Putting money on a loved one's books is one of the most direct ways to improve their daily life inside. Commissary funds cover phone calls, food supplements, personal care, and the small daily necessities that make incarceration more bearable. But every facility uses specific approved money transfer services and sending money through an unapproved channel means delays, fees, or the money not 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 take to post, deposit limits and frequency restrictions, how to send money from outside the United States, and what to do when a transfer does not post as expected. The practical guidance here is built around getting money where it needs to go efficiently and without unnecessary fees. See also our sections on Commissary, Money Transfer, and Inmate Phone Calls.
Subject: Send inmate money
Most facilities take MoneyGram. Click and check the list of facilities where MoneyGram is accepted. When searching, keep in mind that there are 200 federal facilities but the User goes to one place for all, "FEDERAL BUREAU OF PRISONS (7932)" on their site. Same with state prison systems. For instance, one state system looks like this: IOWA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS (6185). Find your inmate's facility and you'll be able to get money to them instantly.
Subject: Send inmate money
No personal checks are allowed
Subject: Send inmate money
They know the last name of the sender.
Subject: Send inmate money
In most state and federal facilities, inmates have access to a system that lets them check their account balances without needing someone on the outside to tell them. At the federal level, the Trust Fund system allows inmates to check their account through the TRULINCS terminals available in many units. State systems typically have a similar kiosk or terminal setup where inmates can view their trust account balance, which includes phone funds depending on how the facility structures its accounts.
That...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
Send what you can genuinely afford without creating a hardship for yourself first. That is the only rule that actually matters here. Inmates are fed three meals a day regardless of what is on their books. Nobody goes hungry because their account is empty. What commissary money buys is comfort and small pleasures above the baseline: snacks, hygiene items beyond the basics, phone time, postage for letters, and in some facilities access to email.
Most facilities cap monthly spending somewhere in...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
No. An inmate's account balance is treated as private financial information, the same way any person's bank account would be. Facilities do not make that information available to outside parties, including family members and significant others, without the inmate's explicit authorization.
The only person who can check the balance is the inmate themselves, and they can do so through whatever account access system the facility provides, typically at a kiosk, through their housing unit officer, or during commissary processing.
If you want...
Read moreSubject: Send inmate money
There are no online methods of money transfer available for the San Joaquin County Honor Farm. You may deposit money in the lobby kiosk at the facility or send a POSTAL money order through US Mail. Money orders must have the inmate's name, booking number and the return address of the sender.
Subject: Send inmate money
Internet Payments (credit cards via http://www.jailatm.com/)
Mail (money orders only - must have inmate name) addressed to Washoe County Jail, ATTN: Inmate Accounting
Subject: Send inmate money
They want you to use [Western Union](https://www.westernunion.com/us/en/send-to-inmate.html?src=aff_cj_mt_Inmate+Aid%252C+LLC_6191743_SENDMONEYPAGETEXT) have money on their books immediately so that they may use the money to shop at the commissary or to buy phone time.
Subject: Send inmate money
Yes, and setting up separate accounts is actually the cleaner way to handle it when multiple parties want to support the same inmate independently.
On the InmateAid side, each account is tied to a unique email address. If both families want their own separate accounts, they simply need different email addresses to register with. That keeps everything distinct, gives each party their own transaction history to review, and ensures that letters and postcards sent through the service show as coming from...
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