Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1

How do I change my residential address?

Accepted Answer

To update your address, visit your profile page. In the mobile app, choose Menu, then Settings and Profile. In online banking, select the profile icon in the upper right and choose Profile.

Question 2

How do I set up Online Statements?

Accepted Answer

To change your opt-in settings, visit the digital banking menu. Select Documents & Statements, then change the toggle to Receive Online Statements only.

Question 3

What accounts will I be able to access through online banking?

Accepted Answer

You can access your checking, savings, investment and loan accounts. You can also access secondary accounts and accounts on which you are a joint owner and even external accounts from your other financial institutions. Online banking is intended to give you as much access, security, and versatility as possible.

Question 4

How do I change my date range for account history?

Accepted Answer

On your account select Sort and Filter, then select Time Span, where you can choose the date range you would like to view.

Question 5

How can I change my email address?

Accepted Answer

To update contact information, visit your profile page. In the mobile app, choose Menu, then Settings and Profile. In online banking, select the profile icon in the upper right and choose Profile.

Question 6

How do I view Online Statements?

Accepted Answer

When your statement is ready to view, login to digital banking, open the menu to Documents & Statements, select Online Statements and click the PDF link for the month you wish to view.

Question 7

What happens if I forget or lose my password?

Accepted Answer

Click on the "forgot your username or password" link under the login button. You will be directed to a page where you can set up a new password.

Question 8

How current is my financial information?

Accepted Answer

All transactions performed within online banking are real-time and accurate. Your account information is updated every business day with new transactions that were posted to your account the previous business day.

Question 9

Can I view images of cleared checks?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Select the appropriate account inside the mobile app or online banking. In the transaction history, locate the check transaction you wish to view and click on the check icon to view the image.

Question 10

How do I change my username?

Accepted Answer

To update your username, visit your profile page. In the mobile app, choose Menu, then Settings, and then Security. In online banking, select the profile icon in the upper right and choose Security.

Question 11

What are the requirements for downloading Online Statements?

Accepted Answer

To view Online Statements, you will need an updated version of Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Question 12

Can I create my own password that is easy for me to remember?

Accepted Answer

Yes. For password security, passwords must be 8-32 characters long and must include at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one special character.

Question 13

What can I do with online banking?

Accepted Answer

View account balances; confirm deposits and withdrawals; transfer funds between checking, savings and line-of-credit accounts; pay bills online; review your electronic account statements; make loan payments; view and download images of cleared checks; apply for a loan; order checks; get a better understanding of your spending behaviors; check your credit score, chat with an Ascend representative securely without leaving your online banking session; and move money conveniently between financial institutions or individuals using External Transfers and Zelle®. Plus, you’ll have the same experience, regardless of the device you’re using.

Question 14

How long are check images available online?

Accepted Answer

Check images are available for up to 16 months.

Question 15

How do I change my password?

Accepted Answer

Outside of the app or online banking, you can click the "forgot your username or password" link under the login button. You will then be directed to a page where you can set up a new password.

Question 16

How long are statements available online?

Accepted Answer

The number of available online statements will depend on when you registered for the service. The maximum number of viewable online statements is 24 months.

Question 17

How do I access online banking?

Accepted Answer

To access online banking for the first time, please visit secure.ascend.org/registration to register. Returning users can visit secure.ascend.org via an online browser or download the Ascend mobile app from the app store.

Question 18

What is online banking?

Accepted Answer

Online banking is Ascend’s free online account access service that allows you to use a personal computer with an internet connection or a mobile device, as well as Ascend's mobile app to conduct your financial transactions online. And with online banking from Ascend, you’ll have the same experience regardless of the device you’re using.

Question 19

Can I view my account details in more than one way?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can view your accounts by date, check number, payee, amount, or balance in ascending or descending order.

Question 20

How do I change my phone number or email address for one-time passcodes?

Accepted Answer

To update your phone number or email address inside online banking or the mobile app, visit your profile page. In the app, choose Menu, then Settings, and then Profile. In online banking, select the profile icon in the upper right and choose Profile.

Question 21

How do I opt-out of Online Statements?

Accepted Answer

To change your opt-in settings, visit the digital banking menu. Select Documents & Statements. Members can toggle Online Statements on or off at their pleasure. For paper statements, a $1 fee applies for each statement, but this fee is waived for members 65 years of age and older and 18 years of age and younger.

Question 22

What is required to use online banking?

