Association

ACH Program Reducing Account Delinquencies

09/12/2022
Editor

By Phil Trubey

September 12, 2022

In last week’s Finance Committee meeting I was struck by a comment that the Association’s Financial Reporting Manager, Jackie McGuinness, made with regard to past due accounts. She said there has been a significant drop in past due accounts as the number of members opting into the ACH program has risen.

What is ACH?

ACH is banking lingo for automatic withdrawal of money from your bank account. I’ve personally set up both of the HOAs I’m a member of to auto withdraw money from my checking account every month. Around 600 RSFA members have also done so out of about 1960 members, so about one third.

Making Your Life Easier

Like mortgage, insurance, and car payments, HOA fees are something that just has to be paid every month. Unfortunately things occasionally happen to throw a wrench into even a well ordered lifestyle. A family member becomes sick, or you come down with Covid and it knocks you on your backside for a couple of weeks. ACH payments ensure that your obligations will be taken care of regardless of life’s surprises.

Chargebacks

Unlike some HOAs and other services, monthly Association dues fluctuate since discretionary purchases like the snack bar, restaurant, pro shop, lessons, and guest fees are also billed. So some people are worried about mistaken charges. The good news is that these are rare and becoming even more rare now that the RSF Inn no longer allows members to charge Inn purchases into their RSFA account. The other good news is that when you receive your bill, you still have most of a month to dispute any charges before the money is withdrawn from your account. And when you call the Association’s accounting department you actually speak to a real live human being who will work with you to immediately resolve issues (unlike so many other large businesses these days).

How To Sign Up

The bottom line is that signing up for the Association’s ACH program carries no risk, will likely help you avoid late charges, and helps the Association reduce their costs.

Click here to see sign up instructions. Note that you must have an RSFA userid and password for the RSF Association website to see this page.

Because I know that accessing the Association’s member website will be problematic for some people, here are the current instructions to sign up. Please only assume these instructions (and linked form) are valid until the end of September 2022. If you are reading this page later, please go the Association website since procedures do change over time.

Instructions:

The Rancho Santa Fe Association now offers members Automated Clearing House (ACH) payments for Association charges, including Assessments, Golf Club dues and Tennis Club dues. We invite you to use this new service to pay your monthly RSF Association bills in an easy and convenient method. With ACH payments, you can save time and avoid writing checks, stuffing envelopes and mailing your payments.

Members will receive an emailed PDF statement on the 5th working day of the month and a reminder email on the 25th day of the month. Monthly dues will then automatically be deducted from your bank account on the 28th day of each month. Members are encouraged to sign up for paperless billing in addition to ACH payments. Paperless billing provides members with email statements so they can receive bills conveniently, whether at home or away.

To enroll in ACH payments and/or paperless statements:

  1. Complete the ACH Enrollment Form and ACH Debit Authorization Agreement.
  2. Attach a voided check.
  3. E-mail form and voided check to Jackie@RSFAssociation.org, or mail to PO Box A, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067, or drop off at the RSF Association office.

You may contact the RSF Association Accounting Department with questions by calling (858) 756-1174 or emailing Jackie@RSFAssociation.org or click here to view FAQs.

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