daily fee to cover insufficient funds in your checking account when CheckOk is used. There are no monthly fees associated with this service.

The CheckOK service will be discontinued if the ownership changes on either the checking or savings account associated with the CheckOK service.

If you're sure you are already an ESL member, type "Yes" in response to the question asking for your member number. We'll locate your member number when we process your loan.

By law, ESL must provide certain online disclosures. Therefore, your agreement to receive certain disclosures online is a pre-requisite to being able to submit your application request electronically.  

ESL will provide online:

• The Servicing Disclosure Statement. 
• The HUD Settlement Cost Booklet.
• The Consumer Handbook on Adjustable-Rate Mortgages if you are applying for an adjustable rate mortgage.

Paper copies of the above disclosures, along with the Good Faith Estimate of Closing Cost disclosure form, the Truth in Lending disclosure form, and the New York State Pre-Application Disclosure will be provided at no additional cost to you in the application package mailed to you after you’ve successfully submitted your application online.

You may deposit a check using ESL Mobile Deposit 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This service is available through our mobile app on the iPhone, iPad, Android phone, and Android tablets only.

To make a Mobile Deposit:

• Endorse the back of the check as you normally would.
• Sign in and tap Mobile Deposit.
• First-time users will see the ESL Mobile Deposit Service Agreement. You must accept the agreement to use ESL Mobile Deposit.
• Tap To to select the account for the deposit.
• Tap Amount to enter the check amount.
• Tap camera icon to take a photo of the front of the check.
• Tap camera icon again to take a photo of the back of the check.
• Tap Deposit.
• The Success screen lets you know that ESL has received your deposit.
  • You may not see your deposit post immediately to your account if there was difficulty in automatically recognizing important features of the check (e.g. account number, routing number, etc.). An ESL representative will review the deposit by the next business day. In these cases, you will receive an email once the deposit has been accepted or declined.
• Keep your check for 30 days as a reference. Once the funds are in your account, mark the check void.

 If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your ESL Representative at 585.336.1402, Toll Free 877.283.6912 or for TDD 585.336.1402.  Our ESL Representatives have one responsibility - making sure that your new mortgage experience is amazingly easy! If your ESL Representative is not available when you need a question answered, any of our ESL Representatives would be willing to provide any assistance you need.

None of the loan programs we offer have penalties for prepayment.  You can pay off your mortgage anytime with no additional charges.

ESL Mobile Banking is available as a downloadable App from the Apple App Store or Google Play™ store. You may also visit our home page and click Mobile Apps below the Personal Online Banking login fields.

ESL Text Banking is easy to use – just sign in to online banking and click Manage mobile alerts link to follow the quick three-step process to register for this free service.

Mortgage interest rates can change at any time, without prior notice.  Their movement is difficult to predict and is influenced by various economic, financial, and business factors.  

Here are some things to consider as you make this decision:

• Are you comfortable with the payment resulting from the current rate?  
• Would a higher payment, resulting from an increase in the interest rate, impact your ability to qualify for this loan?
• If you are refinancing and paying off other debt with the proceeds, would paying more for these additional funds if rates increase, offset the financial benefit of this debt consolidation?
• Do you know how your monthly payment would change if your interest rate went up .25%?
  • Or, went down .25%?  
  • Understanding this impact will help you assess the amount of risk you may want to take with your decision to lock or float.
• In a purchase transaction, will the decision to float the rate delay a final approval needed by a specific date in the contract?  
  • Or, will the rate lock period you want be shorter than the time it will take for your closing to occur?

Determining whether it is best to request to lock the interest rate when you apply, or to apply and allow it to float is your decision.

15 year mortgages typically carry a lower interest rate than mortgages with longer terms. This, coupled with the fact that more of your monthly payment is applied to the principal balance of your loan, you will save more over the term of a 15 year mortgage than you will with a longer term mortgage.  In fact, you’ll pay less than half the total interest cost of a 30 mortgage, with a 15 year mortgage.

Other benefits and considerations for a 15 year mortgage:

• You will realize interest savings with a 15 year mortgage compared to a mortgage with a longer term.
• You will build equity quicker and own your own home sooner with a 15 year Mortgage.
• The required monthly payment for a 15 year mortgage will be relatively higher than the required monthly payment for a mortgage with a longer term.

Check the resources and tool section of our site for online calculators that may assist you decide which loan term is best for you.

