Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether MyPaymentsPlus, an online payment platform used by school districts nationwide, improperly charges parents additional fees when they pay for their children’s school meals, activities, and other school-related expenses.
MyPaymentsPlus allows parents to add money to their children’s school meal accounts and make other school-related payments online. Depending on the school district, families may be charged additional processing or convenience fees each time they make a payment.
These fees can add up for families who regularly deposit money into their children’s school accounts. For example, Rush-Henrietta Central School District in New York reports a 4.75% transaction fee on payments below $100. The fees and available payment options vary by school district.
Parents generally do not choose which online payment platform their child’s school uses. A 2024 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report raised concerns about the fees families face when using school payment services and whether parents are clearly informed about ways to pay without additional charges.
Migliaccio & Rathod LLP is investigating whether MyPaymentsPlus clearly explains its fees before parents make payments, whether families are informed about available alternatives, and whether certain fee practices may violate consumer-protection laws.
Why Consumers Should Be Concerned
School lunches and other school expenses are regular costs for many families. Additional transaction fees can increase those costs, particularly for parents who make smaller deposits more frequently.
Parents may also have limited control over which payment service their school uses. If alternatives without extra fees are hard to find or not clearly explained, families may pay more than expected.
Migliaccio & Rathod is investigating whether MyPaymentsPlus adequately discloses its fees and whether families can easily access information about alternative payment methods. The CFPB report provides broader context about school payment fees; it does not establish that MyPaymentsPlus has violated the law.
Signs You May Be Affected
- You used MyPaymentsPlus to pay for school lunches, activities, or other school-related expenses.
- You were charged additional processing, transaction, or convenience fees.
- You incurred repeated fees when making deposits into your child’s school meal account.
- You were not clearly informed about the fees before completing a payment.
- You were not adequately informed about available payment methods without additional fees.
If you paid additional fees through MyPaymentsPlus for school meals, activities, or other school-related expenses, we would like to hear from you. Please complete the contact form on this page, email [email protected], or call (202) 470-3520.