Checking Account

  • ACH/Electronic Check Withdrawals
    • Some merchants and financial institutions choose to process your checks electronically through the ACH system rather than submitting the paper copy. This converts your original check to an electronic transaction. This type of transaction does not provide LMCU with a check copy. The depositing financial institution retains that check copy and provides LMCU only with electronic information. Most ACH transactions, including ACH checks, will show up as pending on the account history screen of your account. You will see: The company name and amount of the transaction. The check number may not display on the pending screen and the description may be a broader, corporate title that might change to be more specific once the check actually posts. One way to identify a confusing transaction is to look for the amount in your check register.

  • ATM Deposit Holds
    • Since an ATM machine does not know if an envelope contains cash, checks or is actually an empty envelope, funds deposited in an ATM are not available until they can be validated by our staff. The ATM deposit hold is two business days (Monday- Friday). Our Accounting Department works on releasing the holds as soon as a deposit has been verified, so your deposit may be released earlier. While on hold, an ATM deposit is not available for any transactions that post to your account. The deposit will show as part of your "balance" but not the "available balance". Individual branch offices are not able to process ATM deposits as they do not have access to the ATMs. For quicker processing, consider using the "Night Deposit Boxes" that are available at most of our branches. Deposits placed into the "Night Depository" go directly to the branch and tellers begin posting them on the following business day.

  • Begin ACH/Electronic Transaction
    • When requesting an authorization for an electronic payment or deposit to your account, please include both the 9 digit routing number and the 12 digit-MICR format of your account number. The MICR format of your account number can be found on the bottom of your checks. It is the second set of numbers and is 12 digits long. The first set of numbers is the routing number. You can also find your full account and routing number by: -Logging in to Online Banking - click on the 'Service' tab, then on 'Display MICR' -Logging in to our Mobile App - go to the Menu, then click 'Account Details' - Calling our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790.

  • Cancel ACH/Electronic Transaction
    • When you ask a company to automatically withdraw a payment from your account, you give that company the authorization for those electronic withdrawals. The transaction is submitted and controlled by the merchant where it was originated. To discontinue the ACH/electronic payment, you will have to contact the company where it was set up. Because the amount of advance notice the company requires varies, it is best to notify them well in advance of the withdrawal date. It is also a good idea to keep record of who you spoke with to cancel that withdrawal. You might want to follow up your conversation with a fax or written note. If you have withdrawn that company’s permission to take the payment and the transaction still posts, you can dispute that withdrawal by signing an "Affidavit of Unauthorized ACH Withdrawal" form. This form can be signed at any branch location or please call our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790 to request a form be mailed to you.

  • Card Purchase Denied

    • A Credit Card or Debit Card transaction might be denied for a variety of reasons such as: 1. Insufficient available funds. 2. Loan delinquency. 3. Merchant entered incorrect expiration date. 4. Card Status due to lost or possible fraud indicators. 5. Exceeding the number of allowed transactions in one calendar day. Visa Debit Cards can be used to make 15 purchases per day and there is a $200.00 daily ATM withdrawal limit**. The limits for credit cards are as follows: Visa Prime Platinum - 15 purchases per day. Visa Travel Plus - 20 purchases per day. Visa Max Rewards - 20 purchases per day. Business Credit Cards 20 purchases per day. These limits are based upon average usage for the card programs and are in place for security/fraud prevention reasons. A Card denied because of maximum transactions can be unlocked by our Card Services Department. During business hours please call (800) 242-9790 x 9737. **Your daily ATM withdrawal limit can be increased

  • Convert Account to Max Checking
    • Any existing LMCU checking account can be converted to a Max Checking* account easily without changing your account number or requiring new checks or debit cards. You can convert your checking account to a Max Checking in the following ways:

      -By emailing [email protected]
      -By phone at (800) 242-9790
      -At any branch location
      -Directly within your Online Banking

      To convert your checking to a Max Checking within Online Banking, once you are logged in, click the "Services" tab, then click on "Open or Modify a Share" under the Share Maintenance section. Then select "Convert to Max Checking."

