Eynod Switches to Card Payments Cuts Delays
A guardianship program serving 15,000 participants once processed 25,000 paper checks monthly—each one a potential source of fraud, delays, or reconciliation errors. Eynod had transitioned its payment system from paper checks to card-based disbursements. This change addressed inefficiencies and systemic failures where outdated payment methods forced guardians to handle excessive manual work while leaving beneficiaries dependent on delayed funds. Managing money on behalf of someone else is one of the most consequential financial responsibilities a person can have, and the limitations of traditional banking systems made this task far more challenging than necessary.
Paper Checks Prove Costly and Slow
The core issue stemmed from the limitations of traditional banking systems, which were not built to handle the precision required in fiduciary management. Funds had to move with exactness, compliance documentation had to remain flawless, and beneficiaries often struggled with disjointed processes. Paper checks, once the standard, became a major obstacle. The pandemic highlighted their vulnerabilities when thousands of checks were sent monthly, and beneficiaries reported delays.
Isaac Itzkowitz, CEO of Eynod, noted that people were calling to report issues like, “It’s been three weeks. The utility company hasn’t cashed my check. What’s going on?” The delays created financial risks—late pension payments could leave beneficiaries unable to cover essential expenses, forcing manual corrections and reissues. Global supply chain disruptions and postal delays further worsened the problem, turning an already fragile system into a source of constant operational strain.
Real-Time Card Payments Transform Care
Eynod’s response was to implement real-time card disbursements, a change that cut overhead staff by half while expanding its client base. The shift went beyond operational improvements—it restored independence to beneficiaries. Many, including elderly individuals and those with disabilities, still had the capacity to manage small purchases but were trapped by systemic inefficiencies. With a card, they could handle bills themselves while guardians maintained oversight.
Isaac Itzkowitz, Eynod’s CEO, explained that people want to feel independent and be able to say, “I pay my utilities. Even if they’re now under the management of a programme or a facility that requires an administrator on their funds, that’s okay.” The decision to prioritize card-based solutions also addressed the broader structural payments problem in the financial management space, where traditional rails simply cannot accommodate the precision and oversight required for fiduciary roles.
Qolo Partnership Solves Compliance Hurdles
The technical hurdles were significant. Fiduciary management demands strict compliance, including Know Your Customer (KYC) checks, Anti-Money Laundering (AML) controls, and Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) reporting, requirements that could not be compromised. Eynod initially explored third-party program managers but found instability; two providers it evaluated filed for bankruptcy within two years. The risks of outsourcing were too great. Instead, it partnered with Qolo, whose Qinetic Issuing platform provided a unified system for card fulfillment, dispute resolution, and compliance safeguards, all accessible through a single application programming interface (API). Operating in a market that serves vulnerable populations leaves zero margin for error, making direct control over the infrastructure essential rather than an option.
Before this collaboration, Eynod’s systems operated as a fragmented collection of services. One provider managed virtual cards, another handled Automated Clearing House (ACH) transactions, and a third issued physical cards. These gaps allowed errors to slip through. With Qolo, the disjointed approach ended. Guardians no longer needed to coordinate with 17 separate providers; they accessed a streamlined, real-time dashboard where declined transactions showed specific reasons, auditors retrieved unalterable ledgers instantly, and compliance was integrated into the system.
The result allowed guardians to onboard new cases in days rather than weeks, enabling direct routing of government benefits through the platform without relying on outdated banking systems. The unified stack eliminated the operational heavy lifting of legacy technology, where financial leaders had to patch together solutions never designed for complex trust structures at scale.
Guardians Gain Efficiency and Dignity
For court-appointed guardians, the benefits were immediate. Itzkowitz noted that when these professionals spend their days trapped in administrative quicksand, they lose the capacity to accept new cases. Creating efficiency for guardians to take on more cases is real, and the platform has reduced monthly paper check volume from an average of 25,000 down to roughly 5,000. The transition also addressed the personal dignity of beneficiaries, many of whom retained the ability to manage small purchases but were restricted by systemic inefficiencies. With card-based disbursements, they could regain control over their daily transactions while maintaining oversight.
The shift to card-based payments also addressed long-standing compliance challenges. The unified system eliminated the need for manual reconciliations, reducing human error and ensuring that every transaction met regulatory standards. Guardians could now track disbursements in real time, with full audit trails available at any moment. This transparency not only simplified oversight but also strengthened trust between guardians and beneficiaries. The operational heavy lifting of legacy technology, where staff spent excessive time on manual labor rather than strategic work, was finally alleviated, allowing the organization to scale efficiently.
