Empower processes most payments within one to two business days
When you send money through Empower, the time it takes depends on which payment method you chose and where the money is going. If you're transferring funds between Empower accounts or to a linked bank account, the transfer usually completes within one business day. If you're paying a bill or sending money to someone outside the Empower network, add another business day—so two business days total is typical.
Business days means Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. If you initiate a payment on Friday afternoon, it won't start processing until Monday. Payments sent on a holiday won't move until the next business day after that.
The exact timeline also depends on your bank. Even after Empower sends the payment, your receiving bank may take an additional one to three business days to post it to the account. You can see the payment as "sent" in Empower before it actually shows up in the recipient's account.
Key Takeaways
- Transfers between Empower accounts or to linked bank accounts usually complete within one business day.
- Bill payments and transfers outside the Empower network typically take two business days from the time you send them.
- Your receiving bank may add one to three more business days before the money appears in the recipient's account.
- Payments initiated on weekends or holidays don't start processing until the next business day.
- You can check the status of any payment in your Empower transaction history to see whether it's pending, sent, or delivered.
Why Empower payments take different amounts of time
The speed of your payment depends on the infrastructure behind it. When you transfer money between two Empower accounts, the system moves the funds directly within its own network—that's the fastest route, usually one business day. When you transfer to a bank account linked to your Empower profile, Empower still controls the process, so it's also typically one business day.
Bill payments work differently. Empower doesn't send money directly to the biller. Instead, it initiates a payment order through the ACH network (Automated Clearing House), which is the system that moves money between banks and businesses. ACH batches payments and processes them on a set schedule, which adds time. That's why bill payments take two business days instead of one.
Transfers to accounts at banks where you don't have a profile set up also go through ACH, so they follow the two-business-day timeline. Once Empower sends the payment through ACH, your receiving bank then processes it on its own schedule—which can add another one to three business days.
What happens if your payment doesn't arrive on time
If a payment you sent hasn't arrived after the expected timeframe, start by checking your Empower transaction history. Look for the specific payment and note its status. If it shows as "sent" or "delivered," the payment left Empower on time, and the delay is on the receiving bank's end. If it still shows as "pending," contact Empower support to find out why it hasn't been sent yet.
If the receiving bank is responsible for the delay, you may need to contact them directly. Provide them with the payment date, amount, and the sender's name. Banks can sometimes locate a payment that's in their system but hasn't posted yet. If the payment is truly lost, Empower can initiate a trace to find it, though this process takes additional time.
For bill payments specifically, if the payment doesn't arrive by the due date, contact the biller immediately. Explain that you sent the payment through Empower on a specific date and provide proof (a screenshot of the transaction). Many billers will hold off on late fees if they can see you initiated payment on time, even if it hasn't posted yet.
How to speed up a payment if you're in a time crunch
If you need money to arrive faster than Empower's standard timeline, your options depend on what you're paying. For bill payments, some billers accept same-day or next-day payments through their own websites or apps—check whether the biller offers that option before you use Empower. For transfers to your own bank account, Empower may offer expedited transfer options, though these typically come with a fee.
For peer-to-peer transfers (sending money to another person), Empower's standard timeline is usually the fastest option available through the platform. If the recipient needs the money urgently, consider whether a different payment method—like a wire transfer through your bank, a money transfer service, or a digital wallet like Venmo or PayPal—might be faster. Wire transfers can arrive the same day but cost $15 to $50. Digital wallets are often instant if both parties use the same service.
If you're paying a bill and the due date is coming up, the safest move is to call the biller and ask when they need to receive the payment to avoid a late fee. Some billers post payments several days after they arrive, so arriving by the due date doesn't may provide posting by the due date. Knowing the biller's internal timeline helps you decide whether Empower's speed is fast enough.
Weekends, holidays, and other reasons payments get delayed
Empower doesn't process payments on weekends or federal holidays. If you send a payment on Saturday, it won't start moving until Monday. If Monday is a federal holiday (like Memorial Day or Labor Day), it won't start until Tuesday. This is true for all payment types—transfers, bill payments, and peer transfers.
Some banks also have their own processing windows. If your receiving bank doesn't process ACH transfers on certain days, a payment that Empower sends on Thursday might not arrive until the following Tuesday, even though it left Empower on time. You can't control this, but you can plan around it by sending payments earlier in the week when possible.
Technical issues on Empower's end or the receiving bank's end can also cause delays beyond the standard timeline. If Empower's system is down for maintenance or if a bank's ACH connection is temporarily unavailable, payments queue up and process once the system is back online. Empower's status page will show any known outages, so check there if a payment is taking longer than expected.
How to check the status of a payment you sent
Open your Empower app or log into your account online. Go to your transaction history or activity feed. Find the payment you sent and tap or click on it. You'll see the status—usually one of these: pending (hasn't been sent yet), sent (left Empower, on its way), or delivered (arrived at the destination).
If the payment shows as "sent" or "delivered," Empower has done its job. If it's taking longer to appear in the recipient's account, the delay is with the receiving bank. If the payment still shows as "pending" after the expected timeframe, contact Empower support and provide the transaction ID, date, and amount. They can investigate whether something went wrong on their end.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cancel a payment after I send it through Empower?
It depends on the payment status. If the payment still shows as "pending," you may be able to cancel it before it's sent. Once it shows as "sent" or "delivered," it's too late—the payment has left Empower's system. Contact Empower support immediately if you need to cancel; don't wait. If the payment has already been delivered, you'll need to ask the recipient to return it or contact the receiving bank.
Why does Empower say my payment was sent but the recipient hasn't received it?
Once Empower marks a payment as "sent," it has left Empower's system and is in the hands of the receiving bank. Banks can take one to three business days to post the payment, even after it arrives. The recipient should check with their bank to see if the payment is pending in their account. If it's been more than three business days, contact Empower to initiate a trace.
Is there a difference in processing time between different types of Empower accounts?
Processing times are the same regardless of account type. Whether you have a basic Empower account or a premium account, payments follow the same one- to two-business-day timeline. Some account types may offer expedited transfer options for a fee, but standard processing is consistent across all accounts.
What if I send a payment to someone who doesn't have an Empower account?
The payment goes through the ACH network, so it takes two business days for Empower to send it, plus one to three business days for the receiving bank to post it. The recipient doesn't need an Empower account—they just need a valid bank account. The receiving bank handles the deposit on their end.
Do bill payments process faster if I pay through the biller's website instead of Empower?
Sometimes. If you pay directly on the biller's website using your bank account, the timeline depends on the biller's system. Some billers post same-day payments; others take several days. Check the biller's website to see what they promise. Empower's two-business-day timeline is standard for ACH-based bill payments, but individual billers may offer faster options through their own platforms.