An overdraft occurs when you make a purchase or ATM transaction but don't have enough money in your checking account (or other designated account) to pay for it.  For a fee, we will cover you when you become overdrawn.

TFCU can cover your overdrafts in three different ways:

Overdraft Transfer Protection

Overdraft Transfer Protection serves as your first defense in the event that your checking account becomes overdrawn.  With this service, funds are transferred from another linked account of yours (i.e. savings, checking) to cover overdrafts.  When a transaction takes your checking account negative, a transfer is automatically made from the linked account(s) to bring the balance positive. 

Our system also allows you to link your checking account with another member's account(s) to serve as additional lines of defense. 

Overdraft Transfers incur a $5 fee per transfer.  Please note: Government Regulation D limits the number of transfers from such "non-transaction" accounts to six per month.

If you would like to link an account (i.e. savings, another checking) to cover overdrafts, or would like to verify that this coverage is in place on your account, please give us a call at (518) 585-6725 or 888-TFCU-NOW or stop by your nearest branch to ask any questions or learn more. 

Your Responsibility for Insufficient Funds and Overdrafts

Courtesy Pay Basic

Courtesy Pay Basic is a discretionary service allowing TFCU to authorize and pay items when you do not have enough money in your checking or linked account(s) to cover the transaction.

Courtesy Pay Basic may provide coverage for checks and ACH transactions (i.e. automatic bill payments) and recurring debit card payments. There is a fee per item paid, with this service. Please refer to the Fee Schedule for the current fee amount. Please contact a Member Service Representative to request or to inquire whether Courtesy Pay Overdraft Protection is in place on your account.

 

Courtesy Pay Plus

Courtesy Pay Plus is offered in addition to Courtesy Pay Basic and requires that you opt-in to this service.  Courtesy Pay Plus extends overdraft protection to include ATM and everyday debit card transactions.  There is a fee per item paid, with this service. Please refer to the Fee Schedule for the current fee amount. Please

For example, if you make a purchase with your debit card for $150 but only have $100 in your account, your account will be overdrawn by $50 and you will be charged a fee.  If you then make an ATM withdrawal for $50, your account will be overdrawn by a total of $100 and you will be charged another fee.  In this example, you will pay a total of two fees. 

If you do not opt-in to Courtesy Pay Plus, everyday debit card transactions and ATM withdrawals will be denied and no fee will be charged if you have insufficient funds available in your checking account.

Courtesy Pay has many benefits:

It can spare you the embarrassment of having your debit card declined.
It can give you peace of mind knowing that if the unexpected happens and you don't have enough money in your account to cover a transaction, your purchase will be approved anyway. 
You will avoid paying fees from merchants for bounced checks and collection agency fees for returned items. 
You will also have an added measure of safety protecting your good credit rating.
 

Opt-in to Courtesy Pay Plus

To request that TrailNorth Federal Credit Union authorize and pay overdrafts on your everyday debit card transactions and ATM withdrawals, call (518) 585-6725 or 888-TFCU-NOW, visit any branch location or complete the opt-in form and drop it by any branch location or return it by fax or mail.  Courtesy Pay services are optional.  If you opt-in, you can cancel at any time.  Similarly, if you do not opt-in, you can do so later.

Visit the forms page for the Member Service agreement applicable.

For additional information regarding overdraft services and fees, click HERE to access the BCFP, Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (formerly known as the CFPB, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau).