Additional InvoiceCloud Online Tax Bill Payment FAQ
GENERAL
What software should be used?
Windows XP and Vista should be upgraded to Windows 7 or higher to continue use.
What is InvoiceCloud?
InvoiceCloud is a web-based, electronic invoicing and payment company that the Town of East Hartford has partnered with to provide faster, more convenient billing services to our residents. By automating billing and collections, residents can click and pay online while helping the environment and reducing clutter.
Why InvoiceCloud?
The Town of East Hartford wants to make paying bills easier for residents, utilizing the best payment system required to display, safely process and store financial information. The Town chose InvoiceCloud because it is easy to use, and the security is the strongest available. All the data collected is double encrypted and stored on secure servers. The data is not sold or released for any purpose other than to complete transactions.
What are some of the benefits of receiving my bill electronically?
It is convenient, saves time, reduces errors, allows you to receive bills anywhere at any time and helps the environment by saving trees. You can continue to receive a paper bill, but if you elect to go paperless, you can always print out a copy of the invoice if needed.
What are the benefits of paying a bill online?
Paying online with a credit card or electronic check saves time, gives you the flexibility to pay how and when desired, and saves money (no more stamps, paper checks, or envelopes), and InvoiceCloud will store your information for future use – but only if you choose to store it.
UTILIZING THE SYSTEM
How does the system work?
1. Starting from the Town of East Hartford’s Homepage, locate the “Tax Collection” in the menu under the “Government” tab at the top of the page.
2. In the left side menu, click “Online Tax Payment or Inquiry Link”.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to set your search criteria, and select the bill you wish to view or pay, and “add to cart”.
4. From your “shopping cart” you can either:
a. Enter payment information for a One Time Payment, or
b. Register and set up an account to schedule a payment. Selecting this option will allow you to receive reminders via email or text, and help you schedule future transactions as well.
5. After making your One Time Payment or registering and scheduling your payment, you will receive an email receipt detailing your payment amount and payment process date.
Do I need to register to pay a bill?
You may need to register to receive electronic bills by email, but registration is not required for One Time Payments. One Time Payments require that you enter your payment information each time you make a payment. By registering, you avoid that step and gain access to your payment history.
Why should I register to pay a bill?
By registering, you have access to all of your invoices regardless of type and all of the features of the payment portal. These features include the ability to view all current invoices, see previous invoices and payment dates, update your profile information, access the online customer service system, go paperless, schedule payments for a specific date, and sing up for Auto-Pay. You also avoid having to enter your payment information each time you pay a bill.
How do I register?
1. Starting from the Town of East Hartford’s Homepage, locate the “Tax Collection” in the menu under the “Government” tab at the top of the page.
2. In the left side menu, click “Online Tax Payment or Inquiry Link”.
3. Once there, you will need to locate your account and be given the opportunity to register or make a One Time Payment.
4. If you choose to register, you will be asked to provide a password and accept the terms and conditions to use the system.
5. The payment information you enter in your profile will then be securely encrypted and saved for your next visit.
How do I find my account number to login?
Once you have registered, you will need only your email address and password to log in. To login the first time you use the system, you will need your account number or customer ID from your bill. The “locate your bill” screen gives instructions regarding the required information.
I forgot my password, how do I find it?
You should click on “Forgotten Password?” at the bottom of the login screen. You will need your account number and email address to retrieve your password.
Can I use an Apple/Mac to use this service? What browsers are supported?
Yes, many residents use Macs. The platform supports all modern browsers on both Macs and PCs.
PAYMENT
What forms of payment can I use?
You can pay by credit or debit card or you may issue an electronic check from your bank account (checking or savings).
What are the costs for paying online?
There are no signup costs or subscription fees. The non-refundable service fee when using an ACH transfer (electronic check) from your checking or savings account is $0.90 per transaction.
The non-refundable service fee when using credit cards is a percentage-based or flat rate fee that varies depending on the card type and the bill you are paying. The service fee is automatically calculated based upon the type of credit card used and the dollar amount of the bill being paid and is shown on the payment page before you submit your payment for processing.
What is a service or convenience fee?
The service or convenience fee is a non-refundable fee added to an invoice to cover various administrative costs associated with billing and accepting payment.
Do I have to enter an email address to make an electronic payment? Will I receive a confirmation email that my bill has been paid?
Yes, an email address is required for payment confirmation. A payment receipt will be sent via email.
If I don’t have an email can I still process an electronic payment?
No, to complete the online payment process, you will need an email address so that the system can deliver your payment confirmation. If you do not have an email address, you can obtain a free email account from any of the following services: yahoo.com; Hotmail.com; or gmail.com.
