Deposit Cash with USAA

Online checking accounts, such as those offered by USAA, come with a lot of advantages. They have lower fees, your bank is open 24/7, and you can do everything online or with your mobile phone – everything but deposit cash. While you can take a picture of a check to deposit it digitally, you can't do that with cash. If you have a USAA account, you have to use a deposit-taking ATM to deposit cash. If there's not one near you, look for other options.

Steps

Locating an ATM

1. Use the USAA ATM locator website. USAA has a number of locations nationwide where you can manage your USAA accounts, primarily using an ATM. Click on "ATMs and Locations" under the "Help" menu to get started.
   • By default the map shows all USAA locations nationwide. You can zoom in and out on the map.
   • Clicking on a dot on the map brings up specific information about that location and the services available there.
2. Find the nearest ATM. On the USAA ATM locator page, limit your search results to ATMs where you can deposit cash. You can put in a city or zip code as well, or just click on dots from the map. There aren't many ATMs where you can deposit cash.
   • If you frequently have cash deposits, you may want to check this map before you open a checking account with USAA. There are large areas of the country where no cash deposit-taking ATMs are available, including the Pacific Northwest, most of the Midwest, and parts of the South.
3. Deposit your cash. If you live in an area where a cash deposit-taking ATM is nearby, you have a relatively easy way to deposit cash with USAA. These ATMs will take up to 30 bills at a time, and don't require any deposit slips or envelopes.
   • Double-check that the machine counted your cash correctly, and keep your receipt.
4. Follow up on your deposit. Depending on the location where you made your deposit, there may be a hold on your funds. There should be information on your receipt telling you when your funds will be available.
   • Check your USAA account within 24 hours to make sure your deposit is accurately reflected in your account.

Assessing Other Options

1. Locate a USAA Preferred ATM. While you can't deposit cash into a Preferred ATM, you can withdraw funds, check account balances, or move funds between accounts without accruing any ATM fees.
   • Look for ATMs that have an "Allpoint," "MoneyPass," or "PNC Bank" logo. These are USAA Preferred ATMs.
   • If you find a Preferred ATM attached to a bank branch, you may want to consider opening an account at that bank. You can use that account for cash deposits and also manage your USAA account from the same location.
2. Purchase a cashier's check or money order. Turning your cash into a cashier's check or money order is perhaps the easiest way to deposit cash with USAA. Money orders never cost more than a few dollars, and the funds will be available immediately.
   • Once you get your cashier's check or money order, simply deposit it into your USAA account using your mobile banking app. Because the funds are guaranteed, they will be available in your account immediately.
   • One limit of this method is that you may be restricted to normal business hours when you want to purchase a check or money order.
3. Get a prepaid debit card. With a prepaid debit card, you may be able to reload it with cash around the clock. Link the card to your USAA account and you can easily transfer money from the card to your account online.
   • Shop around for prepaid debit cards to find the one with the lowest fees that has convenient locations for you to reload the card.
4. Maintain another account for cash deposits. If you already have a checking account at a brick-and-mortar bank, you can deposit your cash into that account and then transfer the money to your USAA account. This typically isn't the easiest or most efficient way to deposit cash with USAA.
   • While USAA doesn't charge any fees for incoming transfers, the other bank may charge a fee to initiate the transfer. Find out how much the transfer is going to cost you before you open an account, especially if you're going to have frequent cash deposits.
   • Hold times are another thing to keep in mind. Using this method may mean your funds aren't available in your USAA account for several days.
5. Write a check from another account. If you have a friend or family member who has a checking account with a brick-and-mortar bank, they may be able to work out an arrangement with you. Deposit the cash in their bank account, then have them write you a check for the total.
   • Once you get their check, you can deposit it using the USAA mobile banking app on your phone.
   • Take note of any hold times on personal checks so you know when your funds will be available in your USAA account.

Sources and Citations

See also

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• Safely Use an ATM
• Open a Bank Account
• Make ACH Payments

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