Overview

This guide explains when Astra transmits your ACH Transfers, when those Transfers settle between banks, and when the funds become available in the destination account.

Settlement and funds availability are two different events:

A Transfer that settles at 1:00 p.m. ET has not necessarily reached the destination account at 1:00 p.m. ET. Use the tables below to set accurate expectations with your end users.

How a Transfer moves

Timing depends on the settlement speed you request and on whether your program has an FBO Settlement Account. Confirm both before setting end-user expectations.

Real-Time and Same Day ACH (T+0) flows

These require an FBO+ Settlement Account, which Astra creates for your program as a Payment Instrument. Astra originates both legs of the Transfer in the same processing window. The credit does not wait for the debit.

For these flows, a single row in the tables below covers the whole Transfer.

Standard ACH flows (T+1, T+2, T+4)

Astra originates the debit leg first. After the debit processes, Astra creates the credit leg. The two legs settle on different days.

For these flows, each row in the "Next Day ACH (T+1)" table describes one leg, not the whole transfer. To get the end-to-end timeline, add the credit leg's own settlement time.

Example of a T+1 transfer:

The Transfer was submitted at T+1 settlement speed, but funds reach the destination account on the second banking day, not the first. The Astra dashboard reports this as the estimated clearing date.

What each column means

Same Day ACH (T+0)

Plan for the third window (row) differently. Transfers in the 4:45 p.m. ET window settle same day, but the destination bank may not release the funds for withdrawal until the next banking day. If your end user needs the money same day, target one of the first two windows.

Next Day ACH (T+1)

Why funds can appear later than the settlement time

Several factors are involved:

• Local time, not Eastern time. Nacha states availability deadlines in the destination bank's local time. A West Coast bank meets the first Same Day window requirement at 1:30 p.m. PT, which is 4:30 p.m. ET.

• Bank posting practices. Nacha sets a deadline, not a schedule. Some banks post ACH credits within minutes of receiving the file. Others batch postings and hold to the deadline.

• Memo posting versus available balance. Your end user may see a pending credit before the funds are available to withdraw.

• Banking days only. Settlement dates skip weekends and Federal Reserve holidays. A Transfer submitted Friday afternoon for T+1 settles Monday.

• Destination bank holds. The destination bank may apply its own hold policy to incoming credits, independent of Nacha's requirements.

Choosing between a late T+0 and an early T+1

If you miss the final Same Day window, submitting a T+1 request before 6:45 p.m. ET delivers funds sooner than waiting to submit a T+0 request in the 9:45 a.m. ET window the next morning.

If the ACH debit is returned

A Transfer that reaches processed at Astra can not be considered final. There is a possibility the ACH debit is returned. Returns typically arrive one to two banking days after settlement. Unauthorized ACH debit returns can arrive up to 60 calendar days later.

Additionally, an ACH return can arrive after the credit leg has already been delivered and made available to your end user, in both Transfer structures. When that happens, the funds cannot be pulled back automatically. Astra marks the Transfer as failed and begins ACH return recovery.

Related articles

• Financial Institutions Eligible for Real-Time Settlement

• What is an ACH Return Code

• Guide to Managing ACH Returns