 The Federal Truth in Lending law requires that all financial institutions disclose the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) when they advertise a rate.  The APR is designed to calculate the actual cost of obtaining financing. The regulation requires that some, but not all, of the closing fees together with the interest rate determine the estimated cost of financing over the full term of the loan. Since most people do not keep the mortgage for the entire loan term, it may be misleading to spread the effect of some of these up front costs over the entire loan term.

Also, the APR doesn't include all the closing fees. For example, fees for things like appraisals and title work are not included even though you'll probably have to pay them.

For adjustable rate mortgages, the APR can be even more confusing. Since no one knows exactly what interest rates will be in the future, assumptions must be made regarding future rate adjustments, so an APR for an adjustable rate mortgage is merely an estimate.

You can use the APR as a guideline to shop for loans. Also, look at total fees, possible rate adjustments in the future if you're comparing adjustable rate mortgages, and consider the length of time that you plan on having the mortgage.

Don't forget that the APR is an effective interest rate-not the actual interest rate.  Your monthly payments will be based on the actual interest rate, the amount you borrow, and the term of your loan.

Depending on market conditions, the option to pay a discount point or a fraction of a point to buy down the interest rate on your loan may be available.  The cost of the discount points, like the interest rate, is subject to change at anytime and is locked in at the time your rate is locked.

Discount points are considered a form of interest. Each point is equal to one percent of the loan amount. Typically, you pay them at your loan closing in exchange for a lower interest rate over the life of your loan. This means more money will be required at closing, however, you will have lower monthly payments over the term of your loan.

To determine whether it makes sense for you to pay discount points, compare the cost of the discount points to the monthly payments savings created by the lower interest rate. Divide the total cost of the discount points by the savings in each monthly payment. This calculation provides the number of payments you'll make before you actually begin to save money by paying discount points. If the number of months it will take to recoup the discount points is longer than you plan on having this mortgage, you should select a program with zero points.

Alternatives include the ESL Visa® Debit Card, online/mobile bill pay, money orders, ACH (routing/account number), and wire transfers. Any applicable fees still apply.

An electronic check (eCheck) is a type of transaction that select merchants may choose to use for processing payments. Paper checks may be converted into eChecks when presented by using the routing and account number found on the physical check. Some merchants may also directly ask for a routing and account number without the need of a paper check and still process as an eCheck. 

We begin this process at 9 a.m. Your balance text is sent as soon we are finished processing the information. The time may vary from week to week.

 Because each situation is different, it is important to look at the whole picture to determine if refinancing your home makes sense for you.

The most obvious benefit is the reduction of the interest portion of your mortgage payments.  

To understand your savings and to decide whether refinancing for the purpose of reducing your interest rate makes sense, you will want to consider the cost of refinancing and how long you intend to stay in your property.  With this information you will be able to calculate your break-even point.  Once you have reached this point, you begin to realize true interest savings.

To calculate your break-even point, divide the cost of refinancing by your monthly savings and determine how many monthly payments you’ll have to make before you’ve recaptured your cost of refinancing.  This is your break-even point.   If you expect to stay in your home beyond the break-even point, you will realize interest savings and it may make sense to refinance.

There are other benefits to refinancing:

• Extending the term of your mortgage to reduce your monthly payment,
• Cashing out equity to consolidate debt you may be paying higher rates of interest on,
• Moving to a fixed rate mortgage product to reduce or eliminate the potential of future payment increases if you currently have an adjustable rate mortgage (sometimes called an ARM or Hybrid-ARM loan) loan.

The remaining number of mortgage payments, your current rate, and your tax bracket are all factors playing into the analysis of whether or not refinancing makes sense.  There are some online calculators in our ESL Resource Center that may be helpful to you as you evaluate the benefits of refinancing.

ESL offers one or more options for rate lock periods for products and programs in our mortgage product line.  Rates and discount points corresponding to the rate lock periods offered are subject to change at any time without notice.

Once your application has been successfully submitted and receives preliminary approval, you are offered the option to request that ESL lock your interest rate and discount points.  

If your application is not successfully submitted or does not receive preliminary approval, you will not be offered the option to lock your interest rate. An ESL representative will contact you to discuss what options may be available in your situation.  

Lock confirmation for on-line applications:

Once your request to lock your interest rate is accepted, a printable confirmation page will be displayed online.  In addition, a confirmation will be sent to the e-mail address you provided in your online application.