Accepted Answer

To use online banking, all you need is a secure web browser that supports 128 bit encryption, such as Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, Safari or Google Chrome. You can use any computer that has internet access or a mobile device with Ascend's mobile app. And, you’ll have the same experience regardless of the device you’re using.

Question 23

How do I view my account balances?

Accepted Answer

Using your username and password, you can log in to the mobile app or online banking to access your account dashboard, which will show the latest balances and transactions.

Question 24

In what formats can I download my transaction history?

Accepted Answer

Online banking supports downloads in Quicken™ (.qfx), Quickbooks (.qbo), open financial exchange (.ofx), and comma separated (.csv) formats.

Question 25

How do I transfer funds?

Accepted Answer

Choose Make a Transfer inside online banking or the mobile app. Select the accounts to move funds between. Enter the amount to transfer. Select the date you would like the transfer to occur. Then choose review. A confirmation screen will appear with transfer details where you can confirm, edit or cancel the transaction.

Question 26

How do I enable my number to receive one time passcodes by text message?

Accepted Answer

To add or update your mobile number for one-time passcodes, visit your profile page. In the mobile app, choose Menu, then Settings, and then Profile. In online banking, select the profile icon in the upper right and choose Profile. From there, you can enter your phone number into the mobile phone field to receive passcodes via SMS text.

Question 27

What are the browser and system settings needed to access online banking?

Accepted Answer

The following browsers are supported for online banking: Google Chrome (latest version), Mozilla FireFox (latest version), Safari 10, Safari 11, and Microsoft Edge (latest version). Certain browsers have settings that need to change for full functionality of online banking. The Safari browser by default blocks third-party cookies. Go to Safari, then Preferences, then find the Privacy tab. The option for Block cookies should be set to “Never.”

Question 28

How long can I be inactive before being logged out of online banking?

Accepted Answer

The inactivity time out default is set for 10 minutes.

Question 29

How do I make a loan payment?

Accepted Answer

Loan payments can be made by selecting the Transfer tab and then choosing "Transfer Between Accounts" or "Pay a Loan with a Debit Card."

Question 30

When can I use online banking?

Accepted Answer

With online banking, you have access to your account information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Question 31

How do I view account transactions?

Accepted Answer

Click the name of the account you would like to see the account history of. A page will open with transaction details for the default date range.

Question 32

Can I create “nicknames” for my accounts?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Select the account you would like to edit. Choose details at the top. At the bottom of the screen under "Account Nickname", select the pencil icon and you can edit the account name.

Question 33

Can I set up email notifications for my account?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can request email notifications for your account balance, cleared checks, large withdrawals, a loan payment due and login alerts. To add the email notification, select Menu, then Alerts, choose the type of alert, select the email account for the alert and click save.

Question 34

Can I schedule future transfers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. To schedule future transfers, login through the full site, scroll to Move Money and select Schedule a Transfer. Click Add to create a new transfer, enter your amount, select the “From” and “To” accounts, enter your date, choose a frequency, and the number of transfers, end date or no end date. You can enter a personalized message to be delivered via email once your transfer is complete. Click Save Transfer, review the transfer details on the verification screen then click Confirm Transfer.

Question 35

How much account information can I view at once?

Accepted Answer

Online banking automatically shows the current month's transactions and information. You can obtain additional transactions by changing the date range.

Question 36

How do I set up a payment reminder?

Accepted Answer

Locate the payee and select Options. Select the Next Due Reminder tab. Tell us the frequency you make the payment and the next due date. Click the Save button. When you login, we will display the number of days until your next due date.

Question 37

When can I start using online bill pay?

Accepted Answer

You may begin using online bill pay immediately after registration.

Question 38

How do I add new payees?

Accepted Answer

To add a new payee, type the name of the payee in the “Need to pay someone new?” entry box near the top right of the screen. As you type, we will try to match what you are typing to one of our known payees. If you see the payee in the drop down list, click the name and the click the Add button. If you do not see the name in the drop down, don’t worry; just complete typing the name of your payee and click the Add button. We will then ask you for some information about your payee: Account Number – this is your account number with the payee. Enter the account number as it appears on your bill. When making a payment to a person and not a business, you may not have an account number to provide. If this is the case, it is okay to leave the account number field blank. Payee Address – this is the address where you send your payment. ZIP code – in some cases, we do not ask for the entire address of your payee, but just for the payee's ZIP code. When prompted to enter a ZIP code, enter the payee’s ZIP code where you send your payments. Don’t be alarmed if we do not ask for an address. This just means we have already made special arrangements directly with the company you are adding regarding how to remit payments to them. In many cases this means we send them a payment electronically, so we do not need an address. In other cases, companies ask us to send payments to an address that may be different from the address that appears on your bill. While adding your payee, you can also give it a nickname to make it easy for you to identify. When your payee is added, it will display at the top of your payee list. The next time you come back to the screen, your payees will display in alphabetical order.

