Accept Credit Cards for Counselors, Psychologists, Therapists, Chiroprators, CPAs and Other Professionals

1. Why do I have to give you authorization to make deposits and withdrawals to my bank account, and authorization to make charges to my credit card?
This is a standard practice in the industry. The acquiring bank uses an automated system to electronically deposit payments into the merchant's account, or to electronically withdraw collections. We use electronic funds transfer to deposit funds directly into your account to help minimize our overhead and provide an economically feasible means for you to be able to accept credit cards. You will usually receive payment for your charges before the card holder receives their credit card statement. A card holder has several months to dispute a charge, and if your client claims the charge is incorrect or fraudulent the funds have to be returned (charge back) unless we can prove otherwise. We need to be able to withdraw money from your account to cover such a claim. The annual membership fee will also be automatically withdrawn from your account when it is due.
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2. What type of bank account do I need?
You will need a checking account. Your bank must allow this account to be credited and debited via ACH methods. Your present business checking account or personal checking account will likely be sufficient.
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3. How will I get paid for charges I submit through ProfessionalCharges.com?
The money will be deposited directly into your checking account by Electronic Funds Transfer. We will issue the transfer 4 business days after you submit your transactions. The funds should show up in your bank account 6 or 7 days after you make the charge. Bank holidays and weekends might cause a delay.
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4. Is the information I submit on my application secure?
Yes, your application information is encrypted and secured.
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5. Who will review the information on my application?
Either Dr. Nadig or Dr. Nies will review the completed application for final approval and activation of the new account. The information you provide will be kept secure and confidential.
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6. Is there a contract to sign?
You will be asked to sign a form confirming you have read, understand, and will abide by the Member Agreement, the User's Guide, and the Schedule of Fees. You also need to sign an authorization for ACH transactions that enable us to electronically transfer funds directly into your account, and to personally guarantee the account.
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7. How do I prevent a charge back?
You can reduce the chances of getting a chargeback by always getting a properly completed Credit Card Payment Consent Form authorizing the charge, and by being explicit with your clients that your charge will be listed on their monthly credit card statement as ProfessionalCharges.com or some abbreviation of it. If a cardholder questions a charge the credit card issuing bank will contact us and ask for verification. If we provide them with a copy of the signed authorization within 72 hours, the matter should be resolved and no chargeback will occur. If the cardholder claims the charge is fraudulent the credit card company will chargeback the funds, and then notify us of the chargeback.

The "Informed Consent" document that you have your patients sign at the beginning of treatment may also be important. If the patient incorrectly claims that you guarantee your services and will give a refund if he/she is not satisfied, a copy of the signed informed consent would also be needed.

There are many laws protecting consumers. Protect yourself with proper documentation and competent, ethical practice.

It might also be a wise option to make a photocopy of the front and back of your client's card.
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8. How do I protect myself from the disturbed client who is mad at me and decides to stop the charges?
See No. 7 above.
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9. Can I accept credit card payment for services provided by my Psychological Assistant?
If technically/legally it is your client, and if you supervise and are legally responsible for the actions of your psychological assistant, you can accept credit card payments for services rendered by your psychological assistant.
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10. Is there a minimum use requirement? What if I don't submit any charges for several months?
There is no minimum use requirement. It only costs $98.00 to have the option of being able to accept your client's credit card. If you don't use our service there are no additional fees. This is one of the benefits of becoming a member.
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11. Can I accept a credit card that was issued in another country?
Yes. The cost is a little higher and the transaction charges are 4.5% plus $1.00. If you ever have a chargeback of a foreign charge you will not be able to contest the chargeback since the legal system would be beyond the reach of the courts in this country.
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12. Why is my charge not accepted when I am using a card that I know is valid?

Double check the accuracy of the credit card number, the CVV security code, and the expiration date.
A charge will be denied if the card holder's available credit is less than your charge, and sometimes when the card holder has missed a payment. As a precaution, a credit card company may deny a charge that is different than the cardholder's pattern of charges.
One of the servers involved in the process may be temporarily down. Resubmit the charge a little later.
Some tracking cookies and other malware will prevent a charge from going through. Use your security software regularly to clean out any malware in your computer, and then try submitting the charge again.
If the charge still doesn't go through, call the cardholder and have the person call the credit/debit card company and inquire about the reason for the denial for your charge coming from ProfessionalCharges.com.

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13. Isn't patient confidentiality violated by using your service?
No, charges made through ProfessionalCharges.com actually provides additional confidentiality for your clients because your name or clinic does not appear on their monthly statement. It is simply a business transaction on their credit card and has no association with health related protected information.
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14. Can I accept credit card payment for materials I produced or use to supplement my services?
Yes, we added this option after receiving several requests for it.
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15. I am the Administrator of a Family and Community Counseling Agency. Services are provided by both licensed professionals, and interns and trainees working toward licensure. Can the Agency join and accept debit and credit card payments for the services provided by all our therapists?
Yes, your agency can join either as a Professional Association or a Group Practice and the services provided by all your therapists will be covered under the agency's membership. Your agency could also accept debit or credit card payments for any continuing education seminars it may provide.
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16. How do I setup my Website to accept credit card payments?
We will provide you with the code for the link that will allow our payment page to open in your website. We suggest wording similar to the following:

We use the secure payment processing services of ProfessionalCharges.com to handle our online Debit and Credit Card payments.

To Make an Online Payment:

Click on the Make a Payment link below, and the payment form will open in a new window.
Enter your name as it appears on your card.
Complete the form and click on the Submit Payment button at the bottom.
Print yourself a copy of the receipt that will appear on screen.
You will receive an e-mail notice every time an online payment is made, and it will be posted on your Recent Account Activity ledger.

For a working example visit www.drnadig.com.
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17. My Client's MasterCard is a Medical Expense Plan. It is to be used for medical expenses only, when I attempt to make a charge, it was denied.
Medical Savings/Flex plans should go through without a problem. Our usual procedure for submitting credit card charges should also work for these debit cards. If you get a denial, check to make sure you have the most recent CVV number. If all your input is correct, have your client call the company and inquire about the problem.
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