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Stripe Payment Setup

To accept payments for memberships and events, you'll need to connect a Stripe account to your group. This guide walks you through the setup process.

What is Stripe?​

Stripe is a secure payment processing service that handles all financial transactions for your group. When members pay for events or memberships:

  1. Payment is processed securely by Stripe
  2. Funds are deposited to your connected bank account
  3. Homeschool Hive never sees or stores payment card details

Before You Start​

To connect Stripe, you'll need:

  • Your group must be a paid group (membership fee) or have paid events
  • A valid email address
  • Bank account information for receiving payouts
  • Business or personal information for identity verification

Connect Your Stripe Account​

Start the Connection​

  1. Go to your group page
  2. Click Settings > Payments or Payment Setup
  3. Click Connect with Stripe

Choose Account Type​

Select the type of Stripe account:

Individual

  • For personal use or informal groups
  • Payouts to your personal bank account
  • Simpler setup process

Business

  • For registered organizations, co-ops, or LLCs
  • Requires business information
  • Can accept higher payment volumes

Complete Stripe Onboarding​

Stripe will ask for:

  1. Personal Information

    • Legal name
    • Date of birth
    • Address
    • Last 4 digits of SSN (for US)

  2. Business Information (if applicable)

    • Business name
    • Business type
    • EIN or Tax ID

  3. Bank Account

    • Account holder name
    • Routing number
    • Account number

  4. Identity Verification

    • May require photo ID
    • Used to prevent fraud

Complete the Setup​

  1. Review and accept Stripe's terms
  2. Complete any additional verification steps
  3. Return to Homeschool Hive
  4. Your account is now connected

Verify Connection​

After connecting:

  1. Go to Settings > Payments
  2. You should see "Stripe Connected" status
  3. View your Stripe account details

Receiving Payments​

How Payouts Work​

When members pay for events or memberships:

  1. Payment is collected by Stripe
  2. Fees are deducted (Stripe processing + platform fee)
  3. Remaining amount is added to your Stripe balance
  4. Stripe deposits funds to your bank account

Payout Schedule​

By default, Stripe pays out:

  • Daily - Funds available next business day
  • Can be changed to weekly or monthly in Stripe settings

View Your Balance​

  1. Go to Settings > Payments
  2. See your current Stripe balance
  3. View recent transactions and payouts

Or log into your Stripe dashboard directly for detailed reporting.

Understanding Fees​

Processing Fees​

Standard Stripe processing fees:

  • 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (US cards)
  • Higher for international cards

Platform Fee​

Homeschool Hive charges a small platform fee:

  • Percentage of each transaction
  • Helps maintain and improve the platform
  • View current rates in your account

Example Transaction​

For a $50 event registration:

Ticket Price:         $50.00
Stripe Fee (2.9%+30¢): -$1.75
Platform Fee:          -$1.25
Your Payout:          $47.00

Fees are approximate and may vary

Managing Your Stripe Account​

Access Stripe Dashboard​

For detailed financial management:

  1. Go to Settings > Payments
  2. Click View Stripe Dashboard
  3. Or go directly to dashboard.stripe.com

In the Stripe dashboard you can:

  • View all transactions
  • Download reports
  • Manage payout schedule
  • Update bank information
  • Handle disputes

Update Bank Account​

To change where payouts go:

  1. Log into Stripe dashboard
  2. Go to Settings > Bank accounts
  3. Add a new bank account
  4. Set it as default for payouts
  5. Remove old account if desired

Update Business Information​

If your group's information changes:

  1. Log into Stripe dashboard
  2. Go to Settings > Business settings
  3. Update your information
  4. May require re-verification

Handling Refunds​

Process Refunds​

When you need to refund a payment:

  1. Go to the event or membership in Homeschool Hive
  2. Find the specific transaction
  3. Click Refund
  4. Enter refund amount (full or partial)
  5. Confirm the refund

Refunds are:

  • Deducted from your Stripe balance
  • Returned to the original payment method
  • Processing fees may or may not be refunded (depends on timing)

Refund Timeline​

  • Refunds typically take 5-10 business days to appear
  • Customer sees refund on their card statement
  • Stripe sends notification when processed

Troubleshooting​

Connection Issues​

If Stripe won't connect:

  • Check that you completed all verification steps
  • Ensure your browser allows popups from Stripe
  • Try a different browser
  • Contact support if issues persist

Verification Required​

Stripe may request additional verification:

  • Check your email for requests from Stripe
  • Log into Stripe dashboard to complete requirements
  • Payouts may be paused until verified

Payout Delays​

If payouts aren't arriving:

  • Check your bank account details in Stripe
  • Verify your identity is confirmed
  • Review any holds or issues in Stripe dashboard
  • Contact Stripe support for payout questions

Disputes and Chargebacks​

If a member disputes a charge:

  1. Stripe notifies you of the dispute
  2. Provide evidence (registration details, communication)
  3. Stripe reviews and makes a decision
  4. Disputed amount may be held during review

Disconnect Stripe​

If you need to disconnect your Stripe account:

  1. Go to Settings > Payments
  2. Click Disconnect Stripe
  3. Confirm the disconnection
Before Disconnecting
  • Process any pending refunds first
  • You won't be able to accept payments until reconnected
  • Members won't be able to pay for events or memberships

What's Next?​

  1. Set membership fees - Configure group membership pricing
  2. Create paid events - Set up ticketed events
  3. Generate scholarship invoices - Invoice for scholarship families