Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
“`html
Often described as charges that service providers or financial institutions add onto transactions at the last minute, “junk fees” are pervasive. Generally, if a charge is viewed by the public as unnecessarily high, unexpected, and without solid justification, it may be considered a junk fee.
Defining junk fees is more of an art than a science, but they’re often considered to be fees that add little value to a transaction. For instance, if you weren’t told about the charge beforehand but upon payment you discover a “convenience” fee has been added to the bill, that’s probably considered a junk fee.
Junk fees, as a term, have been around for a while. You can find newspaper classified ads dating back to at least the 1970s that promise not to attach junk fees to a mortgage. But junk fees have been getting a lot of attention from policymakers lately, partly due to recent aggravation from the public over concert fees and more.
In recent months, the White House has been waging a battle against junk fees, making the argument that these charges make it challenging for consumers to comparison shop—and are unfair since many people who may be obligated to pay for a product or service are stuck paying whatever fees are imposed on them. President Joe Biden has urged federal agencies to do what they can to reduce junk fees across the economy.
Some of the places you might find junk fees include:
When you add up junk fees you may have paid over time, it can be discouraging. But you can avoid or at least minimize future junk fees with a few strategies.
The federal government has been on a campaign in recent months to reduce junk fees. The CFPB, in particular, is in the midst of an initiative to reduce what it calls exploitative junk fees. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has also been trying to eliminate some junk fees, recently sending a proposal to Congress to end some of the extra costs imposed when families try to sit together on a flight.
DOT also recently debuted an online fee-free family seating dashboard allowing passengers to easily see what airlines will let a child 13 and under sit next to an accompanying adult with no extra expense—and what airlines still may charge you.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development recently sent an open letter to landlords and apartment managers as well as states and local governments to adopt policies to limit junk fees in rental housing.
The pressure may help eventually reduce some junk fees. Some big banks, for instance, have either gotten rid of overdraft fees altogether or modified their rules, such as giving consumers an extra day to make their account current before they’re charged an overdraft fee.
In some ways, watching out for junk fees is just part of keeping good financial habits. For instance, it’s important to budget carefully and maintain a healthy credit score and monitor your credit. You can track your credit for free through Experian.
Even if junk fees didn’t exist, it would make smart financial sense to study what you’re paying for and to at least glance at your receipt afterwards. Still, as long as junk fees do exist, it will pay off to be on the lookout for them—and to protest vigorously if you feel that you are being ripped off.
For any mortgage-related needs, feel free to call O1ne Mortgage at 213-732-3074. We’re here to help you navigate the complexities of mortgages with confidence and ease.
“`