If you choose to lock your interest rate and discount point, your loan must close and fund within the specified lock period to remain protected against interest rate increases caused by market changes.  If your loan does not close by the rate lock expiration date, ESL may consider a request for an extension.  The extension will be subject to your payment of an extension fee if market rates are lower than the rate you originally locked in.  If market interest rates are higher than the rate you originally locked in, you will be subject to an increase in your interest rate to the new market interest rate and discount points.

Lock periods and fees:

Lock periods of less than 90 days are available with no additional rate lock fee.  

Ninety day rate lock periods generally will require the payment of a fee equal to ½ of 1% of the loan amount you are requesting.  If your request for a 90 day lock is approved, your application package will contain a Rate Lock Agreement that you must sign and returned to ESL along with the required fee.

It would not be appropriate for you to select a 45-day rate lock if:

• You have or have had any credit issues in the recent past.
• If the property is located outside of Monroe, Ontario, Livingston, Orleans, Genesee or Wayne counties, in New York State.
• Your schedule prevents you from
  • returning documents as needed,
  • delays appraisal appointments or
  • delays the scheduling of your closing.
• You are refinancing a current mortgage with a second lien (such as a home equity line or loan) that will require subordination by another lender in order to keep the account open.
• You are in the process of finalizing a divorce or legal separation.
• The property you plan to purchase has excess acreage, potential zoning or title issues.
• If approval from a Bankruptcy trustee is required.
• If negotiation for payoff of judgments is still in process and not complete.
• If negotiation for a short sale is in still in process and has not received all required approvals.
• If the payoff of tax liens is still in the negotiation stage and not complete.

For Text Message or Mobile Web Banking, we change business days at 7 p.m. Any transactions made between 7 p.m. and 12 midnight will show after 12 midnight the next day. However, your balance should reflect the transfer.

An installment debt is a loan that you make payments on, such as an auto loan, a student loan or a debt consolidation loan.  Do not include payments on other living expenses, such as insurance costs or medical bill payments.  We'll include any installment debts that have more than 10 months remaining when determining your qualifications for this mortgage.

Yes.  Automated monthly payments are available from an ESL Savings, Checking, or Money Market Account.  At the loan closing an automated payment application will be provided. Simply return it at your earliest convenience to enroll in this free automated payment program.

The following payment options are available for your convenience: 

• Automatic deduction from an ESL checking or savings account. 
• Automatic deduction from your account at another bank.
• Direct billing, which can be paid by phone, in person, by mail or online.

You often do not need top-tier credit to qualify for a mortgage. The minimum credit score required is dependent on the type of mortgage you are looking to obtain. The minimum score for conventional mortgages is 620, and this minimum may be lower for government-backed mortgages.

• Protected by 128-bit encryption.
• Account numbers are truncated.
• Secure login information is not stored on your mobile device.
• The app will time out after five minutes of inactivity.
• Five failed login attempts requires a password reset within ESL Online Banking. 

A pre-approval letter verifies that your financing is in order, as confirmed by the lender. At ESL, a preapproval is valid for 90 days. Your lender will also re-verify the details from your pre-approval (assets, debts, income, credit) prior to closing.

A mortgage pre-approval will count as a “hard inquiry” on your credit report and may have a small short-term impact on your credit score. However, the number of inquires on your credit report is generally considered to be less influential in calculating your overall credit score.

• Enrollment is completed behind the login of ESL Online Banking.
• You must enter a one time activation code texted to your mobile phone while signed into Online Banking.
• The activation code ensures the mobile phone is associated with you.
• No confidential information is sent via text.
• Account numbers are truncated.
• Complete account numbers never appear in text messages. 

When applying for a mortgage, your Mortgage Originator will confirm your monthly income and expenses (such as student loan payments) to calculate your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio. The specific calculation will vary based on your student loan type and type of mortgage you are applying for.

If you are putting less than 20% down on a purchase, or have less than 20% equity when you refinance, your loan approval will be subject to ESL’s ability to obtain PMI (or mortgage insurance premium for a Federal Housing Administration government loan) for your loan. The PMI premium is based on several factors including the term of your loan, your loan amount, your property value, your credit score, and whether your loan is a fixed rate or adjustable rate loan.

No, there is no limit.

When speaking with your lender, you’ll want to be prepared to discuss your employment history, goals, budget, and credit history. Identifying your current monthly expenses, and funds available for down payment and other costs are all factored in to your mortgage application. Working with a trusted real estate lender, like ESL, can help answer questions for your specific goals and needs, based on your finances and homeownership goals. Find a Mortgage Originator.

