Frequently Asked Questions

Have an Online Banking Question?

Select a topic below and receive a quick answer.

Online Banking User Information
Bill Pay and E-Billing
Quicken User Information
Microsoft Money User Information

Online Banking User Information

• How do I get started with online banking?
• What type of system and software do I need?
• Is online banking secure?
• How does Washington Trust's Enhanced Login Security protect my account information?
• How much does online banking cost?
• Do both people need to complete an online application for joint accounts?
• What accounts can I access with online banking?
• How often can I view account information?
• How frequently is account information updated?
• What happens if I forget my password?
• How can online banking help me manage my money?
• What is the difference between "Account Balance" and "Available Account Balance"?
• Why can't I use the Back and Forward Buttons?
• How far back can I view my account history?
• Can I view my statement online?

Bill Pay and E-Billing

• Once I've signed up for electronic bill payment, when can I start paying bills online?
• How long does it take to pay a bill once a new payee is set up?
• How long does it take for a payment to reach the payee?
• What happens if I make a payment and there are insufficient funds in my account?
• How can I verify that a payment has been made, or cancel a payment?
• Who do I contact if my bill was not paid?
• How do I close my Bill Payment Account?
• What happens if I need to change my checking account number for bill payment

Q. How do I get started with online banking?
A. It's easy, simply click here! Or, Click on Online Banking in the left hand navigation and click on "Sign-Up". Or, Click on the Personal Banking Tab in the top navigation.  Click on "New to Personal Online Banking? Enroll Now!" located on the right under Personal Banking Login.

Q. What type of system and software do I need?
A. You must have a computer with 128-bit encryption and a browser of 6.0 or higher. See browser guidelines below.

Operating System	Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE) Browsers	Netscape Browsers	AOL Browsers	Firefox Browsers	Mac Browsers
Win 98	Not Supported	Not Supported	Not Supported	Not Supported	N/A
Win 2000, SP4	Certified: 6.x	Not Supported	Supported:  8.0, 9.0	Supported: 2.0 Certified: 3.0	N/A
Win XP, SP2 (Recommended)	Certified: 7.0	Not Supported	Certified: 8.0, 9.0	Supported: 2.0 Certified: 3.0	N/A
Win Vista	Certified: 7.0	Not Supported	Certified: 8.0, 9.0	Supported: 2.0 Certified: 3.0	N/A
Mac OS X	Not Supported	Not Supported	Supported: AOL for OS X	Not Supported	Supported: Safari 1.2* Certified: Safari 3.0*

*Safari 1.2 and 3.0 require Macintosh OS X 10.3 or higher

Q. Is online banking secure?
A. Security is a top priority at Washington Trust and we have taken every precaution to ensure your information is transmitted safely and securely. We use state-of-the-art technology to monitor the integrity and security of our system. The American Bankers Association endorses our online banking service.

We address security at three levels:

• The first concern is the security of customer information as it is sent from the customer's PC to the Web server.
• The second area concerns the security of the environment in which the Online Banking server and customer information database resides.
• Finally, security measures are in place to prevent unauthorized users from attempting to log into the online banking section of the Web site.

E-mail transactions may not be secure. Please do not send personal information, such as account numbers, passwords, or account information via e-mail.

Q. How does Washington Trust's Enhanced Login Security protect my account information?
A. This superior security technology protects your identity from whatever computer you're using, whether at home, at the office, or on the go. It identifies you as the true “owner” of your accounts by recognizing not only your password, but your computer as well. If your computer isn't recognized by us - you've logged in from a public computer or one you haven't used before - we'll ask you challenge questions as an additional line of defense to prevent unauthorized access. Your identity is protected, and your peace of mind? At ease.

Washington Trust's Enhanced Login Security will:

• Defend against identity theft and fraud.
• Provide added security from any computer, wherever you are.
• Make it easy for you with one-time sign-up and convenient access

Q. How much does online banking cost?
A.

Washington Trust online banking/Bill Payment Service Fees As of January 1, 2009 Checking Account Type Online Banking Bill Payment Service Freedom Plus Free Free Freedom Account Free Free Additional Bill Payment Service Fees Online NSF surcharge Bill Payment Service Stop Payment Bill Payment Service check copy $5.00 each $25.00 each $15.00 each

Q. Do both people need to complete an online application for joint accounts?
A. Yes. Each person needs to complete a separate online application listing the joint accounts they would like to access with online banking.

Q. What accounts can I access with online banking?
A. You can access all active checking, savings, loan, or CD accounts in your name.

