Banks & Cred (Georgia)

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Banks & Credit Unions
Checks/Checking & Savings Accounts
Banks, Credit Unions & Other Lending Institutions

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Credit & Debt
Money & Financial Matters

Checks/Checking & Savings Accounts

Basics On Checking Accounts, Checks and Cashing Them (General)
Information on checking accounts, special types of checks, and the check collection system. Summarizes the advantages and risks involved in writing and receiving checks and suggests ways to avoid or minimize possible problems in accepting checks for
payments.

Accounts For Those With Bad Credit (Consumer-SOS)
Includes Georgia program to restore banking privileges.

Getting Checks To Clear Faster (Consumer-SOS)

Bad Checks-How To Prosecute In Georgia

Removing Overdraft Charges (Consumer-SOS)

Avoiding Bank Overdraft Charges (Consumer-SOS)

Verifying Other People's Checks & Cashing Them On The Spot (Consumer-SOS)

Your Rights When The Check Is Altered Or Forged Or You Have Insufficient Funds.

Bad Check Laws (Summary In All 50 States & DC)

Find A Bank By Its 9 Digit Wire Transfer Routing Number (US)
Have the 9 digit American Banking Assoc. number from a bank account, but don't know the bank? Enter the number here to learn the financial institution involved.

National Help Orgs For A Variety Of Consumer Problems
The Elderly, Environment, Families, Fraud, Health & Safety, Insurance The Handicapped, Medical Problems, Telemarketing and more.

Find Your Local Newspaper, Magazine, Radio & TV Stations
Give them a little bad press and you're bargaining power increases tremendously. Select your state, and then click on your county or city for the proper media to report to. (DC Not Included).

Find The AARP In Your State
The AARP offers legal advocacy for seniors and may also have state specific consumer brochures to help you with your legal problems.

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Savings Accounts With Very High Interest Rates

Apple Bank For Savings
Chartered US online Bank. FDIC insured up to $100,000.

Emigrant Direct
Chartered US online Bank. FDIC insured up to $100,000.

HSBC Direct
Chartered US online Bank. FDIC insured up to $100,000.

ING Direct
Chartered US online Bank. FDIC insured up to $100,000.

Capital One Direct Banking
Chartered US online Bank. FDIC insured up to $100,000.

Citibank Direct
Chartered US online Bank. FDIC insured up to $100,000.

Best Rates On Savings Accounts & CDs (Nationwide)

Lending Institutions
Banks
Credit Unions
Saving and Loans/Other

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Banks
Consumer Tips & Links To Banks
Laws That Regulate Banks
Complaints

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Credit Unions
Consumer Tips & Links To Credit Unions
Laws That Regulate Credit Unions
Complaints

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Saving and Loans/Other

Office of Thrift Supervision
Consumer Programs
1700 G Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20552
(202) 906-6237 or 1 (800) 842-6929
(regulates federal savings and loans and federal savings banks)

FDIC Bank Find
Use FDIC Bank Find to find your bank's website, its headquarters, the bank's holding company and the bank's annual reports (from which you can verify the Bank's President and Officers, principal place of business, mergers, whether it's still open, etc). Simply search for the bank by name. If numerous banks appear, check those banks listed as "Active" (see right and side). Then after clicking on your bank, check out the link called "Last Financial Information". Works even for National Banks that are regulated by the Comptroller of the Currency.

Find A Bank Or Holding Company-National Information Center
The National Information Center (NIC) is a central repository of data about banks and other institutions for which the Federal Reserve has a supervisory, regulatory, or research interest, including both domestic and foreign banking organizations operating in the United States. This web site provides access to NIC data, allowing the public to search for detailed information about banking organizations.

Federal Trade Commission
Consumer Response Center
6th and Pennsylvania, N.W.
Washington, DC 20580
877-FTC-HELP – toll free (877-382-4357)
(regulates finance companies, stores, auto dealers, mortgage companies, and credit bureaus)

Other Resources

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Consumer Tips & Links To Banks

Bank Products: What's Insured And What's Not
Alerts consumers to the differences between deposits and investments, emphasizing that deposits alone are insured by the Federal Government and investment products such as mutual
funds are not insured. Also says what banks must tell you before they give advice on what you should invest in.

Trade Organizations/Other State Banking Links (National & GA)

Worldwide Directory Of Banks & Credit Unions
Find links to banks and credit unions anywhere in the world.

Bank Web Directories (Links For All 50 states & DC)

Banks For People With So So Histories (All 50 States & DC)
For those who would rather switch than fight, we list banks and credit unions which either do not use ChexSystems at all for verifying new accounts or accommodate in some way those with a negative ChexSystems report.

Laws That Regulate Banks

Laws That Govern Financial Institutions (Summaries & Links)
Scroll Down for the major laws that govern financial institutions and protect individuals in their financial dealings.

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Complaints

Who Regulates Banks & Credit Unions (GA)

How & Where To Complain (GA)

How To File A Consumer Complaint About A Bank (Not State Specific)

State Banking Regulators (All 50 States & DC)
Learn where to get help when you have trouble with a state bank.

Comptroller Of The Currency
Regulates banks with national in the name or N.A. after the name.

Find The AARP In Your State
The AARP offers legal advocacy for seniors and may also have state specific consumer brochures to help you with your legal problems.

Find Your Local Newspaper, Magazine, Radio & TV Stations
Give them a little bad press and you're bargaining power increases tremendously. Select your state, and then click on your county or city for the proper media to report to. (DC Not Included).

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (877) 275-3342
Compliance and Consumer Affairs
550 17th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20429
(regulates state chartered banks that are not members of the Federal Reserve System)

State Banking Regulators

State Banking Regulators (Most States, Not DC)
Scroll down to bottom of page for direct links to most of the states.

