My Money Isn't Showing Up in My Direct Deposit Account
There are many reasons a paycheck might not show up in your direct deposit account.
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In this digital age, many employers and federal agencies have switched from issuing paper checks to directly transferring the money to your bank account. This can be a lot more convenient, but it can also create more problems. If your money doesn't show up in your account when it's supposed to, there are a number of things that could have happened.
Give it a Few Days
Sometimes when your direct deposit doesn't show up as planned, the reason is simply that it has just taken a few extra days to process. This might be due to holidays or because the request to transfer money accidentally went out after business hours. Give it at least 24 hours before you start worrying. The money may show up the next day. During this time, collect all the information you may need to resolve the issue: past pay stubs, your account number and how many hours you worked. If you have any documentation, put it all in one easy-to-find place.
Contact Payroll
If your money isn't where it needs to be, contact your payroll department or bookkeeper -- whomever cuts the checks. It might be a problem across the board she is trying to fix, or it could be that somewhere the paperwork got messed up. Avoid being accusatory; it may not have been an issue on her part. One reason your pay may be late is because you are new or have switched accounts. If that is the case, it may take a pay cycle or two for changes to take effect.
Contact Your Bank
It's good to call your bank and let it know what's going on. Explain the situation, and ask if this has happened to anyone else, or if the bank has any idea what could have gone wrong. It may be that the money has arrived but hasn't hit your account yet. Or it could be that you bank only gets electronic funds at a certain time of day, and your employer missed the first cutoff. The bank might be able to help you pinpoint and solve the problem.
Talk to Your Boss
It's important to keep your boss in the loop. Your boss might be able to help push things along or look into things other people can't. Or, your boss may have had this problem before and know how to fix it. It could also be that he forgot to sign or turn in some paperwork. At the very least, it's good for your boss to know so that if it's a common occurrence, he can work to fix it.
References
Writer Bio
Specializing in food and business, Melissa Haskin is a Oregon writer who received a Bachelor of Science in economics with an emphasis in business from Oregon State University. She completed graduate work in journalism at the University of Oregon and has contributed to publications such as "The Register-Guard," "Oregon Quarterly" and "Eugene Magazine."