Q. How often can I view account information?
A. You may view account history and transactions 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Q. How frequently is account information updated?
A. Washington Trust updates account information on a daily basis, usually late in the evening, after normal banking hours.

Q. What happens if I forget my password?
A. If you forgot your Online Banking password, or have been locked out of the system, please complete the following steps to gain access:

1. Contact us at 401-348-1200 or toll free at 1-800-475-2265 to have your password reset.
2. Obtain verbal confirmation that we have reset your password before you proceed to the next step.

Or

1. Click on "Forgot Your Password?" located on the Personal Banking page under Personal Banking Login. 
2. Enter your User ID which is your login name.
3. Answer the security quetions and click "Continue".
4. Enter a new password. Re-enter the new password and click "Continue". Your password is reset. Click on "Login". You may log on to Online Banking with your User ID and new password.

Q. How can online banking help me manage my money?
A. You can download account information from your online banking account into personal financial software, such as Money (OFX), or Quicken (QIF), Quicken (OFX). You can also download information into a spreadsheet as comma delimited text. Online banking also helps you manage your money in the following ways:

• Bill Payment: You can pay all of your bills electronically, as long as they are in the United States. For more information, view the "Bill Pay & E-Billing" section of the website or Personal online banking Agreement. NOTE: You should not use this feature to pay taxes or other government bills.
• Transfer Funds: You can transfer funds from your checking and savings accounts to your other online accounts.
• E-mail Notifications: You can have the bank send you e-mail messages to notify you of specific account activity. Example: You can ask to be notified when a specific check clears, or when your account balance rises above or falls below a certain amount.
• Create Reports: You can create reports to view transactions by time period or dollar amount. You can search for a specific check or check range. Simply click "Transaction Search" located under "Account Access". 

Q. What is the difference between "Account Balance" and "Available Account Balance"?
A. The "Account Balance" reflects your current account balance. The "Available Account Balance" reflects your current balance plus overdraft protection or any holds you may have placed on your account.

Q. Why can't I use the Back or Forward buttons?
A. As part of the online banking security feature, you cannot use the Back or Forward buttons. Use the navigation buttons on the top of your screen to navigate. Once you are ready to exit, click on the "Logout" button located in the top right hand navigation.

Q. How far back can I view my account history?
A. The "Account Access" feature displays deposit account activity as of your last statement date. You can view up to 18 months of history from the date your account was established with us. To view your account activity click on the underlined name of your account. The "Account Access", "Transaction Search" allows you to search for specific transactions by check, time period or dollar amount.

Q. Can I view my statement online?
A. Yes. You are able to view 2 years of online statements. Simply click on the Online Statement button, agree to the online disclosure, and choose an account to view from the drop down menu. If you would like to stop the mailing of your paper statements, click on User Options, Online Statement Options, select "waive the mailing of your monthly paper statement", and click on "change online statement options".

Q. Once I've signed up for Bill Pay & E-Billing, when can I start paying bills online?
A. Once you complete and submit the online form, you can start paying bills immediately.

Q. How long does it take to pay a bill once a new payee is set up?
A. Once you have entered the payee into the system, you may pay your bill to that payee immediately. Please note that the payment date is the date the payment is to be sent to the payee and not the date the payment is due.

Q. How long does it take for a payment to reach the payee?
A. Please allow 5 business days for check payments to be received. An ACH or electronic payment takes two to three business days.

Q. What happens if I make a payment and there are insufficient funds in my account?
A. If you have scheduled a payment for which there are insufficient funds, the Bill Payment Service will be automatically blocked for future bill payments until the account has sufficient funds.  Three attempts will be made to collect the funds.

Q. How can I verify that a payment has been made, or cancel a payment?
A. Click on "Bill Payment" and your pending payments automatically display under "Pending Payments".  You can view, edit or delete a payment until 9:00 pm EST on the day the payment is scheduled to be sent.  To view processed payments, click on "Reports" and run a report on a specific payee or all your payees.  If you need to cancel a payment that has already been transmitted, please contact us at 401-348-1200 or toll-free at 1-800-475-2265.

Q. Who do I contact if my bill was not paid?
A. Contact us at 401-348-1200 or toll-free at 1-800-475-2265.

Q. How do I close my Bill Payment Account?
A. Contact us at 401-348-1200 or toll-free at 1-800-475-2265.

Q. What happens if I need to change my checking account number for bill payment?
A. You will need to contact us at 401-348-1200 or toll-free at 1-800-475-2265 to have your bill payment account number changed.