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ATM surcharge refunds - use any ATM for free, regardless of who owns it in: Subjects › Discussion

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alert mods    
rated:
   posted: Dec. 20, 2008 @ 3:40p

Recently, I have undertook a mission to compile a comprehensive list of deposit accounts that offer to reimburse ATM surcharges. I found this thread and this thread in the archive from years past, but neither got very far and there’s been very little mentioned of this great benefit since then.

Most people are aware they can typically use the issuing bank’s ATMs for free, and many will smartly pass up one ATM in favor of another to avoid paying a surcharge. But few realize that some banks will waive/reimburse all ATM surcharges, including those charged by a third party ATM owner (and those who are aware remain satisfied with relatively restrictive limits). And with the onset of the Rewards Checking concept, ATM reimbursements seem to have become a more prevalent account benefit than in the past.

Aside from the potential of saving $100s per year in ATM surcharges, using these accounts helps eliminate the confusion of what debit card you can use at what ATM without being charged and can ensure you always have surcharge-free access to your cash.

If there is interest in compiling and maintaining this list, the Quick Summary will be separated into two parts – one for banks offering ‘unlimited’ reimbursements, and one for banks offering refunds up to a certain limit/cap. Also list any restrictions, and (if known) whether the surcharge reimbursements are posted the same day or as a lump sum at the end of each month.


EDIT: For purposes of this thread, consider 'unlimited' to mean nation-wide (feel free to make a note if international ATMs are also included for any specific account)

Message edited by: Glitch99 on 2008-12-21 00:31:47 CST
   posted: Dec. 20, 2008 @ 3:41p

Banks offering unlimited reimbursements nationwide, with no/minimal restrictions:
Acacia Federal Savings Bank No Fee Choice Checking
Unlimited, reimbursements post monthly

Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking
Unlimited; reimbursements post monthly

Community Bank of Pleasant Hill Rewards Checking
Unlimited; reimbursements post same day (rewards requirements do NOT need to be met)

Compass Bank
Unlimited, must mail in ATM receipts to get reimbursements

Etrade Max Rate Checking
Unlimited, monthly fee waived with $200 monthly direct deposit; reimbursements post same day

Fidelity mySmart Cash Checking
Unlimited; reimbursements post same day

First Republic Bank
Unlimited, requires $2,500 average balance to waive monthy fee

Imperial Capital Bank Personal iChecking
Unlimited; reimbursements post same day

Incredible Bank
Unlimited(?)

Mechanics Bank Smart and Easy Checking
Unlimited, with Direct Deposit

Metropolitan National Bank
Unlimited, no DD required, refund posts same day, international rebates too

PNC Bank
Unlimited, requires $2,000 balance to get reimbursement, reimbursements post monthly

Quantum National Bank SuperFree Checking
Unlimited

Salem Five
Unlimited, requires $1,500 balance or direct deposit to waive monthly fee

Signature Bank Personal Mongram Checking
Unlimited, requires $5,000 balance to waive monthly fee

State Farm Bank Checking
Unlimited with direct deposit; reimbursements post same day

TD Banknorth SimplyFree Checking
Unlimited for accounts based in CT, NJ, PA, and NY-Metro area branches only (you can select branch location on application), starting 5/31/09 unlimited for all accounts with $2,500 balance, reimbursements post monthly


Rewards Checking Accounts that offer unlimited ATM reimbursements nationwide, when monthly requirements are met:
Addison Avenue FCU Dividend Rewards Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met; reimbursements post monthly

Amegy Bank Smart Yield Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met

Bank of Ripley Rewards Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met; reimbursements post monthly

Captial Bank
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met; reimbursements post monthly

Charter Bank Turbo Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met; reimbursements post monthly

Citizens Bank of Ashville Choice Rewards Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met

City National Bank Rewards Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met

Community Bank of Raymore Rewards Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met; reimbursements post monthly

Evantage Bank
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met; reimbursements post monthly; includes fees incurred worldwide

Farmers and Merchants Bank Platinum Rewards Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met; reimbursements post monthly

1st Arkansas Bank and Trust FirstNet Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met; reimbursements post monthly

First Bank & Trust EasyGrow Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met

First National Bank of Henning Reward Rate Checking
Unlimited(?), when rewards requirements are met

First National Community Bank Maximum Earnings (ME) Checking
Unlimited (technically $999.99 limit), when rewards requirements are met

Heartland Community Bank Interest Plus Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met; reimbursements post monthly

