Link a second Relay checking or savings account to your Relay Visa® Debit Card so purchases still go through when your primary account is short on money.
What you need before you start
An active Relay account with at least two accounts open (the primary checking account tied to your card, plus at least one other checking or savings account)
A Relay Visa® Debit Card assigned to a primary checking account
Enough money in the backup account to cover the expected shortfall
Web or mobile app access, signed in to your Relay account
How do I set up a backup account for my debit card?
Setting up a backup account takes about two minutes from the Cards tab.
Sign in to your Relay account on the web or mobile app.
Open the Cards tab from the left navigation.
Select the debit card you want to set a backup for.
Click Set up a backup account.
Choose the checking or savings account you want to use as the backup.
Save your changes.
The backup account is active immediately. From that point on, any card transaction that would exceed the primary account's available balance pulls the difference from the backup account instead of declining.
How does a backup account work when I use my card?
The backup account only activates when your primary account cannot cover the transaction on its own. Relay checks the primary account first. If the available balance is not enough to complete the purchase, Relay pulls the shortfall from the backup account so the transaction clears. If both accounts together still cannot cover the purchase, the card declines.
Can I set a backup account when I create a new card?
Yes. When you create a new Relay Visa® Debit Card, you'll see the option to link a backup account as part of the card setup flow. Choose the account you want to use as the backup, then finish creating the card.
How do I change or remove a backup account?
You can change or remove the backup account any time from the Cards tab.
Open the Cards tab and select the debit card.
Find the backup account section in the card details.
To change it, select a different checking or savings account and save.
To remove it, choose the remove option and save. Once removed, the card will decline any transaction that exceeds the primary account's available balance.
How many backup accounts can I link?
Each debit card can have one backup account at a time. If you have more than one Relay Visa® Debit Card, you can set a different backup account for each card. That means a card assigned to your operating account can pull from a reserve, and a card assigned to a payroll account can pull from a separate cushion, based on how you have your accounts organized.
Can I use a savings account as the backup?
Yes. Both checking and savings accounts qualify as backup accounts. If you want the backup to also earn interest while it sits ready, choose one of your Relay savings accounts.
Common issues
A purchase still declined even though I set a backup account. Check that the backup account has enough money to cover the shortfall, and that neither account has a hold, freeze, or transaction limit blocking the pull.
I don't see the "Set up a backup account" option. Confirm you have at least two accounts open on your Relay account. The backup option only appears when there is a second checking or savings account available to pick.
The wrong account is showing as my backup. Open the card's details, change the backup account to the one you want, and save.
I want to avoid the backup account getting drained unexpectedly. Consider setting up an auto-transfer rule to top up your primary account on a schedule so the backup account stays as a true safety net.
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