​Important Account Opening Information

Federal law requires us to obtain sufficient information to verify your identity. You may be asked several questions and to provide one or more forms of identification to fulfill this requirement. In some instances we may use outside sources to confirm the information. The information you provide is protected by our privacy policy and federal law.

Agreement

This document, along with any other documents we give you pertaining to your account(s), is a contract that establishes rules which control your account(s) with us. Please read this carefully and retain it for future reference. If you sign the signature card or open or continue to use the account, you agree to these rules. You will receive a separate schedule of rates, qualifying balances, and fees if they are not included in this document. If you have any questions, please call us.

This agreement is subject to applicable federal laws, the laws of the state of Texas and other applicable rules such as the operating letters of the Federal Reserve Banks and payment processing system rules (except to the extent that this agreement can and does vary such rules or laws). The body of state and federal law that governs our relationship with you, however, is too large and complex to be reproduced here. The purpose of this document is to:

  • summarize some laws that apply to common transactions;
  • establish rules to cover transactions or events which the law does not regulate;
  • establish rules for certain transactions or events which the law regulates but permits variation by agreement; and
  • give you disclosures of some of our policies to which you may be entitled or in which you may be interested.

If any provision of this document is found to be unenforceable according to its terms, all remaining provisions will continue in full force and effect. We may permit some variations from our standard agreement, but we must agree to any variation in writing either on the signature card for your account or in some other document. Nothing in this document is intended to vary our duty to act in good faith and with ordinary care when required by law.

As used in this document the words “we,” “our,” and “us” mean the financial institution and the words “you” and “your” mean the account holder(s) and anyone else with the authority to deposit, withdraw, or exercise control over the funds in the account. However, this agreement does not intend, and the terms “you” and “your” should not be interpreted, to expand an individual’s responsibility for an organization’s liability. If this account is owned by a corporation, partnership or other organization, individual liability is determined by the laws generally applicable to that type of organization. The headings in this document are for convenience or reference only and will not govern the interpretation of the provisions. Unless it would be inconsistent to do so, words and phrases used in this document should be construed so the singular includes the plural and the plural includes the singular. “Party” means a person who, by the terms of an account, has a present right, subject to request, to payment from the account other than as a beneficiary or agent.

Liability

You agree, for yourself (and the person or entity you represent if you sign as a representative of another) to the terms of this account and the schedule of charges. You authorize us to deduct these charges, without notice to you, directly from the account balance as accrued. You will pay any additional reasonable charges for services you request which are not covered by this agreement.

Each of you also agrees to be jointly and severally (individually) liable for any account shortage resulting from charges or overdrafts, whether caused by you or another with access to this account. This liability is due immediately, and we can deduct any amounts deposited into the account and apply those amounts to the shortage. You have no right to defer payment of this liability, and you are liable regardless of whether you signed the item or benefited from the charge or overdraft.

You will be liable for our costs as well as for our reasonable attorneys’ fees, to the extent permitted by law, whether incurred as a result of collection or in any other dispute involving your account. This includes, but is not limited to, disputes between you and another joint owner; you and an authorized signer or similar party; or a third party claiming an interest in your account. This also includes any action that you or a third party takes regarding the account that causes us, in good faith, to seek the advice of an attorney, whether or not we become involved in the dispute. All costs and attorneys’ fees can be deducted from your account when they are incurred, without notice to you.

Deposits

We will give only provisional credit until collection is final for any items, other than cash, we accept for deposit (including items drawn “on us”). Before settlement of any item becomes final, we act only as your agent, regardless of the form of indorsement or lack of indorsement on the item and even though we provide you provisional credit for the item. We may reverse any provisional credit for items that are lost, stolen, or returned. Unless prohibited by law, we also reserve the right to charge back to your account the amount of any item deposited to your account or cashed for you which was initially paid by the payor bank and which is later returned to us due to an allegedly forged, unauthorized or missing indorsement, claim of alteration, encoding error, counterfeit cashier's check or other problem which, in our judgement, justifies reversal of credit. You authorize us to attempt to collect previously returned items without giving you notice, and in attempting to collect we may permit the payor bank to hold an item beyond the midnight deadline. Actual credit for deposits of, or payable in, foreign currency will be at the exchange rate in effect on final collection in U.S. dollars. We are not responsible for transactions by mail or outside depository until we actually record them. If you deliver a deposit to us and you will not be present when the deposit is counted, you must provide us an itemized list of the deposit (deposit slip). To process the deposit, we will verify and record the deposit, and credit the deposit to the account. If there are any discrepancies between the amounts shown on the itemized list of the deposit and the amount we determine to be the actual deposit, we will notify you of the discrepancy. You will be entitled to credit only for the actual deposit as determined by us, regardless of what is stated on the itemized deposit slip. We will treat and record all transactions received after our “daily cutoff time” on a business day we are open, or received on a day we are not open for business, as if initiated on the next business day that we are open. At our option, we may take an item for collection rather than for deposit. If we accept a third-party check or draft for deposit, we may require any third-party indorsers to verify or guarantee their indorsements, or indorse in our presence.