Question 39

How do I place a 'stop payment' on a bill payment?

Accepted Answer

A payment may be edited or deleted anytime before the process date. Payments that have been remitted electronically cannot be stopped. If your payment is sent by check and has not been cashed, a stop payment can be placed for a fee of $25.00.

Question 40

What are payment memos?

Accepted Answer

When scheduling a payment, you can add a memo by clicking on the Memo link prior to clicking the Pay button. If we send the payment by check, we will include this memo on the check. We will always print your name and account number on a check whether you provide a memo or not. If we send your payment electronically, any memo you input will not be included in the payment instructions.

Question 41

How do I unhide a payee?

Accepted Answer

To unhide a hidden payee, locate and click on the hidden payee indicator near the top of the screen. A list of your hidden payees will be displayed. Click the Show button and your payee will be added to your payee list.

Question 42

Is it possible to schedule recurring payments?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can schedule weekly, semi-monthly and monthly recurring payments. The final payment of a recurring payment scheme is designated by a 'Final Payment Date'.

Question 43

Are all debits and credits sent out at the same time?

Accepted Answer

Yes, they are all sent out at the same time.

Question 44

Will I receive emails regarding my payments?

Accepted Answer

To keep you informed, we send several types of email notifications based on various triggers. We will let you know the following: When we make a payment on your behalf, if there was a problem making one of your payments, if we receive an e-bill from one of your payees, and when payees have been added to your profile.

Question 45

Can I pay my bills on the weekend?

Accepted Answer

You can set up your payments during the weekend. However, the system will prohibit you from scheduling a single payment and the first of a recurring payment on the same weekend. This is because payments scheduled for the weekend are always processed on the next business day. Therefore, when scheduling payments on a weekend, the first day for which you can schedule payments (single or recurring) is the first business day following the weekend. Generally, single or recurring payments that fall on a Saturday, Sunday or holiday are processed on the next business day and are debited from your account within two business days. If a holiday falls on either a Friday or Monday, the debit will occur within three days.

Question 46

What is an e-bill?

Accepted Answer

Simply put, an e-bill is an electronic copy of your paper bill that you can view anytime from within online bill pay.

Question 47

How do I set up a Standard Automatic Payment?

Accepted Answer

Locate the payee you want to pay automatically and click the Options button. From the Options window select the Automatic Payment Tab. If an e-bill is available for your payee, you will be given the option to make payments based on your e-bill. You would need to select the ‘Don’t use my bill information’ option. If an e-bill is not available, you will be presented with the standard automatic payment options. You will be prompted to provide the funding account from where to make the payment (checking), the payment amount, frequency of payments, first payment date and number of payments. Click Save.

Question 48

When is bill pay available?

Accepted Answer

You can schedule payments 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Question 49

How do I cancel a scheduled payment?

Accepted Answer

You can cancel a scheduled payment up until the time we begin to process it for payment. To cancel a payment: Locate the payment in the Scheduled Payments section of the Receipt area and click its corresponding cancel icon.

Question 50

When I add a new payee to bill pay or change my account number, how quickly will the change take place?

Accepted Answer

When you update the information for bill pay, the changes are implemented immediately.

Question 51

Can online bill payment be used when I am out of the country?

Accepted Answer

Online bill pay provides you with peace of mind when you are traveling for an extended period of time. All you need is access to the internet with a secure browser and you can pay your bills while out of the country. Payees must be located within the 50 United States and Territories.

Question 52

What if I want to stop receiving e-bills?

Accepted Answer

If for some reason you would like to stop receiving an e-bill for you payee, canceling enrollment is simple. Locate the payee in your list and click its Options button. The Options window will open directly to the e-bill tab. Click on the stop receiving electronic bill link.

Question 53

How can I hide or delete a payee I am no longer paying?

Accepted Answer

Locate the payee name and click the Options button. Click the Hide or Delete link located at the bottom of the navigation tabs within the Options Window.

Question 54

How do I register for online bill pay?

