Published
April 13, 2026
Updated
October 3, 2026
Georgia SunTrust account holders who paid unrefunded overdraft fees on ATM or debit card transactions between July 12, 2006 and April 15, 2014 could claim a pro rata share of the $240 million SunTrust overdraft fee class action settlement, with a $5 minimum per account paid by check or Zelle. Claims closed September 14, 2026.
What Is This Settlement About?
SunTrust Bank (now Truist Bank) has agreed to pay a maximum of $240 million to resolve a long-running class action alleging that certain of its overdraft fees on ATM and debit card transactions amounted to illegal interest under Georgia law. The case is Bickerstaff v. SunTrust Bank, Civil File No. 10EV010485, in the State Court of Fulton County, Georgia.The lawsuit claimed that when SunTrust covered an overdraft and charged a flat fee, that fee effectively functioned as interest that exceeded the rate allowed under Georgia's usury laws, and further alleged conversion and money had and received. SunTrust denies that its overdraft fees are interest and denies that it violated any law or is liable for any of the claims. By entering into this settlement, Truist does not admit any wrongdoing or liability. The parties agreed to settle to avoid the expense and uncertainty of further litigation.
On May 26, 2026, the court held a Fairness and Final Approval Hearing and granted final approval of the settlement. Claim forms were mailed and emailed to eligible class members beginning July 14, 2026, and the deadline to file a claim was September 14, 2026.
Status
Claims Closed
Final approval granted May 26, 2026.
Claim Deadline
September 14, 2026
Deadline has passed · claims were filed online or by mail.
Estimated Payout
Pro rata share of $240M
$5 minimum per account · paid by check or Zelle.
Proof Required
Yes
Unique ID & PIN from your mailed or emailed notice.
Who Qualifies for the SunTrust Overdraft Fee Settlement?
You may be part of the settlement class if all of the following apply to you:• You had one or more deposit accounts with SunTrust Bank that were not closed before June 1, 2010.
• Between July 12, 2006 and April 15, 2014, you had at least one overdraft of $500 or less resulting from an ATM or debit card transaction.
• You paid overdraft fees as a result of that transaction.
• You did not receive a refund of those fees.
• You were a Georgia citizen on July 12, 2010 and continuously remained a Georgia citizen through October 6, 2017.
The two date ranges cover different things. The overdraft fees themselves had to be charged between July 12, 2006 and April 15, 2014, while the Georgia-citizenship requirement runs through October 6, 2017. The class the court certified in 2017 originally reached fees charged through October 6, 2017, but in February 2025 the Georgia Court of Appeals held that fees charged after April 15, 2014 cannot be pursued, because a 2014 amendment to Georgia's usury law, effective that day, provides that overdraft fees are not interest. The settlement class follows that ruling, so fees charged after April 15, 2014 are not covered.
A "Georgia citizen" means you were a U.S. citizen who made Georgia your home throughout that entire period. If you received a postcard or email notice addressed to you, SunTrust's records suggest you may qualify. Covered fees include overdraft fees, insufficient funds fees, NSF fees, and extended overdraft fees. The settlement does not cover fees charged when an overdraft was covered by transferring your own money from one of your accounts to another.
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How Much Will the SunTrust Settlement Pay?
SunTrust agreed to pay a maximum of $240 million. From that amount, the court may deduct attorney fees of up to 33.3% of the settlement, costs and expenses of up to $3 million, a class representative incentive payment of up to $200,000, and the costs of administering the notice and claims process. The remaining money is called the "Net Settling Class Member Funds," and it is divided among all class members who submit valid claim forms.Your individual payment depends on how many overdraft fees you paid and how many people file claims. An expert calculates each account's share using this formula: total unrefunded overdraft fees on your account, plus 7% simple interest per year from the date your account returned to a positive balance through December 31, 2025. That total is divided by the sum of all account totals to determine your proportional share of the net funds.
If your calculated payment would be less than $5, you receive a minimum payment of $5. Payments are made by check or Zelle digital transfer. For joint accounts, if only one account holder files a claim, that person receives the full payment for the account; if multiple account holders file claims for the same account, the payment is split equally between them.
How Claims Were Filed
The claim deadline was September 14, 2026, and it has passed. After the court granted final approval, claim forms were mailed and emailed to class members beginning July 14, 2026, and a valid claim form had to be submitted by the deadline to receive a cash payment.Claims could be filed two ways:
• Online: using the Unique ID and PIN printed on the postcard or email notice to log in and submit the claim on the official settlement website, which then emailed a confirmation code.
• By mail: by completing, signing and dating the paper claim form included with the postcard notice and mailing it to the Settlement Administrator at the address on the form.
