Form FR 3063a FR 3063a Government-Administered, General-Use Prepaid Card Survey

FR 3063a
OMB No. 7100-0343
Approval expires December 31, 2020

GOVERNMENT-ADMINISTERED,

GENERAL-USE PREPAID CARD SURVEY

Issuer Survey

Survey Period:
Calendar Year 2019

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General Instructions
About this Survey
The information requested is required by law [15 U.S.C. 1693o-2] to support an annual report to the
Congress on the prevalence of the use of general-use prepaid cards in federal, state, or local
government-administered payment programs, and the interchange fees and cardholder fees charged with
respect to the use of such general-use prepaid cards.
Your Participation
To achieve the most reliable results, it is important that you respond completely and accurately. Please
leave no survey item blank.
The online survey system contains links to two questionnaires, one for federal programs and a second for
state/local programs. Respond to each questionnaire once by aggregating all programs falling under each
respective jurisdiction. For the purposes of this survey, a program’s jurisdiction is determined by the
government agency that administers the program. For example, a program is considered state/local if it is
administered by a state government agency even if the program is federally funded. Where applicable,
this paper version of the survey highlights the differences between the federal and state/local
questionnaires.
There are three possible ways to answer a numerical survey question:
Enter a Value: The actual numeric value of the data element.
Enter a Zero: When the calculated value equals zero. Please do not enter a non-numeric
value, e.g. “NA” or “NR,” when the value equals zero.
Enter “NR” (Not Reported): If your institution engages in the activity of the type being
measured but you are unable to report a figure that reflects that activity.
Please do not enter “NA.”
If for any reason you cannot provide complete data or you have questions please contact
Monifa Greene at 1-866-359-6619 or e-mail debit.card.surveys@frb.gov for assistance.
The survey will be made available online at https://www.federalreserve.gov/debitcardsurveys.
Please complete the survey by April 15, 2020.
Response Confidentiality and Burden
The Federal Reserve Board regards the majority of individual organization information provided by each
respondent as confidential (5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(4)). The Board, however, may publish aggregate or
summary information in a way that does not reveal your individual organization’s confidential information.
If it should be determined subsequently that any information collected on this form must be released, the
respondents will be notified.
Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to be 25 hours per response,
including the time to gather data in the required form and to review instructions and complete the
information collection. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this
collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to Secretary, Board of Governors
of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20551 or via email to
regs.comments@frb.gov; and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project
(7100-0343), Washington, D.C. 20503. The Federal Reserve may not conduct or sponsor, and an
organization (or a person) is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number.

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Section I:

Program Information

Enter totals related to government-administered, general-use prepaid cards (linked to U.S.-domiciled
accounts) for which your institution was the issuer during calendar year 2019. Note clearly in Section I the
name of each government-administered payment program included in your response, check all boxes that
apply throughout the survey, and provide explanatory descriptions where appropriate.
Include:

All general-use prepaid cards (linked to U.S.-domiciled accounts) issued under programs
administered by a federal, state, or local government agency, except for the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program (SNAP). The Board will collect cumulative data for the SNAP program directly
from the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service. Examples of general-use prepaid
cards issued under programs administered by a government agency include, but are not limited to,
cards issued under federal benefit programs (such as Social Security (Old-Age, Survivors, and
Disability Insurance), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and Veterans Affairs programs), electronic
benefit transfer programs (such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)), payroll programs,
unemployment insurance programs, child support programs, reimbursement programs, disaster relief
programs, and petty cash programs.

Number
1. Number of government-administered payment programs covered
in this response.
Number of programs by category

Number

2. Allocate “1. Number of government-administered payment
program(s) covered in this response” between the following categories
F - Category will appear only in the federal version of the questionnaire
SL - Category will appear only in the state/local version of the questionnaire
B - Category will appear in both questionnaires
Q2 components should sum to Q1

2a.

Social Security (OASDI)

2b.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

2c.

Veterans

2d.

Unemployment

2e.

Child Support

2f.

TANF

2g.

Section 8 Housing

2h.

Payroll

2i.

Tax Refund

2j.

Prisons/Corrections

2k.

Other government program types

F
F

F
SL

SL

(do not include child care benefit programs)

SL
SL

B
B
B
B

2k.1. List other types of government programs included in 2k.

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1:

2l. Comments

3. Government-administered payment programs covered in this response
Name of sponsoring government agency
Name of program

Government agency administering the general-use
prepaid card program

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18
19.
20.
21.
22.
…
…
…

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Section II:

Card Funding
Number

1. Government-administered, general-use prepaid
cards outstanding as of December 31, 2019

Net funds loaded

Value ($)

2. Net funds loaded onto government-administered, generaluse prepaid cards in 2019 (exclude funds that were voided or
returned to government agencies (or other funding entities))
3. Allocate “2. Net funds loaded onto governmentadministered, general-use prepaid cards in 2019” between the
following categories:

2:

3a - 3b = 2

3a.

