ACH returns and cancellations

When the receiving bank sends an ACH payment back, Accountable shows you why and what to do next. You can also cancel a payment before it goes out.

Spotting a returned payment

Returned payments show a Returned status in Transactions. Filter by Type > Payment Reversals to see returns and reversals together. Open the payment to see the reason.

Common return reasons

Reason	What it means	What to do
No account	The destination account could not be found.	Request new bank details.
Invalid account number	The destination account number is invalid.	Request new bank details.
Account closed	The destination has been closed.	Request new bank details.
Account frozen	The destination has been frozen.	Ask the recipient to contact their bank, or pay by check.
Incorrect account holder name	The account holder name on the destination does not match.	Confirm the legal name on the account.
Bank account restricted	The account limits the type or number of transfers, often because it's a savings account.	Ask for a checking account.
Bank ownership changed	The branch changed ownership, so the account details are no longer valid.	Request new bank details.
Declined	The bank declined the payment.	Ask the recipient to contact their bank.

Where the money goes

When a payment is returned, the funds come back to the Accountable account it was sent from. The return appears as its own transaction so your books stay accurate.

Requesting new bank details

1. Go to Payments > Recipients and open the recipient.
2. Click Request New Bank Details.

The recipient gets a secure link to update their information. Once they do, pay them again.

Cancelling a payment

If you catch a mistake before a payment goes out:

1. Open the payment in Transactions.
2. Click Cancel Payment.
3. Confirm with Yes, Cancel Payment.

Cancellation is attempted but not guaranteed. If the payment has already been sent, you'll see "Payment cannot be canceled."

ACH trace IDs

For a payment a recipient says they haven't received, open it and share the ACH Trace ID. Their bank can use it to locate the deposit.

Tip: Invited recipients enter their own bank details, which cuts down on returns caused by typos.