Can I use Chime for PA UC direct deposit payments? Has anyone tried this?
I just got approved for UC benefits in PA and I'm trying to set up direct deposit. I only have a Chime account right now (no traditional bank account). Has anyone successfully used Chime to receive their unemployment payments? The website doesn't specifically list Chime as an option but it does let me enter the routing/account numbers. Just worried the payment might get rejected or delayed if they don't accept online banks. Anyone have experience with this?
29 comments


Douglas Foster
Yes, you can absolutely use Chime for your PA unemployment benefits! I've been using Chime for my UC payments since January and haven't had any issues. The system only cares about valid routing and account numbers, not what bank they belong to. Just make sure you double-check the numbers you enter - one wrong digit and your payment could go who-knows-where.
0 coins
Haley Bennett
•Thats such a relief, thank you!! I was stressing about this. Did your first payment come through on time or was there any delay because of using Chime?
0 coins
Nina Chan
i use cashapp for mine works fine
0 coins
Ruby Knight
BE CAREFUL!!!! I tried using my Chime account last year and my payments got STUCK for THREE WEEKS!!! The UC system flagged it as suspicious and put a hold on my claim. I had to call them 37 times before I got through to fix it. Just get the Money Network card - it's annoying but at least it WORKS!!!
0 coins
Diego Castillo
•This happened to me too but with a different online bank. The UC system is so outdated it sometimes doesn't recognize these newer banking options.
0 coins
Haley Bennett
•Oh no, that sounds awful! Was this recently? Maybe they've updated their system since then? I really don't want to deal with the debit card if I can avoid it.
0 coins
Logan Stewart
To clarify some confusion here: The PA UC system officially accepts direct deposit to any bank that has valid ACH routing and account numbers, which includes online banks like Chime, Current, Varo, etc. There's nothing in the system that specifically flags online banks. However, if you're setting up direct deposit for the first time or changing banking information, this can sometimes trigger an identity verification check, which can temporarily delay payments regardless of what bank you're using. This is a security measure to prevent fraud. If you use Chime, just make sure: 1. You enter the correct routing/account numbers 2. The name on your Chime account exactly matches the name on your UC claim 3. You verify the deposit method is saved in your UC portal If payments are delayed, it's rarely because of the specific bank you're using.
0 coins
Haley Bennett
•Thank you for such a detailed explanation! This makes me feel a lot better. I'll double check that my name matches exactly on both accounts.
0 coins
Mikayla Brown
I tried reaching out to PA UC to ask this exact question last month and got stuck in the phone loop for days! Finally gave up and just tried my Chime account anyway. It worked fine but took about 5 business days for the first payment to show up vs the 2-3 days they claim. After that initial delay, the weekly payments have been coming through reliably every Tuesday morning. If you're having trouble getting through to anyone at UC about banking questions (or really any questions), check out Claimyr.com - I used their service to get through to an actual human at PA unemployment after spending hours getting nowhere. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2. Totally worth it for the peace of mind of getting my questions answered directly.
0 coins
Sean Matthews
•does this claimyr thing actually work? i've been trying to reach someone for 2 weeks about my open issue
0 coins
Ruby Knight
After reading all this I think maybe my problem last year was cuz I had a different name on my chime account (I was using my nickname) vs my legal name on UC. That could explaine why it got flagged. So make sure names match exactly!!
0 coins
Nina Chan
anybody know how long does it take to get the money network card? been waiting 2 weeks
0 coins
Douglas Foster
•That's way too long. Should arrive within 7-10 days max. Call the Money Network customer service number (not the regular UC number) - it's on the PA UC website under payment methods.
0 coins
Haley Bennett
Update: Just wanted to let everyone know that Chime worked perfectly for me! I entered my info last Thursday, and my first payment showed up in my Chime account this morning (Tuesday). No delays, no issues. Thanks everyone for the advice!
0 coins
Douglas Foster
•Great news! Glad it worked out smoothly for you.
0 coins
Geoff Richards
That's awesome to hear it worked out! I'm in a similar situation and was nervous after reading some of the mixed experiences here. Your update gives me confidence to go ahead and set up my Chime account for direct deposit too. Did you have to do anything special or just enter the routing and account numbers like normal?
0 coins
Jamal Carter
•Nothing special at all! Just entered the routing and account numbers exactly like you would for any other bank. Make sure your name on your Chime account matches your UC claim exactly - that seems to be the main thing that can cause issues based on what others shared here. The whole process was really straightforward through the UC portal.
0 coins
Yara Assad
I'm glad to see so many people have had success with Chime! I've been using it for my PA unemployment payments for about 6 months now and it's been reliable. One tip I'd add - if you're switching from the Money Network card to direct deposit, make sure to wait until after your next scheduled payment before canceling the card. I made that mistake and had a payment bounce back, which caused a week delay while they sorted it out. But once everything was set up properly, Chime has worked great for me.
0 coins
Zara Ahmed
•That's a really important tip about waiting for the next payment before canceling the Money Network card! I almost made that same mistake when I was switching over. It's so easy to get excited about setting up direct deposit and want to cancel the card right away, but having that backup until everything processes is definitely the smart move. Thanks for sharing that - could save someone else a headache!