Withdrawals

Generally - Unless clearly indicated otherwise on the account records, any of you, acting alone, who signs to open the account or has authority to make withdrawals may withdraw or transfer all or any part of the account balance at any time. Each of you (until we receive written notice to the contrary) authorizes each other person who signs or has authority to make withdrawals to indorse any item payable to you or your order for deposit to this account or any other transaction with us.

Postdated checks - A postdated check is one which bears a date later than the date on which the check is written. We may properly pay and charge your account for a postdated check even though payment was made before the date of the check, unless we have received written notice of the postdating in time to have a reasonable opportunity to act. Because we process checks mechanically, your notice will not be effective and we will not be liable for failing to honor your notice unless it precisely identifies the number, date, amount and payee of the item.

Checks and withdrawal rules - If you do not purchase your check blanks from us, you must be certain that we approve the check blanks you purchase. We may refuse any withdrawal or transfer request which you attempt on forms not approved by us or by any method we do not specifically permit. We may refuse any withdrawal or transfer request which is greater in number than the frequency permitted, or which is for an amount greater or less than any withdrawal limitations. We will use the date the transaction is completed by us (as opposed to the date you initiate it) to apply the frequency limitations. In addition, we may place limitations on the account until your identity is verified.

Even if we honor a nonconforming request, we are not required to do so later. If you violate the stated transaction limitations (if any), in our discretion we may close your account or reclassify it as a transaction account. If we reclassify your account, your account will be subject to the fees and earnings rules of the new account classification.

If we are presented with an item drawn against your account that would be a “substitute check,” as defined by law, but for an error or defect in the item introduced in the substitute check creation process, you agree that we may pay such item.

Cash Withdrawals - We recommend that you take care when making large cash withdrawals as carrying large amounts of cash may pose a danger to your personal safety. As an alternative to making a large cash withdrawal, you may want to consider a cashier's check or similar instrument. You assume full responsibility of any loss in the event the cash you withdraw is lost, stolen, or destroyed. You agree to hold us harmless fro any loss you incur as a result of your decision to withdraw funds in the form of cash.

Multiple signatures, electronic check conversion, and similar transactions - An electronic check conversion transaction is a transaction where a check or similar item is converted into an electronic fund transfer as defined in the Electronic Fund Transfers regulation. In these types of transactions the check or similar item is either removed from circulation (truncated) or given back to you. As a result, we have no opportunity to review the signatures or otherwise examine the original check or item. You agree that, as to these or any items as to which we have no opportunity to examine the signatures, you waive any requirement of multiple signatures.

Notice of withdrawal - We reserve the right to require not less than 7 days’ notice in writing before each withdrawal from an interest-bearing account other than a time deposit, or demand deposit, or from any other savings account as defined by Regulation D. (The law requires us to reserve this right, but it is not our general policy to use it.) Withdrawals from a time account prior to maturity or prior to any notice period may be restricted and may be subject to penalty. See your notice of penalty for early withdrawal.

Understanding and Avoiding Overdraft and Non-Sufficient (NSF) Returned Item Fees

Generally - The information in this section is being provided to help you understand what happens if your account is overdrawn. Understanding the concepts of overdrafts and nonsufficient funds (NSF) is important and can help you avoid being assessed fees or charges. This section also provides contractual terms relating to overdrafts and NSF transactions.

An overdrawn account will typically result in you being charged an overdraft fee or an NSF returned item fee. Generally, an overdraft occurs when there is not enough money in your account to pay for a transaction, but we pay (or cover) the transaction anyway. An NSF transaction is slightly different. In an NSF transaction, we do not cover the transaction. Instead, the transaction is rejected and the item or requested payment is returned. In either situation, we can charge you a fee.

Determining your available balance - We use your current balance and subtract any holds to determine whether your account is overdrawn, that is, whether there is enough money in your account to pay for a transaction.

Your account’s current balance (sometimes called the ledger balance) only includes transactions that have settled up to that point in time, that is, transactions (deposits and payments) that have posted to your account. The current balance does not include outstanding transactions (such as checks that have not yet cleared and electronic transactions that have been authorized but which are still pending). The balance on your periodic statement is the current balance for your account as of the statement date.

