The Visa® Prepaid Card is a reloadable prepaid card that lets you or the beneficiary spend money from an ABLE or 529 savings account managed by Vestwell. True Link is the financial services provider that powers the Card, and we partner with your plan manager, Vestwell, to give you a Card with custom features and controls.
The Card is optional. It's a trusted tool for everyday purchases, designed to promote independence and quality of life while giving you the protections you want. Because it's a prepaid card, not a debit or credit card, it can only spend money that has already been added to it.
In this article, you'll learn how the Card works with your savings account, who can have a Card, what features come with it, and how to get started.
Throughout this article, "cardholder" means the person whose name is printed on the Card. Depending on how the Card was ordered, that may be the Beneficiary or Account Owner, or the Authorized Individual or Authorized Legal Representative who manages the account on their behalf.
How the Card works with your savings account
- Vestwell manages your savings account. Vestwell is the plan manager for your account and provides the online platform you use to manage it. To learn more, see Who is Vestwell?
- Money reaches the Card one way: a withdrawal you start in Vestwell. Sign in at signin.vestwell.com, go to the Withdrawals page, and select the Prepaid Card option. The withdrawal arrives on the Card by direct deposit. For step-by-step instructions, see Transferring Funds to the Card.
- Vestwell handles withdrawal timing. Withdrawals are processed by Vestwell, and timing can vary. We aren't able to see withdrawals scheduled in the Vestwell platform, so for questions about a withdrawal's status, please contact Vestwell. After opening that page, click College Savings (529) or ABLE at the top of the page to find your plan.
- Funds on the Card stay on the Card. Once funds are on the Card, we're unable to move them back to your savings account. We can return funds to you by check at no cost, or move funds between Cards tied to the same savings account. See Transfer Funds Between Cards.
Who can have a Card
- If you manage the account for a beneficiary. As the Authorized Legal Representative (ALR) or Authorized Individual, you may be the one primarily using the Card on the beneficiary's behalf, so you can order up to two Cards for the account: a Card in your name for the benefit of the beneficiary, a Card in the beneficiary's name, or both.
- If you manage your own account. Beneficiaries and 529 Account Owners who manage their own account order one Card in their own name.
- Cardholders must be 18 or older. If the beneficiary is under 18, you can only order a Card in your own name to use on their behalf.
- Helping more than one beneficiary? See Ordering Multiple Beneficiary Cards.
- Ordering for an organization? Organizational ALRs have their own steps: see Getting Started with ABLE Cards as an Organizational Authorized Legal Representative (Entity ALR).
- Already a True Link customer? You can manage your existing True Link account and your Visa Prepaid Card with the same sign-in. See Managing an existing True Link Account.
Card features
- Spending Settings. Choose which types of merchants the Card can be used at. Many people never need them, but they can help protect against unwanted charges or keep spending focused on qualified expenses. See Spending Settings Overview.
- Alerts. Get a text message or email when a transaction is blocked, when funds are added to the Card, or when the balance drops below an amount you choose. See Customize Alerts.
- Reports and statements. Download reports to review Card activity and track qualified expenses (Qualified Disability Expenses for ABLE accounts, or qualified education expenses for 529 accounts). See Download Reports and When do monthly statements become available?
- Receipts and notes. Attach receipts and notes to transactions in the Card's transaction history.
- True Link mobile app. Check the balance and review transactions from your phone. See Download our mobile app.
- Apple Pay and Google Pay. Cardholders can add the Card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet and pay with a tap. See Use the Visa® Prepaid Card with Apple Pay and Google Pay.
- Cardholder independence. Cardholders can view important Card information, like the balance and recent transactions, which offers independence while providing oversight and protection. See Cardholder Access and Capabilities.
- Additional users. Give another person full access or read-only access to help manage the Card. See Add an Additional User.
- EMV chip. Every new and replacement Card comes with a chip for added security at checkout. See Does the Visa® Prepaid Card have an EMV Chip?
Cash access
Only CalABLE and PA ABLE Visa Prepaid Cards can be used to withdraw cash (for example, at an ATM or as cash back with a purchase). Cards for all other ABLE plans and for 529 plans can't be used to withdraw cash, but they can be used for purchases at merchants that accept Visa, subject to the Card's Spending Settings. To learn more, see Can I withdraw cash with my Visa® Card?
Fees
Monthly fees vary by plan. See Monthly Fees for your Visa® Card and the Cardholder Agreement for the fees that apply to your Card.
How to get started
- Order the Card. See How to order your Visa® Prepaid Card. Your savings account must be at least 21 days old before you can order.
- Activate the Card when it arrives. See Activate your Card.
- Add money to the Card. Start a withdrawal in Vestwell. See Transferring Funds to the Card.
- Set up Spending Settings, if you'd like. See Spending Settings Overview.
If you have any questions about the features of the Visa Prepaid Card, please don't hesitate to contact our Customer Support team.