Project News
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- Press Release
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
Eight of Top 12 U.S. Banks Adopt Pew’s Model Checking Account Disclosure Box
Branch Banking & Trust (BB&T), the ninth largest bank by deposit volume in the United States, voluntarily adopted The Pew Charitable Trusts’ disclosure summary for checking accounts today, bringing the total number of large banks that now use this easy tool to eight.
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June 1, 2013
Reuters: Regulatory Failure Du Jour, Overdraft Fee Edition
A study last year from the Pew Charitable Trusts found that “more than half of those hit with overdraft fees did not believe they had opted in to the policies”.
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- Press Release
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
Pew Releases Ratings of Nation’s Top Banks on Key Consumer Protections
A study from The Pew Charitable Trusts is the first to rate the largest U.S. banks on their policies regarding checking account disclosure terms and fees, overdraft, and dispute resolution practices. Checks and Balances: Measuring Checking Accounts’ Safety and Transparency, underscores the continued gaps in banking procedures that put consumers at financial risk and expose them to high, unexpected costs for little benefit.
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- Press Release
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
More Than Half of Top 12 U.S. Banks Now Use Pew’s Model Checking Disclosures
SunTrust voluntarily adopted The Pew Charitable Trusts’ disclosure summary for checking accounts today, becoming the seventh of the 12 largest banks in the country now using the simple disclosure box. Currently, this consumer-friendly information is available to over 40 percent of the US market, by deposit volume. more
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December 3, 2012
Paying for the Holidays
As the holiday shopping season takes off, consumers are turning to a variety of financial management tools. View our slideshow and learn more about Pew’s research on hidden bank fees, the growing use of prepaid debit cards, and the actual duration of payday loans that are marketed as two-week products.
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Media Coverage
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- Media Coverage
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
Chase Adopts Simplified Checking Disclosure
Chase has become the first big bank to voluntarily adopt a simplified, plain-language checking account disclosure, as proposed by an arm of the nonprofit group Pew Charitable Trusts. more
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- Media Coverage
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
Time to Stop Arguing About Disclosure Reform
In October 2010, the Pew Safe Checking Project began a study of checking account terms and conditions at the 10 largest banks in the United States. One noteworthy finding was that the median length of disclosure documents was 111 pages. more
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- Media Coverage
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
Graphic Illustration of High Cost of Debit Overdrafts
Want a graphic illustration of how banks can manipulate their books to multiply their profits from your mistakes? more
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- Media Coverage
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
How Much Basic Checking at a Big Bank Really Costs
There’s been a lot of media coverage lately about Americans switching from big banks to community banks, credit unions and online banks. That may be a good move for some people, but we’ll come right out and say it: Some consumers need a big bank. more
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- Media Coverage
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
Banks Quietly Ramping Up Costs to Consumers
Even as Bank of America and other major lenders back away from charging customers to use their debit cards, many banks have been quietly imposing other new fees. more
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- Media Coverage
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
Would You Bank at Walmart?
Americans fed up with big bank fees are closing their accounts and marching over to … Walmart? more
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- Media Coverage
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
TD Banks Hikes Fees on Checking Account Services
TD Bank is hiking a variety of service fees on its checking accounts.
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- Media Coverage
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
What's the Most Expensive State to Bank? State Bank Fees: Interactive Map
West Virginia has the highest median monthly bank fees in the country at $12, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts.
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- Media Coverage
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
Saying Goodbye to Your Bank
Thinking of breaking up with your big bank? You're not alone.
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- Media Coverage
- Safe Checking in the Electronic Age
Unbanked America
Lately you’ve probably heard a lot about bankers. What what about the bankees?
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