Landmark Bank in Columbia, MO

First National Bank and Trust Company charges exorbitant fees in the guise of "helping" their customers. For their Courtesy Overdraft Protection, they routinely maximize the number of fees they get for each dip into the overdraft protection by sending through items to clear from largest to smallest. This practice is standard among the big banks. When the smallest items go through last, they trigger more fees than if just one big item puts the account negative. Bill Sullivan, author of the book "Gotcha Capitalism", wrote that nearly half of the nation's banks' profits come from fees now. The second thing that really irks me about First National is that they do not permit you to link your savings account to your checking account and use your own money if you overdraw your checking account. The only two options they give you are the Overdraft Protection at $28 per item that goes through and a credit line at interest payable to the bank (and which requires an application for credit). So, if you want to use your own money, you better shop for a different bank. So far, I have found that Missouri Credit Union does let you link to your own savings account and then charges you $10 per transfer if they have to transfer the money from your savings to your checking for you to prevent an overdraft. Still, that is better than First National's policy and $28 per item fee. When you break down the cost of each $28 per item, that is often an exorbitant finance charge. I for one hope that Congress gets its act together to pass legislation to protect us Consumers from the gouging we are receiving from even our locally held banks such as First National Bank and Trust Company. You can bet that I am now shopping for a new bank or credit union. I used to really believe in banking locally, but I am fed up with First National trying to gouge me just like the big banks would!

I love the bank, particularly because they are local. I have no problem with a bank charging fees and overdraft charges. It has been real easy to get out of those fees & charges by not overdrafting an account...that is right, buy being a responsible person!!!

I originally joined because their downtown location is the most convenient for me. But they are always so friendly when I go in and they still have a free checking account, which is what I was looking for.