Tampa, FL – (August 20, 2009) – Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, said today it has completed an agreement with the City of Bartow to allow municipal utility customers to make bill payments at any Amscot location in Central Florida, if they so choose.

Beginning immediately, utility customers of the City of Bartow can pay their bills in person at any of Amscot’s 174 branches, located in 15 counties. Customers need only to bring in their payments and their bills. Amscot charges a $1 convenience fee for the service. Amscot collects and aggregates the funds and automatically transfers them into the City’s accounts.

The service allows customers who prefer to make payments in person to take advantage of Amscot’s convenient hours and locations. All Amscot branches are open seven days a week, 365 days a year. Thirty two of Amscot’s branches are open 24 hours a day; the balance open at 7 a.m. and close at 9 or 10 p.m.

Amscot introduced bill payments to its menu of financial services in 2005. Today, Amscot acts as a bill payment agent for utilities and local governments such as Orlando Utilities Commission, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Lakeland Electric, TECO, Progress Energy and Bright House. Amscot also takes traffic fine and court payments for clerks of the court in Orange, Brevard, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.

“We are pleased to offer our customers several alternate payment locations for their convenience.” said Bartow City Manager George A. Long.

 “We are very proud to be working with the City of Bartow,” said Ian MacKechnie, founder and CEO of Amscot Financial. “We offer this service because consumers want to be able to make their payments on their own time and at a location convenient to them. We have 12 branches in Polk County alone. It’s very easy to find us.”

Founded in 1989, Amscot Financial employs more than 2,000 associates who work at the company’s 174 retail branches and at the company’s corporate headquarters in Tampa. The company currently operates retail locations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee, Sarasota, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Volusia and Brevard counties.

Amscot Financial offers an array of convenience-oriented financial services, including the cashing of personal checks, out-of-state checks and government checks; cash advances; Western Union wire transfers, notary services, pre-paid debit cards and income tax preparation. Amscot Financial also offers consumers the ability to purchase money orders – with no service fees.

About Amscot Financial
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Amscot Financial is a leading provider of income tax preparation and electronic filing services, refund anticipation loans, prepaid debit cards, check cashing services, cash advance services, bill payment services, money transfer services and money orders through its wholly owned division, Amscot International Money Order Company.  Amscot also offers the Amscot Card, a pre-paid debit card that allows owners to make purchases from any location that accepts MasterCard™. Amscot Financial currently operates 174 tax preparation offices and 174 retail financial service centers throughout Florida and employs more than 2,000 people. Amscot Financial has been recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as one of Tampa Bay’s Best Places to Work for four consecutive years. For additional information, please visit the company’s Web site at www.amscotfinancial.com.