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How to Do a Wire Transfer

written By
Kimber Severance
Reviewed by
Cort Walker
February 3, 2025

Send money to loved ones or pay your bills on time with a Ria Money Transfer at Check City.

Check City provides money transfer services through Ria Money Transfers, one of the most dependable money transfer systems around. 

Sending money at Check City is also incredibly easy. Stop by any of our conveniently located Check City Locations and see for yourself! 

Wire Transfers

Wire transfers are electronic money transfers. Wire transfers might be done on your phone, online, or with your bank. Wire transfers are an efficient way to send money from one account to another. They are often very quick and the most direct way to send funds to someone else. 

Wire transfers are more immediate than sending funds through the mail. Instead of sending money through the mail, you can set up a wire transfer and deposit funds directly into another account. 

What is a Wire Transfer?

A wire transfer is when money is sent and deposited through an electronic or online network. With a wire transfer, you can make online deposits into someone else's account. It's a fast and secure way to send money and pay bills. 

The sender of a wire transfer needs to provide the information the bank needs to send money to the other account. This information might include things like the recipient's bank account number and the name of their bank. 

The receiver then waits for the funds to deposit in their account and the wire transfer is complete! This is another perk that makes wire transfers beneficial. They are easy for the recipient because the recipient doesn't have to do anything. All they have to do is provide the sender with their account information and wait for their funds to drop. 

Domestic Wire Transfers are money transfers between two accounts that reside in the same country.

International Wire Transfers are money transfers between two accounts that reside in two different countries. 

Nonbank Wire Transfers don't involve bank account numbers. Using a nonbank wire transfer is great for paying bills when the sender doesn't have the account information of the recipient, when the sender doesn't have a bank account, or when the sender doesn't have a bank account. 

Information Needed For Wire Transfer

The information you'll need for a wire transfer will depend a little bit on what transferring system you are using. Here are some of the most common types of information you'll need to provide in order to do a wire transfer. 

  • sender's bank account number
  • recipient's bank account number 
  • sender's name and contact information
  • recipient's name and contact information
  • photo ID

ACH vs Wire Transfer

The Automated Clearing House (ACH) is an electronic system for processing money transfers. They charge low fees for their transferring services so many institutions use ACH to allow their members and customers to easily send money electronically. 

An ACH transfer usually takes a day to finish processing. They process so quickly because all the ACH payments get processed through the system in batches, rather than being handled by individual employees. Because an automated system handles these payments, some can even be processed almost instantaneously or the same day. 

Wire transfers are sometimes processed by employees of the bank or credit union instead of by an automatic system. Because of this, wire transfers can sometimes take a few business days to complete. 

Wire transfers work like an electronic prepaid cashier's check. The sender pays the electronic check when they issue the transfer, so their end of the transaction is complete once they're finished. This is helpful for the recipient too because once the funds drop, they are available because the sender has already taken those funds out of their own account. 

Wire transfers aren't as easy to reverse because they are prepaid, while ACH payments are easier to reverse if need be. Wire transfers also come with fees and ACH transfers are usually free for the sender and receivers. 

Wire Transfer Fee

Wire transfers often come with fees. Banks and other financial institutions might charge anywhere between $0 and $30 or more for sending and receiving a wire transfer. It all depends on their policies. 

A wire transfer can also cost more if it is an international wire transfer. Some international wire transfers can cost as much as $45 in fees. 

Wire transfer fees all depend on the bank, credit union, or money transfer service you're using, where you are sending the funds, and how much you are sending. 

How to Do a Wire Transfer

Wire transfers are easy to do. Though every financial servicer will have a slightly different process with different fees involved, the process for sending a wire transfer is simple. It usually involves filling out a form with the information they'll need to process the wire transfer. Then, the sender will also pay the money transfer funds and the fees. 

Step 1: Go to your bank, credit union, alternative financial institution, or money transfer service in person, online, over the phone, or on the app, depending on where they offer wire transfer services. 

Step 2: Follow the wire transfer instructions of the specific institution you chose to issue your wire transfer and provide the necessary information. Usually, this will involve filling out a form with the necessary information so they can process the wire transfer. 

Step 3: Make sure you have enough funds in your account to finance the wire transfer and the wire transfer fees before you send the wire transfer. 

It's always a good idea to keep any receipts or confirmation codes linked to your wire transfer transaction. That way you can keep track of the transfer and be prepared in case anything goes wrong.

Some wire transfers will also involve a reference number that you can use to track your money transfer, and that the receiver uses to pick up the funds. 

How To Do A Bank Wire Transfer

Many banks offer wire transfer services. If you want to know how to do a wire transfer online, you can call your bank to have them take you through the process, or find the money transfer option in the online menu. 

Step 1: Go to your bank's location, go to your bank's website, or give them a call. 

Step 2: Find the option for wire transfers or money transfers in the online menu, or ask the teller to help you process a wire transfer. To easily transfer money from one account to another, link both the bank accounts online. 

Step 3: The teller will take you through the process as you provide the information necessary to send money to another account. If you are doing an online transfer, then you'll fill out this same information online. 

How Long Does A Wire Transfer Take?

Wire transfers take less time than sending money through the mail. The recipient can expect funds to deposit in their account the very same day, or in just a few business days. Wire transfers can take longer if they are being sent abroad. 

How Long Does An International Wire Transfer Take?

International wire transfers take longer than domestic wire transfers. This is due to a number of factors, one of which being that some banks don't exist in every country. International money transfers also have to go through more checks and balances to prevent fraud and money laundering. 

A typical international wire transfer can take as many as 15 days to complete.

Keep Learning

The Best Money Transfer Apps
What is a Money Order and How Do They Work?
How to Fill Out a Money Order

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