Starting a business is exciting—but let’s be honest, dealing with payments can feel overwhelming. One of the smartest moves you can make early on is setting up direct deposit. It’s fast, secure, and keeps your business looking professional from day one.
But what do you actually need to get started? What’s essential? What’s just fluff? And how do you set it all up without turning it into another paperwork nightmare?
Don’t worry. Here’s a no-stress checklist to help you launch direct deposit the right way.
✅ What You Really Need
Let’s keep it simple. Here’s what’s actually necessary to send direct deposit payments—whether to employees, contractors, or vendors.
1. Your EIN (Employer Identification Number)
You’ll need this for tax reporting purposes. If you don’t have one yet, you can get it for free from the IRS website. Even if you’re just paying contractors, having an EIN helps things stay clean.
2. Basic Payer Info
This includes your business name, contact info, and the funding method you plan to use. No need for mountains of forms—just the essentials.
3. Payee Details
Get this from the people you’re paying:
- Full name or business name
- Routing number and account number
- Payment amount
- Optional: payment notes or invoice reference
Pro tip: Store this securely and double-check the numbers—one typo can cause major delays.
4. A Reliable Platform Like Zil Money
You don’t need fancy software or multiple tools. Just one platform that lets you send ACH, Same Day ACH, checks, or wires from one place.
Zil Money does exactly that—and you don’t need to go through long approval processes to use it.
❌ What You Don’t Need
Here’s what you can skip, despite what you might have read:
🚫 No Need for Physical Paperwork
Gone are the days of filling out forms and mailing them off. Zil Money lets you handle everything online—from adding payees to sending payments.
🚫 No Minimum Volume
You don’t need to run a huge payroll. Whether you’re paying one freelancer or a dozen vendors, direct deposit works for small teams too.
🚫 No Long Approvals
Regular financial institutions may take days or even weeks to approve direct deposit setups. The platform skips the red tape—sign up and start sending payments in minutes.
🚫 No Expensive Software
You don’t need to spend thousands on a payroll system. Zil Money integrates with the tools you already use and offers an all-in-one payment dashboard that works on desktop and mobile.
Bonus: Fund Payments with a Credit Card
Here’s something most new business owners don’t know: you can fund direct deposit with your credit card—even if the person you’re paying doesn’t accept cards.
Zil Money lets you:
- Pay vendors or contractors using your credit card
- Convert that into ACH, wire transfers, or check payments
- Keep your card perks
- Avoid cash flow crunches when things get tight
That means you can build your business, pay people fast, and never miss a beat—even during slow weeks.
Built for Peace of Mind
Security isn’t optional—it’s essential.
Zil Money is an official NACHA member, which means your ACH payments follow strict security and compliance guidelines. The platform also meets:
- SOC 1 & SOC 2
- PCI DSS
- HIPAA & GDPR
- ISO 27001, ISO 9001
- CCPA & NIST 800-53
Every payment you send is encrypted and tracked, so you can rest easy knowing your data—and your payees’ info—is safe.
Get Started in Minutes—Not Days
Still feeling stuck? Here’s how fast and easy Zil Money makes it:
- Create your account
- Add your payees (enter routing/account info)
- Choose your funding method (bank, credit card, etc.)
- Send a payment—ACH, Same Day ACH, check mail, or wire
- Done. You’ll get a digital receipt and full tracking instantly.
No office visits. No paperwork. No waiting weeks.
Direct Deposit Isn’t Just for Payroll
Most people think direct deposit is only for employee paychecks. But it works great for:
- Freelancers and contractors
- Vendors and suppliers
- Reimbursements and bonuses
- Project-based team members
As your business expands, having flexible ways to accept payments keeps everything running smoothly.
Starting out doesn’t mean you have to put up with complicated payment processes. Setting up direct deposit early on can make you look more professional, build trust with your clients, and save you a lot of time. Use this simple checklist to focus on what really matters—no fuss, no added stress. And when you’re ready, let cloud-based platforms like Zil Money handle the heavy lifting for you. Skip the paperwork, set up direct deposit, and start sending payments like a pro—in just minutes.
