Upon approval from the government agency, the partnership between SMI and PayNearMe extends the reach of the agency’s payment processing centers by allowing non-custodial parents to make payments at more than 17,000 participating 7-Eleven, Family Dollar and ACE Cash Express stores in PayNearMe’s nationwide network.
"Cash shouldn’t be harder to accept or send than other payment methods, and when it comes to government services, it is especially critical that the process is handled correctly the first time," said Michael Darnaud, vice president of business development for government services at PayNearMe. "This partnership frees government agencies from the hassle of traditional cash or money order processing while providing their customers with the flexibility to pay in their own neighborhoods."
The convenience of paying at a neighborhood store, many of which are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, saves non-custodial parents the cost and headache of driving to a payment location during work hours or going out of their way to obtain a money order. The fee of $3.99 per payment for payments up to $1,000 is significantly less than the cost of alternative cash payment options.
"SMI seeks innovative and convenient payment options for every lifestyle," said Joe Stone, SMI’s chief executive officer. "Providing cash payers with another convenient payment option removes one of the barriers to making regular payments."
To make a cash payment, customers simply bring their printed or mobile payment code to a participating store and pay at the register as if they are making a purchase at the store. Customers receive a paper receipt and/or confirmation on their mobile device. The transaction takes less than 60 seconds to complete.
