Overdraft Programs Do a Lot of Good for Members

It is unfortunate that in the story titled, “Consumer Groups Urge Fed to Put APRs on Overdraft Protection Programs; CUNA Says APR Would Hinder CUs From Offering Overdraft” in the Aug. 18 issue, the only CEO interviewed was one that for whatever reason does not understand the realities that many people that live pay day to pay day face and who does not know the way most credit unions operate their overdraft programs. I manage a low-income credit union with about $155 million in assets and 40,000 members. Our members deeply appreciate our overdraft program because it saves them a lot of money. Our program first looks at their saving accounts for funds to pay drafts before it charges any fees. Unfortunately most people who bounce checks don’t have money in their savings accounts and don’t have Money Market accounts. The charge for not returning a draft unpaid is the same as the fee for covering the draft ($20). The member saves because there are no additional fees charged for the returned item and there are no collection fees. Most credit unions that I have talked to operate their programs in a similar manner. It is unfortunate that the article didn’t effectively explain the benefits to consumers of overdraft programs and the CEO quoted fails to understand the benefits to consumers of these programs. Ray Ponteri CEO El Paso Employees FCU El Paso, Texas