      Max Checking pays a great rate on balances up to $15,000 and offers a refund of up to $10 in ATM surcharge fees when the following account usage requirements are met each month:

      1. Direct Deposit into Max Checking
      2. 10 posted debit card or credit card purchases
      3. 4 logins to Online Banking
      4. Statements sent electronically ("eStatements")

      Requirements are evaluated each month at month-end. There is no penalty or fee if requirements are not met. If you have additional questions please contact Member Services at (616 or 800) 242-9790 or send an email to [email protected].

      *Only one primary Max Checking can be opened per Social Security number.

  • Copies of Cleared Checks
    • Images or copies of cleared checks are available in Online Banking.

      To get the copy in Online Banking:

      1. Log in to your account
      2. Click on the checking account from which the check cleared
      3. Look through your transaction history for the check, or search for it by check number or amount.
      4. Next to the transaction, click on the blue check icon to pull up a copy of the front and back of the cleared check.

      Copies of checks that are cleared electronically are not available. This means the company provided us with information electronically instead of sending a paper copy of the check. To get a copy you would have to contact the payee.

      If you do not have online access or have trouble getting a copy of a check, please call Member Services at (616 or 800) 242-9790 or send an email to [email protected] to have the check copy mailed or emailed to you. You can also visit any of our branch locations to pick this up in person.

      We would suggest that you contact our Member Services Department before going into a branch to make sure the copy is readily available on our imaging system for a branch to print.

      *Copies of checks cleared more than 6 months ago will need to be ordered through our Member Services Department.

  • Debit -ATM or Credit Card Does Not Work
    • If a Debit-ATM or Credit Card does not work when swiped at a Merchant, it is most likely worn out. It can lose the information in the magnetic strip for a variety of reasons, such as “wallet wear”. We can send you a replacement card by mail, with no change to the numbers or PIN, or you can visit a branch to be issued an instant replacement card.

      To request a card by mail, please contact our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790, send an email to [email protected], or connect with us via Live Chat during business hours.

      You should expect that card in 7-10 business days. For an instant replacement card, please visit any of our branch locations with proper ID.

  • Debit Card Transaction Hold
    • When you sign for a purchase instead of entering your 4 digit PIN, the amount is submitted to the VISA system for authorization and is placed on hold on your account. The hold can be on your account for up to 72 hours. Funds on hold are deducted from your "Available Balance" and cannot be used for any other withdrawals that post during the hold time.

      When a purchase is completely processed, the hold will expire and the charge will post to your account. While a transaction is on hold, you may not see a full description of where it was made. Many times you will only see a generic corporate name or simply the address of the business. Once posted, the description will change to show the name of the company and the date the purchase was made. We cannot predict the post date or time of a transaction and a transaction cannot be cancelled or disputed while on hold.

  • Debit or Credit Card Expiring

    • A card is valid through the last day of the expiring month shown on the bottom of your card. For example a card expiring 01/11 will be valid until the end of January. Expiring cards are automatically re-issued. You do not have to contact us. Replacement cards typically arrive around the 10th of the expiring month. Do not throw the old card away until you have activated your new card.If you do not receive your replacement card by the 20th of the expiring month, please contact our Card Services Department at (800) 242-9790 x 9737.

  • Dispute ACH/Electronic Transaction
    • To dispute an unauthorized or cancelled ACH/electronic withdrawal, we need your signature on an "Affidavit of Unauthorized ACH Withdrawal" form. You can sign this form at any branch location. You may also call our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790 or send an email to [email protected] to request that a form be mailed or emailed to you. Within proper guidelines, the withdrawal can be reversed by our Accounting Department within 60 days.

