Understanding "Action Required: Fund Transfer" Emails

Why You Received This Email

Most Kintsugi customers pay their sales tax automatically. We debit the amount from a linked US bank account by ACH after the return is filed, and no action is needed.

If you received an Action Required: Fund Transfer email, it's because your account uses a different arrangement: instead of us debiting your account, you wire us the funds for each filing period, and we remit them to the tax authority on your behalf.

This applies where an ACH debit isn't possible, most commonly because your business doesn't yet have a US bank account. US state tax authorities require payment from a US-domestic account with a US routing number, so a non-US account can't be used for the standard flow.

What You Need to Do

1. Check the amount

The email tells you the total to transfer for the period, and normally links a worksheet showing the breakdown by jurisdiction. Use the figure in the email, not an amount you've calculated separately , the total is final only after your filings are approved and locked.

2. Send the transfer

Wire the amount to Kintsugi's account using the instructions provided by your Kintsugi contact. Read this article to learn how: Sales Tax Remittance via Wire for Non-US Customers

3. Confirm you've sent it

Reply to the email or let your Kintsugi contact know once the transfer is on its way, ideally with the payment confirmation or receipt. This lets us match the funds to your filings without delay.

4. We take it from there

Once we confirm the funds have arrived, our team remits the tax to the authority from Kintsugi's remittance account. After the return has been successfully submitted, the filing status updates to "Filed", and the sales tax return become downloadable in the app. See: How to Download Your Sales Tax Returns

Timing: Why This Email Is Time-Sensitive

Your return can't be paid until your funds reach us, so a late transfer risks a late payment, and states can assess penalties and interest on late payments even when the return itself was filed on time.

Send the transfer as soon as you can after receiving the email, and well before the filing deadline for the period. If you can't meet the date in the email, tell us as early as possible so we can plan around it.

What the Amount May Include

The requested total isn't always just the current period's tax. Depending on your account, it can also cover:

• Tax due for more than one period, if a previous transfer is still outstanding

• Past-due balances from earlier filings

• Penalties and interest already assessed by a state

• Back filings, where returns for earlier periods have been prepared

The figure is usually shown net of any credits or surplus funds already held on your account, so previous overpayments and penalty waivers are applied before we ask you for anything.

Penalties and interest are sometimes assessed by a state after a return is filed. If that happens, you may receive a follow-up request for the additional amount.

FAQs

Q: Can I send one payment covering everything I owe?

A: Yes. If you'd rather settle several periods or outstanding balances in a single transfer, ask us and we'll give you a consolidated total.

Q: Can I pay by ACH or credit card instead?

A: Kintsugi doesn't accept credit cards for tax payments. Once you have a US bank account that supports ACH debits, you can move to the standard automatic flow and stop making manual transfers. Related articles: How to Fix ACH Blocks That Prevent Tax Payments & ACH originator IDs per state

Q: I bank with an institution that operates in both the US and abroad. Does that work?

A: It depends on which entity holds the account. An account opened through the bank's US operations, with a US routing number, generally supports ACH debits. An account with the same brand's non-US entity generally doesn't. Check with your bank which entity your account sits under, and confirm with us before relying on it.

Q: What if I've already sent the funds but my filing still isn't showing as paid?

A: Wire transfers take time to arrive and be confirmed. If it's been longer than expected, send us the payment receipt and we'll trace it.

Need Help?

For further concerns, we're always here to help. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, just reach out to us using the chat in the bottom right corner of your screen.