Bank of America has an established policy of charging {$100.00} for a legal order. That includes any request from an authorized agency to debit, freeze, withhold, or otherwise place a limit on an account. I know about this policy and I know I agreed to it. I still think it 's outrageous and excessive. 

I was recently charged {$100.00} because the State of California requested a debit on my account for {$100.00} for state taxes owed. Whether I owe this amount or not is not Bank of America 's concern, and I certainly expect the bank to respond appropriately to authorized agency requests. What I have a problem with is the {$100.00} fee. That {$100.00} has nothing to do with the State of California ; it 's purely the bank 's policy. It 's ridiculous for the bank to charge {$100.00} when it 's almost certain that no human being had any part in processing the State of California 's request. It 's substantially more offensive than the {$35.00} fee they charge for insufficient funds ( which again, no human being had any part in processing ). At least for insufficient funds the bank has a legitimate problem with the customer. But the {$100.00} legal fee? Bank customers are basically being charged for a few milliseconds of computer time. If the account has the funds to fulfill the agency request, why is the bank charging a fee? What is it for? Just an extra opportunity to really stick it to the customer? 

I called the bank and their representative said that there was nothing he could do about the fee, since it was in compliance with bank policy. Yes, it 's bank policy. I get that. I 'm not stupid. But I can promise Bank of America this : I will absolutely file a complaint every time the bank charges me a disproportionate fee for a service that essentially costs them nothing. I will file a complaint every time the bank charges me a fee that clearly impacts low-income individuals disproportionately more than high income individuals. I will not choose the " tell a story '' option. I will file a complaint. At least then the bank will be obligated to have a human being personally respond and mail me some dead tree correspondence, and I 'll get my money 's worth for all the fees they charge. 
