Money Transfer — Ask the Inmate
Getting money to an incarcerated loved one is one of the most practical and impactful things a family can do. Commissary funds cover phone calls, personal care items, food supplements, and small daily comforts that make a meaningful difference in quality of life inside. But every facility uses its own approved money transfer services and sending money through the wrong channel means delays, fees, or the money never arriving at all. This section covers which money transfer services are approved at federal and state facilities, how to find the right service for a specific institution, how long transfers typically take to post to an account, how much money can be sent and how often, and how to send money from outside the United States to a US correctional facility. The practical guidance here is written for first-time senders who need to get it right without the frustration of a failed transfer. See also our sections on Commissary, Send Inmate Money, and Inmate Phone Calls.
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Money cannot be loaded onto a prepaid card directly by the inmate from inside. Funds must be added from the outside — by a family member or friend — using an approved money transfer service such as JPay, Access Corrections, or MoneyGram, depending on the facility. Inmates can also earn money through prison work assignments, however the wages are extremely low — typically between $0.12 and $0.40 per hour at the federal level, and even less in some state
Read moreInmateAid processes all payments through Stripe, one of the most widely used and trusted payment processors in the world. Like most international payment platforms, Stripe operates under financial regulations and sanctions guidelines that govern which cards and countries can transact on their network. Russian issued bank cards are currently restricted from processing through Stripe due to international sanctions and banking regulations that are outside of InmateAid's control. This is not a decision InmateAid made and unfortunately it is not
Read moreThe prison phone system does not send inmates a notification the way a bank might send a text alert when a deposit is made. They generally find out one of two ways. The most common way is simply by attempting a call. When your son picks up the phone and dials out the automated system will confirm there are available funds or minutes in the account before the call connects. If the balance was zero before and now has
Read moreThe money does not automatically follow them. County jail and state prison operate on entirely separate account systems, and funds from a county commissary account are not transferred to the state when an inmate moves. To get the remaining balance, the inmate needs to request a check for whatever is left in their county account. That check is typically issued to the inmate's home address, so there needs to be someone on the outside to receive it. The inmate
Read moreYes, but sometimes the refund takes a few days or more to get back into the account.
Read moreYes. In federal have your inmate ask for a form BP-199, the Request for Withdrawal of Inmate's Personal Funds. In state prison, your inmate can meet with their case manager and then transfer funds home or elsewhere if there are available funds on their books.
Read moreIf you have an inmate ID number, they can. You might be able to bring cash or money order with you when you report, they will deposit it into your account for you. We would certainly call them first to be 100% sure.
Read moreUsually yes, at least partially. When a deposit hits an inmate's account, whether through commissary or AdvancePay for phone calls, the inmate typically receives a receipt or notification that shows the deposit amount and in most cases a last name associated with the transaction. Some systems show a first initial and last name. Others show the full name depending on the platform and the facility. What they generally do not see is your full account details, address, or payment
Read moreThe hesitation you are feeling is understandable, but the good news is that the major services operating in this space are legitimate and have been around long enough to have established track records. The four most reputable options for sending money to Georgia inmates are MoneyGram, Western Union, JPay, and JailATM. Each has been operating in the correctional finance space for years and processes millions of transactions. Your money is not going to disappear into a scam with any
Read moreThe IA Wallet is used for purchases on InmateAid Services and Products at a discount. We are developing and soon launching some innovative packages for our members. Discounted packages that you can buy with your Wallet, like buy a magazine subscription and get one month free of our 1000-minute Discount Phone Service.
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