In addition, when calculating whether there is enough money in your account to pay a transaction, any “holds” placed on your account are also subtracted from the actual balance. Holds generally include holds placed on deposits that have not yet cleared, holds placed on your account by agreement with us, holds we are required to place by law, and other types of holds. For more information on how holds placed on funds in your account can impact your available balance, read the subsection titled “A temporary debit authorization hold affects your available balance.”

Overdrafts - You understand that we may, at our discretion, honor withdrawal requests that overdraw your account. However, the fact that we may honor withdrawal requests that overdraw the account balance does not obligate us to do so later. So you can NOT rely on us to pay overdrafts on your account regardless of how frequently or under what circumstances we have paid overdrafts on your account in the past. We can change our practice of paying, or not paying, discretionary overdrafts on your account without notice to you. You can ask us if we have other account services that might be available to you where we commit to paying overdrafts under certain circumstances, such as an overdraft protection line-of-credit or a plan to sweep funds from another account you have with us. You agree that we may charge fees for overdrafts. We may use subsequent deposits, including direct deposits of social security or other government benefits, to cover such overdrafts and overdraft fees.

Non-sufficient funds (NSF) returned item fees - If an item drafted by you (such as a check) or a transaction you set up (such as a preauthorized transfer) is presented for payment in an amount that is more than the amount of money available in your account, and we decide not to pay the item or transaction, you agree that we can charge you a returned item fee for returning the payment. Be aware that such an item or payment may be presented multiple times and that we do not monitor or control the number of times a transaction is presented for payment. You agree that we may charge you a returned item fee each time a payment is presented if the amount of money available in your account is not sufficient to cover the payment, regardless of the number of times the payment is presented.

Payment types - Some, but not necessarily all, of the ways you can access the funds in your account include debit card transactions, automated clearing house (ACH) transactions, and check transactions. All these payment types can use different processing systems and some may take more or less time to post. This information is important for a number of reasons. For example, keeping track of the checks you write and the timing of the preauthorized payments you set up will help you to know what other transactions might still post against your account. For information about how and when we process these different payment types, see the “Payment order of items” subsection below.

Balance information - Keeping track of your balance is important. You can review your balance in a number of ways including reviewing your periodic statement, reviewing your balance online, calling us by phone, or coming into one of our branches.

Funds availability - Knowing when funds you deposit into your checking account will be made available for withdrawal is another important concept that can help you avoid being assessed fees or charges. Please see our funds availability disclosure for information on when different types of deposits will be made available for withdrawal. For those accounts to which our funds availability policy disclosure does not apply, you can ask us when you make a deposit when those funds will be available for withdrawal. An item may be returned after the funds from the deposit of that item are made available for withdrawal. In that case, we will reverse the credit of the item. We may determine the amount of available funds in your account for the purpose of deciding whether to return an item for insufficient funds at any time between the times we receive the item and when we return the item or send a notice in lieu of return. We need only make one determination, but if we choose to make a subsequent determination, the account balance at the subsequent time will determine whether there are insufficient available funds.

A temporary debit authorization hold affects your account balance - On debit card purchases, merchants may request a temporary hold on your account for a specified sum of money when the merchant does not know the exact amount of the purchase at the time the card is authorized. The amount of the temporary hold may be more than the actual amount of your purchase. Some common transactions where this occurs involve purchases of gasoline, hotel rooms, or meals at restaurants. When this happens, our processing system cannot determine that the amount of the hold exceeds the actual amount of your purchase. This temporary hold, and the amount charged to your account, will eventually be adjusted to the actual amount of your purchase, but it could be three calendar days, or even longer in some cases, before the adjustment is made. Until the adjustment is made, the amount of funds in your account available for other transactions will be reduced by the amount of the temporary hold.

Payment order of items - The order in which items are paid is important if there is not enough money in your account to pay all of the items that are presented. The payment order can affect the number of items overdrawn or returned unpaid and the amount of fees you may have to pay.

This subsection summarizes how we generally post common transactions to your account. We group different types of transactions into categories. We use several different categories for credits and debits. Most categories include more than one transaction type. Credits include deposits, transfers, and other credits we apply to your account. Debits include withdrawals, transfers, payments, checks, one-time and recurring debit card transactions, and fees.

We post transactions at the end of the day. When we post transactions, we assign each to a category and generally post all transactions within that category before posting items from the next category. When we process multiple transactions for your account on the same day, you agree that we may determine in our discretion how to credit, authorize, accept, pay, decline, or return credits, debits, and holds and that we may do so in any order.

