Paying tuition

Making a payment, understanding what you're being charged for, and getting the paperwork you need.

For parents and guardians

Does your center bill through RoundUp?

Not all of them do. If yours takes tuition some other way, there's no Payments tab in your app, and you'll pay however you already do. Everything below applies to centers that bill through the app.

Invoices go to your family's main contact — the person whose email address your center has as the family's primary one. If another parent or guardian in your family opens Payments and sees no invoices while there's a balance, that's usually why. Ask your center which address is the primary contact.

Making a payment

1. Open Payments Your open invoices are listed under Your invoices, each with its amount and due date. One that's past its due date is marked Overdue.
2. Tap Pay now The button shows the amount. The Pay Invoice screen opens.
3. Choose how to pay Apple Pay or Google Pay comes first if it's set up on your phone. If your family has a payment method saved, it's already selected. Otherwise, enter a card — Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover.
4. Pay Tap the pay button. When the payment goes through, you'll see Payment successful.

A card typed in here pays this invoice only; it isn't saved for next time. A saved bank account takes a few business days to clear — the app says Bank payment started, and there's no need to pay again.

Payments are processed by Stripe. Your full card number is never stored by RoundUp or your center, and staff can't see it.

Saved cards and autopay live on the Settings tab of Payments, along with your tax documents and monthly statement.

Understanding your charges

Each invoice is titled with what it's for. Your balance may include:

• Tuition — your family's rate for the billing period, as your center has set it.
• Late-pickup fees — recorded by staff when a pickup runs late, and added to your bill by your center. See Understanding a late fee.
• Late payment fees — only if your center charges one for an invoice still unpaid after its grace period.
• Other charges — field trips, supplies and the like, added by your center.
• Subsidy — if an agency covers part of your costs, their share is taken off or shown as paid by the program, and you're billed for the rest.

Receipts and statements

When an invoice is paid in full, RoundUp emails your family a receipt. On the Payments tab, Receipts makes a list of your payments you can save or share, and Statements shows what was billed and paid in a month. For a year-end summary — for taxes or a dependent care account — open Payments → Settings, where your tax documents sit; if what you need isn't there, ask your center. There's more in Receipts and statements.

If a payment fails

If a payment is declined, you'll usually see Payment failed — please check your payment method and try again. Most failures are an expired card, a typing slip, or the bank declining the charge. Check the details and try again, or use a different card. The invoice stays open until it's paid.

Autopay works differently: if an automatic payment is declined, it tries again two and four days after the invoice's due date, and the app doesn't tell you when that happens. If you were expecting a charge and the invoice is still under Your invoices, pay it with Pay now. See Autopay and saved cards.

If something looks wrong

Talk to your center first. They can see the charge and what generated it, and can correct or cancel it. That's much faster than disputing with your bank, which freezes the payment and creates work for everyone including you.

More: All family guides