Keystone Bank Rewards Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met

Ouachita Independent Bank Rewards Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met

Southern Community Bank & Trust "ME" Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met

United Heritage Credit Union - Heritage Checking
Unlimited, when rewards requirements are met; reimbursements post monthly

 

Banks that offer limited/capped ATM reimbursements:
American Bank Online
$6/month with $1,000 balance

Bank Direct
$10/month - maximum 4 transactions, $2.50 per transaction, requires $2500 balance to waive monthly fee

Bank of Internet
$8/month, requires $5,000 average balance to waive monthly fee

Century Bank Direct
5 transactions/month

Chesapeake Bank Clear Sky Checking
$20/month

Digital Federal Credit Union
$5.00-$10.00/month, depending on account type

Everbank
$6/month if average monthly balance > $5,000, automatically refunded at end of month

First Internet Bank
$6/month, requires $500 balance to waive monthly fee

GMAC MoneyMarket Savings Account
$6/month, maximum 4 withdrawals

HSBC Online Payment Account
3 transactions/month, reimbursements post monthly

Merrill Lynch Beyond Banking account
Maximum $200/year, requires $5,000 AVG balance to waive monthly fee

MetLife Bank Money Market
$5/month, requires $1,500 balance to waive monthly fee

Modern Woodmen Bank
$15/month, $3 max per transaction

National City Elite Checking
$60/month, 30 maximum transactions/$2 maximum per transaction, requires $10,000 balance to waive monthly fee

New Resource Bank
Maximum 10 rebates/month, requires direct deposit or $2,500 balance to waive monthly fee

PSECU (Pennsylvania State Employee Credit Union)
Up to $4.00 a month, limited membership

Salem Five Direct
Up to $15/month

State Farm Bank Checking
$10/month limit if no direct deposit; reimbursements post same day

UFB Direct
$4.50-$6.00 depending on account type, reimbursements post monthly

UFB Direct Business Banking
$4.50-$6.00 depending on account type, reimbursements post monthly

Umbrella Bank
$7.50/month, requires $500 or direct deposit to waive monthly fee

USAA
$15/month, maximum 10 withdrawals

 

Rewards Checking Accounts that offer limited/capped ATM reimbursements, when monthly requirements are met:
Advantis Fusion Checking
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

Arizona Bank & Trust
$20/month, when rewards requirements are met

Bank2 Great Rate Checking
$50/month, when rewards requirements are met, rebates post monthly

Bank of Blue Valley
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

Bank of Fayetteville Smart Checking
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

Citizens Bank Minnesota WooHoo Checking
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

Coulee Bank
$20/month, when rewards requirements are met

First East Side Savings Bank Rewards Checking
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

First New England Federal Credit Union
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

First State Bank
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

Jeff Davis Bank and Trust Reward Checking
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

Liberty Bank eSmart Checking
$20/month, when rewards requirements are met

North Country Savings Bank Advantage Checking
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

Provident Credit Union Super Reward Checking
$2.50/transaction, no limit(?), when rewards requirements are met

Royal Banks of Missouri Majestic Checking
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

State Bank of Toledo Hometown Reward Checking
$25/month, when rewards requirements are met

West Bank Iowa Reward Me Checking
$25/month (maximum includes $1.50 West Bank foreign ATM fees), when rewards requirements are met

West Texas National Bank Ultimate Checking
$20/month, when rewards requirements are met

Message edited by: Glitch99 on 2009-11-09 18:41:58 CST

alert mods    
rated:
   posted: Dec. 20, 2008 @ 4:21p

it's a good idea, but you need to distinguish between 'surcharge refunds - all ATMs free' and 'surcharge refunds - all ATMS nationwide free.' Because that is a big difference. E Trade specifically reimburses nationally but not internationally, and I'm sure there are others that fall into that category.


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   posted: Dec. 20, 2008 @ 4:58p

Put down USAA. They refund ALL of them under any circumstance


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   posted: Dec. 20, 2008 @ 5:03p

EchoMatrix said:Put down USAA. They refund ALL of them under any circumstance

If by all, you mean only $15, then yes.


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   posted: Dec. 20, 2008 @ 5:03p

Citibank will, under two circumstances: you have $500,000 in deposits with them, or if you open your account online and your mailing address is outside any of the areas served by their branches.


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   posted: Dec. 20, 2008 @ 6:39p

Fidelity brokerage with atm access will do it if you are a gold member (I think 500K HH accounts) and limited to $75.00/yr. In this day and age, if I go to the atm once per month it is rare.