  • Duplicate Debit Card Hold

    • When you sign for a purchase instead of entering your 4 digit PIN, the amount is submitted to the Visa system for authorization and is placed on hold on your account. The hold can be on your account for up to 72 hours. Occasionally you may see a duplicate hold for the same transaction. This may simply mean that the merchant did not see the authorization, voided the sale and started over. It may also be that there was an error with the merchants system at the time of your purchase and it submitted two holds instead of one. A duplicate hold will rarely post as an actual transaction. The correct transaction will post and the duplicate one will simply expire. If a second charge for the same transaction does actually post to your account, you can contact the merchant for a refund and if unable to resolve with the merchant you can dispute the charge with us. Your signature is required on a dispute form to allow us to reverse the duplicate charge. You can sign this form at any branch, or call our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790 to have it mailed to you. Please note that we cannot remove a duplicate transaction while it is on hold. To have a hold removed before its expiration date, please have the merchant contact our Card Services Department at (800) 242-9790 x 9737.

  • Duplicate POS Transaction
    • When you make a purchase with your debit card and enter your 4 digit PIN, the amount of the transaction is withdrawn from your account immediately. This is a "Point of Sale" or P.O.S transaction. Occasionally you may see a double posting of a P.O.S transaction on your account. This may happen if the merchants system is down or there is an error at the time of your purchase. P.O.S double postings are usually corrected as they happen with a refund of the same amount posting immediately after. You will see three transactions for the same amount, two withdrawals and one credit. If you do not see the automatic correction, please contact our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790.

  • Fraudulent Transactions
    • Information can be obtained to make fraudulent transactions in the following ways:

      SKIMMING- An illegal, device is attached to a Merchant or ATM card reader to capture the magnetic stripe data. The information “skimmed” from your card is then used to create a counterfeit card for fraudulent transactions.

      To protect yourself:

      1. Be observant at any ATM, store or gas pump you frequently use. If you notice anything extra or added to the machine, do not swipe your card.

      2. Always keep your card in sight when making a purchase. If that is not possible, such as at a restaurant, be on the alert for abnormal activities.

      PHISHING- The use of bogus e-mails or phone calls that attempt to get the account number information for Debit/Credit card numbers or for Checking or Savings accounts to make fraudulent purchases.

      These emails might indicate that they need confirmation of personal or account information or that an account has been disabled due to login attempts or other invented problems. A link in the e-mail goes to a website that might look authentic and often, there is a request for Debit / Credit Card numbers with PINs or your Routing and Checking account numbers. Please delete the message without response. By phone, the caller might be very persistent and persuasive. Please end the call.

      To protect yourself:

      Never give your complete card number, expiration date, pin number or the 3-digit number on the signature panel out unless you are the one initiating the contact. LMCU will never send an email or make a phone call demanding to verify any of this information.

      DATA COMPROMISE - Merchants or the Merchant’s Data Processors may store too much card data in their computer files. Fraud occurs if computer hackers break into these databases to steal this card information and magnetic stripe data. Visa has mandated rules be put in place to limit the amount of data stored. Merchants and Merchant Processors are continually being monitored and audited to insure compliance.

      To protect yourself:

      Review your monthly statement every month, if you notice any unauthorized charges please contact LMCU immediately to dispute.

      If you have already responded to such a request by providing any confidential account information, please notify us immediately at (616 or 800) 242-9790.

  • Maintenance Fee
    • A 'Maintenance Fee' is a monthly fee posted to Basic Checking accounts. The Basic Checking account is an old account type that we used to offer. We have replaced that product with a Free Checking account which does not have any monthly fees.

      To have the maintenance fee waived and to convert your Basic Checking account to a Free Checking account please contact our Member Service Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790.

      Our Free Checking account has no minimum balance or usage requirements and no monthly fees. This change will not affect your checks or debit card.

