Bank of America Stop Payment Fee Guide

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bank of america stop payment fee guide
This Fee Guide is provided for informational purposes only. While Cushion doesn’t negotiate with banks for fee refunds on our users’ behalf, it gives you visibility into the fees you are being charged by your banks in your fee report. You can then use this information to work directly with your bank to get your fees refunded.
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What Is a Stop Payment Fee?

If you cannot or do not want to go through with a transaction or check that you wrote, you can request that Bank of America halt the payment. The bank will consider your request and determine whether they will stop the payment from going through. If they agree to stop the payment, you will not have to pay for the check or transaction, but you may have to pay a stop payment fee instead.

How Much Does a Stop Payment Fee Cost at Bank of America?

Bank of America charges $30 for each stop payment request. However, you will not incur a stop payment fee on recurring debit card transactions. Depending on the type of bank account that you have, you may be able to get this fee waived or refunded.

If you have one of the following accounts, you can qualify for a stop payment fee waiver:

  • Bank of America Advantage Relationship Banking
  • Bank of America Advantage with Tiered Interest Checking
  • Bank of America Advantage Regular Checking accounts
  • Preferred Rewards
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Special Considerations

You should first try to stop a payment by contacting the merchant (the business or individual on the charging end of the transaction). That way, you can try to avoid a stop payment fee from your bank.

If you are unable to stop a payment by reaching out to the merchant directly, you can stop the payment on your end using a few different methods:

  1. Log into your Bank of America account online and cancel
  2. Stop payment by phone
  3. Stop payment in writing. You can send your correspondence to:
    Bank of America
    PO Box 25118
    Tampa, FL 33633-0900

Declined stop payment requests

Depending on the method that you use to request a stop payment, the investigation can take up to sixty days to complete. If the bank declines the disputed payment, the payment will stay posted on your account.

Stop payment renewals

Your initial stop payment request is generally valid for six months from the date of your request. You may need to pay another fee to renew the stop payment request if the recipient cashes your payment after the six-month window.

How to Avoid a Stop Payment Fee

It is not always feasible to avoid a stop payment fee, but there are a few things that you can do to minimize your chances of getting one.

  • Make sure you are purchasing from a trusted and reputable seller
  • Ensure that you have the correct recipient information
  • Confirm that you have the right payment amount
  • Ask the merchant to not initiate the payment before requesting that your bank stop the payment

How to Get a Stop Payment Fee Refund

If you successfully stop a payment and want to request a stop payment fee refund, there are several things you should do to increase your chances of success.

Prepare your information

Name, address, bank account number, fees that you’d like to negotiate, and possibly your social security number.

Introduce yourself

“Hello. My name is , and I recently received a stop payment fee. I’m contacting you to see if you would be willing to refund this fee.”

Find out if you have a qualified account

You may be able to get the stop payment fee waived if you have one of several accounts with stop payment benefits. If you do not have a qualified account when you call customer service, inquire about opening an eligible account and getting the fee waived simultaneously. Remember that opening a new account may involve extra fees, so carefully consider whether this is the right decision for you.

Prepare your points of leverage

Are you experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19? Is this your first stop payment fee refund request for the year? Your bank is more likely to work with you if you can kindly provide them with a valid reason for why you would like the fee refunded. Entering into a negotiation with several points of leverage ready will help you feel more confident and prepared.

Be patient and persistent

Provide customer service with the information necessary to evaluate your stop payment fee refund request. If you hear “no” upon your first request, be persistent. You may have better luck with another representative on a different day, or by escalating the issue to higher level management.

Find Bank of America’s full fee schedule here.

Last Updated on January 01, 2024
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Disclaimer: The information provided in this website is for educational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. Consult with a financial professional for personalized guidance regarding your specific situation.

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