Gross funds loaded in 2019

(+)

3b.

Funds that were voided or returned to
government agencies (or other funding entities) in 2019

(-)

3c. Comments

Net funds loaded by source

Value ($)

4. Allocate “2. Net funds loaded onto government-administered, generaluse prepaid cards in 2019” between the following categories:
F - Category will appear only in the federal version of the questionnaire
SL - Category will appear only in the state/local version of the questionnaire
B - Category will appear in both questionnaires
Q4a components and Q4b should sum to Q2

4a. Net funds loaded pursuant to government-administered
payment programs:
4a.1. Social Security (OASDI)

F

4a.2. Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
4a.3. Veterans

F

F

4a.4. Unemployment

SL

4a.5. Child Support

(do not include child care benefit programs)

4a.6. TANF

SL

SL

4a.7. Section 8 Housing

SL

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2:

4a.8. Payroll

B

4a.9. Tax Refund

B

4a.10. Prisons/Corrections

B

4a.11. Other government program types

B

4b. Net funds loaded from all other sources
(not pursuant to government programs)

4b.1. Provide a description of all other sources of funding included in 4b.

4c. Comments

Funds outstanding

Value ($)

5. Funds outstanding on government-administered, generaluse prepaid cards as of December 31, 2019
6. Average daily value of funds outstanding on
government-administered, general-use prepaid cards in 2019
This value is calculated by summing the aggregate value of

daily balances for each day in the year and dividing by 365. Do

not divide by the number of cards outstanding.

7. Comments regarding questions 5-6

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Section III:

Cash Withdrawals

ATM cash withdrawals

Volume

Value ($)

1. Total ATM cash withdrawals in 2019
2. Allocate “1. Total ATM cash withdrawals in 2019
between the following categories:

1:

1:

2a + 2b = 1

2a. ATM cash withdrawals in 2019 at

proprietary (in-network) ATMs

2b. ATM cash withdrawals in 2019 at
nonproprietary (out-of-network) ATMs

2c. Comments

Dollars ($)
3. Total ATM fees assessed to cardholders for cash
withdrawals in 2019 by ATM operators of
nonproprietary (out-of-network) ATMs
3a.

Amount reimbursed to cardholders by the
issuer for ATM fees assessed to cardholders for
cash withdrawals by ATM operators of
nonproprietary (out-of-network) ATMs

Over-the-counter at-bank (teller) cash withdrawals

Volume

Value ($)

4. Total over-the-counter at-bank (teller) cash
withdrawals in 2019
5. Allocate “4. Total over-the-counter at-bank (teller)
in 2019” between the following categories:
5a + 5b = 4

5a.

Over-the-counter at-bank (teller) cash
withdrawals in 2019 at the issuer’s bank
branches

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4:

4:

5b. Over-the-counter at-bank cash
withdrawals in 2019 at third-party bank
branches
5c. Comments

Dollars ($)
6. Total over-the-counter at-bank (teller) fees
assessed to cardholders for cash withdrawals in 2019
by third party banks
6a. Amount reimbursed to cardholders by the

issuer for over-the-counter at-bank (teller) fees

assessed to cardholders for cash withdrawals by

third party banks

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Section IV:

Purchase Transactions

Value ($)
Include cash
back amounts

Volume
1. All settled purchase transactions in 2019 (excluding
pre-authorizations, denials, adjustments, and returns)

Value ($)

Volume
1a.

Total
amount

Settled purchase transactions that
included cash back in 2019
1a.1 Allocate “Total amount” between the following categories:
Total amount = purchase amount + cash back amount

1a.1.1.
Purchase
amount

1a.1.2.
Cash back
amount

1b. Comments

Exempt vs. non-exempt transactions

Volume

2. Allocate “1. All settled purchase transactions in
2019” between the following categories:
2a + 2b = 1

2a. Settled purchase transactions exempt from the

interchange fee standards

2b. Settled purchase transactions not exempt from the

interchange fee standards

2c. Comments

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1:

Value ($)
1:

Section V:

Fees Paid by Issuers
Dollars ($)

1.

Fees paid (by the issuer) on ATM cash

withdrawals to ATM owners/operators in 2019

2.

Fees paid (by the issuer) on over-the­
counter at-bank (teller) cash withdrawals to

third party banks in 2019

3.

Other fees paid (by the issuer) on cash

withdrawals in 2019

3.1. List the types of other fees paid on cash withdrawals included in 3.

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Section VI:

Issuer Revenue: Interchange Fees
Dollars ($)

1. Total interchange fee revenue received on settled
purchase transactions in 2019 (net of interchange fees reimbursed
to acquirers as a result of chargebacks or returns)
Do not exclude interchange fee revenue ultimately disbursed to a program

manager or other third party.

