SunTrust $240 Million Overdraft Settlement: Customers Could Get Up to $1,000

SunTrust Bank, now known as Truist, has agreed to pay $240 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging the bank charged illegal overdraft fees on ATM and debit card transactions for years.

The lawsuit, Bickerstaff v. SunTrust Bank, has been going on for nearly 16 years. The original plaintiff filed the case back in 2010, arguing that SunTrust's overdraft fees were essentially disguised interest charges — and that the rates far exceeded what Georgia law allows.

Here's the math that made the case: SunTrust charged a flat $36 fee on overdrafts of $500 or less. On a small overdraft — say, $20 — repaid in a few days, that $36 fee translates to an annual percentage rate in the thousands. Georgia's usury laws cap how much interest a lender can charge, and the courts agreed this argument had merit.

The case went all the way up to the Georgia Supreme Court, which sided with consumers. When Truist tried to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in January 2026, the Court declined to hear it. Days later, Truist agreed to settle for up to $240 million.

Who's eligible

This settlement is specifically for Georgia residents. You may qualify if all of the following apply:

• You were a Georgia citizen on July 12, 2010 and remained one continuously through October 6, 2017

• You had one or more SunTrust Bank accounts 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 from an ATM or debit card transaction
• You paid overdraft fees on that transaction and never received a refund

If your SunTrust account was closed before June 1, 2010, you were likely directed to arbitration and are not part of this settlement class. This also only covers ATM and debit card overdrafts — not ACH or check transactions.

How much could you get

Payouts are estimated between $5 and $1,000 per person, depending on how much you were charged in overdraft fees. The total $240 million fund will be split after attorneys' fees and administration costs — roughly $155.8 million is expected to go directly to customers.

Payments will be sent via check or Zelle.

How to file

The claims process is not open yet. The court still needs to grant final approval at a hearing scheduled for May 26, 2026. Once that happens, the settlement administrator will mail and email claim forms to eligible class members. The claim deadline hasn't been set yet, but it's expected to be around August 2026.

If you think you're eligible but haven't received a notice, you can contact the settlement administrator at 877-239-8765 or visit suntrustoverdraftclassaction.com to update your contact information.

You don't need to do anything right now except make sure your address is current. When the claim form drops, you'll need your unique ID and PIN from the notice to file.

Download ClassyAction to stay updated on this settlement and get notified when the claim form goes live.