USAC is now enforcing penalties for invoice payments received after the due date. Accounts are being placed in FCC Red Light status when payments are not received on time (this sounds bad, and it is!).
A monthly invoice from USAC is very predictable. The due date is in the middle of the month – usually the 15th but may be as early as the 13th if the 15th falls on a weekend. For example, December 2013 USAC invoices are due on Friday the 13th (can’t overlook that one!). The issue date of a USAC invoice is typically the 22nd day of the prior month, but can be a day or two earlier. This timing does not allow a full 30 day payment window, but again, it is very predictable.
What can you do? Simple calendar reminders are useful tools to keep schedules on track, but one inadvertent delete in the Outlook calendar can clear the rest of your day in a snap. Whether you do your own invoice remittances or utilize an outsource service, the “due date clutter” can cost you dearly if you are even a day late. Our client’s find our scheduled reminders regarding upcoming invoices and other deadlines useful. That way they can plan for important remittances and simplify the payment process for USAC invoices and other telecom related invoices. Take the time to establish your own calendar for this process or utilize a service that will do it for you. It only takes one late remittance to set your entire filing process into a series of missed deadlines.
So, check those due dates and get answers to those nagging questions you have pertaining to payment and reporting schedules. You will be glad you did it in time for a New Year!
