Tips to Avoid Fees

Save money and time by enrolling in eStatements! A fee is assessed when you receive your account statements by mail and when you request past statement copies. Enrolling in eStatements not only avoids printing, processing, and postage costs, but also helps reduce the risk of identity theft while allowing you to view years’ worth of statements all with a few simple clicks. 

View most cleared check images for up to 90 days in your online transaction history, or use the advanced search feature in online banking to go as far as 14 months back. 

While not all checks will be available in online banking, this is often the quickest, easiest, and most cost-effective way to obtain a copy and should be considered your first option before requesting them through Member Care or your local Community Financial Center, which may be subject to a fee. 

Skip the wait. Skip the fee. GTE account transfers can be made through online, mobile, and automated phone banking anytime, anywhere, free of charge. Automated phone banking can be reached by dialing 813.876.6760 and following the prompts. 

The phone assisted funds transfer fee is charged when you speak to a Member Care Representative to make transfers. 

Moved recently? Update your address with GTE. Keep your contact information up to date not only to avoid the bad address fee, but also to ensure you do not miss out on important account information, credit union updates, mailed card replacements or statements. 

Address updates can be made in online banking by selecting Settings and then Profile. You may also contact Member Care or visit your Community Financial Center.

In a hurry to make that payment on time? While planning ahead and scheduling payments in advance are ideal, emergencies happen. Before selecting overnight Bill Pay delivery, consider a few alternatives, such as Zelle®, ACH transfers, or contacting the merchant to pay with a GTE debit or credit card. Not only will you avoid the Bill Pay Overnight Payment fee, but you may also find a faster, more convenient, and cost-effective way to ensure your payment is received on time. 

Avoid loan late fees by paying on time, every time. Your due date is on the loan documents received at opening. GTE offers many payment options to assist with on-time payments, every time. Autopay is the preferred way to pay since it allows you to set it and forget it. Autopay can be set up at the time of your loan opening or through online or mobile banking at any time. 

You can also set payment alerts through online banking, so you don’t forget. Simply log in, select Settings, then Alerts. Loan Due Reminders can be sent via email or text. 

Not only does making payments on time avoid late fees, but it also keeps your loan in good standing and helps maintain a healthy credit profile. 

Having financial hardships? We understand life happens and is often unexpected. When our valued members are going through not-so-great times, GTE wants to help. Since 2008, our We Can Help program has offered loan solutions to assist thousands of members. If you are experiencing a situation affecting your ability to make payments on a GTE loan, contact us immediately. We may be able to assist.

Sometimes we spend more than we have. It happens to all of us. That’s why we give members a few days to bring their negative³ balance back to positive. However, if a member maintains a negative balance for 6 days, a fee will be charged each month until the account is back in the positive. 

By monitoring your account and addressing any balance that falls below $0 as quickly as possible, you can help prevent a negative balance charge. GTE offers many ways to monitor your balances through online, mobile, and automated phone banking. We encourage all members to enroll and register in these free services. 

The minimum relationship fee is intended to support the costs associated with maintaining accounts and delivering products, services, and technology our members use every day. Members who actively utilize GTE products and maintain certain small qualifications can avoid this fee, making it a benefit of building a strong relationship with us while enjoying access to convenient services, financial education, account management tools, and much more. 

To avoid this charge, simply: 

• >Maintain a minimum $500 in any combination of deposit or loan balances or
• >Have a qualifying account – Go Premium, GTE CareFree, Go Student, Go Further, Health Savings Account, Business Relationship Plus, Business Dividend, and/or Nonprofit checking
• Fee is also waived for:
  • Primary members under the age of 22 or age 65 and older 
  • Memberships that have been open for 90 days or less

We understand financial needs change and sometimes rapidly. While we will do everything we can to assist a member in need through financial education, expert guidance to determine the best product and service fit, and our We Can Help program, this fee is intended to discourage accounts from being opened for short-term use. By helping offset the costs associated with opening, servicing, and maintaining new accounts, we can continue investing in the products, services, technology, and member benefits that support our members’ financial goals. 

This fee can be avoided by only opening accounts you know will continue to be utilized for more than 180 days. If your financial needs change, please contact Member Care or visit your Community Financial Center. Our team of experts may be able to guide you through solutions that best meet your needs while preserving your membership benefits and avoiding the early account closure charge. 

The easiest way to avoid an inactive or dormant account fee is to regularly use your account. Accounts with no member-initiated activity for an extended period may be assessed this charge. Simple actions such as making a deposit, transfer, withdrawal, payment, or card purchase can keep your account active and prevent these charges. 

Whether you’re traveling, away from home, or need quick access to cash, convenience is important. That’s why GTE Financial has a network of over 30,000 fee-free ATMs nationwide. By planning ahead and using GTE’s large nationwide ATM network, you can minimize avoidable charges. Simply check out our location finder, select Shared Branch/Surcharge Free ATMs, enter the city and state or ZIP code of your location, and find a GTE, Co-Op or Publix ATM near you. 

Can’t find a GTE ATM near you? Many retailers offer cash back when making a purchase with your GTE debit card and PIN number. You can also utilize online or mobile banking to check your balance which may help avoid ATM fees. 

Sending money quickly is a necessity in today’s world. We understand when a wire transfer may seem like the best option, especially for time-sensitive transactions. Before initiating a wire and incurring a fee, consider whether a low or no-cost alternative can meet your needs. 

GTE offers no cost money transfer options such as Zelle©, ACH transfers, and Bill Pay. Although charges may be associated, External Transfers may be a lower cost option for moving funds fast. Transfer limits may apply. Many everyday payments and transfers can be completed through these convenient online or mobile banking services. 

If a wire transfer is the best option for your needs, you can still help avoid additional charges by reducing the risk of a wire being returned. Before submitting the transfer, verify all recipient information and wire instructions are correct, confirm the recipient is prepared to receive the funds, and ensure you have available funds in your account to cover both the transfer amount and any applicable fees. 

Earn back your monthly fee and more! While the Go Premium with GTE Secure monthly fee always applies, you can earn all or part of the fee amount back by meeting the monthly qualifications to earn dividends on balances up to $2,000. Simply enroll in eStatements, deposit $500 or more into your account each month, and complete at least 15 combined debit and/or credit transactions. 

Doing this every month offsets the monthly fee while you still get the benefits of personal identity protection with credit file monitoring, credit reporting, identity theft expense reimbursement, and resolution services. And don’t forget Cell Phone Protection as well as extended warranties and health discount cards. 

Get the Go Further Checking at no cost! Avoid the monthly fee by meeting the monthly qualifications. Simply enroll in eStatements, deposit $500 or more into your account each month, and complete 15 combined debit and/or credit transactions. 

Use Go Points rewards to offset fees: Redeem Go Points for cash back and deposit funds directly into your account. It’s a simple way to get extra value from your everyday banking and to help offset fees with rewards you’ve earned.