Q: Are the three ACH implementation phases different?

Yes, each phase is different.

The first phase begins September 23rd and includes credit transfers with funds availability at the end of receiving financial institution’s (RDFI) processing.

The second phase begins next year on September 15th and includes debits and credit transfers with funds availability at the end of the RDFI’s processing day.

The third phase begins March 16th in 2018 and includes both credit and debit transactions. The RDFI requires fund availability by 5pm.

Q: Do financial institutions need to register for Same Day ACH?

A: It is available across all networks. Unlike the opt-in service of the FedACH, there is no need for registration or sign up for Same Day ACH.

Q: Are there any plans of the federal government to participate during any phase of ACH implementation?

A: The federal government has no plans to participate in phase 1. This means no forward entry received by or originated from the federal government qualify for same day settlement. There is no information on the federal government’s participation in the other two implementation phases yet.

Q: What are the plans on the collection of Same Day Entry Fee?

A: The new ACH rule requires 5.2 cent as Same Day Entry Fee for each transaction collected by ACH operators, credited to RDFIs and processed from ODFIs to support same day settlement and cover RDFIs’ cost of doing the same.

Q: Will ACH operators or NACHA retain some portion of the fee?

A: No, neither NACHA nor ACH would retain a part of the 5.2-cent fee required under the rule change.

Q: Is there any way to identify Same Day settlements on customers’ accounting statements?

A: The unique accounting transaction codes will separate ACH items from the non-Same Day items. Additionally, credits and debits will remain separate.

Q: What is the $25,000 limit applied to?

A: The set limit pertains to a single item. No single item above the limit of $25,000 qualifies for same day transactions in all phases.

All items will be processed for a batch submitted with items over $25,000. All item(s) above $25,000 will be settled the next business day, while all others will be eligible for same day settlement.

Q: If a batch, including both credit and debit items, is presented for submission the same day in Phase 1, how will they be processed?

A: Phase 1 covers credit items alone for same day ACH. This means no forward debits will qualify for settlement the same day. Alternatively, all forward debit items meant for same-day processing will receive settlement the coming business day, while credit items will receive same day settlement.

Q: What is the eligibility criterion for return entries?

A: Return entries, including debits, credits, dollar amounts, and SEC codes, received before 1600 hours Eastern Time, will receive same day ACH. It does not matter whether the forward entry is submitted for processing the same day. Return entries do not qualify for same day entry fee, whether meant for processing and settlement the same day.

Q: Is the effective entry date important?

A: Yes, it is! When a file submission is made as per the deadline, all eligible transactions will receive same day settlement triggered by the effective entry date field. It is the current processing date that is interpreted as a symbol of desire for same day ACH.

A batch may be processed unintentionally the same day and settled involving assessment of Same Day Entry Fee.

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