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Overdraft Protection

Life happens! Finger Lakes FCU understands that unexpected overdrafts occur from time to time--our Courtesy Pay program can help!

The choice is yours. Consider these options to cover overdrafts:


Service Cost
Overdraft Protection Link to Another Deposit Account you have at Finger Lakes Federal Credit Union $1.00 fee per transfer
Overdraft Protection Line of Credit1.2 Subject to interest
Courtesy Pay $35 Paid NSF fee per item
1Apply Online, Call us at (315) 781-1334 or stop by any of our branches to sign up or apply for these services; 2Subject to Credit Approval.

Overdraft Protection services apply to all transactions and may help prevent overdrafts by automatically transferring funds to your checking account from another account or line of credit you may have at Finger Lakes Federal Credit Union for a fee or finance charge. Please note that overdraft lines of credit are subject to credit approval. 


Courtesy Pay allows you to overdraw your account up to the disclosed limit for a fee in order to pay a transaction.  Even if you have overdraft protection, Courtesy Pay is still available as secondary coverage if the other protection source is exhausted. Please review the "What Else You Should Know" section at the bottom of this page for other important information.


Transactions Covered with Courtesy Pay Standard Coverage (No action required) Enhanced Courtesy Pay (Your consent required on consumer accounts)*
Checks X X
ACH-Automatic Debits X X
Recurring Debit Card Payments X X
Online Bill Pay Items (Includeing PopMoney and Money Transfers to other Financial Institutions) X X
Teller Window Transactions X X
ATM Withdrawals X*
Everyday Debit Card Transactions X*
*If you choose Enhanced Courtesy Pay on your consumer account, ATM withdrawals and everyday debit card transactions will be included with the transactions listed under Standard Coverage. If you already have Enhanced Courtesy Pay coverage, it is not necessary to request it again.
If you would like to select Enhanced Courtesy Pay for future transactions:
  • call us at (315) 781-1334
  • complete the online consent form found at www.flfcu.org
  • visit any branch
  • complete a consent form and mail it to us at 27 Seneca Street, PO Box 433, Geneva, NY 14456

Download a Consent Form


You can discontinue Courtesy Pay in its entirety by contacting us at (315) 781-1334.

What Else You Should Know

  • A link to another account or a line of credit may be a less expensive option than an overdraft. A single larger overdraft will result in just one fee, as opposed to multiple smaller overdrafts. Good account management is the best way to avoid overdrafts.  Use our mobile banking, Internet banking, and telephone banking services to keep track of your balance. For additional financial education resources, please visit www.mymoney.gov.
  • The $35 Paid NSF Fee is the same fee amount that is charged if a check is returned as unpaid. If multiple items overdraw your account on the same day, each item presented or represented will be assessed an appropriate Paid NSF Fee or NSF Fee of $35. All fees and charges will be included as part of the Courtesy Pay limit amount. Your account may become overdrawn more than the Courtesy Pay limit amount because of a fee.
  • There is no limit on the total Paid NSF Fees per day we will charge.
  • Our general policy is to post items throughout the day and to post credits before debits. Paper checks are posted in check number order, while ATM, ACH and debit card transactions are posted in the order in which the items are received. However, because of the many ways we allow you to access your account, the posting order of individual items may differ from these general policies. Holds on funds (per Funds Availability Policy) and the order in which transactions are posted may impact the total amount of Paid NSF Fees or NSF Fees assessed.
  • Although under payment system rules, Finger Lakes FCU may be obligated to force pay some debit card transactions, Finger Lakes FCU will not authorize debit card or ATM transactions unless there are available funds (including Overdraft Coverage Options) to cover the transactions and any fee(s).
  • Giving us your consent to pay every day debit card and ATM overdrafts on your consumer account (Extended Coverage) may result in you incurring Paid NSF Fee for transactions that we would otherwise be required to pay without assessing a Paid NSF Fee. However, this would allow us to authorize transactions up to the amount of your Courtesy Pay limit and may also help you avoid overdrafts in excess of your available balance. If you consent to Enhanced Courtesy Pay on your consumer account, it will remain on your account until you otherwise withdraw it.
  • Finger Lakes FCU authorizes and pays transactions using the available balance in your account. Finger Lakes FCU may place a hold on deposited funds in accordance with our Deposit Account Agreement and Disclosure, which will reduce the amount in your available balance.  The available balance for checks, ACH items, and recurring debit card transactions is comprised of the ledger balance, less any holds on deposited funds and any debit card holds, plus the amount of the Courtesy Pay limit and any available overdraft protection. The available balance for ATM and everyday debit card transactions on accounts with Standard Coverage is the ledger balance, less any holds on deposited funds and any debit card holds, plus any available overdraft protection, but does NOT include the Courtesy Pay Limit. For accounts with Enhanced Courtesy Pay, the Courtesy Pay Limit is included in the available balance for authorizing ATM and everyday debit card transactions.
  • Please be aware that the Courtesy Pay amount is not included in your available balance provided through online banking, mobile banking or Finger Lakes FCU’s ATMs.
  • Finger Lakes FCU will place a hold on your account for any authorized debit card transaction until the transaction settles (usually within two business days) or as permitted by payment system rules.  In some cases, the hold may exceed the amount of the transaction.  When the hold ends, the funds will be added to the available balance in your account.  If your account is overdrawn after the held funds are added to the available balance and the transaction is posted to the available balance, a Paid NSF Fee may be assessed.
  • Except as described herein, Finger Lakes FCU will not pay items if your account does not contain available funds (including the Courtesy Pay limit) to cover the item(s) and the amount of any fee(s).
  • Finger Lakes FCU may suspend your debit card if we are unable to contact you due to an incorrect mailing address or Phone Number(s). You must contact us with your correct mailing address and/or Phone Number(s) to have your debit card reinstated.
  • If your debit card is suspended, you will be unable to use your debit card for purchases or to access your account at the ATM, and if you use your debit card for recurring payments, e.g., utilities, you are responsible to make other arrangements for your recurring debit payment(s).
  • Courtesy Pay limit of $500 will be granted to eligible Consumer Checking accounts opened at least 35 days in good standing. A Courtesy pay limit of $750 will be granted to any member that has a recurring direct deposit of $200 or more on a monthly basis.
  • Courtesy Pay is not a line of credit; it is a discretionary overdraft service that can be withdrawn at any time without prior notice.
  • Courtesy Pay may be discontinued if you default on any loan or other obligation to us, your account becomes subject to any legal or administrative order or levy, or if you fail to maintain your account in good standing by not bringing your account to a positive balance within 32 days for a minimum of one business day. You must bring your account balance positive for at least one business day to have Courtesy Pay reinstated.
  • Depositor and each Authorized Signatory will continue to be liable, jointly and severally, for all overdraft and fee amounts, as described in the Deposit Account Agreement and Disclosure. The total (negative) balance, including all fees and charges, is due and payable upon demand.

 

If you have any questions about Overdraft Protection or Courtesy Pay, please call us at (315) 781-1334 or visit a branch.