Financial Partners debit cards have been real-time for several years. With the recent provider changes, many of our members are seeing just how real-time purchases with our cards can be. Real-time means that the moment the card is used, the funds are taken from your account. This can happen one of two ways: if the purchase was made using a PIN, the funds will typically be seen as leaving the account instantly but if the purchase was not made using a PIN, the funds will typically be placed on hold. The first type of transaction is easy to see, however, some confusion can come with the second. If the funds are placed on hold until the transaction clears, you will not have access to the funds in your account to make other purchases or to clear checks or other automatic debits that are due. This may not be obvious in your account history, since held transactions do not show there. Therefore, if you view your account online, it may appear that those funds are still available when in fact, they are not. Please be aware of the transactions you make with your card so that you have an accurate balance.
