Banks Haul Record Overdraft Fees

Bad checks are getting worse: “U.S. banks stand to collect a record $38.5 billion in fees for customer overdrafts this year, with the bulk of the revenue coming from the most financially stretched consumers amid the deepest recession since the 1930s, according to research,” according to the Financial Times. For the first time in 40 years, bank overdraft fees have risen during a recession, from $25 to $26 on average. “Banks are returning to a fee-driven model and overdraft fees are the mother lode,” said Mike Moebs, founder of the research group that provided the data. Overdraft fees accounted for more than three-quarters of service fees.