There are many factors to consider here. If the property is zoned commercially, this will affect what type of mortgage options are available (ESL can help with these options). Your Mortgage Originator will also work with you to verify income history during the previous two years.

Re-take the picture and move your phone slightly farther away from the check. 

Yes, most lenders will allow for two single people to apply for a mortgage together. It is best to work with your lender and real estate attorney, to determine how applying for the mortgage would affect your homebuying process.

The credit score of each mortgage borrower will be reviewed during the application process. If you are concerned about your credit score, or looking to make improvements, ESL has a number of resources available related to credit.

• Take photos in a well-lit area on a surface that contrasts with the check. 
• Be sure only the check is in the photo (i.e. no fingers or other items that may be on the same surface). 
• Make sure the whole check is inside the guidelines. Leave a small amount of space between the guidelines and the edges of the check. 
• Give the camera time to focus before taking the photo. You can also tap the center of your screen to get a clear picture. 

An escalation clause is part of a real estate contract that states “I will pay x for this home, and am willing to increase my offer price up to y if additional offers are received.”

When working with a property inspector, it is important to work with an inspector that is licensed with New York State. Your Mortgage Originator or realtor can often be helpful in identifying recommended inspectors.

• Checks payable to any person or entity other than the person or entity that owns the account that the check is being deposited into. 
• Checks containing an alteration on the front of the check or item, or which you know or suspect, or should know or suspect, are fraudulent or otherwise not authorized by the owner of the account on which the check is drawn. 
• Checks payable jointly, unless deposited into an account in the name of all payees. 
• Checks previously converted to a substitute check, as defined in Reg. CC. 
• Checks drawn on a financial institution located outside the United States. 
• Checks that are remotely created checks, as defined in Reg. CC. 
• Checks not payable in United States currency. 
• Checks dated more than six months prior to the date of deposit. 
• Postdated checks 
• Checks or items prohibited by our current procedures relating to the Mobile Deposit Service or which are otherwise not acceptable under the terms of your account(s) with us. 
• Checks payable on sight or payable through Drafts, as defined in Reg. CC. 
• Checks with any endorsement on the back other than that specified in this agreement. 
• Checks that have previously been submitted through the Mobile Deposit or through a remote deposit capture service offered at any other financial institution. 

The cost of a real estate attorney varies. Some attorneys charge a flat fee, while others may charge an hourly rate for more complex transactions. You can reach out to a trusted real estate attorney before you begin your homebuying process to get a sense of their pricing based on your needs.

Converting a property would require zoning approval from the local municipality (i.e. Town, City, Village). Each municipality will have a specific process for requesting this change, and is generally discouraged for first-time homebuyers based on the complexity of these transactions.

• Generally, the first $200 will be available on the business day we receive your deposit. 
• However, the first $1,000 or the full amount of your deposit may be available depending on your relationship with ESL. 
• Holds may apply to ALL check types - even those we normally don't hold (e.g. payroll, government, etc.) because the ESL Mobile Deposit Service does not recognize specific types of checks. 

The Transfer To/From an Outside Account service gives you the ability to transfer funds from an ESL account to an outside institution or from an outside institution to an ESL account. You must be the owner of each account in order to perform a transfer.

You can access Transfer to/from an Outside Account in ESL Mobile and Online Banking:

• Mobile banking – tap on ‘More’ then ‘Transfer To/From Your External Account’
• Online banking – hover over ‘Account Transfer’ then click on ‘Transfer To/From Your External Account’

Working with a homeownership counselor, such as the Housing Council at Pathstone, can help you understand how much home you can afford. A homeownership counselor has numerous resources to assist first-time homebuyers.

A general rule of thumb is to have 10% of the home cost available in savings. If you are near that threshold, your Mortgage Originator can help you identify when the best time to apply for a pre-approval is.

ESL has several resources about common misconceptions for first-time homebuyers available under the “Homeownership” section of our Educational Resources.

It is never too early to start saving for a down payment, and you will also want to start identifying your homebuying team well in advance. The average closing timeline (the time from when a purchase offer is accepted to when you take ownership of the home) is around 45-60 days, meaning you’d want to identify and be submitting offers by May.

As a general rule of thumb, you’ll need to have enough money at closing for a mortgage down payment, one year of taxes, and first year of insurance expenses. This comes to roughly 10% of the purchase price for most buyers, but this varies on a number of conditions. Your Mortgage Originator can give you additional information based on your specific goals and needs.