Depending on the circumstances we may not be able to do so, but our policy is to first apply all credits to your account according to our funds availability policy (please see Your Ability to Withdraw Funds available at https://www.benchmarkbank.com/legal/your-ability-to-withdraw-funds/) subtracting any holds, then to post items debiting your account in the following order: (1) reversals, adjustments, and returned items from smallest dollar amount to largest dollar amount; (2) cash withdrawals, checks you write on your account that are cashed at Benchmark Bank or deposited in another account at Benchmark Bank, and wire transfers from smallest to largest; (3) transfers you request in person, by phone, online, or by another accepted method to a deposit or loan account at Benchmark from smallest to largest; (4) ATM and debit card transactions from smallest to largest; (5) auto-draft payments to a Benchmark Bank loan account; (6) checks you write or order through online banking from smallest to largest; (7) ACH preauthorized payments such as utility bills or payments you order through online bill pay from smallest to largest; and (8) fees and charges from smallest to largest.

If a check, item, or transaction is presented without sufficient funds to pay it, you will be charged a nonsufficient funds returned item fee or overdraft fee according to our policy for nonsufficient funds returns and overdrafts. The amounts of the nonsufficient funds returned item fees and overdraft fees are available in our Truth in Savings Disclosure (please see https://www.benchmarkbank.com/legal/truth-savings-disclosure/). We encourage you to keep careful records and to practice good account management to avoid nonsufficient funds returned item fees and overdraft fees.

Uniform Single-Party or Multiple-Party Account Selection Form Notice

The type of account you select may determine how property passes on your death. Your will may not control the disposition of funds held in some of the following accounts. You may choose to designate one or more convenience signers on an account, even if the account is not a convenience account. A designated convenience signer may make transactions on your behalf during your lifetime, but does not own the account during your lifetime. The designated convenience signer owns the account on your death only if the convenience signer is also designated as a P.O.D. payee or trust account beneficiary.

Single-Party Account Without “P.O.D.” (Payable On Death) Designation

The party to the account owns the account. On the death of the party, ownership of the account passes as a part of the party’s estate under the party’s will or by intestacy.

Single-Party Account With “P.O.D.” (Payable On Death) Designation

The party to the account owns the account. On the death of the party, ownership of the account passes to the P.O.D. beneficiaries of the account. The account is not a part of the party’s estate.

Multiple-Party Account Without Right Of Survivorship

The parties to the account own the account in proportion to the parties’ net contributions to the account. The financial institution may pay any sum in the account to a party at any time. On the death of a party, the party’s ownership of the account passes as a part of the party’s estate under the party’s will or by intestacy.

Multiple-Party Account With Right Of Survivorship

The parties to the account own the account in proportion to the parties’ net contributions to the account. The financial institution may pay any sum in the account to a party at any time. On the death of a party, the party’s ownership of the account passes to the surviving parties.

Multiple-Party Account With Right Of Survivorship And “P.O.D.” (Payable On Death) Designation

The parties to the account own the account in proportion to the parties’ net contributions to the account. The financial institution may pay any sum in the account to a party at any time. On the death of the last surviving party, the ownership of the account passes to the P.O.D. beneficiaries.

Convenience Account

The parties to the account own the account. One or more convenience signers to the account may make account transactions for a party. A convenience signer does not own the account. On the death of the last surviving party, ownership of the account passes as a part of the last surviving party’s estate under the last surviving party’s will or by intestacy. The financial institution may pay funds in the account to a convenience signer before the financial institution receives notice of the death of the last surviving party. The payment to a convenience signer does not affect the parties’ ownership of the account.

Trust Account

The parties named as trustees to the account own the account in proportion to the parties’ net contributions to the account. A trustee may withdraw funds from the account. A beneficiary may not withdraw funds from the account before all trustees are deceased. On the death of the last surviving trustee, the ownership of the account passes to the beneficiary. The trust account is not a part of a trustee’s estate and does not pass under the trustee’s will or by intestacy, unless the trustee survives all of the beneficiaries and all other trustees.

Business, Organization And Association Accounts

Earnings in the form of interest, dividends, or credits will be paid only on collected funds, unless otherwise provided by law or our policy. You represent that you have the authority to open and conduct business on this account on behalf of the entity. We may require the governing body of the entity opening the account to give us a separate authorization telling us who is authorized to act on its behalf. We will honor the authorization until we actually receive written notice of a change from the governing body of the entity.

