Brown, Booker Urge Banks to Temporarily Ban Burdensome Overdraft Fees
Letter To 15 Bank CEOs Follows Legislation That Would Temporarily Ban Overdraft Fees During Coronavirus Emergency Average Consumer With Overdraft Coverage Pays $260 In Fees Each Year
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today urged more than a dozen bank CEOs to temporarily ban charging customers burdensome bank overdraft fees during the coronavirus emergency. Banks charge such fees to consumers when they make a purchase or pay a bill but don’t have sufficient funds in their account; typically the charge is $35. Such fees fall disproportionately on those who are least able to afford them.
“We are writing to urge [you] to take steps to relieve consumers from burdensome practices as they face financial constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter today to 14 bank CEOs. “In particular, we urge you to cease charging overdraft and non-sufficient funds fees during this time. Reasonably priced overdraft lines of credit are a far better and more fair alternative, especially during a time of financial crisis.”
“Overdraft and nonsufficient fund fees are overwhelmingly borne by those already living on the financial brink,” the lawmakers added, citing data showing that nearly 80 percent of overdraft-related fees are borne by only nine percent of account, who tend to carry low balances – averaging less than $350 – and have relatively low monthly deposits.
“Government stimulus funds, passed as part of the CARES Act, are intended to help consumers through this crisis—not to go to banks in the form of overdraft fees,” the lawmakers added.
The letter was sent to the CEOs of U.S. banks leading in overdraft and non-sufficient-fund revenue, as well as banks with over $2 billion in assets that take in the most overdraft and non-sufficient-funds revenue per account.
Today’s letter follows legislation Brown and Booker introduced last month to temporarily ban banks from charging overdraft fees during the coronavirus public health emergency. The pair also have comprehensive legislation to permanently restrict such fees.
Full text of the letter is here. The letter was sent to the following banks:
Ameris
Bank of America
Bank Plus
Truist Bank
Chase Bank
Ocean Bank
PNC Bank
Regions Bank
Suntrust
TD Bank
U.S. Bancorp
Wells Fargo
Woodforest National Bank
Citigroup
HSBC North America Holdings
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