Accepted Answer

The first time you attempt to access the bill pay section of online banking, you will be prompted to begin online registration. You are first requested to read and accept the authorization disclosure. Failure to accept the disclosure terms prevents the registration process from proceeding. Once the disclosure is agreed to, complete the online registration form.

Question 55

How is my account debited?

Accepted Answer

Your account is debited via Automated Clearing House (ACH).

Question 56

How do I turn off an automatic payment?

Accepted Answer

Locate the Payee, select options and click the Automatic Payment tab. Click Turn Off located at the top right hand corner of the Automatic Payments box.

Question 57

Can online bill pay be used when I am out of the country?

Accepted Answer

Yes. If you have already scheduled one-time or recurring payments, they will be processed as usual while you're away. If you need to schedule a bill payment while you're out of the country, find internet access, log into online banking and then online bill pay, and schedule your payment.

Question 58

How do I review my payment history?

Accepted Answer

Payment history can be viewed from several locations. On the right hand side of the main payments page in the “Receipt Area” we display all of your upcoming scheduled payments as well as your last 10 payments that have completed within the last 90 days. You can execute a more detailed history search from the “Search Payment History” box at the top the Receipt Area, or click on the “View all payments” link to go to the History page, where you can search for past and future payments and e-bills, as well as sort, download, or print the information.

Question 59

What is an automatic payment?

Accepted Answer

Set up an automatic payment and we will automatically schedule and send out your payments based on your specific instructions. We will notify you each time a payment is scheduled, and you can always edit or cancel your payments at any time. There are two types of automatic payments: Standard Automatic Payments – simply tell us how much to send and how often, and we will take care of the rest. Automatic Payment Based on E-Bills – if you receive an e-bill from your payee, we can automatically set up a payment once your bill arrives. You have many options when making payments based on an e-bill such as “pay only the minimum due” or “pay total balance of bill.” You can even create custom rules to tell us how to pay your bill.

Question 60

Are my online bill pay transactions reflected as online banking transactions?

Accepted Answer

All online bill pay transactions become part of the online banking transaction history and show up in personal financial management applications when the transaction history is downloaded.

Question 61

How do I edit a scheduled payment?

Accepted Answer

You can edit any scheduled payment up until the time we begin to process it for payment. To edit a scheduled payment: Locate the payment in the Scheduled Payments section of the Receipt area and click its corresponding Edit icon. A pop-up will display allowing you to change the payment’s: Send-on date (Use the calendar widget to help determine available dates), Payment Amount, Funding account from which you are paying (if you have more than one), Payment category, Payment memo, -dd or edit a personal note to your payment, Click “Save Changes.”

Question 62

Can I receive an annual summary of my bill payments sorted by category or payee?

Accepted Answer

Question 63

How do I determine the status of my payments?

Accepted Answer

There are several statuses associated with a payment as it goes through its lifecycle. Following is an explanation of the various statuses. Scheduled: Represents a payment that has been scheduled to be processed on a future date. A payment in this status is eligible to be edited or canceled. In Process: Represents a transaction that is currently being processed and can no longer be edited or canceled. Sent: Represents a check payment where the check has been printed and mailed. Cleared: Represents a check payment where the check has been received and negotiated by the payee.Completed: Represents an electronic payment where the payment has been delivered to the payee. Canceled: Represents a payment that you canceled. Stopped: Represents a payment made by check where a stop payment has been placed on the check either at your request or by us because the biller has not received the payment. Suspended: This is a temporary status that can be placed on a payment while we research a potentially invalid delivery address. Declined: Represents a payment where after additional review, it is determined that the delivery address provided for the payee is not a deliverable address. Failed: Generally represents an electronic payment where the payee has returned the credit attempt. A reason this might happen is if the payee does not recognize the account number sent in the payment instructions. Insufficient funds: The account from which a payment is being made does not have sufficient funds. Returned: Generally represents a check payment returned by the Post Office because it could not be delivered, or it’s returned by the payee – possibly due to an overpayment. Hold: A payment may temporarily be placed in this status while we are conducting an internal review of the payment request. We will notify you if we have any problems processing your payment request.

Question 64

How do I set up an e-bill?

Accepted Answer

To sign up, click on the Get e-bill link, or click on the payee’s Option button. The Options window will open directly to the e-bill enrollment page. You will be presented with a short form to fill out. In some cases, all we need to know is your normal billing cycle (so we can notify you if we don’t receive a bill within the normal billing period). In other cases we might ask a few additional questions. Simply fill out the form and click the Get your e-bill delivered here button.