How do i stop automatic payments from my bank of america account

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How can I stop a preauthorized debit from being paid from my checking account?

If you authorized the bank to make the transfer to the merchant on your behalf, you need to revoke your authorization with the bank.

You will need to notify your bank at least three business days before the scheduled date of the transfer and inform it that you wish to stop payment. You can provide the notice orally, but the bank may require you to confirm the request in writing. If the bank requires written verification of an oral notice, it will provide the address where the confirmation should be sent. The oral request will not be effective after 14 days if the bank requests written confirmation and you do not provide the written notice. In addition, a written stop payment order often expires after six months. It can be renewed for another six months.

If you authorized the merchant to charge your account and you want to stop the merchant's ability to debit the account for future transactions, it is a good idea to

• contact the merchant in writing and revoke your authorization to charge your account;
• keep a copy of your notice revoking authorization to charge or obtain a cancellation number; and
• notify the bank that the merchant no longer has authority to debit your account. Provide the bank with documentation of the written notice.

However, the law does not require you to notify the merchant for a stop payment order to be valid as long as you have notified the bank. If you have revoked authorization and the merchant continues to charge the account, you can dispute the transactions with the bank.

Last Reviewed: April 2021

Please note: The terms "bank" and "banks" used in these answers generally refer to national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches or agencies of foreign banking organizations that are regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). Find out if the OCC regulates your bank. Information provided on HelpWithMyBank.gov should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion of the OCC.

• Home
• Help Topics
• Bank Accounts
• Electronic Transactions
• Automatic Withdrawals & Preauthorized Payments

Last year I gave a vendor/merchant authorization to make a monthly automatic withdrawal from my checking account. Now I have canceled the service, but my bank won't stop the withdrawals. What can I do?

Write directly to the vendor/merchant to request no further debits to your checking account. You should provide the bank with a copy of the letter and inform the bank that these charges are no longer authorized. Keep a copy of the letter for your records.

You can contact your bank and place a stop payment order on the recurring transaction. Generally, a stop payment order is only good for six months.

To stop payment, you will need to notify your bank at least three business days before the next payment is scheduled to be made. Notice may be made orally or in writing. However, if the notice is made orally, the bank may require you to follow up with written notice within 14 days. If you don't provide written verification of the oral notice when required, the oral stop payment order ceases to be in effect.

Refer to 12 CFR 1005 "Electronic Fund Transfers (Regulation E)."

Last Reviewed: April 2021

Please note: The terms "bank" and "banks" used in these answers generally refer to national banks, federal savings associations, and federal branches or agencies of foreign banking organizations that are regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). Find out if the OCC regulates your bank. Information provided on HelpWithMyBank.gov should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion of the OCC.

• An automatic payment at a bank withdraws money from your account to pay for routine bills.
• Most banks will let you cancel a payment online, but you may also contact your bank for assistance.
• To manage automatic payments, set up alerts to notify you when changes occur in your account.
• Read more stories from Personal Finance Insider.

Scheduling automatic payments through your bank account may be a helpful tool for regular bills or routine transfers. However, not everything is consistent in life. Perhaps you've recently changed your internet service provider or want to cut back on some of your monthly expenses.

If you need to cancel an automatic payment, we'll guide you through some of the actions you can take and tips on managing automatic payments in case you're struggling to stay on top of things.

What is an automatic payment?

An automatic payment is a type of online payment where you give permission to automatically disburse money to pay for monthly bills.

Many banks will allow you to schedule automatic payments through your checking account to pay for rent, utilities, car payments, or other consistent expenses. 

If you sign up for online bill pay at a bank, the process isn't necessarily the same as paying your biller online.

For one, you'll have the ability to schedule and conduct payments all in one place. You also won't need to worry about how mail delivery might affect how you receive or deliver payments.

Some brick-and-mortar banks, like Bank of America and Regions Bank, will send online paper bills called eBills. You'll be able to receive a statement from your biller — the only difference is that you'll check your email instead of your mailbox.

How to cancel an automatic bill payment 

The process for canceling an automatic bill payment at most financial institutions is fairly simple. Canceling an automatic bill payment can be done online in most cases. Online banking should be the first place to look for updating online payments after you've spoken to your biller.

How to cancel online 

Sign in to your account online or through your bank's mobile app. Find a tab that may say  "Bill Pay" or "Pay My Bills." Here you'll be able to edit or cancel any scheduled payments you have. Select the payment you want to modify and apply the changes. Once you cancel a payment, your bank account will update immediately. 

If you are replacing your service or subscription, you may now set up a new payment. If you're canceling your bill, you may reach out to the biller or double-check your bank account on your bill's due date to ensure your cancellation is complete.

How to cancel through customer service

If you require some extra assistance to cancel your automatic payments, reach out to customer support or check the bank's FAQ section. These resources will help you navigate through online banking and answer any questions you might have. 

Tips on managing automatic bill payments

Jerel Butler, CFP® professional and founder of Millennial Financial Solutions, recommends setting up a system that works with your expenses to help manage automatic bill payments.

For instance, Butler says you could set up a checking account for payment purposes and another checking account for discretionary expenses. Once you've created a system that works, Butler recommends setting up alerts to keep track of payments.

"Turn on notifications on both the bill payee side as well as your banking side. You can get automatic notifications sent to your mobile device or to your email that lets you know if a bill is coming up in three days or if a bill has just been paid. Utilizing those notification tools within the banking apps tends to be very helpful," says Butler. 

Lastly, Butler says if you're new to online banking or need extra guidance, online budgeting tools might also help you keep track of your banking activity. 

Many financial institutions offer features to help you avoid a negative account balance. For example, PNC Bank has alerts that let you know if you may be at risk of overdrawing from your bank account. 

Another option is to use budgeting apps. Budgeting apps may connect to your bank account and break down your spending if your bank doesn't have a lot of budgeting features.

Sophia Acevedo, CEPF

Junior Banking Reporter

Sophia Acevedo is a junior banking reporter at Insider who covers banking and savings for Personal Finance Insider. She is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF). She joined Insider in July 2021 as a fellow for the Personal Finance Insider Reviews team. Before joining the Insider team, she was a freelancer based in Los Angeles and worked briefly in publishing. She also graduated from California State University Fullerton in 2020. You can reach out to her on Twitter at @sophieacvdo or send a quick email at . Read more about how Personal Finance Insider chooses, rates, and covers financial products and services >>

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