  • Meeting Max Checking Requirements
    • There are 4 monthly usage requirements for the Max Checking account. They are as follows:
      -Direct deposit into your LMCU account
      -Minimum of 10 debit or credit card purchases
      -Minimum of 4 logins to Online Banking
      -Be eligible and Sign up to receive eStatements/eNotices

      If the requirements are met during each calendar month, your interest payment and the ATM surcharge fees (up to $10.00) are deposited on the last day of the month. Due to the merchant processing time and the system month end closing to compile monthly Statements, you may see some transactions back dated. Debits and Online Banking log ins done late in the month would be credited to the next month’s qualifications. Debit transactions count for the month in which they post.

      Normal account use typically satisfies requirements well before the end of the month, but if you are in doubt, you can check your MAX status inside of Online Banking. Once logged in, click on ‘Max Checking Status’ on the right-hand side under ‘Quick Links’.

      There are no fees or penalties if the requirements are not met. Interest would not be paid for the month in which requirements are not met and they would reset at the beginning of the next month to allow you to start over.

  • NSF Check Returned, Will It Be Redeposited?
    • A Non-Sufficient Funds (NSF) check that was returned unpaid can come through again, as it is still a valid payment. When a check is returned it goes back to the depositor. LMCU does not control it. Each depositing Financial Institution sets their own policy, so we can only speculate as to how it would be handled.

      If the check is resent to try to clear, again without the funds, it would be returned stamped "Do Not redeposit". The payee or merchant can then run the transaction as an ACH withdrawal until that payment has been satisfied. Continued shortages would cause a “per occurrence” NSF fee.

      LMCU must honor any transaction submitted to your account. You might want to contact that payee to find out how they handle these situations.

  • Order Checks
    • An order for checks can be placed inside any branch or by calling our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790.

      The account needs a minimum balance of $100.00 to place an order. The cost of printing will be automatically deducted from your checking account by Electronic withdrawal directly from our printer “Harland Clarke”. The amount of the checks varies by check style.

      If your account has VIP status, there is no charge for the first two boxes of checks ordered in a calendar year.

      The number printed on the bottom of your checks is called the MICR number. If you order checks from an outside vendor, you must include both the 9 digit routing number and the 12 digit- MICR format of your account number.

      Both sets of numbers can be found in Online Banking by logging in, going to the 'Services' tab and then clicking on 'Display MICR/Routing number'. You can also find the information inside the Mobile App by going to the Menu, choosing 'Account Details' and clicking on 'MICR/Routing Number'.

      If you have questions, or prefer to get this in person or over the phone, you may stop at any one of our branch locations or contact our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790.

  • Pending ACH Transactions
    • Online Banking will display an incoming ACH pending transaction whenever we have advance notice of the withdrawal or deposit. You can find all pending transactions online under account history. ACH deposits post in the early morning and withdrawals in the early evening. Some ACH deposits and withdrawals will post directly, without advance display, because many arrive just in time for posting. Please note that the pending ACH withdrawal or deposit amount is not factored into the available balance shown on the Account Summary Screen.

  • Post Date Mismatch on Card Transaction
    • There is a period, anywhere from 8 PM to 11 PM, after all transactions have been posted and finished, that final daily reports are compiled and updates are run. During this time, Online Banking is put into the "offline" or disconnected mode. Certain shortcuts are unavailable. Those functions are restored once all daily processes are finished posting for the day and we move on to the business of the next day.

      Transactions that post during these “off hours” will be “forward dated” to the next business day. That is when you may see a transaction date, and a post date for the next day.

      Attempts to satisfy the MAX checking requirements late in the month can be affected as some transactions may not post in time to be counted.

  • Post Dated Checks
    • Postdating a check is a verbal agreement made with the person you are paying. It is not legally binding.

      Many payment centers open and process mail with automated systems, so no person evaluates that check date. Only the numbers on the bottom of the check are read mechanically as it passes through the Federal Reserve and our processing system. We cannot evaluate the date and we do not receive your paper checks, only an electronic debit with a copy of your check as paid. By law, payees are not required to hold a check so anytime a check is sent ahead of time there is a risk that it will clear your account earlier than you intend.

