The Office of Legislative
and Public Affairs

Fact Sheets

Austin Regional Financial Center

The Austin Regional Financial Center (RFC) is one of four Treasury Financial Management Service processing centers. The Austin RFC employs 103 people. The other three RFCs are located in Kansas City, MO; Philadelphia, PA; and San Francisco, CA.

RFCs disburse payments (either electronic funds transfers (EFT) or check) on behalf of virtually every federal agency in the Executive Branch except for the Department of Defense and certain independent agencies, such as the U.S. Postal Service. In fact, FMS disburses approximately 85 percent of all federal payments. The Austin RFC disburses approximately $350 billion annually.

Federal payments FMS disburses include: Social Security benefits; Supplemental Security Income; federal pension benefits; veterans' compensation, pension, and education benefits; Railroad Retirement Board benefits; federal income tax refunds, and other federal disbursements such as salary and vendor payments. The RFCs also perform other payment-related services including EFT and check claims and reclamations, cancellation of returned checks, and processing agencies' requests for recovery of payments issued after a payee is deceased.

The work at the RFCs has evolved from disbursing handwritten checks to disbursing payments by EFT and printing paper checks using high-speed check printers. Since February 2001, the Austin RFC has been printing paper checks on high-speed laser printers that can print more than 60,000 checks per hour, compared with the 12,000 check-per-hour printing capabilities of its impact printers. The Austin RFC currently has two laser printers in operation. The digital printing and verification systems, combined in the laser printer, take the process of check and payment-related document printing to a new level of confidence and accuracy. Once the checks are printed, they are wrapped in envelopes and presorted to obtain postal discounts.

The Austin Financial Center has recently improved operations and has increased its operations capacity. AFC acquired another check wrapper which has increased the check wrapping operation by 50 percent. Additionally, AFC has purchased a new presort tool. This equipment will allow AFC to sort some of its mail prior to sending it to the U.S. Postal Service. By presorting the mail in-house, AFC will save additional money for federal agencies and, ultimately, for taxpayers. The initial cost of the tool was $1.2 million, but it has an impressive return on investment of 18 months. In addition, AFC has acquired a new Gunther tool, which allows checks to be sent with letters such as Explanation of Benefits.

What We Do

AFC issues payments, by check or electronic funds transfer (EFT); on behalf of federal agencies to recipients throughout the United States and other countries where U.S. citizens may be living abroad.

Process claims and inquiries related to EFT payments and Government checks that have been returned, lost or stolen.

Implement and monitor cash/credit management, debt collection, and accounting programs for Federal agencies.

Serve as a financial consultant and advisor to Federal, State, and local Governments, the financial community, and the Federal Reserve System to ensure that FMS initiatives are carried out in a practical, efficient and effective manner.

Provide training on existing and new programs and initiatives through workshops or seminars that are designed to meet the need of our customers.

AFC's primary customers are the Department of Veterans Affairs and IRS.

Quick Facts

• In FY 2007, AFC issued over 153.6 million payments, totaling $349.1 billion
• AFC services over 80 federal civilian agencies and their components

Our Mission

The Austin Financial Center Is Ever Vigilant In Serving The Public Trust By Advancing All Facets Of Payment Services

Our Goals

• Improve our Services through Technology
• Continually Improve our Quality and Production
• Prepare our Workforce for the Future
• Strengthen our Internal and External Communication

Core Values

• Information Sharing
• Inclusion
• Individual Respect
• Integrity
• Informality
• Innovation