Apparatus and methods for providing a payment system over a network

A method for processing a payment at an accumulator that receives employer information and data about a bank account of the employer via a network, comprising:

• storing the employer information in a database;
• storing the data about the bank account of the employer in the database;
• submitting a debit against the bank account of the employer via a financial clearinghouse based on instructions received from the employer;
• if the debit is not applied successfully against the bank account of the employer at an employer's bank by the financial clearinghouse,
• handling a return received from the financial clearinghouse, the return indicating that the debit was not successful;
• and
• if the debit is applied successfully against the bank account of the employer at the employer's bank,
• receiving a credit corresponding to the debit from the financial clearinghouse.

A system for processing a payment at an accumulator that receives employer information and data about a bank account of the employer via a network, comprising:

• a first storing component configured to store the employer information in a database;
• a second storing component configured to store the data about the bank account of the employer in the database;
• a submitting component configured to submit a debit against the bank account of the employer via a financial clearinghouse based on instructions received from the employer;
• a handling component configured to handle a return received from the financial clearinghouse, the return indicating that the debit was not successful, if the debit is not applied successfully against the bank account of the employer at an employer's bank by the financial clearinghouse;
• and
• a first receiving component configured to receive a credit corresponding to the debit from the financial clearinghouse, if the debit is applied successfully against the bank account of the employer at the employer's bank.

A computer readable medium having computer readable code embodied therein for processing a payment at an accumulator that receives employer information and data about a bank account of the employer via a network, the computer readable code comprising:

• a first storing module configured to store the employer information in a database;
• a second storing module configured to store the data about the bank account of the employer in the database;
• a submitting module configured to submit a debit against the bank account of the employer via a financial clearinghouse based on instructions received from the employer;
• a handling module configured to handle a return received from the financial clearinghouse, the return indicating that the debit was not successful, if the debit is not applied successfully against the bank account of the employer at an employer's bank by the financial clearinghouse;
• and
• a receiving module configured to receive a credit corresponding to the debit from the financial clearinghouse, if the debit is applied successfully against the bank account of the employer at the employer's bank.

A system for processing a payment at an accumulator that receives employer information and data about a bank account of the employer via a network, comprising:

• means for storing the employer information in a database;
• means for storing the data about the bank account of the employer in the database;
• means for submitting a debit against the bank account of the employer via a financial clearinghouse based on instructions received from the employer;
• means for handling a return received from the financial clearinghouse, the return indicating that the debit was not successful, if the debit is not applied successfully against the bank account of the employer at an employer's bank by the financial clearinghouse;
• and
• means for receiving a credit corresponding to the debit from the financial clearinghouse, if the debit is applied successfully against the bank account of the employer at the employer's bank.