> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.uplifter.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Why is my refund blocked for insufficient balance?

> Refunds to Original payment method are paid from your club's balance, so Uplifter checks the balance can cover a refund before sending it.

<Note>
  **Must know**

  * **Refunds to Original payment method (card or bank) come out of your balance.** If it can't cover the refund, the review step shows **Insufficient balance** with what is available and what is required.
  * **Top up on the spot:** staff with the **Financial Admin** permission can click **Top Up & Continue** to add funds by card and finish the refund.
  * **Other destinations skip the check:** choosing **Record cash refund**, **Record E-transfer refund** or **Account credit** avoids it.
</Note>

**Why your balance is checked.** Refunding to **Original payment method** sends money back through your payment processor (card or bank), out of your club's balance, so Uplifter checks the balance can cover it. The check runs on the **Review refund** step and again when you confirm. While the **Insufficient balance** box shows, the confirm button stays disabled. The other three destinations move no processor money and are never checked.

**Reading the box.** It reads "Available: $X · Required: $Y". **Available** is your balance minus refunds already on their way. Only the part going back through the processor is checked: any part returning to a gift card or restoring account credit comes off first.

**Top up and continue (Financial Admin only).**

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click Top Up & Continue">
    **Top Up Balance** opens pre-filled with the whole refund going back through the processor, plus any amount your balance is already below zero, not just the gap. Adjust it if needed, then click **Continue**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pay for the top-up">
    **Continue** shows the **Card processing fee** and **Total charged**. Pick a card saved to your club's Uplifter billing, never a family's, and click **Confirm & Pay \[total]**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Finish the refund">
    The box shows "Confirming your top-up". Uplifter never sends the refund for you: once the box clears, click **Confirm & Refund \[amount]**. If the balance hasn't caught up, click **Check again**. **Top Up** starts another top-up.
  </Step>
</Steps>

Staff without Financial Admin see Available and Required but no top-up button.

**Other ways through.** Click the back arrow to return to **Set refund amounts** and pick another **Refund to** option (**Account credit** needs a guardian account on the invoice). Or wait for more family payments to settle, then try again.

**Good to know.** You can also top up anytime with **Top Up Balance** on **Financials > Payouts**. When a family pays for a spot that filled up first, the automatic refund skips this check. See [Why was a paid drop-in refunded automatically?](/club/refunds-cancellations/why-drop-in-refunded-automatically)

**Related:** [What is a balance top-up, and how do I add funds to my balance?](/club/money-payouts-accounting/top-up-your-payout-balance) · [Where can a refund go: card, cash, e-transfer or account credit?](/club/refunds-cancellations/refund-destinations) · [Why does a refund cost my club more than the amount refunded?](/club/refunds-cancellations/why-refund-costs-club-more) · [How do payouts to my bank work?](/club/money-payouts-accounting/how-payouts-work)