> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.bolto.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# A Payment Failed

> Returned employer debits, funding limits, failed contractor payouts, and what Bolto needs to retry or trace a payment.

Read this when a payroll or contractor payment shows **Failed**, you've been told a debit was returned, or a worker says money bounced or never arrived.

***

## Employer debit failed (payroll)

Bolto debits your bank account for net pay and taxes when you approve. If the debit is returned, the usual reasons are insufficient funds, a frozen or closed account, or a debit block your bank placed on new ACH originators.

**What happens:**

* In many cases employees have already been paid, because Bolto fronted the money. The failed debit is to your company, and it has to be collected before any new payroll can be approved.
* Bolto emails you and your CSM reaches out. Until it's fixed, new payrolls, off-cycles, and contractor payments are held.

**What to do:**

1. Fund the account (or have your bank lift the block), then tell support it's safe to retry the debit. Or add a different bank account under **Organization → Banking & Payments** and ask us to retry from that one.
2. Bolto retries the debit. Once it clears, approvals are unblocked.

<Warning>
  After a returned debit, your processing period gets longer for a while, for example from next-day to three business days. Approval deadlines move earlier to match. Check the new deadline on your next draft.
</Warning>

## Quarter-end balancing debit failed

At quarter end Bolto debits a small true-up for tax liabilities. If that debit fails, the same rules apply. New payrolls are held until it's retried successfully. The amount is usually small. The block isn't.

## You hit a funding limit

Each company has a weekly ACH debit limit based on history and bank statements. Large payrolls or contractor runs can go over it, and the payment can't start. Bolto can request a limit increase (we'll ask for recent bank statements), or, for a one-time large run, we can arrange for you to wire the funds. Contact support before the deadline if a run will be unusually large.

## Contractor payment failed

| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
| - | - | - |
| Payment to one contractor shows Failed | Their bank details are invalid or missing | The contractor adds a valid account in their portal, then Bolto retries. Or you pay them another way and Bolto refunds the failed amount. |
| International run stuck in Due | The funding invoice hasn't been paid, or the ACH to fund it failed | Pay the invoice, or check Auto-Pay and bank settings under **Contractors → Payments → Settings** |
| Run shows Processing for days | Cross-border transfers can take several business days depending on country, bank holidays, and first-time payments | Normal within 3 to 5 business days for international. Beyond that, email support with the run name. |
| Contractor says the payment bounced | Account closed or wrong number | Ask them to check their account details in their portal. Bolto can trace the payment. Give us the contractor name and payment date. |
| Bank linking (Plaid or Stripe) keeps failing | Some banks block instant linking | Add the account by hand with routing and account numbers |

## Payment went to the wrong account

If a payment landed in the wrong account (for example an employee typed a wrong account number), contact support right away with the bank name, the wrong and correct account numbers, routing number, date, and amount. Recovery depends on the receiving bank and works best the sooner it starts.

## A charge came from the wrong company account

Each payroll group and each contractor payment type has its own bank account. If a debit came from an account you didn't expect, check which account the group is assigned to under **Organization → Banking & Payments**. If what's shown doesn't match what was charged, email support.


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