ACH credit is a payment method that allows someone to instruct the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network to "push" money from their account to someone elses. It is a digital version of a paper check, where the payer instructs the ACH network to move money between their accounts directly. ACH credits are commonly used for direct deposit of salaries, government benefits, and refunds, as well as for making payments through services like Venmo and PayPal.
ACH credits are part of a digital money network that connects every major US financial institution. The ACH network serves as an electronic "highway" for quickly and easily moving money from one account to another. The payer only needs to have the recipients name and banking information, routing number, and account number. ACH credits are generally easy and inexpensive to use, and funds reach their destination account within a few hours to a few business days.
ACH credits are often referred to by informal names matching popular use cases, such as "direct deposit" and "peer-to-peer payment". They are a common way for companies to pay employees directly via their checking accounts, and serve to facilitate the payment of government benefits, issue refunds on a purchase, or make payments via services like Venmo and PayPal.
In summary, ACH credit is a payment method that allows someone to instruct the ACH network to "push" money from their account to someone elses. It is a digital version of a paper check, and is commonly used for direct deposit of salaries, government benefits, and refunds, as well as for making payments through services like Venmo and PayPal.