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   posted: Dec. 20, 2008 @ 7:02p

Charles schwab seems to be the best to me. I don't personally use any other on the list, however, they unconditionally reimburse ALL my ATM fees AND pay me 1.97 interest. (As of last time I checked, a week ago or so...)


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   posted: Dec. 20, 2008 @ 8:31p

Merrill Lynch "Beyond Banking" reimburses up to $200 a year.

I use Fidelity Mysmartcash.


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   posted: Dec. 20, 2008 @ 9:42p

I've always wondered what the limit is to the unlimited reimbursements. There's got a be a point at which they call and ask to end their relationship with you.


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   posted: Dec. 21, 2008 @ 12:16a

Dman081 said:I've always wondered what the limit is to the unlimited reimbursements. There's got a be a point at which they call and ask to end their relationship with you.Etrade even says as much (right on the promo page, not even buried in the terms):
In the event E*TRADE Bank in its sole discretion determines that there has been either fraudulent or excessive use of the feature on a given account, E*TRADE Bank reserves the right to remove this feature and not refund the ATM fees.
It'd be interesting to know if anyone has suffered such punishment, and at what usage level it occured.


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   posted: Dec. 21, 2008 @ 1:31a

Capital One (have to sign up at a Virginia branch however) has the best for ATM's anywhere in the world -- you may have to ask them to credit overseas charges but they will do it. Also they don't screw you on the 1% forex fee.

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/finance/842855


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rated:
   posted: Dec. 21, 2008 @ 3:48a

gmacbank


alert mods    
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   posted: Dec. 21, 2008 @ 4:37a

thok said:Citibank will, under two circumstances: you have $500,000 in deposits with them, or if you open your account online and your mailing address is outside any of the areas served by their branches.

Also, don't forget that 7/11's have 'genuine' Citibank ATM's now, so you can do transactions there without a fee.

Also, when I used the ATM machine in the cafeteria at my work earlier this year, I didn't get charged a fee for some reason. Perhaps Citibank's ATM network is pretty big?


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   posted: Dec. 21, 2008 @ 10:27a

Everbank... I think is $6.00/ month reimb.


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   posted: Dec. 21, 2008 @ 11:24a

agentjfong said:thok said:Citibank will, under two circumstances: you have $500,000 in deposits with them, or if you open your account online and your mailing address is outside any of the areas served by their branches.

Also, don't forget that 7/11's have 'genuine' Citibank ATM's now, so you can do transactions there without a fee.

Also, when I used the ATM machine in the cafeteria at my work earlier this year, I didn't get charged a fee for some reason. Perhaps Citibank's ATM network is pretty big?

Not quite "genuine"...they are Cardtronics atms and have been BRANDED with Ciibank's name...which means Citi customers can use them free, of course....as well as people who have COOP Network, or ALLPOINT cards as well!


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   posted: Dec. 21, 2008 @ 11:27a

Next best type of debit/atm card to have (other then ones where you get all your atm charges refunded) is from a Credit union that participates in both the COOP and ALLPOINT Networks.....you can't use every atm for free, but one will find about 75,000 of these nationwide....and with those, you don't get rebates because your withdrawals are free to begin with

Message edited by: craig10x on 2008-12-21 11:27:36 CST
alert mods    
rated:
   posted: Dec. 21, 2008 @ 2:26p

Could we please limit discussion to accounts/banks that offer free access to ALL ATMs nationwide, regardless of where it is located, what network it is on, or who ownes it, or if a surcharge is applied at the machine? Virtually every debit card offers free use of certain ATMs at certain locations.


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   posted: Dec. 21, 2008 @ 3:32p

Glitch99 said:Could we please limit discussion to accounts/banks that offer free access to ALL ATMs nationwide, regardless of where it is located, what network it is on, or who ownes it, or if a surcharge is applied at the machine? Virtually every debit card offers free use of certain ATMs at certain locations.Also, it would be nice to have notes on whether or not the same policies apply for international ATMs, or the thread title should be modified to reflect that discussion is limited to domestic ATMs.


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   posted: Dec. 21, 2008 @ 3:35p

National City Bank Elite Checking refunds foreign ATM fees ($2 per transaction) up to 30 transactions per month. But as they are being merged into PNC Bank shortly, who knows what will happen.

For people who get ATM surcharges refunded - does your bank refund the exact amount of the surcharge, or a flat rate per foreign ATM transaction?


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