NH EFA Direct Pay vs. Reimbursement: Which ClassWallet Method to Use

Three Ways to Spend EFA Funds

ClassWallet gives you three pathways for using your child's EFA balance. Each has different approval speeds, documentation requirements, and rejection risk. Choosing the right one for each purchase avoids unnecessary delays and denied claims.

Marketplace: Lowest Friction

The ClassWallet Marketplace is a built-in shopping portal with pre-approved national vendors — Amazon (through the ClassWallet integration), Lakeshore Learning, Scholastic, Savvy Learning, and others. You browse, select items, and check out directly inside the ClassWallet platform.

Why it's the easiest option:

• Items from approved vendors are pre-screened against qualifying expense categories
• You never handle the money — ClassWallet pays the vendor directly from your child's EFA balance
• No receipts to upload after the fact
• No after-the-fact reimbursement request is needed; ClassWallet pays the vendor through the portal

The limitation: you're restricted to what's available through the Marketplace vendors. If the curriculum you want, the tutor you use, or the educational service you need isn't in the Marketplace, you can't purchase it this way.

Amazon note: Marketplace Amazon purchases must go through the ClassWallet-integrated Amazon portal, not Amazon.com directly. Items ordered outside the integration require a separate reimbursement submission.

Direct Pay: For Tuition and Service Providers

Direct Pay is how you send EFA funds to a specific vendor — a private school, a tutor, a therapy provider, a co-op, or an online academy. The money goes straight from your child's ClassWallet account to the vendor's bank account. You never touch the funds.

How it works:

1. The vendor must be registered in ClassWallet's system (most established NH educational providers already are)
2. You select the vendor in ClassWallet and upload an itemized invoice
3. CSF NH reviews the invoice against qualifying expense categories
4. Once approved, ClassWallet deposits the payment directly to the vendor

When to use it: private school tuition payments, recurring tutoring fees, therapy services, online academy subscriptions — any ongoing arrangement with an established provider.

Receipt requirements for Direct Pay invoices:

• Vendor's official business name
• Student's first and last name (per-student itemization, not per-family)
• Dates of service or billing period
• Clear description of the educational service or product
• Total amount due

If the vendor isn't registered in ClassWallet, they'll need to complete vendor registration before a Direct Pay request can be submitted. Contact CSF NH for the current setup timeline and plan ahead before a payment deadline.

Reimbursement: When You've Already Paid

Reimbursement is the fallback when you've paid for something out of pocket — physical textbooks from a local bookstore, educational supplies from a non-Marketplace vendor, a conference registration fee. You submit the receipt to ClassWallet, CSF NH reviews it, and upon approval, the funds are deposited into your linked bank account via ACH.

Why it has the highest rejection rate:

• You're providing documentation after the fact, so CSF NH can't filter non-qualifying items at the point of purchase
• Receipt quality varies — handwritten receipts are rejected instantly
• Generic descriptions trigger compliance questions
• The connection between the purchase and an educational purpose isn't always obvious from the receipt alone

How to minimize rejections:

• Always get a printed or digital receipt (never handwritten)
• Ensure all five required fields are present: vendor name, student name, date, itemized description, total amount
• For ambiguous items (a laptop, art supplies, athletic equipment), include a brief note explaining the educational purpose
• Link your ACH bank account before submitting — approved reimbursements can't be deposited without it

Processing time: Reimbursements require manual compliance review, so allow time for review and submit well before your payment deadline.

The Decision Framework

The general principle: use Marketplace when available, Direct Pay for recurring services, and Reimbursement only when the other options don't apply.

For a detailed breakdown of which expenses qualify under each payment method, plus invoice templates formatted to pass CSF NH review, see the New Hampshire EFA Parent Guide.

See more New Hampshire guides →