A separate claim form was required for each eligible SunTrust account, and claimants affirmed under penalty of perjury that they were Georgia citizens on July 12, 2010 and continuously through October 6, 2017. SunTrust's records identify which accounts qualify and the amount of overdraft fees charged, so no receipts or bank statements were needed. Claimants with questions about a submitted claim or a payment can reach the Settlement Administrator through the official settlement website.
What Is This Lawsuit About?
The case was originally filed on July 12, 2010, when a Georgia SunTrust customer sued on behalf of a proposed class, alleging that SunTrust's overdraft fees on ATM and debit card transactions were actually a form of interest — and that the effective rate far exceeded what Georgia's usury laws allow. Under those laws, licensed lenders generally cannot charge more than a capped rate of interest on small loans, and the complaint alleged that a flat overdraft fee on a small debit-card overdraft amounted to interest well above that cap.SunTrust denied that overdraft fees are interest, arguing they are flat charges for a service rather than interest computed on a loan balance. In 2014, the Georgia legislature amended the state's usury law to clarify that overdraft fees are not treated as interest going forward, and the class may not assert claims based on overdraft fees charged after April 15, 2014.
The case moved through class certification and multiple rounds of appeals at the Georgia Court of Appeals and Georgia Supreme Court before the parties agreed to settle. The Georgia Court of Appeals held that class members who closed their SunTrust accounts before June 1, 2010 must arbitrate their claims, and that class members may not assert claims based on overdraft fees charged after April 15, 2014. The parties then agreed to the settlement to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation.
Is SunTrust the Same as Truist Bank?
Yes. SunTrust Bank merged with BB&T Corporation in December 2019 to create Truist Financial Corporation. If you were a SunTrust customer before the merger, your account was transferred to Truist. This settlement covers overdraft fees charged when the bank was still operating as SunTrust Bank, and Truist is responsible for the settlement payments.Key Deadlines and Dates
• Opt-Out (Exclusion) Deadline: Passed — postmarked by April 20, 2026• Objection Deadline: Passed — April 20, 2026
• Fairness and Final Approval Hearing: May 26, 2026 — final approval granted
• Claim Forms Mailed/Emailed: Beginning July 14, 2026
• Claim Form Deadline: Passed — September 14, 2026
The settlement becomes final once the time to appeal has expired or any appeals are resolved without a material change to the terms. No payment date had been announced as of October 3, 2026; check the official settlement website for the latest schedule.
What Happens If I Do Nothing?
Class members who did not submit a claim form by September 14, 2026 will not receive any payment. They are still bound by the settlement and have released their claims against SunTrust, meaning they cannot sue separately over the same overdraft fees.Avoiding Scams
The legitimate administrator will never ask for an up-front "processing fee," your online banking password, or your full Social Security number to release your payment. Anyone who contacts you demanding payment or sensitive login details to "unlock" this settlement is not the real administrator. File only through the official settlement website, and use the Unique ID and PIN printed on your own notice.Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still file a claim?
No. The court granted final approval on May 26, 2026, claim forms were mailed and emailed beginning July 14, 2026, and the deadline to submit a claim was September 14, 2026.Do I need to prove how much I paid in overdraft fees?
No. SunTrust's records identify eligible accounts and the amount of overdraft fees charged, so claimants did not need receipts or bank statements. Filing online did require the Unique ID and PIN printed on the notice.What if I moved out of Georgia?
You must have been a Georgia citizen continuously from July 12, 2010 through October 6, 2017 to qualify. If you moved out of Georgia during that period, you may not be eligible. If you moved out after October 6, 2017, you may still qualify if you met all other requirements.Can I get paid by Zelle?
Yes. Payments are made by check or Zelle digital transfer.What if I did not receive a notice?
Under the court-approved notice, class members who did not receive a postcard or email notice had to contact the Settlement Administrator to receive a claim form. The claim deadline passed on September 14, 2026.Official Settlement Notice
Sources and Resources
- Official Settlement Website — SunTrust Overdraft Class Action
- Official Settlement Notice (PDF) — Notice of Proposed Class Action Settlement
- State Court of Fulton County, Georgia — Bickerstaff v. SunTrust Bank, Civil File No. 10EV010485
- Court of Appeals of Georgia — SunTrust Bank v. Bickerstaff, Nos. A24A1700 and A24A1702 (February 20, 2025)
For more class actions keep scrolling below.
Settlement Amount
$240,000,000 (maximum)
Case Title
Bickerstaff v. SunTrust Bank
Case Number
10EV010485
Court
State Court of Fulton County, Georgia
Final Approval Hearing
May 26, 2026 — Final Approval Granted
Claim Deadline
September 14, 2026
Administrator
Epiq
Official Website
SunTrust Overdraft Class Action.com
