This project created an API integration between CU*BASE teller tools to the Ascensus IRAdirect express™ web-based solution. This is an optional, paid-for solution by credit unions who use Ascensus services for IRA reporting, tracking, and compliance tasks.

AVAILABLE NOW! If your credit union is interested in moving forward with the integration you can place an order directly in the Store. 

The overall goal of this integration is to reduce dual entry for credit union employees. Currently when an employee opens a new account or posts certain member transactions in CU*BASE they must also enter them manually into the Ascensus IRAdirect site in order to complete related paperwork/forms. This project passes data to the Ascensus wizard to eliminate manual rekeying.

Features Included

• Account applications (acct opening) done via
  • CU*BASE IRA Savings and IRA Certificate Account Creation (Tool #3)
  • CU*BASE HSA Savings/Checking and HSA Certificate Account Creation (Tool #3)
• Contribution (deposit) and distribution (withdrawal) transactions posted via
  • CU*BASE Standard Teller (Tool #1) and Xpress Teller (Tool #1600) posting platforms

Features Not Included

• Member Transfers posted via the standalone tool or Phone Operator
  • UPDATE 12/1/2025: Project #66851 is in development to add this integration.
• IRA withholding in the same transaction as a member withdrawal
  • UPDATE 12/1/2025: Project #66851 is in development to add this functionality to Phone Operator, not only for the Ascensus integration but also for routine IRA withdrawals. Once we have that working smoothly, we’ll add that to teller processing as well, both for the Ascensus integration as well as for self-administered CUs to use. 
• Batch (non-interactive) transaction processes, such as ACH, AFT, etc.
• Transaction reversals or account adjustments
• Member-initiated self-service transaction processes, including online banking and audio response
• New accounts opened by the member via online banking

Other Caveats

• There is no back and forth communication between CU*BASE and Ascensus beyond the initial push of data from the transaction just posted (or account just created) to the Ascensus wizard. Behind the scenes CU*BASE has already returned to the starting point of whatever process the teller was doing, so that’s where the teller ends up once they exit the Ascensus wizard.
• Withdrawals that require withholding cannot be handled via this route at this time. When posting the withdrawal, the teller would bypass the link to Ascensus and proceed to post all withholding transactions the normal way, then log in to IRAdirect to enter both the withdrawal and withholding manually. (See the UPDATE above for news about changes coming!)
• Not all IRA/HSA post codes are supported by Ascensus; the system will not trigger the interface for any unsupported codes.
• New IRA/HSA savings accounts will be sent to Ascensus as an “application” (new account); there will be no verification as to whether there’s already an account under that plan for that member so the teller will need to follow any error instructions on the IRAdirect site.
  • Note about opening a new IRA for a member and making the initial deposit – CU*BASE handles account opening independently from teller transactions like deposits or withdrawals. In the current integration there’s a delay on the Ascensus end to process a new account open before it is available to receive the first deposit transaction. So, during the account opening process, the IRAdirect express system will allow input into the field for the initial deposit amount, allowing the application to be completed at that time. Tellers then need to return to CU*BASE and actually post that deposit in the usual way.
• New IRA/HSA certificate accounts are sent to Ascensus as a deposit transaction on an existing IRA/HSA plan, not as a new account.
• If multiple transactions are posted with IRA/HSA post codes during the same transaction (such as if the member was depositing $100 into three different IRA savings suffixes, regardless of plan type), we only send one of those transactions to Ascensus (the one with the lowest-numbered account suffix). Therefore we recommend each of those be handled as a separate posting transaction in CU*BASE teller processing, jumping out to Ascensus separately for each one.
• Batch processes already in place for sending data (twice a year, April and December, for 1099 and 5498 reporting) to Ascensus are unchanged.
• This is a paid-for service that a CU must request to be activated. Activation requires steps on the CU*BASE side as well as onboarding steps with Ascensus representatives.

Your chef for this recipe: Keegan Daniel