0 coins
PixelWarrior
I've been using Chime for my PA UC benefits for about 4 months now and it's been completely seamless. The key things that helped me avoid any issues were: 1) Making sure my full legal name on Chime matched exactly what's on my UC claim (no nicknames or abbreviations), 2) Double and triple checking the routing/account numbers before submitting, and 3) Not making any other changes to my claim while the direct deposit was being set up. My payments come in every Tuesday like clockwork now. The PA system really doesn't care what type of bank you use as long as the account info is correct and the names match up perfectly.
0 coins
Liam Duke
•This is exactly the kind of detailed guidance I was looking for! I'm new to the whole UC process and wasn't sure about all the little details that could trip me up. The point about not making other changes while direct deposit is being set up is especially helpful - I wouldn't have thought of that. It's reassuring to hear from someone who's been using it successfully for months. Thanks for breaking it down so clearly!
0 coins
Malik Davis
I've been using Chime for my PA unemployment benefits for over 8 months now and can confirm it works great! The payments hit my account every Tuesday morning like clockwork. A few tips from my experience: 1) Make absolutely sure your name matches exactly between your Chime account and UC claim - even middle initials matter, 2) Log into your UC portal a day after setting up direct deposit to verify it shows as active, and 3) Keep screenshots of your banking info entry just in case you need to reference it later. The first payment might take an extra day or two as the system verifies everything, but after that it's been completely reliable. Don't stress too much about it - the PA system works fine with online banks as long as you're careful with the setup!
0 coins
Anderson Prospero
•This is super helpful! I'm just starting the UC process and was worried about using my Chime account. The tip about keeping screenshots is really smart - I never would have thought to do that but it makes total sense to have a backup record. Quick question - when you say the first payment might take an extra day or two, does that mean it comes on Thursday instead of Tuesday, or does it just mean later in the day on Tuesday? I'm trying to plan my budget around when to expect that first payment.
0 coins
Freya Andersen
•In my experience, that first payment delay usually means it comes a day or two later than the normal Tuesday schedule - so maybe Wednesday or Thursday for the very first one. After that initial verification period though, all my subsequent payments have come in on Tuesday mornings consistently. I'd plan for the first payment to potentially arrive by Thursday just to be safe, then expect regular Tuesday deposits after that. The delay is really just the system making sure everything checks out with the new banking info, not anything to worry about!
0 coins
Giovanni Marino
I've been using Chime for my PA UC payments for about 3 months now and it's worked perfectly! Just wanted to add that if you're worried about potential issues, you can always set up direct deposit and keep the Money Network card as a backup for the first month or two. That way if there are any hiccups with the bank transfer, you still have a way to access your funds. The peace of mind was worth it for me, and once I saw the direct deposits coming through reliably, I felt comfortable canceling the card. Also, Chime's mobile notifications are great - I always know exactly when my payment hits the account.
0 coins
Caleb Stone
•That's a really smart approach! I wish I had thought of keeping both options open initially - would have saved me a lot of anxiety while waiting for that first direct deposit to come through. The mobile notifications from Chime are definitely a nice bonus compared to having to check the Money Network card balance manually. Thanks for sharing your experience, it's really helpful to hear from people who have been using this setup successfully for months!
0 coins
Natalia Stone
I've been using Chime for my PA unemployment benefits for about 2 months now and it's been working great! Just wanted to add my experience since I see some mixed responses here. My payments come in every Tuesday morning around 9-10 AM consistently. The setup process was straightforward - just make sure you enter your routing and account numbers correctly and that your name matches exactly between accounts. I did have about a 3-4 day delay on my very first payment while the system verified everything, but after that it's been like clockwork. One thing I really appreciate about using Chime is getting that instant mobile notification when the deposit hits, which gives me peace of mind that my payment came through. If you're on the fence about it, I'd say go for it - just double-check all your info before submitting!
0 coins
Tate Jensen
•Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from another person who's had success with Chime for PA UC payments. The consistent Tuesday morning timing and instant notifications you mentioned are exactly what I'm hoping for. I was a bit nervous after seeing some of the mixed experiences earlier in this thread, but the recent updates from everyone who's had success are giving me confidence to move forward with setting up my Chime account. The 3-4 day delay for the first payment seems pretty standard based on what others have shared too. Appreciate you taking the time to share the details!
0 coins
Connor Byrne
I've been using Chime for my PA UC benefits for about 5 months now and wanted to share my experience since there seems to be some mixed feedback here. Overall it's worked really well - payments come in every Tuesday morning between 8-9 AM consistently. The key things I learned: 1) Make sure your legal name on both accounts matches EXACTLY (I had to update my Chime account to use my full legal name instead of a shortened version), 2) Double-check those routing/account numbers multiple times before submitting, and 3) Be patient with that first payment - mine took about 4 business days to process initially, but every payment since has been right on schedule. The mobile alerts from Chime are honestly one of my favorite parts since I know immediately when the deposit hits. If you're considering it, I'd definitely recommend going for it - just take your time with the setup to avoid any delays!
0 coins