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- Most banks follow the Federal Reserve System's holiday schedule.
- If you are part of a local bank, your best bet is to call your nearest branch for holiday hours.
- You can still use an ATM if you need to withdraw money or deposit a check on a holiday.
- See Insider's best banks of 2021 guide.
Once the holiday season comes around, everything can become a frantic rush — family gatherings, shopping for last-minute gifts, ever-changing decorations. It's easy to lose track of which days your bank is closed during the holidays.
We've included a list of holidays when most banks close, plus alternatives for accessing cash if you need money quickly.
Are banks open on Black Friday?
While Black Friday is a noteworthy event for many eager shoppers, it isn't considered a federal holiday.
Most national banks and online banks will still be operating normally. You still be able to visit a branch location or make any transactions that you weren't able to on Thanksgiving.
But if you bank with a local bank or credit union, there may be a chance that the bank is closed or has limited hours. For instance, SchoolsFirst Credit Union and Members Credit Union are two local institutions that are closed on Thanksgiving and Black Friday.
When are banks closed?
Financial institutions close on federal holidays. Most have a holiday list on their website to let you know and prepare ahead of time.
Some brick-and-mortar banks like Bank of America and Wells Fargo have a list on the FAQ section of the website. Others, like TD Bank and Regions Bank, have separate pages with bank holiday schedules. During these holidays, brick-and-mortar banks will close all of their branches or modify their branch hours. Customer service hours may also vary depending on where you bank.
Online banks usually don't have physical branch locations, but you still may be affected. When an online bank observes a holiday, transactions may be delayed until the next day.
Customer service availability will usually stay the same with online banks, but there are some exceptions. Capital One 360 offers customer service support for all holidays except the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Most financial institutions follow the Federal Reserve System's holiday schedule. Here is the holiday schedule for 2021 and 2022.
| Holiday | 2021 | 2022 |
| New Year's Day | January 1 | January 1* |
| Martin Luther King, Jr's Day | January 18 | January 17 |
| Washington's Birthday (President's Day) | February 15 | February 21 |
| Memorial Day | May 31 | May 30 |
| Juneteenth | June 19* | June 19* |
| Fourth of July | July 4* | July 4 |
| Labor Day | September 6 | September 4 |
| Indigenous People's Day | October 11 | October 10 |
| Veterans Day | November 11 | November 11 |
| Thanksgiving Day | November 25 | November 24 |
| Christmas Day | December 25* | December 25* |
*Note is that if a holiday falls on a Saturday, the bank will still be open on a Friday. However, if a holiday occurs on a Sunday, the bank will be closed the following Monday.
Do transactions go through on bank holidays?
Most banking transactions don't process on bank holidays, regardless of whether you use an online or brick-and-mortar bank.
Ally Bank, for instance, doesn't let you make any money-related transactions on federal holidays. The online banking platform Chime also has a list of holidays when it can't process direct deposits.
Transactions at brick-and-mortar banks like Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America won't be processed until the next business day. Business days are weekdays when branches are in operation.
So, instead of hinging on a lagging direct deposit, you may want to come up with a backup plan in case the transaction gets delayed.
Where can I get cash when banks are closed?
Branches are closed on federal holidays, but ATMs aren't. If you have a debit or ATM card, you can still use a machine to take out cash during the holidays.
If you're out of town, you can also use a debit card to get cashback at a store if you don't have any free ATMs nearby. That way, you don't have to pay an out-of-network ATM fee if your bank doesn't reimburse charges.
How can I cash a personal check when banks are closed?
If you receive a personal check during the holidays, there are a few roundabout ways access to your money quickly.
You can cash the check out at a store. It may not be ideal since stores can get chaotic during the holiday season, but it's a good option if you need money in a pinch.
Some ATMs let you cash or deposit checks, but you may already need to have those funds in your account. If your bank's ATM network doesn't let you make check transactions, you can deposit the check using your bank's online or mobile features, then cash your check out using an ATM.
Funds likely won't be available right away, so this alternative works best if you prefer to have money safe in your account and don't mind waiting a day or two.
source https://www.businessinsider.com/personal-finance/when-are-banks-closed-us-bank-holidays