If you decide you no longer wish to receive your personal statements online please:

• Mouse over I'd Like To...
• Click Manage Statement Delivery.
• Select Receive your monthly paper statement. 

Your statements will begin coming in the mail again during the next statement cycle. You would need to cancel your online statements at least 4 (four) business days prior to the end of the month in order to receive them in the mail for that month.

Housing expenses are often one of the largest monthly expenses for individuals. Working with a homeownership counselor, like The Housing Council, can help you create a budget and manage a savings plan that’s realistic for your specific goals and needs.

A savings account insured by the NCUA or FDIC is your safest option to build your down payment savings. Many lenders offer savings account options that offer greater rates with higher balances. You want to avoid tying up your funds in a risky investment with the potential to lose some of your savings.

Creating a budget and managing your monthly expenses are important practices to better your financial health. There is no silver bullet to saving more quickly, but sticking to a budget and managing your monthly expenses can help you build your savings. Working with a homeownership counselor, like The Housing Council, can help you prepare your finances for homeownership.

Rent-to-own agreements do exist, but the terms of these contracts can vary significantly from rental or mortgage commitments. It may be helpful to work with a homeownership counselor, like The Housing Council, before considering a rent-to-own option.

Yes! Statements and notices will print out in the same format which you would have received them in the mail. Simply click on your browser's print icon. You may also save your statements and notices to file or a disk by choosing the "save" icon on your browser.

There are many options for qualified first-time buyers. To know which ones may work best for you, consider working with a homeownership counselor, like The Housing Council, to review your income, credit, location in which you want to purchase, and household status.

ESL will begin accepting Homebuyer Dream Program™ (HDP) grant reservation requests on Monday, May 3, 2021, for submissions to the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York. Reservation requests into the HDP are limited each year and are available on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible buyers.

• Log into ESL Online Banking. 
• From the Member Center menu, select Statements.
• A disclosure will appear which you must read and accept. 
• Then you will get a message that says No statements are currently available, please try again later. 
• Your statements will begin to appear after the next end-of-month cycle. 
• Your notices will begin to appear the following business day. 

• Log into ESL Online Banking. 
• From the I'd Like To... menu option, select Manage Statement Delivery. 
• Choose Waive mailing of monthly paper statement. 
• Click Change Online Statement Options. 
• Your statements will begin to appear after the next end-of-month cycle. 
• Your notices will begin to appear the following business day. 

Owner-occupied multi-family homes may qualify for the Homebuyer Dream program under specific circumstances. If interested in purchasing a multi-family home, be sure to mention this to our Mortgage Originator. The Housing Council also has a great educational course on important rental ownership topics.

1. Click three stacked horizontal lines in the upper right corner of browser window.
2. Click Options.
3. Click Applications.
4. Highlight Portable Document Format (PDF ).
5. Under Action, select Use Adobe Acrobat (default) from drop down.
6. Close Options tab.
7. Close your browser.
8. Reopen your browser.

Because Internet Explorer is no longer a supported browser, your Online Banking experience may be less than optimal. We recommend using a more up to date browser.

Learn more about ESL Online Banking supported browsers.

Statements will be retained online for 18 months (24 months for Business Banking), beginning with the month that the user chooses to begin online statements. 

Currently all checking, savings, certificate and IRA account statements; as well as Visa Credit Card, Home Equity Line of Credit and loan statements are available online.

The Online Banking page has information about online statements and notices.

After you register for online statement it may take one to two months for your statements to become available online.  To locate all statements available to view please mouse over Member Center then click Statements.

To view your online statements, you will need the latest version of Adobe. There is an icon on the bottom of the statements page labeled Get Acrobat Reader. You may click on the icon to download the latest version. 

If you still have difficulty viewing your statements please visit the Supported Browsers page on our website to verify you are using a browser that can run our website.  It may also be necessary to verify the settings on that browser match the minimum requirements listed at the bottom of that page. 

The notice process is retroactive. Once you process your statement waiver request, you will see 60 days worth of past notices.

The statement process is not retroactive. Statements will only begin to be stored online AFTER you have processed your statement waiver request.  Once you begin receiving statements online, they will be retained online for 18 months.

