How to access TWC ReliaCard funds before physical card arrives in mail?
Finally got approved for unemployment benefits after waiting almost 3 weeks, and the TWC payment status shows the money was loaded onto the ReliaCard debit card from US Bank. The problem is, the physical card is still in the mail and I have bills due in 2 days! Is there any way to access these funds digitally before the actual card arrives? Can I set up some kind of virtual card or link it to Apple Pay/Google Wallet? Has anyone figured out how to use the money while waiting for the card to show up?
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Sophia Rodriguez
Yes, you can access your ReliaCard funds before the physical card arrives! Go to usbankreliacard.com and register for an account. You'll need your SSN and some other verification info, but you don't need the physical card number. Once registered, you can set up direct transfers to your personal bank account. There's also a ReliaCard mobile app that lets you manage everything.
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James Johnson
•Thank you! Just tried registering on the website but it keeps asking for the card number which I obviously don't have yet. Am I missing something? Did you have to call customer service first?
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Mia Green
I had the EXACT same issue last year and it was so frustrating!!! The US Bank website is TERRIBLE. You actually CAN'T access anything until you have that physical card with the card number on it. They claim you can but it's all LIES. I called US Bank ReliaCard customer service like 5 times and got nowhere. Had to wait a whole week with money sitting there I couldn't touch!
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Sophia Rodriguez
•That's odd - I was able to register without the card number. Did you try the "first-time login" option and use your SSN? Maybe they've changed the system since you tried it last year.
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Mia Green
•Maybe they fixed it finally!! They told me it was "for security reasons" when I called. If they changed it that's good news for everyone dealing with this garbage system!
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Emma Bianchi
try callin the bank directly. i got same problem but card came in like 3-4 days so wasnt too bad. think theres a way 2 do emergancy access but not sure
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Lucas Kowalski
•I was in this exact situation last month. The fastest way to get help is actually using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to reach TWC directly. I was stuck in a loop with US Bank saying talk to TWC and TWC saying talk to US Bank. Used Claimyr's service to get through to TWC without the busy signals, and the agent was able to expedite my card delivery. They have a video demo of how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh - was super helpful when I was stressed about my mortgage payment.
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Olivia Martinez
This happened to me too! If u really need the money fast, call US Bank ReliaCard at 1-800-657-6343. They can do an emergency cash transfer to another bank account, but there's a fee ($15 I think?) and they'll make u verify a bunch of info. Better than waiting though!
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James Johnson
•Thank you for this info! $15 fee is worth it to avoid late payment fees on my bills. Will try calling them tomorrow morning.
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Charlie Yang
If your card is already in the mail, you should be receiving it within 7-10 business days of your first payment being issued. US Bank does have security protocols that typically require the physical card for initial account setup, though their policies may vary. While waiting, you can prepare by downloading the US Bank ReliaCard mobile app and having your identification documents ready for quick registration once the card arrives.
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Grace Patel
•My card took 12 days to come not 7-10 so dont count on their timeframe lol. And i live in a major city not even rural area.
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James Johnson
•Thanks for the info. 7-10 business days is a long time when you're waiting on money for necessities though. I'll try the emergency transfer option that someone mentioned above.
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Lucas Kowalski
I went through this exact frustration last month! Ended up calling US Bank ReliaCard using the number on their website (1-800-657-6343). If you pass their identity verification over the phone, they can tell you your card number before it arrives. I wrote it down and was able to register online with that. Then I set up a transfer to my regular checking account. Took about 2-3 business days for the transfer to complete though.
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James Johnson
•That's super helpful! Did they just give you the card number over the phone? I'm surprised they'd do that for security reasons, but I'll definitely give it a try.
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Lucas Kowalski
•They made me answer a bunch of verification questions first - last address, SSN, date of birth, and then some other security questions pulled from my credit report. It wasn't simple but it worked!
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Grace Patel
why is everyhing with TWC so complicted? in other states they just do direct deposit to your regular bank account from the beginning! texas always has to make things harder than they need to be smdh
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Charlie Yang
•Actually, Texas does offer direct deposit as an option. During your initial claim filing or by calling TWC, you can choose between the ReliaCard or direct deposit to your personal account. If you received a ReliaCard, it means either that option was selected during the application process or direct deposit information wasn't provided.
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Grace Patel
•well nobody told me that when i applied! would have saved me a lot of trouble
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James Johnson
UPDATE: I called US Bank ReliaCard customer service this morning (waited about 30 minutes to speak to someone). They verified my identity and gave me my card number over the phone! I was able to register online, and I've scheduled a transfer to my regular checking account. They said it will take 2-3 business days to process. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Olivia Martinez
•awesome! glad it worked out for you
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Sophia Rodriguez
•Great to hear! For future reference, you can also switch to direct deposit for future payments by updating your payment method preference in your TWC account or by calling TWC directly.
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