Set up auto-pay and manage payment methods (for parents)
Saving a card or bank account makes future payments one click, and turning on Auto-Pay means your assigned recurring tuition invoices are charged automatically when each invoice is issued. This guide is written for parents: it covers adding a card or bank account, setting a default, removing one, and switching auto-pay on or off. (Admins can share this with families too.)
Everything here lives under My Billing. Your saved cards and bank accounts are stored securely with Stripe — MarkTrack never keeps your full card number or account number.
Step 1 — Open your payment methods
From the My Billing dashboard, click Payment Methods. This page lists your saved cards and bank accounts, with a Default badge on the method offered first when you pay. If you have not saved a method yet, the page shows No payment methods and an Add Card button. Add Bank appears when your school has enabled bank payments.
Step 2 — Add a card
- On the Payment Methods page, click Add Card.
- The Add Credit or Debit Card form appears. Type your card number, expiry, and security code into the secure box.
- Click Add Card to save it.
Your first saved method automatically becomes the Default. The card is now available whenever you pay an invoice and can be used for auto-pay.
Step 3 — Add a bank account (ACH)
If your school has enabled bank payments, you'll also see an Add Bank button.
- Click Add Bank. The Add Bank Account (ACH) form appears.
- Click Connect Bank Account and follow Stripe's secure prompts to link your bank.
Why use a bank account?
Bank transfers (ACH) usually carry lower processing fees than credit cards. The trade-off is timing: a bank payment typically takes 3–5 business days to clear, so the invoice may show as Processing until it does.
No Add Bank button?
Bank payments are turned on per school. If you only see Add Card, your school hasn't enabled ACH — use a card instead, or ask the school to turn it on.
Step 4 — Set a default or remove a method
The Default method is the one offered first when you pay. To change or clean up your saved methods:
- Set as Default — click Set Default (or Set as Default) next to any other method. Only one method is the default at a time; choosing a new one clears the old.
- Remove — click the trash icon next to a method and confirm. If you remove the default and you have other methods left, MarkTrack automatically promotes your most recent one to default. Removing a method used by a payment plan pauses that plan until a new method is added.
Removing a card affects auto-pay and payment plans
If another usable card is saved, MarkTrack switches auto-pay to it. If the card is required for automatic tuition payments and there is no usable replacement, MarkTrack blocks removal; add another card first. If auto-pay is optional and no replacement exists, removing its card turns auto-pay off. Removing a method used by a payment plan pauses that plan until a new method is added, and your school will see that it needs attention.
Step 5 — Turn on auto-pay
Auto-Pay charges your chosen method when an assigned recurring invoice is issued, so you don't have to remember to pay tuition each month. It only covers schedules where you are the payer; it does not pay a schedule assigned to another parent or student.
- From the My Billing dashboard, click Auto-Pay.
- The Auto-Pay page shows whether auto-pay is currently Enabled or Disabled. If it's off and you have saved methods, you'll see Select a card to use for automatic payments.
- Click the card you want to use. Auto-pay turns on immediately, and the card you picked is shown as the active auto-pay method.
If you don't have any saved methods yet, the page shows No payment methods — Add a card first; click Add Card, save one, then come back and enable auto-pay.
What auto-pay does
When a recurring invoice assigned to you is issued, MarkTrack charges your selected method and emails you a receipt. The Auto-Pay page lists recurring schedules, their assigned payer and next charge date, plus recent auto-pay results. If a charge ever fails, you'll be notified and can pay manually or change the payment method — your school sees the failure too.
Step 6 — Change the auto-pay card
To point auto-pay at a different saved method:
- On the Auto-Pay page, next to the current method, click Change Payment Method.
- Pick another saved card from the list. Auto-pay switches to it right away.
If the card you want isn't there yet, use Add Card on the Payment Methods page to save it first, then return and change to it. Note that an expired card can't be used for auto-pay — add a current one if you're prompted.
Step 7 — Turn off auto-pay when your school allows it
If auto-pay is optional, the Auto-Pay page shows Disable Auto-Pay. Click it and confirm. Your recurring invoices will still be issued, but you'll need to pay each one yourself from the Unpaid tab. Your saved payment methods stay available for manual payments.
Auto-pay may be required by an active enrollment
If your child's active tuition schedule requires automatic payment, the page explains that auto-pay is part of the enrollment and does not show a disable button. You can still change the payment method above. Contact the school office if the enrollment or payer needs to change.
Auto-pay applies only to recurring invoices assigned to you as payer. If a schedule lists another payer, your setting will not pay it; contact the school to update the payer.
Next steps
Ready to actually pay something? See Find and pay your invoices for paying a single invoice, making a partial payment, and downloading receipts.
Billing is run by your school, so questions about amounts, due dates, or refunds go to them. If something in MarkTrack itself isn't behaving, contact us.
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