The National Automated Clearinghouse Association (Nacha) is the prime authority for establishing ACH transfer rules in the United States. It is responsible for setting regulations and investing in technologies that make ACH transfers more accessible and reliable. Nacha has been around since the mid-1970s and has worked hard towards streamlining ACH operations for the last half-century.
Over the last two decades, Nacha has embraced digitization and is investing in a faster, leaner, and more automated operation to offer better customer service. The organization is famous for keeping the needs of its customers in mind while making helpful amendments to Nacha operating rules every few months. In one of the latest developments, Nacha executives revealed that they would offer additional late-night ACH file deliveries from September 12, 2022. Here’s a ground report on how this change affects consumers and financial institutions.
The New Change
The additional delivery of ACH files ensures that Receiving Depository Financial Institutions (RDFIs) receive an additional batch of ACH files for processing before the end of every workday. The additional deliveries were already available for most RDFIs on Fridays; however, now they will be available throughout the week. Nacha has set the new transmission deadline for delivering ACH files to 10:45 p.m. ET every weekday. This later delivery time will accelerate the delivery of ACH files to RDFIs.
What Does This Mean for RDFIs, ACH Operators, and Customers?
RDFIs
Nacha has not mandated the RDFI to process these additional ACH file deliveries as soon as they receive them. The settlement for these late-night files will likely not occur until 8:30 a.m. ET on the coming business day. However, the modern-day RDFIs that want to gain a competitive advantage can leverage this opportunity to reflect customer account balances in real-time better.
ACH Operators
ACH operators also get an extra efficiency boost since they can process their files earlier with this additional delivery. They need not hold on to the ACH files received before the new deadline till the following day.
Customers
Customers that have accounts with these modern-day RDFIs will be able to see their account balances reflected with a credit/debit transaction more accurately. They will see the information for the amount to be credited/debited on the next banking day within their bank account statements under pending ACH transactions. Learn more about the changes and how it affects 1-day and 2-day ACH payments on Nacha’s official bulletin board.
Are ACH Transfers Slow?
ACH transfer speeds have steadily increased over the last few years. Effective communication between ACH originators, processors, and depositors facilitates faster electronic funds transfers on the ACH network. Although ACH transfers are not nearly as fast as wire transfers or card payments, they are significantly faster than paper checks. Compare ACH and wire transfer speeds. Additionally, the low-cost processing fees associated with ACH make it more lucrative for businesses and consumers dealing with a high volume of transactions daily. Learn how long ACH transfers take.
Same-Day ACH Transactions
Banks and other financial institutions have readily adopted same-day ACH transactions for their most valuable customers. Nacha reports a 74% increase in same-day ACH payments since implementation!
Learn more about the ACH technology on our blogs below:
- How Can Banks Set up ACH Solutions For Their Customers?
- 7 Tips on Processing Money Online Securely With ACH
- All About ACH Applications and Why You Should Use Them
- Why Should Banks Offer ACH Payment Method
Get started with low-cost, fast ACH processing for your business today. Schedule a call with our relationship managers to discuss your payment processing requirements!
