Consumer complaint received 2020-09-17
Product: Checking or savings account — Checking account
Issue: Closing an account — Can't close your account
Company: U.S. BANCORP (CA)

On Wednesday, XXXX, I went to a local branch of US Bank with the intent to close my Checking Account which had a balance of {$280.00} on XXXX. I was informed that there was a non-refundable 'Tax Levy Fee ' of {$100.00}, reducing my balance to {$180.00}. I was then informed that the remainder of the balance is placed on hold and was handed a copy of a letter to me dated XXXX -- six days  after it was sent, which as of XXXX has not yet arrived -- explaining the actions against my account being taken by US Bank. 

The letter states that the remaining funds of {$180.00} will be sent to : 'Personal Income Tax on XXXX, unless we receive a release or changes to these instructions, ' presumably referring to the California Franchise Tax Board ( CA FTB ). 

Frankly, I was astonished by the turn of events, that I'm unable to withdraw any amount as the remaining balance has been marked 'Unavailable Funds, ' and further pointing out that 'This isn't the first time that I have been assessed this 'Tax Levy Fee. '' The other time was about a year to a year-and-a-half ago which amounted to two assessments, {$100.00} and {$46.00}, and there may be still others. I have since requested for documentation of all 'Tax Levy Fees '  assessed to my account on XXXX to be sent by mail to my address, and later I followed up on the progress and was told, 'Since I am reviewing five years of statements, I may not have the information in the 30 minutes that was initially given as an estimate. I may need until tomorrow. ' I am currently awaiting for that information from the teller followed by those documents to arrive. 

The teller, XXXX XXXX, offered if I wanted to talk to the Legal Department to resolve my account matters, to which I affirmed. Her first attempt, she was kept on hold for a long time and then she hung up and on her second attempt, Legal Department hung up on her  before any conversation could ensue. So there was no possibility to a resolution to the matter which was a very similar experience of my past attempts to resolve the 'Tax Levy Fees ' issue before finally abandoning the matter, so shortly thereafter, I left the bank.

For a long time now, I have wonder what exactly are these 'Tax Levy Fees ' which has been described to me as a 'bank administrative fee ' that has now totaled to well over {$200.00}, non-refundable. But what is the bank administering since I'm already working directly with the CA FTB to resolve my tax issues? And furthermore, why can't I  resolve these issues with staff who are available at the bank? 

In the past, the CA FTB has provided proper notification of the status of my case or garnishment of any of my earnings. So it is perplexing to me that US Bank has assumed trying to resolve my tax issues, rather than me being able to control my own finances so I can resolve my own tax issues. 

In the morning of Thursday, XXXX, I had a conversation with someone at the bank 's Legal Department, and it was a meandering conversation that kept referring me back to 'Talk with the Tax Agency, ' presumably referring to the CA FTB. Well, I have been in  conversation with the CA FTB and have my own plan which is in the process to resolve my tax issues.

What I believe is happening is that this is an unfair practice on the part of US Bank to create unnecessary barriers to resolve issues on the spot that should be handled efficiently and effectively at the bank branch level. And in the process, it has left me with fewer options to handle my finances by assessing questionable fees multiple times and blocking access to my account, especially in light of a global pandemic via Covid-19 and the resulting economic downturn, to meet the bank 's ends.