CrimsonCard is making a change in how benefits-eligible employees can use their card to pay for transactions, such as buying lunch at an on-campus restaurant, effective Dec. 1, 2025.

The Payroll Advance feature will no longer be available. This worked like a credit card, allowing employees to make purchases using their CrimsonCard and have the amount deducted from their next paycheck.

The Payroll Prepay option remains available. This feature is directly connected to a faculty or staff member’s paycheck and works like a prepaid debit card. Employees can use prepay to designate a portion of each paycheck to be deposited into their CrimsonCash account for purchases. They may also continue to add funds to their CrimsonCash account at any time using a debit or credit card.

This change is intended to streamline CrimsonCard financial transactions. In the past six months, about 4% of benefits-eligible faculty and staff have used the Payroll Advance feature.

Information about how to use Payroll Prepay for CrimsonCash is available on the CrimsonCard website. In addition, an FAQ is available for those with additional questions.

Those with specific questions or who need support can contact crimsoncard@iu.edu. Employees can also visit a campus-specific CrimsonCard office location.