How can we help?

To get paid, make sure you:

1. Add your address. We use your mailing address to verify your identity (even if you’re getting paid via PayPal or American Express Membership Rewards® Points). On our website, you can add your address in Account Settings. If you’re using the App, go to Account then Choose How to Get Paid.

2. Earn at least $5.01. You need minimum confirmed earnings of $5.01 Cash Back before the next payment date to get paid. Cash Back must be confirmed by the store before the payment date to be included in your check or PayPal payment. If your Cash Back Balance is $5.00 or less, it will carry over to the next payment date.

Getting Paid

You’ll be paid for any confirmed Cash Back, bonuses and other rewards via the payment method you selected (check or PayPal) every three months. The time it takes for Cash Back to be confirmed depends on several factors, including the store, store policy, reporting schedule, exclusions and returns.

Rakuten Payment Dates:

• February 15
• May 15
• August 15
• November 15

Cash Back Balance

Your Cash Back Balance reflects your current earnings, including both pending and confirmed Cash Back. The time it takes for Cash Back to be confirmed depends on several factors, including the store, store policy, reporting schedule, exclusions and returns. For more details, go to Cash Back Balance.

Remember, your Cash Back, bonuses and other rewards need to be confirmed before the payment date to be included.

Want to track your Cash Back payment? Track My Big Fat Check

Cash Back for Change

Your Big Fat Check can make a big impact! With our Cash Back for Change program, you can donate the change from your quarterly Cash Back payment to our partner nonprofits. All you need to do is opt in to start giving back.

Learn more about Cash Back for Change

Your Big Fat Check can make a big impact! With our Cash Back for Change program, you can donate the change from your quarterly Cash Back payment to our partner nonprofits. All you need to do is opt in to start giving back.

How does it work?

To participate, you’ll need to opt in. You can also do this in your Account Settings. Then, when it’s time to get your Cash Back payment, we’ll automatically donate the change portion to our partner nonprofits and give you the rest. You’ll still get your remaining Cash Back amount via the method you’ve selected (PayPal or physical check). For example, if your next Big Fat Check is $50.85, you’ll get $50 and give $0.85 to nonprofits.

Who can participate?

If you get your Cash Back payment via PayPal or check, you’re eligible to participate! Members who get paid via American Express Membership Rewards® Points aren’t eligible to opt in to the program. You can still help by donating directly to our partner nonprofits.

What nonprofits does it benefit?

We’ve partnered with 3 nonprofits who are committed to making the world a better place. Your Cash Back for Change donations will be split between each of these organizations.

Direct Relief is a humanitarian organization active in all 50 states and more than 100 countries. The Direct Relief mission is to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies—without regard to politics, religion or ability to pay. In response to the many natural disasters occurring throughout the US and across the globe, Rakuten partners with Direct Relief to help improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergency situations by mobilizing and providing essential resources needed for their care and to help lift these communities up again.

Eat. Learn. Play. seeks to unlock the human potential of every child. Founded by three-time NBA champion Stephen Curry and entrepreneur, TV host and New York Times bestselling author Ayesha Curry, the program addresses the Currys’ passion for 3 core pillars vital to a successful childhood: nutrition, education and physical activity. Rakuten and Eat. Learn. Play. team up to prioritize underprivileged children, ensuring they have the necessary food and access to quality education to enable a healthy, active lifestyle that allows them to flourish.

Girls Inc. of Alameda County is a nonprofit organization that focuses on preparing young women ages 6 to 18 to excel in the classroom and in their careers. With activities spanning more than 1,400 sites in 400 cities in the US and Canada, their mission is to focus on the development of each girl as an individual by supporting, mentoring and guiding them. These girls learn to value their whole selves, discover and develop their inherent strengths and receive the support they need to navigate the challenges they face. Rakuten is partnered with Girls Inc. of Alameda to support quality education that positively impacts girls by equipping them with skills to navigate through economic, gender and social barriers in their school years.

Are my Cash Back for Change donations tax deductible?

We will not provide a tax receipt for your Cash Back for Change donations. You can talk to your tax advisor about deductions for any donations you make.

How do I opt out?

In your Account Settings, find Cash Back for Change, and switch the toggle off to opt out. If you change your mind and want to opt in again, simply switch the toggle back on to participate. Be sure to opt in or out before the 1st of the next payment month so your request is processed before we send your Cash Back.

Many banks offer a feature to deposit your Big Fat Check without going to the ATM or the branch. The feature can be found in most banking apps for mobile phones. Here are the steps you would need to follow:

1. Install your bank’s mobile app on your phone, if you haven’t already.
2. Find the mobile deposit feature.
3. Take a picture of the front and back of your check when prompted to do so in their app. You will need to detach the top part of the check and endorse it.

For more information about mobile deposit of your Big Fat Check, please see our blog post on this topic.

It’s important to us that you receive your payments. We realize that it is possible for checks to not make it to the right delivery address or to become somehow destroyed, and we’re here to help. If your Big Fat Check is ever missing, lost, destroyed or expired, we are happy to issue a replacement.

In addition, while our Big Fat Checks are valid for 90 days, we also have an additional 90-day grace period. So each of our checks is actually valid for 180 days (or 6 months) from the issue date.

Please Contact Member Services to tell us about your lost, missing, expired or damaged check.

There are two ways to receive your Cash Back payments:

• Big Fat Check
• PayPal payment

Either method you choose is completely free. Payments are sent every three months on our payment schedule. 

Big Fat Check

If you opt for a Big Fat Check, you will receive a check issued to the name and address in your Account Settings (or “Choose How to Get Paid” in the App).

PayPal

Payments can be sent to the PayPal account of your choice. You’ll be asked for verification when you select this method or update your PayPal email address. For more information about PayPal verification, please visit PayPal.

If you choose to receive a PayPal payment, your payment will be issued to the account associated with the PayPal email address in your Account Settings (or “Choose How to Get Paid” in the App).

Track My Payment

Cash Back for Change

Your Big Fat Check can make a big impact! With our Cash Back for Change program, you can donate the change from your quarterly Cash Back payment to our partner nonprofits. Members who get paid via PayPal or check are eligible to participate. All you need to do is opt in to start giving back.

Learn more about Cash Back for Change