Avoid overdraft fees

An overdraft happens when you spend more than what’s in your checking account. Say you have $40, and you pay a $35 phone bill. That leaves you with $5. Then, you make a $10 purchase with your debit card. If the bank allows it, your
account goes negative, and you’ll likely be charged an overdraft fee. The overdrawn amount plus fees will be taken from your next deposit—whether it’s your paycheck, government benefits, or other direct deposits. This lowers your balance again, making it easier to overdraft again and rack up more fees.
 

Here's how it works at accessbank

Federal regulations allow banks to charge NSF fees for ATM and debit card purchases if a customer opts in—but at ACCESSbank, we’ve chosen not to. Instead of declining your transaction when you don’t have enough in your account, we’ll cover it without charging you an NSF fee. It’s just one more way we put our customers first. 
 
For other types of transactions—like writing a check or automatic bill payments—ACCESSbank will decide whether to cover the payment if it exceeds your balance. If we do, an overdraft fee may apply (typically around $30). If we don’t, you could be charged a non-sufficient funds (NSF) fee, and the merchant may also charge a returned check fee. 
 
To fully understand our fees and policies, we encourage you to review your Truth-in-Savings disclosure or speak with a banker to review our full fee schedule.
 

Ways to avoid costly overdraft fees

You can avoid expensive overdraft fees by: 
  • Watching Your Balance – Keep track of your deposits and withdrawals, including ATM withdrawals, debit card purchases, electronic bill payments, and checks. You can do this on paper or electronically. Having a small cushion in your account can also help prevent accidental overdrafts. 
  • Linking Your Checking to a Savings Account – If your accounts are linked and your checking balance isn’t enough to cover a transaction, we can transfer funds from savings instead. There is no cost for this and is less than overdraft fees.
 

What to do if there's a problem?

If you have a concern, talk to one of our bankers and let them know what’s wrong and how you’d like it resolved.
If that doesn’t solve the issue, you can reach out to the bank’s federal regulator for further assistance. 
 
For tips on managing your money wisely, check out the FDIC Money Smart program online at www.fdic.gov/moneysmart. You can also find local financial education workshops or one-on-one counseling to help you stay on top of your finances.
 


To learn more about how to contact your bank’s federal regulator, call the FDIC’s Consumer Assistance Line at 1-877-ASK-FDIC
(1-877-275-3342). www.fdic.gov/consumer