State Banking Authorities (Links, Phone #s & Addresses-All 50 States & DC)

State Banking & Insurance Regulators (DC & All 50 States)

National Help Orgs For A Variety Of Consumer Problems
The Elderly, Environment, Families, Fraud, Health & Safety, Insurance The Handicapped, Medical Problems, Telemarketing and more.

Other Resources

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Consumer Tips & Links To Credit Unions

What Is A Credit Union?

Worldwide Directory Of Credit Unions
Find links to banks and credit unions anywhere in the world.

Credit Union Web Directories (Links For All 50 states & DC)

Credit Unions For People With So So Histories (All 50 States & DC)
For those who would rather switch than fight, we list banks and credit unions which either do not use ChexSystems at all for verifying new accounts or accommodate in some way those with a
negative ChexSystems report.

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Laws That Regulate Credit Unions

Laws That Govern Financial Institutions (Summaries & Links)
Scroll Down for the major laws that govern financial institutions and protect individuals in their financial dealings.

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Complaints

*Who Regulates Credit Unions (GA)

*How & Where To Complain (GA)

National Credit Union Administration (703) 518-6330
The National Credit Union Administration is an independent federal agency that supervises and insures 6,566 federal credit unions and insures 4,062 state-chartered credit unions.

National Help Orgs For A Variety Of Consumer Problems
The Elderly, Environment, Families, Fraud, Health & Safety, Insurance The Handicapped, Medical Problems, Telemarketing and more.

Find The AARP In Your State
The AARP offers legal advocacy for seniors and may also have state specific consumer brochures to help you with your legal problems.

Other Resources

Getting Checks To Clear Faster
People who live from check to check must often wait helplessly for their paycheck to clear. During this time they are pressed to write more checks to pay their mounting bills- hoping against hope that their paycheck will clear in time. Indeed, an overdrawn account can cost you as much as $34 per check.

To avoid this nightmare ask your bank to convert your paycheck to cash and then deposit the amount directly into your checking account. Believe it or not some banks will do it. The benefit to this is that the check "clears" instantly and gives you enough funds so that you can pay bills and other obligations immediately after making your deposit.

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Removing Overdraft Charges
Overdraft charges occur whenever your account is drawn over its limits. Often these penalty fees can be as high as $30 per bounced check or transaction. But did you know that sometimes, these charges can be removed at the banker's discretion?

If you've been billed for an overdraft, it pays to bypass the teller and go directly to your customer service representative. Your customer service representative often has more authority than the bank teller and may remove the charges upon the asking. Be polite and if you have financial hardships be sure to tell them so. Long-time customers should also make known how many years they've been a bank customer. If this is your first overdraft in a long time ask them to give you a break.

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Avoiding Bank Overdraft Charges

To avoid overdraft charges:

1. Record each and every transaction in your checkbook. And if you think you've got extra money, don't spend it until you've checked with your bank. Be absolutely sure that each check/withdrawal or debit has been cleared. These transactions can take up to several days to register.

Likewise, find out at what point in the month you're assessed a fee for keeping your account open. This fee is taken directly from your account and can cause it be overdrawn. Remember, one minor slip up and you're $30 in the hole.

2. Have a safety net or backup plan. If you have the money, set up two accounts and ask your bank to make one draw upon the other when there are insufficient funds. This arrangement will save you hefty bank fees and you can always reimburse the other account later.

3. Set up a small line of credit specifically for overdrafts (a mere $100 is more than sufficient). A line of credit is nothing more than the option to borrow money. Often people will use such to pay for purchases, vacations or educational expenses. In this case, its sole purpose is to act as a back up fund in case your checking account has been overdrawn. Promptly pay off outstanding balances on your line of credit to avoid interest. Note: You still may be charged a $5 fee for overdrafts but that's far better than paying a fee of $30!

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Verify Checks Instantly And Cash Them On The Spot
When someone pays you by check there's always the risk that the check will bounce. If this happens you'll be left with a worthless piece of paper and be charged a bounced check fee to boot. Small businesses should be especially cautious when cashing checks from new customers.

To protect yourself, don't part with goods or services until the check has been verified. Check verification is easy and can be done while the customer waits in your office. Simply call the customer's bank (which should be on the face of the check) and give them the customer's checking account number and the check amount. The bank will then tell you if there are enough funds in the account to cover the check.

If there isn't enough in the account, ask the customer to pay with certified funds such as through a cashier's check, bank check or credit card. Honest customers will understand that you are trying to protect yourself and will not take offense.

Even if the account has sufficient funds, there's no guarantee that the money will be there by the time the check clears. If in the interim, the customer cancels the check or clears the account, your check will be worthless. To avoid this situation, immediately cash the check at the bank listed on the face of the check. Cashing the check at the customer's bank instead of your own allows it to clear instantly. This puts the cash in your pocket where it belongs.

The following is a list of Georgia banks and their check Verification Departments. For banks in otherstates, consult your Business White Pages.

Bank Of America (404) 768-2265

South Trust (770) 612-6500

Sun Trust (404) 588-7711

Wachovia Bank (800) 310-0510

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Savings & Checking Accounts For Bad Credit Risks

Get Checking (GA)
Georgia offers consumers an opportunity to restore banking privileges with participating financial institutions by taking a 4 to 6 hour class. Get Checking Inc. for Georgia is open weekdays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Get the Facts or call 678-260-8344. Cost is $40 or $60 for couples.

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Other Resources

Toll-Free Directory 1-800-555-1212
This free directory service can tell you if your help agency can be reached through a toll-free number.

Find The AARP In Your State
The AARP offers legal advocacy for seniors and may also have state specific consumer brochures to help you with your legal problems.

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