EPPICard, What’s It All About
In certain states, institutions that receive child support payments and distribute them to custodial parents no longer issue checks for the payments. A number of states are still in the process of migrating away from the printing and delivery of paper checks to the implementation of a new payment method, including South Carolina and New York. It is possible to get funds quickly through the use of an EPPICard, which is a state-issued debit card, rather than having to wait for the postal service to deliver the funds through a check.
watch the below video on EPPICard:
EPPICard, What’s It All About
Specific state guidelines vary, but in general, a state organization that processes child support payments loads the payments onto a recipient’s EPPICard within two banking business days of collecting and processing the payments. This is in accordance with federal guidelines. As an example, in the state of South Carolina and the city of Columbia, the State of South Carolina Department of Social Services/Child Support Enforcement Division (CSED) is in charge of making electronic transfers. Recipients have immediate access to their funds and can use their EPPICards everywhere debit cards are accepted, including ATMs and convenience stores.
Getting Your EPPICard Activated
After your state organization issues you an EPPICard, you’ll be required to activate your card through the use of an automated voice-response system (AVRS). When your EPPICard arrives, you’ll be given these instructions, but you’ll have to wait until the initial deposit is made to your account before you can use it. In addition to being insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), EPPICards are protected by a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that you supply to your card during the activation procedure.
Making purchases and paying bills are two important tasks.
To make purchases, simply display your EPPICard at any location that accepts debit cards, such as grocery stores, retailers, and internet vendors. You can also get cash back with your purchase if you pick the “cash back” option from the card terminal before you check out at a lot of merchant locations. You can use your EPPICard to pay your bills in person or online in the same way that you would use any other type of debit card. Instead of having to wait for a credit card company to bill you for your purchases on a monthly basis, the monies in your EPPICard account are promptly debited from your account as soon as you use your card.
Obtaining cash from an automated teller machine
Your EPPICard can be used to check your account balance as well as withdraw cash from an ATM by putting it into the machine and entering your PIN. You can also present your EPPICard to a bank teller in order to obtain cash from the institution.
Despite the fact that your EPPICard is not linked to a checking or savings account, you can withdraw funds from an ATM by selecting either the “checking” or “savings” option and pressing the button for a “cash withdrawal” to complete the transaction. You should be aware that certain banks will charge you a fee for using their ATM terminals, so check your state’s EPPICard standards for a list of which institutions provide free ATM services.
EPPICards are subject to state-specific regulations.
EPPICards are known by many names in different states, depending on where you live. Consider the following example: Ohio child support cards are referred to as e-QuickPay cards, while Pennsylvania child support cards are referred to as Pennsylvania Debit MasterCards, but each of these is still an EPPICard in the state of Pennsylvania.
Each state also has its own set of rules on which banks provide free ATM services, which banks charge surcharge fees for ATM services, how many free cash withdrawals you can make each month, and even whether or not there are any fees involved with calling customer service. Make careful to read all of the information that comes with your EPPICard to learn about the specific requirements that apply in your state.
