Troubleshooting Funding and Connected Accounts

If you're experiencing issues with your linked accounts, use the guide below to resolve common problems.

My Account Name, Account Type, or Account Owner is Wrong

If the details of your connected account (such as account name, type, or owner) are incorrect:

Go to Settings > Connected Accounts.
Select the account in question.
Click Edit and update the relevant fields.

My Balance is Showing Incorrectly

If your connected account balance is not updating or appears incorrect, this is likely a connection issue.

Try refreshing the connection under Settings > Connected Accounts > Refresh Account.
If the issue persists, contact support or type "I’d like to connect with support" in the chatbot. Our team will work with Plaid to resolve the issue.

I Want to Hide Certain Accounts

If you see duplicate accounts or want to hide accounts from view within Betterment:

Go to Settings > Connected Accounts.
Select the account you want to hide.
Click Edit > Hide Account.

This will remove the account from your financial overview, but it will not disconnect the account from Betterment.

I Want to Delete a Connected or Funding Account

To delete a connected account, go to Settings > Connected Accounts, select the account, and choose Delete.
To delete a funding account, go to Settings > Funding Accounts and select Remove Account.

⚠ Note: You must have at least one funding account linked at all times to enable ACH transfers. If you’re removing a funding account, ensure you have a replacement linked first.

I Want to Associate a Connected Account With a Specific Betterment Goal

If you want to factor an external account balance into Betterment’s advice (e.g., linking an external retirement account to your Betterment Retirement Goal), follow these steps:

On a Web Browser:

Log into Betterment.
Select the Betterment account you want to associate the external account with.
Scroll down on the Overview page and select "Connect an External Account".
Choose a previously linked external account or connect a new one.

On the Mobile App:

Log in to the Betterment app.
From the home page, select the Betterment account you want to associate the external account with.
Scroll down to Accounts.
Tap "Connect an External Account".
Choose a previously linked external account or connect a new one.

Once linked, Betterment will incorporate this account balance into its advice and recommendations.

I Linked My Bank, But It’s Not an Option When Initiating a Transaction

If you successfully linked a bank account but can’t use it for deposits or withdrawals, you likely connected it as a Connected Account rather than a Funding Account. As a reminder, Connected accounts are for tracking financial data—they cannot be used for transactions.

To add an existing Connected Account as a Funding Account:

On a Web Browser

Log in to your Betterment account.
Go to Settings > Funding Accounts.
Click Add a Funding Account.
Select from the list of eligible Connected Accounts that can be used as a funding account.
Follow the prompts to complete the process.

On the Mobile App

Open the Betterment app and log in.
Tap Menu (☰) > Settings > Funding Accounts.
Tap Add a Bank Account.
Select from the list of eligible Connected Accounts that can be converted to a Funding Account.
Follow the prompts to complete the process.

Note: Not all Connected Accounts are eligible to be used as Funding Accounts. If your bank does not appear in the list when adding a funding account, it is not an eligible funding source (ie. a checking or savings account).

My Funding Account is Not Verified

If your funding account is showing as "Not Verified", it may be awaiting micro-deposit verification.

To complete micro-deposit verification:

Check your external bank account for two small test deposits from Betterment (typically less than $1 each). Deposits should appear within 1-2 business days.
Log in to Betterment > Settings > Funding Accounts.
Select the unverified funding account and enter the exact deposit amounts.
Once confirmed, your funding account will be verified for use.

⚠ If you do not verify the deposits within the required timeframe, the linking request may expire, and you may need to restart the process.

Error: "We're having trouble submitting your selection. Try selecting your funding account in settings later."

This error usually means the bank you’re trying to link is blocked due to past fraud concerns. What to do:

Try linking a different bank account as your funding account.
If the issue persists, contact support for assistance.

Betterment may restrict certain financial institutions due to security measures, but our team can help explore alternative solutions.

Unable to Search for My Bank or Credit Union

If you can’t find your bank or credit union when trying to link a funding or connected account, it means the institution is not supported by Plaid for instant linking. Try linking your bank account manually using your account and routing number instead. Here's how:

Go to Settings > Funding Accounts > Add a Funding Account > Link Manually Instead (1-2 business days)
If manual linking is not available for your account type (e.g., Betterment Checking funding accounts), you’ll need to use a different financial institution.

My Routing Number is Being Rejected as Invalid

If you receive an error stating that your routing number is invalid, it means the financial institution has been blocked for security reasons and cannot be linked to Betterment. You will need to link a different bank account as your funding account.

Unable to Link a Credit Card or Debit Card

Betterment does not support linking credit cards or debit cards as funding accounts. Only checking or savings accounts held at a U.S.-based financial institution can be used for deposits, withdrawals, or transfers.

What to do:

If you were trying to link a debit card, instead try linking the checking account associated with that card using your account and routing number.
Go to Settings > Funding Accounts > Add a Funding Account.
If you were trying to link a credit card, you will need to use a checking or savings account instead.

I Want to Set Up Recurring Deposits From Multiple Funding Accounts

Betterment allows recurring deposits from different funding accounts, but each Betterment account can only be funded by one recurring deposit source at a time.

✅ What You Can Do:

✔ Set up recurring deposits from different bank accounts into different Betterment accounts.

Example: Bank 1 deposits monthly into Betterment Account 1
Example: Bank 2 deposits monthly into Betterment Account 2

❌ What You Cannot Do:

✖ Set up multiple bank accounts to fund the same Betterment account on a recurring basis.

Example: Bank 1 and Bank 2 both depositing monthly into Betterment Account 1

💡 Alternative Option:

If you want to contribute from multiple bank accounts to the same Betterment account:

You can change your recurring deposit source by updating your funding account in Settings > Transfers > Recurring Deposits.
You can manually initiate one-time deposits from multiple bank accounts as needed.

Plaid Connection Failed – How to Fix It

If your Plaid connection fails, you may see a yellow banner in the Connected Accounts section indicating that the connection needs to be reattempted.

How to Fix a Failed Plaid Connection:

On a Web Browser:

Log in to your Betterment account.
Go to Settings > Connected Accounts.
Look for the yellow banner indicating a connection issue.
Click the banner and follow the prompts to reattempt the connection.

On the Mobile App:

Log in to the Betterment app.
Tap Menu (☰) > Settings > Connected Accounts.
Look for the yellow banner at the top indicating a connection issue.
Tap the banner and follow the prompts to reattempt the connection.

If Re-attempting the Connection Doesn’t Work:

Contact Betterment Support for further troubleshooting.
Some financial institutions may require additional authentication or may not support Plaid connections at this time.