> Here's the simple explanation of how MSN Bill Pay processes:
> (1) You submit the request to pay a bill on such and such date (the
earliest
> that date can be is limited by the lead time).
> (2) Generally you'll get a response telling you that you can cancel the
> payment up until a specified date and time (if it's to be paid by EFT,
then
> generally you can cancel it up until the day before the due date).
> (3) If MSN Bill Pay is paying the bill through EFT, the funds will be
> withdrawn from your bank account on the date that you specified when you
set
> up the payment.
> (4) If MSN Bill Pay is cutting a check to send to the payee, the
processing
> is no different than if you had cut the check yourself; i.e., the funds
will
> disappear from your bank account after the payee has deposited the check
and
> it has cleared your bank.
> My understanding, and this may be part of the issue with you, is that many
> banks withdraw the funds to pay the bill 4-7 days in advance of the due
date
> that you specify. MSN Bill Pay withdraws the funds on the due date, at
the
> earliest.
> Maybe that helps????
> Doug
> "Ion Control" <IonControl[at]echobase.rebelalliance.net> wrote in message
> news:eZVYxu3WDHA.1620[at]TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > OK. Thanks. I'm used to my bank clearing a bill 4 business days after
I
> > initiate it, and the BillPay method on anticipating a bill is unnerving
> > (i.e. my bank said "payment accepted" today and "payment cleared" in 4
> days,
> > whereas BillPay says "give us 5 days and we'll get back to you".)
> > nevertheless, sounds like I need to give it some more time. I'll give
it
> > one more chance
> > > "Douglas E Wilson" <DEWilson[at]email.msn.com> wrote in message
> > news:evBHq01WDHA.1280[at]tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> > > (1) The seven days seems a bit much . . . however, depending on the
> actual
> > > nature of the payment (paper check in the mail vs. an electronic
> > transfer),
> > > Bill Pay does need a bit of lead time. How many bills do you get that
> are
> > > actually due within 7 days of receipt????
> > > > > (2) As far as sending out a payment on Friday and not having it show
up
> on
> > > Monday afternoon, that doesn't sound too unusual. If the payment was
> > > initiated on a Friday, the recipient may not have it posted until
after
> a
> > > Monday night cycle (or later).
> > > > > (3) More than likely you're bank is using CheckFree, as well, so you
may
> > not
> > > get much more for your $5/month than you're getting now.
> > > > > (4) I guess the real question is not what's happening that you're not
> > happy
> > > with, but what your expectations are. You really haven't spelled
those
> > out.
> > > This could be a case of your expectations being greater than what MSN
> Bill
> > > Pay or some other service can offer, or it may be a lack of
> understanding
> > on
> > > your part of how the processing occurs. It's hard to tell which based
> > upon
> > > the information you've provided.
> > > > > (5) FWIW, I've been using MSN Bill Pay (and/or its ancestors) for
> several
> > > years and it's always worked just as I anticipated.
> > > > > Doug
> > > > > "Ion Control" <IonControl[at]echobase.rebelalliance.net> wrote in message
> > > news:uu1gSrxWDHA.1744[at]TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > > > BillPay seems to take an incredibly long time to pay bills. For
> > instance,
> > > I
> > > > tried to pay a bill last Wednesday and the earliest date payment
could
> > be
> > > > made was 7 days later! Is this 7 days to clear or just 7 days to
> send?
> > > > Also, BillPay "sent" a payment out of one of my accounts Friday, but
> as
> > of
> > > > Monday PM, it has not shown up. What's going on? There's almost no
> > real
> > > > useful information on the Billpay site and the very vague dates are
> > making
> > > > me think that paying my bank $5/month for their payment service is
> much
> > > > sounder than this BillPay uncertainty...
> > > > > > > > > > >

> OK. Thanks. I'm used to my bank clearing a bill 4 business days after I
> initiate it, and the BillPay method on anticipating a bill is unnerving
> (i.e. my bank said "payment accepted" today and "payment cleared" in 4
days,
> whereas BillPay says "give us 5 days and we'll get back to you".)