Revenue from exempt vs. non-exempt transactions
2. Allocate “1. Total interchange fee revenue received in 2019”
between the following categories:
2a + 2b = 1

2a. Interchange fee revenue received on settled purchase transactions
exempt from the interchange fee standards.
2b. Interchange fee revenue received on settled purchase transactions
not exempt from the interchange fee standards.
2c. Comments

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Dollars ($)
1:

Section VII: Issuer Revenue: Cardholder Fees
Number of
times fees
were assessed
Total
Revenue
Dollars ($)

Do not include
instances where fees
were waived or for
some other reason
not assessed

1. All fees assessed to cardholders in 2019
Number of
programs in
which fee is
subject to
governmentimposed
restrictions

Do not exclude cardholder fee revenue ultimately

disbursed to a program manager or other third party.

2. Allocate “1. All fees assessed to
cardholders in 2019” between the following

categories:

1:

1:

2a + 2b + 2c + 2d + 2e + 2f + 2g + 2h + 2i = 1

2a.

2b.

Purchase transaction fees

ATM fees
Do not include ATM fees assessed to
cardholders for cash withdrawals by ATM
operators at nonproprietary ATMs reported in
section III, question 3

2c.

Over-the-counter at-bank (teller)

cash withdrawal fees

Do not include over-the-counter at-bank (teller)

fees assessed to cardholders for cash

withdrawals by third party banks reported in

section III, question 6

2d.

Account servicing fees

2e. Routine monthly fees

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Provide a description of government-imposed
restrictions on fees

2f.

Customer service inquiry fees

2g.

Overdraft fees

2h.

Penalty fees
Do not include overdraft fees

2i.

Other fees

2i.1. List other types of fees included in 2i.

2j. Comments

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Section VIII: Issuer Revenue: Other
Do not exclude revenue ultimately disbursed to a program manager or

other third party

Dollars ($)

1. Total revenue received from fees assessed to
government office(s) in 2019
2. Total value of payments and incentives received from
payment card networks in 2019
3. Total revenue received from all other sources in 2019 (other
than sources already covered in this survey).

