How do I switch from Branch to my bank account?

Last updated: November 10, 2026

Applies to: US workers whose pay goes to a Branch account (the Branch app and debit card). Branch is a US account, so workers paid in Canada or outside the US won't have it.

Summary: You can switch at any time: log in at app.ascen.com, go to Direct Deposit, add your bank account and confirm it with the 6-digit code we email you, and from the next payroll run your pay goes to your bank instead of Branch. Pay already sent to Branch stays there, and you can move it from the Branch app.

Why your pay went to Branch

Branch is a digital bank account with a debit card that you can choose as your pay method during onboarding or later in Direct Deposit (see Do you offer payroll debit cards?). If Branch was chosen, your pay is sent there, not to your bank. That is why you can have a pay stub in the Ascen portal but no deposit in your bank.

How to switch to your bank account

  1. Log in to your Ascen portal at app.ascen.com and go to Direct Deposit.

  2. Choose Update Bank Manually and enter your account and routing numbers (you type each one twice), or choose Update Bank Instantly to connect your bank by signing in to it.

  3. Enter the 6-digit code we email you. The change is not saved until the code is accepted.

Once saved, your bank account replaces Branch as the place your pay goes. Double-check the numbers: a wrong account or routing number causes the deposit to fail. Full steps: How do I set up or change my direct deposit?

When the change starts

The change applies from the next payroll run. If payroll has already been processed for the current period, that paycheck may still go to Branch. Check a paycheck's status under Paychecks in the portal: Processed means it has been sent. See Where is my paycheck? How to check your pay status.

Pay already sent to Branch

Switching does not move money already in your Branch account. In the Branch app you can spend it with your Branch card, or use Move Funds to send it to another bank: free by ACH (3 to 5 business days), or instantly to a debit card for a small fee. See Branch Card.

If you never finished setting up Branch

Choosing Branch in the Ascen portal only starts your Branch account. You finish opening it in the Branch app, following the email Branch sends you. An unfinished account can stop your pay from reaching it. If that happened, add your bank account in Direct Deposit as above, then email support@ascen.com with your full name and the pay period. We will check where the payment went and tell you what is needed to get it to you.

If the paycheck shows Failed (the payment did not go through), we need a voided check or bank letter before we can resend it. See My payment failed: what do I do?

Where to get help

  • Ascen (support@ascen.com): changing where your pay goes, a payment that didn't reach you, and pay stubs. These come to Ascen, not your staffing partner.

  • Branch support (the Account tab in the Branch app, or the Branch Help Center): the Branch app, your Branch card, or moving money out of Branch.