In order to better align the delivery of tax documents with IRS deadlines, we no longer include tax documents as part of statements. Members enrolled to receive Online Statements will receive their tax documents within Online and Mobile Banking; Members who are not enrolled to receive Online Statements will receive tax information by mail, sent separately from statements to home addresses.

To edit or delete a scheduled transfer set up within Online Banking please:

• Mouse over Account Transfer.
• Click Schedule a Transfer. 
• Select the Edit or Delete link in the Action column in the summary screen. 
• If you wish to delete a transaction on the date it is scheduled to transfer you must delete it prior to 6:00 AM Eastern on that date.

It is best to use the AutoSweep feature to pay your monthly Home Equity Line of Credit “scheduled payment”.  This is due to the normal fluctuations in the “scheduled payment” amounts. 

The “scheduled payment" amount changes on a Home Equity Line of Credit each time you take an additional advance, when the prime rate changes, etc.  Since the “scheduled payment” is not always the same, using a recurring payment for a Home Equity Line of Credit is not recommended.

While you may use the automatic Scheduled Transfers feature to pay your ESL mortgage it is not the recommended option.  Adjustable rate mortgages and the annual escrow analysis can cause fluctuations in your monthly payment amount. 

For this reason the AutoSweep option is recommended for your monthly Mortgage payment.

To set up an automatic Scheduled Transfer please:

• Mouse over Account Transfer. 
• Click Schedule a Transfer.

When you setup a recurring transaction you are prompted for an email address.

An email is sent to that address to notify you whether the transaction was successful or if it failed.  In the event of a failed transaction the email will include a reason for the failure.

Yes, as long as you have sufficient funds in the account your next transfer scheduled should be made.

Transfers will be made on the last day of the month if the scheduled date does not exist. 

Once a one-time transfer has completed or a final recurring transfer has processed, it will be deleted and will no longer appear on the Scheduled Transfers page. Completed transfers can be found by viewing your Account History.

Transfers scheduled for weekends and holidays will take place as scheduled and will post to your account the next business day.

The transfer will not take place if the funds are not available in the FROM account. An email will be sent to the address that you filled in, notifying you that the transfer failed.

Yes, if you are locked out of Online Banking, scheduled transfers will be processed.

Scheduled and recurring transfers take place at approximately 6 a.m. on the date scheduled.

You will receive an email at the email address you specified when setting up your scheduled transfer to advise you why the transfer did not occur.  

If you need further assistance please contact an ESL Representative.  

No. Transfers only run once on the scheduled date.  A second attempt at the transfer will not take place.  The transfer will try again on the next scheduled date.

If there are not enough funds in your account at the time the online transfer is scheduled to take place, the transfer will not occur.

So long as the ACH deposit has been received it will be posted to the account before the scheduled transfer program is run.

No. Scheduled transfers through Online Banking operate independently from any other scheduled or recurring transfers that you may already have set up through ESL.  However loan payments processed via AutoSweep will not occur if the full payment is made before the AutoSweep date. 

Therefore, you may want to review any scheduled transfers you already have in place before scheduling additional transfers through Online Banking.

Because it's important to us that your information stays secure, ESL will NEVER ask you to confirm your personal information using a link in an email. When you receive a legitimate email from ESL, we will always advise you to access our website and online banking by using your own bookmarks or favorites, or by typing our URL before signing in to online banking.

Please contact a Fraud Prevention Representative to report a call or email that you believe is a phishing attempt.

For additional security information, please click here.

ESL Internet Banking uses 128 bit encryption and the latest security technology to protect your accounts online.

This pop-up is not from ESL or Cash Edge.  Running your anti-virus program, as well as a malware remover, will prevent this from occurring again.

For your additional security we recommend that you change your online banking password.

This will commonly occur if you utilize an account aggregation software or an account aggregation website.  This software or website allows you to register your different financial institution accounts in one centralized location.  They will attempt to connect with ESL.org regularly, often times overnight, to keep your information up-to-date.  This may cause a single-use access code to be generated on your behalf.

Please be advised that ESL is not currently affiliated with any account aggregation software company or website.  We cannot guarantee that they will be able to successfully connect with your ESL accounts.

Yes, ESL partnered with Zelle® so you can easily send money to friends, family, and others you trust.¹

To enroll with Zelle®:

• Log into ESL Mobile or Online Banking
• Select Send Money with Zelle®
• In mobile banking – tap on More then Send Money with Zelle®
• In online banking – hover over Account Transfer then select Send Money with Zelle®
• Accept terms and conditions
• Choose the account you want to use
• Review and start sending money

For videos on how to enroll or use Zelle,® please click here.