3.1. Provide a description of the types of other sources of revenue included in 3.

4. Comments regarding questions 1-3

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Glossary of Terms
Account servicing fee: Fee assessed to a government-administered, general-use prepaid cardholder for
certain types of funds transfers or in connection with certain types of account maintenance. Examples of
account servicing fees include minimum balance fees (for allowing the account balance to fall below a
certain amount), inactivity fees (after a period of time (days or months) without deposit, purchase,
withdrawal, or other transaction activity), and fees charged for initiating an on-line bill payment transaction
(including fees for individual or recurring payments, proof of payment requests, stop payment requests and
returned items), transferring funds from the general-use prepaid card to a bank account, converting currency,
initiating a money transfer at a money transfer provider, requesting standard or expedited card replacement,
or requesting check issuance. Do not include fees assessed to a cardholder every month for general
maintenance of the card, as these fees should be categorized as routine monthly fees.
ATM fee: Fee assessed to a government-administered, general-use prepaid cardholder for proprietary (innetwork) or non-proprietary (out-of-network) cash withdrawals at an ATM.
Cardholder: Individual, household, or other category used for recipients receiving payments on governmentadministered, general-use prepaid cards.
Cards outstanding: All active general-use prepaid cards (linked to U.S.-domiciled accounts) in circulation on
which funds may be disbursed for the government administered payment program for which data is being
reported. This does not include cards in inventory or that are no longer eligible to receive benefit funds.
Customer service inquiry fee: Fee assessed to a government-administered, general-use prepaid
cardholder that includes checking the available balance or recent activity on a card via an ATM, an
automated interactive voice response menu (via landline or cell phone), web-based account access or when
human interaction between the cardholder and the issuer is involved (such as customer service calls to a live
representative).
Exempt transaction: Electronic debit transaction that is exempt from the interchange fee standards in
Regulation II.
An electronic debit transaction made using a general-use prepaid card that has been provided pursuant to a
government-administered payment program is exempt from the interchange fee standards for calendar year
2019 if one of the following two conditions applies:
1) The issuer, along with its affiliates worldwide, has assets that are less than $10 billion, as of December
31, 2018.
2) The issuer, along with its affiliates worldwide, has assets that are greater than or equal to $10 billion, as
of December 31, 2018, and all of the following conditions apply:
• The cardholder may use the debit card only to transfer or debit funds, monetary value, or other
assets that have been provided pursuant to a government-administered payment program;
• The issuer does not charge a fee for overdrafts, including a shortage of funds or a transaction
processed for an amount exceeding the account balance, unless the fee or charge is imposed
for transferring funds from another asset account to cover a shortfall in the account accessed by
the card
• The issuer does not charge a fee for the first withdrawal per calendar month from an ATM that is
part of the issuer’s designated ATM network.
Fees waived or for some other reason not assessed: Fees that an issuer normally would assess to
cardholders, but which the issuer did not actually assess or collect. Reasons for not assessing of collecting
the fee include, but are not limited to, restrictions imposed by the government agency administering the
program, the issuer’s marketing or customer service initiative, and the request of a cardholder.
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General-use prepaid card: A card or other payment code or device that is (1) issued on a prepaid basis in
a specified amount, whether or not that amount may be increased or reloaded, in exchange for payment and
(2) redeemable upon presentation at multiple unaffiliated merchants for goods or services. The funds related
to these card programs may be loaded directly onto the card, into an account associated with the card, or set
aside in some other manner for the benefit of the cardholder.
Government-administered payment program: A program is considered government-administered
regardless of whether a federal, state, or local government agency operates the program or outsources
some or all functions to third parties so long as the program is operated on behalf of the government agency.
In addition, a program may be government-administered even if a federal, state, or local government agency
is not the source of funds for the program it administers. For example, child support programs are
government-administered programs even though a federal, state, or local government agency is not the
source of the funds. In addition, to the extent Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Account, and
Health Reimbursement Arrangement accounts are offered in connection with a person's employment and
administered by or on behalf of a government employer, such accounts are considered governmentadministered payment programs. Jury duty payment programs administered by federal, state, or local
governments, including courts, are also considered government-administered payment programs. Further,
local government-administered payment programs would include programs administered by tribal
governments.
For the purposes of this survey, this definition includes, but is not limited to, federal benefit programs (such
as Social Security Administration, Supplemental Security Income, and Veterans Administration), electronic
benefit transfer programs (such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and the energy assistance
programs), payroll programs, child support programs, reimbursement programs, disaster relief programs,
and petty cash programs.
Although the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a government-administered payment
program, it should not be reported in this survey. The Board will collect cumulative data for the SNAP
program directly from the Food and Nutrition Service under the United States Department of Agriculture.
Government-imposed restrictions: Federal, state or local government agency requirements that restrict
or limit an issuer from assessing certain fees to general-use prepaid cardholders in governmentadministered payment programs. An example might include a government agency requiring an issuer to
provide the first ATM cash withdrawal per month at no charge to the cardholder.
Nonproprietary (out-of-network) ATM: An ATM that is not owned by, operated exclusively for, or
operated by the card issuing depository institution, or is not part of an ATM network of depository institutions
with which the card issuing depository institution is a member such that ATM use is treated as if the ATM is
proprietary.
Other fee: Any fee not included in other fee definitions that are assessed to a government-administered,
general-use prepaid cardholder.
Overdraft fee: Fee assessed to a government-administered, general-use prepaid cardholder for a negative
balance (a transaction that was paid despite insufficient funds on the card) or a denied transaction (a
transaction that was denied for insufficient funds).
Over-the-counter at-bank (teller) cash withdrawal fee: Fee assessed to a governmentadministered, general use prepaid cardholder for initiating a cash withdrawal at a bank teller location.
Payments and incentives received from payment card networks: Payments received by an
issuer from a payment card network with respect to debit card transactions or debit-card-related activity.
Issuer incentives may be based on reaching specified volume levels, promoting the network’s brand through
marketing activities, converting the issuer’s debit card base to a different signature network, or undertaking

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other activities. Exclude payments from a network to an issuer for traditional banking services the issuer
provides the network (e.g., transaction account services to the network).
Penalty fee: Fee assessed to a government-administered, general-use prepaid cardholder for the infraction
of an issuer’s rule(s) or policy/policies. Examples of penalty fees include daily limit fees (circumstances
where a cardholder exceeded the transaction amount allowed on a daily basis), and account termination
fees. Do not include overdraft fees.
Purchase transaction fee: Fee assessed to a government-administered, general use prepaid cardholder
for routine usage of the card for purchase transactions. Examples of routine transaction fees include fees
assessed for card usage at the point-of-service (purchase).
Routine Monthly fee: Fee assessed to a government-administered, general-use prepaid cardholder every
month for general maintenance of the card.
Settled purchase transaction: A prepaid card transaction that has been settled. Exclude transactions
that are pre-authorizations, denials, adjustments, and returns.
Sponsoring government agency: Government agency administering a general-use prepaid card program.
Total interchange fee revenue received: Total value of fees received that are established, charged, or
received by a payment card network and paid by a merchant or an acquirer for the purpose of compensating
an issuer for its involvement in the debit card transaction.
United States: The states, territories, and possessions of the U.S., the District of Columbia, the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any political subdivision of any of the foregoing.

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