Why MSN BillPay?

Ron Rosenfeld · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 324

I have been using CheckFree since the days of Manage Your Money. I tried a
free Bank Service some years ago. They were using a different processor and
the service was definitely inferior to CheckFree. So I went back to CheckFree
after a few months.

Of course, now I am using it through MSN BillPay.

However, my bank (USAA) has now begun offering a Bill Pay service for **FREE**.
CheckFree is the bill paying service, and the interface is similar to the one
at MSN BillPay.

An advantage of MSN BillPay is that it is tightly integrated with Microsoft
Money. With the USAA BillPay, I *must* go to the web site to initiate any
transactions. (All the account information can still be downloaded directly to
Money; it is only to PAY bills that I must go to the USAA web site).

But are there any other advantages that MSN BillPay might have that I am
overlooking, other than this integration with MSMoney?

--ron

Archived from group: microsoft>public>money

Chris Cowles · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 1044

"Ron Rosenfeld" wrote in message @4ax.com...

> But are there any other advantages that MSN BillPay might have that
> I am
> overlooking, other than this integration with MSMoney?

I don't use MSN BillPay but do use my bank's billpay through Money. A
modest advantage of doing so is that I can initiate and see the status
of payments within Money. If USAA is free and, in your judgement,
convenient, I would say the advantage lies with USAA.
--
Chris Cowles
Gainesville, FL

Ron Rosenfeld · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 324

On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 20:21:25 -0500, "Chris Cowles"
wrote:

>I don't use MSN BillPay but do use my bank's billpay through Money. A
>modest advantage of doing so is that I can initiate and see the status
>of payments within Money. If USAA is free and, in your judgement,
>convenient, I would say the advantage lies with USAA.

The disadvantage with USAA is that I won't be able to see the status of the
payments within Money. I'll be able to see that they've cleared (or rather
that the money has been removed from my account), of course, when the
transactions have been downloaded, but that's all.
--ron

Cal Learner-- MVP · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 4135

In microsoft.public.money, Ron Rosenfeld wrote:

>
>But are there any other advantages that MSN BillPay might have that I am
>overlooking, other than this integration with MSMoney?

When are your MSN BillPay payments currently debited? I expect that
the money will be debited when the payment is sent out by your USAA
service, even if not yet cashed by the recipient.

Ron Rosenfeld · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 324

On Wed, 20 Feb 2008 19:54:35 -0600, Cal Learner-- MVP
wrote:

>In microsoft.public.money, Ron Rosenfeld wrote:
>
>>
>>But are there any other advantages that MSN BillPay might have that I am
>>overlooking, other than this integration with MSMoney?
>
>When are your MSN BillPay payments currently debited? I expect that
>the money will be debited when the payment is sent out by your USAA
>service, even if not yet cashed by the recipient.

Good point. Let me check the documentation ...

For USAA: Electronic payments are withdrawn from your payment account on the
payment date. Paper checks will be deducted when the payee cashes the check,
normally on or around the payment date.

For MSN BillPay: If the payment is sent electronically, the money for the
payment is withdrawn from your payment account on the pay date. If the company
or person cannot receive electronic payments, MSN Bill Pay prints a check and
sends it to the billing address. For some checks, the money for the payment is
withdrawn on the pay date. For others, the money is withdrawn when the company
or person deposits or cashes the check.

Seems similar to me.
--ron

Chester · Joined: 12 Aug 2007 Posts: 4

MSN Billpay is actually run by Checkfree. So, you're right, the advantage
is integration.

FYI -- USAA hasn't just 'begun offering' free BillPay; they've always had
it. You must've just stumbled onto it. It's always been there, always
free, and you've always only been able to initiate bill payments via their
website.

"Ron Rosenfeld" wrote in message @4ax.com...
>I have been using CheckFree since the days of Manage Your Money. I tried a
> free Bank Service some years ago. They were using a different processor
> and
> the service was definitely inferior to CheckFree. So I went back to
> CheckFree
> after a few months.
>
> Of course, now I am using it through MSN BillPay.
>
> However, my bank (USAA) has now begun offering a Bill Pay service for
> **FREE**.
> CheckFree is the bill paying service, and the interface is similar to the
> one
> at MSN BillPay.
>
> An advantage of MSN BillPay is that it is tightly integrated with
> Microsoft
> Money. With the USAA BillPay, I *must* go to the web site to initiate any
> transactions. (All the account information can still be downloaded
> directly to
> Money; it is only to PAY bills that I must go to the USAA web site).
>
> But are there any other advantages that MSN BillPay might have that I am
> overlooking, other than this integration with MSMoney?
>
>
> --ron

Ron Rosenfeld · Joined: 02 Aug 2007 Posts: 324

On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:23:28 -0800, "Chester" wrote:

>MSN Billpay is actually run by Checkfree. So, you're right, the advantage
>is integration.

The integration would be worth something to me, but it's costing me about
$14/month for the number of checks I write -- it's not worth that much to me.
I'd probably go for a flat rate of $4 or $5/month, but that is not available
.

>
>FYI -- USAA hasn't just 'begun offering' free BillPay; they've always had
>it. You must've just stumbled onto it. It's always been there, always
>free, and you've always only been able to initiate bill payments via their
>website.

Yeah, I knew they've had bill pay for quite a while. *I* didn't realize that
it was with CheckFree and completely free until more recently.
--ron

Chester · Joined: 12 Aug 2007 Posts: 4

There are other options. One would be B of A (not in WA or ID). If you
have direct deposit with your B of A checking account, Quicken or MS Money
integrated CheckFree-run billpay is free. Oddly though, in some states like
mine (WA) B of A runs differently, and while WA B of A BillPay is also free,
it's web-based only, and not CheckFree. To get around this, I opened my
checking account at a CA branch with my WA address. Still have free use of
all the local B of A stuff, cash machines, etc -- but get that free
integrated CheckFree, complete with eBill service.

"Ron Rosenfeld" wrote in message @4ax.com...
> On Sun, 24 Feb 2008 13:23:28 -0800, "Chester" wrote:
>
>>MSN Billpay is actually run by Checkfree. So, you're right, the advantage
>>is integration.
>
> The integration would be worth something to me, but it's costing me about
> $14/month for the number of checks I write -- it's not worth that much to
> me.
> I'd probably go for a flat rate of $4 or $5/month, but that is not
> available
> .
>
>>
>>FYI -- USAA hasn't just 'begun offering' free BillPay; they've always had
>>it. You must've just stumbled onto it. It's always been there, always
>>free, and you've always only been able to initiate bill payments via their
>>website.
>
> Yeah, I knew they've had bill pay for quite a while. *I* didn't realize
> that
> it was with CheckFree and completely free until more recently.
> --ron

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