  • Posting Cleared Checks (timing)
    • LMCU has completed the necessary upgrades to comply with the “Check 21” law passed by Congress. This means that checks no longer physically move from Financial Institution to Federal Reserve to Financial Institution. Instead, your check is converted to an electronic image, by the payee's Financial Institution and is transmitted directly to your account at LMCU.

      This means that checks can clear throughout the day instead of just after business hours. It is imperative that you make sure funds are available in your checking before you write a check or initiate another transaction that might cause a negative balance.

  • Protect Yourself From Fraud
    • To Protect Yourself from Fraud, please:

      1. Be observant at any ATM, store or gas pump you use frequently to notice if anything looks “extra” or added to the machine.

      2. Always keep your card in sight when making a purchase. If that is not possible, such as at a restaurant, be on the alert for abnormal activities.

      3. Never give your complete card number, expiration date, pin number or the 3-digit number on the signature panel out unless you are the one initiating the contact. LMCU will never send an email or make a phone call demanding to verify any of this information.

      4. Do not give your card number to a merchant if you do not intend to be billed for that transaction on that card.

      5. If a product if offered as "free" or "you only have to pay shipping" but they require your card number to complete the order, you must follow their rules exactly to avoid a billing for the entire purchase price.

      6. Make sure to monitor your transactions online or review your statement every month.

      If you notice any unauthorized charges please contact LMCU immediately at (616 or 800) 242-9790 or by visiting any branch.

  • Reorder Checks
    • A check reorder with no changes can be placed inside of Online Banking:

      1. Click on the 'Services' tab
      2. Under the 'Checks' section click on 'Reorder Checks'
      3. Follow the instructions to complete the process

      Reorders can also be placed 24/7 by calling 800-355-8123. You will need your 9 digit routing number and the 12 digit format of the account number from the bottom of your printed checks.

      If you have not ordered checks from us in the past or have changes to make for the re-order, please visit any branch location or contact our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790.

      If your account is at the VIP level and you are eligible for up to 2 free boxes of checks, please be sure to place your order directly with an LMCU representative at any of our branch locations, over the phone with our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790, via email request to [email protected], or via Live Chat during business hours.

  • Stop Payment on a Check

    • There are a few ways to stop payment on a check. In Online Banking, click on the 'Services' tab, then on 'Stop Payments'. You may also choose to come into any of our branch locations to sign the stop payment form or call our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790 to place a stop-payment. The stop payment form will be mailed for your signature to finalize any stop payments placed by phone. Verbal stop payment without supporting signature will expire in 14 days. There is a $30.00 stop payment fee per check.

  • Stop Payment on an ACH

    • If you decide you do not want an ACH withdrawal to post on your account, you can block it with a stop payment. A stop payment requires a signature, and costs a small fee (view Service Fees). You can sign a stop-payment form at any of our branch locations or call our Member Services Department at (616 or 800) 242-9790 to place a verbal stop. The necessary form can be mailed or emailed to you for your signature. A verbal stop payment is in place for 14 days only. Once you sign the stop payment form and return it to us, we can make that stop payment permanent on the account.

  • The Order That Checks Clear
    • LMCU receives files of incoming checks a few times per day. They post to your account as they come in. Unfortunately, we are not able to sort or manipulate the order of payments or hold them to delay payment.

      The order of postings you see is purely coincidental. Debit Card transactions can post anytime of the day or night, including weekends. ACH (electronic) withdrawals post in the early evening, after business hours. Checks can clear at any time throughout a business day.

  • Third Party Checks for Deposit
    • The Credit Union is not able to accept deposits in the form of checks payable to a name that is not on the account. Signed over or Third Party checks (checks written to another name and signed over to you on the back) cannot be accepted as deposits.

  • Visa International Service Assessment

    • The "Visa International Service Assessment" is a transaction fee charged by VISA for purchases made with a company or merchant from another country. The fee is 1% of the total purchase amount.