Why the change with Bank of America on line payments

TJHuot

Yesterday I received an email from Quicken stating that I will have to go to the BOA site to make on-line payments and can no longer make them through Quicken. Where did this upcoming change with on-line banking with BOA come from? I assume it is BOA, but if it is a Quicken idea, I don't like it. I've been using Quicken since it first came out and there has never been a step backwards like this one.

csavard

Looks like Quicken is trying to pick up more bill pay customers. I'm able to use Quicken Deluxe (vs Premier) since my bill pay was going through BOA. Now, I would need to switch to the more expensive plan. It may be time to dump both BOA and Quicken.

Boatnmaniac

It's coming from BOA.  BOA started that "step backward" several years ago when they discontinued support of Direct Connect (which eliminated Bank Bill Pay) for customers who would set up new Quicken connections with them.  They did grandfather in continuation of that DC service for customers who already had DC service established at that time so if you have DC set up with them you are one of the lucky ones.

There is a newer connection protocol that uses rotating tokens instead of saved UserIDs and PWs called EWC+.  However, EWC does not support Bank Bill Pay and, at least at this time, neither does EWC+.

DC costs the financial institutions a lot of money in contract fees and in system setup and maintenance.  EWC and EWC+ have much lower total related costs for them. And it is my understanding that the new connection protocol is something that perhaps they can standardize on with other 3rd party financial softwares.

EWC+ is being promoted as faster and more secure...but compared to what?  Than EWC?  Perhaps.  Than DC?  I don't think so.

Financial institutions have been pushing to cut in EWC+.  The process started with Schwab last Nov, PayPal in April, Chase earlier this month and now BOA.  Others will be following suit but we have not yet been informed of who and when. 

It is my understanding that financial institutions that do convert their support to EWC+ will no longer support DC nor EWC.  That's logical because it would no longer be a cost reduction for them if they continued support of them in addition to EWC+.

Those who currently have DC (a 2-way communication process) and use the DC Bank Bill Pay feature will need to log into their online bank accounts to schedule bill payments after EWC+ (a 1-way communication process) cuts in.

In addition (at least with Chase) Quicken Bill Manager's Quick Pay will no longer be able to be used, either...but Check Pay will still be able to be used.  Not sure if this is also going to be the case with BOA.

Another option, of course, is to leave BOA and set up with another bank that still supports DC and Bank Bill Pay.  But will that new bank be converting to EWC+ and when will that happen?