> nevertheless, sounds like I need to give it some more time. I'll give it
> one more chance
> "Douglas E Wilson" <DEWilson[at]email.msn.com> wrote in message
> news:evBHq01WDHA.1280[at]tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> > (1) The seven days seems a bit much . . . however, depending on the
actual
> > nature of the payment (paper check in the mail vs. an electronic
> transfer),
> > Bill Pay does need a bit of lead time. How many bills do you get that
are
> > actually due within 7 days of receipt????
> > > (2) As far as sending out a payment on Friday and not having it show up
on
> > Monday afternoon, that doesn't sound too unusual. If the payment was
> > initiated on a Friday, the recipient may not have it posted until after
a
> > Monday night cycle (or later).
> > > (3) More than likely you're bank is using CheckFree, as well, so you may
> not
> > get much more for your $5/month than you're getting now.
> > > (4) I guess the real question is not what's happening that you're not
> happy
> > with, but what your expectations are. You really haven't spelled those
> out.
> > This could be a case of your expectations being greater than what MSN
Bill
> > Pay or some other service can offer, or it may be a lack of
understanding
> on
> > your part of how the processing occurs. It's hard to tell which based
> upon
> > the information you've provided.
> > > (5) FWIW, I've been using MSN Bill Pay (and/or its ancestors) for
several
> > years and it's always worked just as I anticipated.
> > > Doug
> > > "Ion Control" <IonControl[at]echobase.rebelalliance.net> wrote in message
> > news:uu1gSrxWDHA.1744[at]TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > > BillPay seems to take an incredibly long time to pay bills. For
> instance,
> > I
> > > tried to pay a bill last Wednesday and the earliest date payment could
> be
> > > made was 7 days later! Is this 7 days to clear or just 7 days to
send?
> > > Also, BillPay "sent" a payment out of one of my accounts Friday, but
as
> of
> > > Monday PM, it has not shown up. What's going on? There's almost no
> real
> > > useful information on the Billpay site and the very vague dates are
> making
> > > me think that paying my bank $5/month for their payment service is
much
> > > sounder than this BillPay uncertainty...
> > > > >

> (1) The seven days seems a bit much . . . however, depending on the actual
> nature of the payment (paper check in the mail vs. an electronic
transfer),
> Bill Pay does need a bit of lead time. How many bills do you get that are
> actually due within 7 days of receipt????
> (2) As far as sending out a payment on Friday and not having it show up on
> Monday afternoon, that doesn't sound too unusual. If the payment was
> initiated on a Friday, the recipient may not have it posted until after a
> Monday night cycle (or later).
> (3) More than likely you're bank is using CheckFree, as well, so you may
not
> get much more for your $5/month than you're getting now.
> (4) I guess the real question is not what's happening that you're not
happy
> with, but what your expectations are. You really haven't spelled those
out.
> This could be a case of your expectations being greater than what MSN Bill
> Pay or some other service can offer, or it may be a lack of understanding
on
> your part of how the processing occurs. It's hard to tell which based
upon
> the information you've provided.
> (5) FWIW, I've been using MSN Bill Pay (and/or its ancestors) for several
> years and it's always worked just as I anticipated.
> Doug
> "Ion Control" <IonControl[at]echobase.rebelalliance.net> wrote in message
> news:uu1gSrxWDHA.1744[at]TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > BillPay seems to take an incredibly long time to pay bills. For
instance,
> I
> > tried to pay a bill last Wednesday and the earliest date payment could
be
> > made was 7 days later! Is this 7 days to clear or just 7 days to send?
> > Also, BillPay "sent" a payment out of one of my accounts Friday, but as
of
> > Monday PM, it has not shown up. What's going on? There's almost no
real
> > useful information on the Billpay site and the very vague dates are
making
> > me think that paying my bank $5/month for their payment service is much
> > sounder than this BillPay uncertainty...
>