Overdraft fees have morphed into a big money-maker for banks. Kiplinger's recently reported that lenders collected more than $19 billion this year, up 85% from 2004. Banks charge as much as $35 for a check, ATM withdrawal or debit purchase when funds to cover them are lacking, even if it's a $2 cup of coffee that puts a customer into overdraft territory.
Recently, my wife was charged a $20 overdraft fee, because her paycheck, which was supposed to be direct-deposited into her account, did...
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