The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports the average overdraft fee at about $35. Using that benchmark, a recent analysis by Motley Fool Money of Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) Call Report data shows that banks with more than $1 billion in assets collected $2.96 billion in combined overdraft and non‑sufficient‑funds (NSF) fees in the first half of 2026.
National picture and trends
The six‑month total reflects 512 large banks and suggests a total that will approach the $6 billion level seen in 2024 and 2025. After a sharp decline of roughly $1.7 billion between 2022 and 2023, fee revenue has risen modestly for two consecutive years.
From 2019 to 2023, revenue from overdraft and NSF fees fell by nearly half as several major banks reduced or eliminated those charges. A one‑year dip in 2020 corresponded with pandemic‑era spending changes and stimulus payments that temporarily lowered overdraft occurrences.
Key banks driving the numbers
JPMorgan Chase accounted for about 19 percent of all reported overdraft and NSF fees in the first half of 2026, the largest share among the banks examined. Wells Fargo and Bank of America together represent the other major contributors.
Bank of America’s fee revenue dropped dramatically, falling from $1.56 billion in 2019 to $140 million in 2023 after the bank lowered its overdraft fee and eliminated the NSF fee entirely. Revenue has edged up only slightly since, reaching $152 million in 2025.
Chase’s revenue fell from $2.06 billion in 2019 to $1.1 billion in 2023, then rose modestly to $1.11 billion in 2025 and is on track for a similar total in 2026.
Wells Fargo’s fee revenue declined from $1.7 billion in 2019 to $937 million in 2023 and has remained roughly flat, at $928 million in 2025.
Fee structures
The typical overdraft fee of about $35 aligns with what the largest banks charge. JPMorgan Chase charges $34 per overdraft item, capped at three fees per day. Bank of America is an outlier, charging $10 per overdraft, capped at two fees per day, after reducing its fee from $35 in May 2022.
Who is most affected?
According to the Federal Reserve, 12 percent of Americans paid an overdraft fee in 2025. Lower‑income, younger, Black and Hispanic consumers were more likely to incur a fee, reflecting lower average checking‑account balances among those groups.
How to avoid fees
Motley Fool Money personal‑finance expert Joel O’Leary recommends setting up low‑balance alerts and treating the alert threshold as a personal zero. Real‑time text alerts can give a chance to correct a low balance before a fee is assessed.
Regularly reviewing account activity and maintaining a basic budget also help catch overspending that alerts alone might miss. Some banks now offer no‑overdraft‑fee accounts that waive the charge even for accidental overdrafts.
O’Leary adds that consumers who frequently overdraft should consider switching to an online‑only bank that offers no‑overdraft‑fee accounts. While such banks often require most banking to be done via a smartphone, they typically have no monthly account fees and robust mobile apps, allowing customers to come out ahead.
Data notes
The figures cited come from FFIEC Call Report Schedule RI, item RIADH032, which combines overdraft and NSF fee revenue on consumer deposit accounts. Only banks with assets over $1 billion are required to report, so the totals do not capture the entire U.S. banking industry; the true nationwide amount is likely higher.
Full‑year figures for 2019‑2025 use each bank’s year‑end (Dec 31) report. The 2026 figure uses the most recent reports as of September 2026—six‑month data for most banks and a three‑month report for a few.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