See all Zelle® FAQs

Zelle® is not available within Business Online Banking.

1: U.S. checking or savings account required to use Zelle.® Transactions between enrolled consumers typically occur in minutes.

Yes, ESL partnered with Zelle® so you can easily send money to friends, family, and others you trust.¹

To enroll with Zelle®:

• Log into ESL Mobile or Online Banking
• Select Send Money with Zelle®
• In mobile banking – tap on More then Send Money with Zelle®
• In online banking – hover over Account Transfer then select Send Money with Zelle®
• Accept terms and conditions
• Choose the account you want to use
• Review and start sending money

For videos on how to enroll or use Zelle,® please click here.

See all Zelle® FAQs

Zelle® is not available within Business Online Banking.

1: U.S. checking or savings account required to use Zelle.® Transactions between enrolled consumers typically occur in minutes.

There is a daily transfer limit of $500 per day and a monthly transfer limit of $1,000 per 30 days. 

For your protection, limits have been created on how much money and how many payments can be sent during various time periods. Please click the (?) Icon next to the Amounts field to view your available limits.

Yes, ESL offers a Transfer to/from an Outside Account service.

You can access Transfer to/from an Outside Account in ESL Mobile and Online Banking:

• Mobile banking – tap on ‘More’ then ‘Transfer To/From Your External Account’
• Online banking – hover over ‘Account Transfer’ then click on ‘Transfer To/From Your External Account’

There are two ways to add an account. You may:

• Click Add a New Account next to Amount ($) field on Transfer Funds tab.
• Complete online form.
• Click Add.

OR 

• Click Settings.
• Click Accounts in drop down.
• Click Add a New Account.
• Enter the required fields.
• Click Add.

Two small Trial Deposits will be sent to the new account, as well as a Trial Withdrawal, in approximately two business days. Once you receive the Trial Deposits, sign in to online banking and follow these steps:

• Highlight Account Transfer.
• Click Transfer to/from an Outside Account.
• Click Settings.
• Click Accounts in drop down.
• Click Arrow to left of account that received the deposits.
• Click Activate Account Now under Status.
• Enter and submit the amounts of the Trial Deposits (not the Trial Withdrawal) to activate the account.

You may cancel a transfer anytime before or on the send date. To cancel the transfer:

• Click Activity tab. 
• Click Arrow next to the payment. 
• Click Cancel. 
• Follow the prompts to cancel the transaction(s).

You should expect to see the funds deposited to your destination account within three business days. Actual settlement may vary depending on the receiving financial institution's processing procedures.

There are transfer limits in place:

• $25,000 per day
• $50,000 per rolling 30 days

For your protection, limits have been created on how much money and how many payments can be sent during various time periods. Please click the (i) Icon next to the Amounts field to view your available limits. 

There are transfer limits in place:

• $25,000 per day
• $50,000 per rolling 30 days

For your protection, limits have been created on how much money and how many payments can be sent during various time periods. Please click the (i) Icon next to the Amounts field to view your available limits.

Transfers to and from external accounts via ESL Internet Banking are free. View our Fee Schedule for a list of all account fees.

Once you receive the Trial Deposits:

• Sign in to online banking.
• Highlight Account Transfer.
• Click Transfer to/from an Outside Account.
• Click Settings. 
• Click Accounts in drop down. 
• Click Arrow to left of account that received the deposits. 
• Click Activate Account Now under Status. 
• Enter and submit the amounts of the Trial Deposits (not the Trial Withdrawal) to activate the account.

Click Help at the bottom of the Transfer to/from an Outside Account screen for additional information.

You can transfer funds between any ESL account on which you are listed as an owner by logging into Online Banking and either:

• Clicking the Make a transfer button 
• Clicking the Pay option under the loan accounts OR 
• Mousing over the Account Transfer tab.
  • Click Transfer Between ESL Accounts.

There are several factors which could affect your available balance.  Some examples are:   

• If you make a check deposit at an ATM in excess of $225, only the FIRST $225 is immediately available in your account.  
• If you purchase an item using your ESL debit card, the purchase amount may be on "hold" in your balance, but may not have been debited from your account yet.
• Some merchants, such as gas stations, will only authorize your account for $1.00, however the transaction will post to your account for the total amount of your purchase.

No.  A cash reserve line of credit will not be activated when transferring funds online.

