Protect your account from overdrafts.

Eliminate the hassle and expense of overdrafts. At Citizens Bank, we want to help you get more out of your money and make smarter financial decisions. And to help our valued customers avoid the hassle, expense, and embarrassment of overdrafts, we’ve put together this brief guide, which outlines some simple steps you can take to protect yourself. Of course, if you need further assistance or have any questions, don’t hesitate to speak with a Citizens Bank banker.

How overdrafts happen. Today, with the growth in electronic banking, such as Debit Card transactions and ATM withdrawals, it's easier than ever to forget to record a transaction and find your account overdrawn. An overdraft occurs when you do not have sufficient available funds to cover transactions you have made, such as:

• Checks · In-person withdrawals · ATM withdrawals · Debit Card purchases · Automatic payments · Other electronic transactions

What happens when your account is overdrawn. When your account is overdrawn, we will either pay the transaction or not, at our discretion. Whether we decide to pay the transaction item or we decide to return it without paying it, you may be charged a fee for each transaction for overdraft/insufficient available funds. You may have heard of these fees referred to as “bounced check”, insufficient funds or NSF fees. Additionally, the person or company that you are attempting to pay may charge you a “returned check” fee in addition to the fee that we charge.

How to avoid overdrafts. The best way to avoid overdraft/insufficient available funds fees is to manage your account carefully. Here are some simple steps to get you on your way.

• Keep your check register up to date. Record all checks when you write them in your check register along with other transactions when you make them. And don't forget to subtract any fees.
• Review your account activity and statements carefully. With Citizens Bank Bank Online, you can view transactions and monitor account activity, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When reviewing your account activity, remember that some checks and payments may not have cleared or posted to your account yet.
• Pay special attention to electronic transactions. If you take cash out at the ATM or use your Debit Card to make a purchase or get cash back, be sure to record the transaction in your register.
• Don't forget about automatic payments. If you have automatic payments and deductions from your account, such as your mortgage payment or health club fee, remember to set aside money for them and to record them in your register.
• Record all transactions immediately and do not assume that they will take days to post to your account. Information from checks that you write to pay for purchases or expenses (such as credit card or utility payments) may be used to make a one-time electronic transfer from your account. Funds from these transactions may be withdrawn from your account as soon as the same day you make the payment.
• Consider Direct Deposit. Many of the checks that now come to you in paper form - including your payroll and Social Security checks - can easily be directly deposited into your account. That means you won't have to wait in line to make the deposit yourself, and you won't have to wait for checks to clear.
• Sign up for on-line alerts.  Sign up for on-line alerts. Citizens Bank  Online offers free email alerts to automatically notify you if your account balance goes below a threshold that you set.
• Consider overdraft protection. Available to qualified applicants, our revolving line of credit automatically covers you if you write a check or make a payment or withdrawal for more than your available balance. Keep in mind, though, there may be a fee for this service and, that since it is credit, you will pay finance charges if your overdraft protection line is used.
• In addition, your savings or money market account may also be used to provide overdraft protection for your checking account. Monthly transfer limits and other restrictions apply, and keep in mind that there may be fees for this service. Ask your banker for details of the overdraft protection options available in your state.

If it happens. If your account ends up overdrawn, be sure to deposit money in your account as soon as possible to cover the overdraft plus any fees that may be assessed. By doing so, you'll avoid additional overdrafts and fees.

Questions? To learn more about how to avoid overdrafts, or to apply for overdraft protection, stop by your nearest Citizens Bank branch or call 1-800-922-9999