The Bank of America (BOA/BofA) is an American multinational investment financial services company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. The bank started its operations in 1998 and currently has approximately 66 million consumers and small business clients. Furthermore, the company has around 4,200 retail financial centers and about 17,000 ATMs. You can do various kinds of transactions with the bank, but we want to check mainly the Bank of America ACH transfer.
ACH transfers refer to moving money from one bank to the other. For example, you can use the ACH transfer method to move funds from your Bank of America Bank to Chase bank or even Wells Fargo. When transferring money from one bank to the other, you require the other bank routing and account numbers. The routing number helps identify the receiving bank’s branch and location, while the account number helps identify a specific recipient.
ACH transfers are secure and can take up to three days to complete. That is contrary to wire transfers that can take up to 24 hours to complete for domestic transfers. When using the Bank of America ACH transfers, you can even perform an international transfer to banks of other countries. The transfers may take longer compared to domestic transfers. Most ACH transfers are free to undertake compared to wire transfers that can cost you several dollars.
How to open a BofA account
You can open a Bank of America account either online or at a branch. Nowadays, opening a bank account online has become the day’s talk. You do not have to travel to open an account, as you need your smartphone and a secure internet connection.
But what do you need to open a Bank of America account? Like any other bank, BOA requires you to have the following things to open an account.
- Social Security number (SSN)
- Your email address
- Current residential address
- Your account number or debit card number for your opening deposit into your new Bank of America account
- If opening a joint account, you need the co-applicants personal information
Once you have all the requirements, you can open your account. When opening online, you need to load the BOA website, navigate to the account opening tab, enter your personal information, and verify your information. You should remember to input an offer code on the space provided if at all you have one. After that, you can choose features & funding options for your account.
Upon finishing the application, you will receive an email telling you whether it has been approved, plus the next steps. Your account application processing can take 1 to 2 business days to complete. Your account documents arrive via US Mail within 7-10 business days. However, if there are large volumes of applications, the processing may take longer to complete.
The documents you receive include a signature form that you should sign appropriately to allow BOA to service your account. It is crucial to sign and send your signed form to the bank as soon as possible. If you have any co-applicants, you should also make sure that they sign the signature form. That way, you will enable your identity verification and information reporting tax information.
You can even receive an instant ach transfer no verification with a verified account.
Can a non-resident open a BofA account?
You can open an account with the Bank of America even if you are not a US permanent resident. You must provide your foreign and local address plus your ITIN (Individual Tax Identification Number).
Generally, you need to bring the following things.
1) Proof of US residency
It can be a student/employer photo ID, US government-issued photo ID, current utility bill, or rental agreement: all showing your full name and US physical address.
2) One primary photo ID
That can be a U.S. Non-Immigrant visa and Border Crossing Card-DSP-150, foreign passport, Canadian Citizenship card (with a photo), Guatemalan, Mexican, Dominican, or Colombian Consular ID (with a photo).
3) One secondary ID
It involves a significant credit or debit card with Visa® or Mastercard® logo, a foreign or a United States driver’s license (with a photo), student/employer ID (also with photo), or US Department of State Diplomat ID.
Is it secure to open an account online?
BOA offers a safe platform to open an online account. The institution uses a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology to securely ensure your online details pass to the bank. SSL technology allows you to establish sessions with online sites that are secure, to achieve minimal risk of external violation.
Moreover, you will be able to secure your online account with a password, Touch ID, Face Unlock, or PIN. You can even transfer money from the Bank of America to another bank online without experiencing any technical issues online.
Does the Bank of America allow ACH transfers?
The bank of America allows you to transfer funds to other banks using the ACH method. You require the routing and account numbers of the other account, and you are good to go. ACH transfers are free and can take 3-5 business days to complete. The funds pass through the Automated Clearing House (ACH) for processing before being released to the recipient account.
ACH transfers are secure because you can easily cancel a transaction when it is still pending. That is contrary to wire transfers, whereby money moves to the recipient’s account as soon as you initiate the transfer.
How do I add funds to my new BOA account?
Once you open your BofA account, the next thing is to deposit funds to start transactions. You can move funds from another bank to your Bank of America account to make your deposit. Since BOA is among the banks that accept ACH transfers, it becomes easy to move money to your new account.
If you have another BofA account, you can also transfer funds from the account to your new BofA account. Other ways you can add funds to your new account include; using a debit card, check, or money order.
What are the various accounts that I can get at BOA?
The Bank of America has various bank accounts that you can open. They include the following.
- Checking accounts
- Savings accounts
- CDs
- IRAs
Checking accounts allow you to access funds from your account any time you feel like it. The accounts come with debit cards so that you can easily use them to access funds from ATM points. Instead of keeping your spending funds in your house, you can keep them in your bank.
We have various checking accounts at BOA, such as Bank of America Advantage Banking, Student Banking, and Business checking accounts. A checking account allows you to send money to others. For example, you can transfer money from the Bank of America to Chase using your checking account online or at a branch.
For savings, you can open the Bank of America Advantage Savings account. The account allows you to keep funds you intend to use in the future. If you plan to buy a house, buy land, or take your child to school, then the best place you can keep the funds is in a savings account.
How do I send money using a Bank of America account via ACH?
It is essential to understand the process involved when transferring money from the bank of America using the ACH transfer method. You can use ACH for;
- Direct deposit
- Consumer receipts
- Tax payments
- Cash concentration
- Business payments
- Cross-border transactions:
As I mentioned earlier, you require the receiving bank’s routing and account numbers to send money via ACH. You can request the recipient to forward you the details, or if the other account is yours, you can ask your bank to give you the details.
You then navigate to the ACH transfer section and enter the necessary details to complete the process. There are accounts that BOA instantly credits while others take the usual time for the funds to arrive.
Does the Bank of America accept international wires?
You can benefit from the Bank of America international wire transfers with a BOA account. The bank allows you to send and receive funds internationally via wire transfer. For your information, wire transfer refers to electronic money transfer from one bank to another. It allows you to send large volumes of money to accounts quickly.
The banks themselves handle wire transfers, and once you initiate the process, you may not be able to reverse it. Wire transfers involve some charges. Incoming wires attract a $15 fee while paying $30 for outgoing wires.
Is it safe to keep money at BofA?
The bank of America is safe to keep your money within since it has FDIC insurance for interest-bearing accounts. If the bank collapses, you will still have your money. FDIC insures funds up to $250,000 per account.
Bottom line
The Bank of America (BOA/BofA) is an American multinational investment financial services company headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. You can open a BOA account online or at a branch. The bank offers various accounts such as checking, savings, CDs, and IRAs. You can also perform various transactions such as sending money to other banks via ACH or wire transfers, saving money, or withdrawing funds at ATMs or over the counter.