Yes.  You may use our mobile app, online banking, or mobile web banking to pay your ESL loan from your account at another bank or credit union.  You cannot use a credit card to pay your ESL loan online. 

Please view our comparison chart for Loan Payment Options.

Please view our comparison chart for Loan Payment Options.

Large banks with multiple routing numbers will not pre-fill in this search. You will have to type the entire name or number. (For example: Bank of America, Chase, etc.)

You may make a payment from your checking or savings account(s) at another bank or credit union.

It will take up to three business days for the payment to post to your loan account. If the payment is initiated prior to the 4 p.m. EST cutoff, the payment will be processed that day and funds will transfer from the non-ESL account the next business day.

It will take three business days for the payment to post to your checking or savings account.

The payment will be reversed on the following business day.

Yes. You may set it up so your payments are automatically made weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.

You may cancel your payment up until the cutoff time of 4 p.m. EST on the day the payment is scheduled.

Recurring payments may be canceled at any time prior to the 4 p.m. EST cutoff on the day the payment is scheduled.

The account does not need to be in your name.

No, only full payments may be paid through this feature.

No, you cannot pay extra towards your principal balance. Only the monthly amount due can be paid through this feature.

Yes, your payment amount does include late fees.

If your payment amount includes late fees, you must satisfy the total amount due.

You cannot pay your loan off using this feature. To pay off your loan, please connect with an ESL Representative so we can help.

Yes. You will be able to view either through the Scheduled and Processed options in the feature.

Yes, there are two options available:

• Use ‘Pay Balance’ to make one-time payments or set up automatic payments.
  • Tap ‘More’ then ‘Credit Card & Rewards’
  • Payments will post to your credit card account the same day if it’s made by 6 p.m. ET.
• Use ‘Transfers’ in ESL Mobile Banking to transfer money from your ESL Checking or Savings account to your credit card.
  • When you use ‘Transfer’ to make your payment, the amount is deducted from your ESL Checking or Savings account immediately but may take 1-2 days to post to your credit card account.

Personal Banking

• Inside Personal Online Banking, select Member Center, click Secure Email, then click New Message.
• Inside Personal Mobile Banking, tap the More option, then tap Secure Email, then tap New Message.

Business Banking

• Inside Business Online Banking, Click Messages, then click the Pencil Icon.
• Inside Business Mobile Banking, Tap the More button to reveal the menu,  then tap Messages, then click the Pencil Icon.

The information you’ll see in our Credit Score solution is provided from Equifax.

After logging in, you can find the Credit Score & Insights solution in the “More” menu in ESL Mobile Banking or in the “I’d Like To” drop down member in ESL Online Banking.

No, any member with a credit history will be able to enjoy the benefits of this solution, regardless of whether you have a credit product with ESL or not!

Credit information is supplied directly from Equifax and updated monthly on the date you enroll.

• Example: if you enroll on April 18, your credit score and associated insights will be updated on the 18th day of each month following.
• Example: if you enroll on May 31, your credit score and associated insights will be updated on the last day of each month following.

Enrollment is quite simple! Once you’ve logged and navigate to the appropriate spot (the “More” menu in ESL Mobile Banking or in the “I’d Like To” drop down menu in ESL Online Banking), you’ll be presented with an enrollment prompt and will simply need to agree to the Terms & Conditions of the feature to continue.

No, once you have enrolled in the feature, you will not need to re-enroll each time you’d like to view your credit score information. You may, however, unenroll and re-enroll as many times as you’d like.

No, the Credit Score & Insights feature does not presently have the ability to send proactive alerts to users of the solution.

It is unlikely that a user’s credit score will be exactly the same when pulled from different sources. Each credit scoring model has its own formula that may consider different factors of your credit report. For example, when you apply for a credit product, the lender may be looking at different credit factors to make a lending decision and therefore may be leveraging a different scoring model.

Additionally, there are three different credit bureaus (Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian) and not all lenders report to all three. This difference in reporting can result in each of the three credit bureaus having slightly different credit report information and you may see different scores as a result.

The ESL Credit Score & Insights solution receives your credit information directly from Equifax and leverages the VantageScore® 3.0 scoring model.

No, because the monthly update is coded as a “soft pull,” and has no impact on your credit score or associated insights.

The credit information we provide comes directly from Equifax, you should contact them to address any information you’d like to dispute. You can find their contact information at the bottom of the Credit Scores & Insight Page.