Overview
Purchases financed through Affirm follow different refund rules than standard card payments. Practices can issue full refunds for eligible Affirm orders in the Admin Panel. Partial refunds and some edge cases require RepeatMD Support. Refunds apply to the patient’s Affirm loan balance first; excess amounts return to the patient minus interest already paid.
This article applies only to Affirm-financed purchases. For general refund policy across all payment methods, see Issue full and partial refunds (Admin Panel).
Before You Start
Confirm the original purchase was financed through Affirm.
Refunds are subject to a 365-day limit from the original purchase date. Purchases older than 365 days cannot be refunded through RepeatMD.
Practices can process full refunds only in the Admin Panel. Partial Affirm refunds require support@repeatmd.com.
The practice must approve the refund before you process it or contact support. RepeatMD does not approve refunds.
Have transaction details ready: patient name, email, transaction date, refund amount, and order ID.
Why It Matters
Affirm refunds affect loan balances, patient payment schedules, and your Stripe payouts. Knowing the split between self-serve full refunds and support-assisted partial refunds helps you:
Set accurate patient expectations on where refunded money goes (loan balance vs. bank account).
Avoid failed refund attempts on transactions outside the 365-day window.
Protect payout reconciliation by understanding Stripe deduction timing.
Handle membership orders correctly when only the initial subscription payment is refundable through a full order refund.
How It Works
365-day eligibility window: RepeatMD can only support Affirm refunds within 365 days of the original purchase. Older transactions must be handled outside RepeatMD.
Full refunds (Admin Panel): Admins issue full refunds from the patient’s Order History. Affirm pauses the payment plan and adjusts the loan per Affirm’s refund rules.
Partial refunds (Support): Partial Affirm refunds require manual processing by RepeatMD to ensure correct loan-balance application. Email support@repeatmd.com with complete transaction details.
Loan balance application: Partial refunds apply to the remaining Affirm loan balance. If the refund exceeds the remaining balance, the loan is cleared and any excess (minus interest already paid) returns to the patient’s original payment method. Interest paid to Affirm is not refunded.
After a full refund is submitted:
The order is marked refunded in Order History.
Unredeemed items from that order are automatically removed from the patient’s account. The patient is notified by email and text.
Affirm pauses the payment plan and emails the patient confirming the refund.
The refunded amount is deducted from your upcoming Stripe payout or debited from your linked bank account if the payout balance is insufficient.
Incorrect Affirm purchase cancellation: To cancel an incorrect Affirm-financed purchase, process a full refund through the Admin Panel using the same steps. Affirm cancels the associated loan after the refund is initiated.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Issue a full refund for an Affirm purchase
Log in to the Admin Panel.
Click Client Profiles in the left-side navigation.
Locate and open the patient you want to refund.
Open the patient’s Transactions.
Find the Affirm-financed order to refund.
Open the order menu and select Refund.
Enter the refund reason(s) and review the confirmation details.
Read the reminders that refunds cannot be reversed and that partial refunds require Support.
Click Refund Order to submit the refund.
The order shows as refunded in Order History. Affirm adjusts the patient’s loan and sends confirmation to the patient.
Request a partial refund for an Affirm purchase
Confirm the practice has approved the partial refund.
Gather the following details:
Patient’s full name and email address
Date of the transaction
Exact partial refund amount
Note that the purchase was Affirm-financed
Email support@repeatmd.com with all details above.
RepeatMD processes the partial refund on your behalf.
Partial refunds apply to the remaining Affirm loan balance. Excess amounts (minus interest already paid) return to the patient if the refund clears the loan.
Best Practices and Pro Tips
Confirm Affirm financing first. Verify the payment method before starting.
Check the 365-day window. Attempting refunds on older transactions wastes time for your team and the patient.
Send complete details for partial refunds. Include patient name, email, transaction date, exact amount, and Affirm note in the first support email.
Reconcile against Stripe payouts. Refunded amounts reduce upcoming payouts or trigger bank debits.
Tell patients where money goes. Affirm refunds hit the loan balance first, not the patient’s bank account, unless the refund exceeds the remaining balance.
Common Mistakes and FAQs
Q: Can I issue a partial Affirm refund myself in the Admin Panel?
A: No. Partial Affirm refunds must be requested through support@repeatmd.com.
Q: Why can’t partial Affirm refunds be self-serve?
A: Affirm loans require additional handling to ensure refunds are applied correctly to loan balances.
Q: Will patients get interest refunded?
A: No. Interest paid to Affirm is not refundable.
Q: What if the refund amount is larger than the remaining loan balance?
A: The loan is cleared. Any excess is sent to the patient’s original payment method, excluding interest already paid.
Q: What if the purchase is older than 365 days?
A: The refund cannot be processed through RepeatMD. Handle it outside the platform.
Q: Does a full refund on a membership order cancel the membership?
A: No. It refunds the initial subscription payment only. Renewals are not refunded through this flow.
Q: What happens to unredeemed items after a full refund?
A: Unredeemed items from the order are automatically removed from the patient’s account. The patient is notified by email and text.
Q: How will refunds affect my payouts?
A: Refunded amounts are deducted from upcoming Stripe payouts or debited from your linked bank account if the payout balance is insufficient.
Q: How long do Affirm refunds take?
A: Typically 3 to 10 business days, depending on Affirm processing and the patient’s payment method.
Next Steps and Support
Issue full and partial refunds (Admin Panel) — general refund policy for all payment methods
Refunds in Stripe and RepeatMD (Admin Panel) — Stripe payout reconciliation
Transaction fees explained: charges and refunds — how refunds affect fees
Need help? Email support@repeatmd.com with the patient name, transaction date, refund amount, and Affirm financing note.