ACH blocks and ACH payment failures can both stop an ACH payment, but they occur at different points and leave different evidence. Use this reference to identify what happened and what to do next.
ACH block or ACH payment failure?
| Condition | What happened | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| ACH block | The client's bank refused the ACH debit because an ACH block or filter prevents the transaction. | No funds are deposited. Aiwyn contacts the firm to flag the block. |
| ACH payment failure | The payment began processing but did not settle—for example, because of insufficient funds or a closed or incorrect bank account. | The deposit appears first, then reverses one to two days later. The payment report shows a negative value, and the invoice becomes payable again. |
ACH blocks
An ACH block is a fraud-control tool applied automatically by a financial institution or enabled by the account owner. It prevents ACH debits or credits unless the payee has been authorized. An ACH filter is a softer version of the same control: the bank permits transactions only from approved payees.
When a bank account has an ACH block, nothing is deposited to the firm. On the Stripe side, the transaction may appear as debit_not_authorized or bank_account_unusable. Retrying before the bank authorizes the payees will fail again.
Resolve an ACH block
- Ask the client to contact their bank and authorize both Stripe Payee IDs:
18009485984270465600
- After the bank confirms the authorization, have the client email support@aiwyn.ai.
- Aiwyn works with Stripe to unblock the bank account.
- Re-process the payment only after the block has been removed.
No automated ACH-failure email is sent to the client or the firm's payment-notification recipients when a block occurs. When the client tries to make another payment with an already blocked account, the payment flow directs them to confirm that the bank has removed the block and to contact support if needed.
ACH payment failures
An ACH payment failure is different from a block. The payment initially appears successful because ACH payments begin processing immediately but normally take about one business day to settle. Aiwyn temporarily covers the funds during that settlement window so the firm does not have to wait for the usual ACH delay.
If the payment later fails—for example, because of insufficient funds or a closed or incorrect bank account—the funds reverse from the firm's Stripe account one to two days after the original deposit.
Identify a failed ACH payment
- Check the payment report. The reversal appears as a negative value.
- Check the failure email sent to the firm's payment-notification recipients and the client payer.
- Check the invoice in the Client Portal. An invoice paid with the failed payment automatically returns to a payable state; the firm does not need to reopen it.
- Follow up with the client to arrange another payment method or correct the bank-account issue.
- Contact support@aiwyn.ai if you need details about a specific failed payment.
Credit and debit card failures behave differently. The client is alerted immediately while attempting the payment, so no deposit is made and no later reversal occurs.