When I try to pay my bill, it asks for credit card information and I want to pay by electronic check.
Under “How would you like to pay”, click on the drop-down box and choose EFT Check.
What is Auto-Pay? Can I cancel Auto-Pay?
If you elect to opt in to Auto-Pay, it means that your bills will be paid automatically on their due dates using your default credit card or bank account. This will avoid any late fees and free you from having to remember when you pay.
To cancel Auto-Pay, simply go into your profile and uncheck the Auto-Pay box that you had previously checked when you elected to opt in to Auto-Pay.
I signed up for Auto-Pay but do not see any information under “My scheduled payments.”
The Auto Pay date will not appear under scheduled payments. Auto-Pay will be debited from your account on the due date.
Scheduled payments are scheduled individually by you for each bill on your specified due date. You can set up a future payment at any time prior to the bill due date. You can change the scheduled payment as long as it is changed before the date it was scheduled to be paid.
Auto-Pay is an automated process which pays your balance in full each billing cycle at 2am on the due date.
What is Account Linking?
Self Service Account Linking means that residents are able to view and pay all open bills with a single transaction. When registering bills under the same email address, payers are given the option to link the related accounts within the service. Linked accounts provide the following efficiencies:
- Faster, simpler payments across bill types. For example, a resident with three real estate tax bills, two personal property bills and six motor vehicle bills can login to any one account and view, manage preferences (Auto Pay, Paperless setting etc.) and pay all of the accounts at the same time.
- Linked accounts can access the same encrypted credit card and bank account information, so payers only need to enter it once.
- Multiple first email notifications scheduled for the same day, are grouped into one email rather than sent separately, resulting in fewer notifications for payers.
- Upon receipt of the email notification, the payer can view or pay all bills together, including any open or unpaid bills from other bill types. This is particularly useful for residents with multiple parcels and multiple motor vehicles.
- Payment receipts are always sent out individually.
- Editing an email or password changes it for all accounts in the linked group, however, changing an address, auto-pay or paperless setting is only for the accessed account.
I cannot locate my bill.
Please scroll down on the page to view the matching items at the bottom. Otherwise, try reconfiguring your search criteria. You may be entering more than one search criteria for Real Estate or Motor Vehicle bills, which may only require one out of two fields. Search criteria must also be entered exactly as indicated on a printed bill.
When I sign up to go paperless, will I still receive a paper bill in the mail? If not, how can I start receiving paper bills again?
No, you will receive an email notification each time a new bill is ready for you to view and pay. Email notifications go to the email address used when you registered, a second email address may be added if you wish to send notifications to an additional or back up email address.
To receive paper bills again, simply go into your profile and under Paperless Options, select “No, I don’t want to go paperless.” Be sure to update/save the change.
SECURITY
Is my information secure?
InvoiceCloud uses the highest standards in internet security. Account information displayed within the customer and biller portals is truncated (abbreviated) to protect confidential data. Any information retained is not shared with third parties.
Are my credit card and checking account information safe when I pay online?
Absolutely. InvoiceCloud will safely store all of your financial information using Payment Card Industry (PCI) Compliant systems. This includes truncating account numbers so that even the Town does not see your complete account information.
What is PCI Compliance and why is it so important?
PCI stands for Payment Card Industry, and compliance with the industry standards is a requirement for those that accept the major credit cards and for software providers who have applications which involve the transmission and/or storage of credit card information. If breaches are found on systems that are not PCI compliant, the major credit card companies have the ability to levy significant fines on the offending parties.
Who has access to my account?
You and the Town’s authorized staff. No one will have access to your financial information as all check routing numbers and credit card numbers are truncated, so you never have to worry about security.
GETTING HELP
Who do I contact with questions about a bill?
If you are unable to find the information you need in your online payment history or open invoices, please call the Tax Collector’s office at (860) 291-7250.
I accidentally deleted my email notification, what should I do?
If you are registered, you can login to your account and view the bill there, or you can call the Tax Collector’s office and ask them to resend the email.
What if the website is down or for some reason I am unable to use this site?
Please be aware that any interest and fees will not be waived if this website in inoperable for any reason or if data entry errors occur. If the website is inoperable, payments can be made by check or money order in the mail or drop box at the Community Cultural Center
If I have additional questions or I am having trouble registering, who should I call?
The Town of East Hartford Tax Collector’s Office can be reached at (860) 291-7250 to answer most questions, but if the website is down or inoperable please call InvoiceCloud customer service at (781) 848-3733.