Stop Payments

Unless otherwise provided, the rules in this section cover stopping payment of items such as checks and drafts. Rules for stopping payment of other types of transfers of funds, such as consumer electronic fund transfers, may be established by law or our policy. If we have not disclosed these rules to you elsewhere, you may ask us about those rules.

We may accept an order to stop payment on any item from any one of you. You must make any stop-payment order in the manner required by law; it must be made in a dated, authenticated record that describes the item with certainty. (Generally, a “record” is information that is stored in such a way that it can be retrieved and can be heard or read and understood – you can ask us what type of stop payment records you can give us). We must receive it in time to give us a reasonable opportunity to act on if before our stop-payment cutoff time. Because stop-payment orders are handled by computers, to be effective, your stop-payment order must precisely identify the number, date, and amount of the item, and the payee.

You may stop payment on any item drawn on your account whether you sign the item or not. Your stop-payment order is effective for six months. Your order will lapse after that time if you do not renew the order in writing before the end of the six-month period. We are not obligated to notify you when a stop-payment order expires.

If you stop payment on an item and we incur any damages or expenses because of the stop payment, you agree to indemnify us for those damages or expenses, including attorneys’ fees. You assign to us all rights against the payee or any other holder of the item. You agree to cooperate with us in any legal actions that we may take against such persons. You should be aware that anyone holding the item may be entitled to enforce payment against you despite the stop-payment order.

Our stop-payment cutoff time is one hour after the opening of the next banking day after the banking day on which we receive the item. Additional limitations on our obligation to stop payment are provided by law (e.g., we paid the item in cash or we certified the item).

Transfers

It is our policy to receive funds transfer requests in as many ways as possible. We will accept requests to transfer funds in-person at any branch, by voice instruction, by email, or by online, internet, or mobile banking. You give us the right to rely on your requests to transfer funds made in-person, by voice instruction, by email, by fax, or by online, internet, or mobile banking. A telephone transfer of funds from this account to another account with us, if otherwise arranged for or permitted, may be made by the same persons and under the same conditions generally applicable to withdrawals made in writing. Unless a different limitation is disclosed in writing, we restrict the number of transfers from a savings account to another account or to third parties, to a maximum of six per month (less the number of “preauthorized transfers” during the month). Other account transfer restrictions may be described elsewhere.

Amendments And Termination

We may change any term of this agreement. Rules governing changes in interest rates are provided separately in the Truth-in-Savings disclosure or in another document. For other changes, we will give you reasonable notice in writing or by any other method permitted by law. We may also close this account at any time upon reasonable notice to you and tender of the account balance personally or by mail. Items presented for payment after the account is closed may be dishonored. When you close your account, you are responsible for leaving enough money in the account to cover any outstanding items to be paid from the account. Reasonable notice depends on the circumstances, and in some cases such as when we cannot verify your identity or we suspect fraud, it might be reasonable for us to give you notice after the change or account closure becomes effective. For instance, if we suspect fraudulent activity with respect to your account, we might immediately freeze or close your account and then give you notice. If we have notified you of a change in any term of your account and you continue to have your account after the effective date of the change, you have agreed to the new term(s).

Notices

Notices – Any written notice you give us is effective when we actually receive it, and it must be given to us according to the specific delivery instructions provided elsewhere, if any. We must receive it in time to have a reasonable opportunity to act on it. If the notice is regarding a check or other item, you must give us sufficient information to be able to identify the check or item, including the precise check or item number, amount, date and payee. Written notice we give you is effective when it is deposited in the United States Mail with proper postage and addressed to your mailing address we have on file. Notice to any of you is notice to all of you.

Statements - Your duty to report unauthorized signatures, alterations and forgeries

You must examine your statement of account with “reasonable promptness.” If you discover (or reasonably should have discovered) any unauthorized signatures or alterations, you must promptly notify us of the relevant facts. As between you and us, if you fail to do either of these duties, you will have to either share the loss with us, or bear the loss entirely yourself (depending on whether we used ordinary care and, if not, whether we contributed to the loss). The loss could be not only with respect to items on the statement but other items with unauthorized signatures or alterations by the same wrongdoer.

You agree that the time you have to examine your statement and report to us will depend on the circumstances, but will not, in any circumstance, exceed a total of 30 days from when the statement is first sent or made available to you.

You further agree that if you fail to report any unauthorized signatures, alterations or forgeries in your account within 60 days of when we first send or make the statement available, you cannot assert a claim against us on any items in that statement, and as between you and us the loss will be entirely yours. This 60-day limitation is without regard to whether we used ordinary care. The limitation in this paragraph is in addition to that contained in the first paragraph of this section.

Your duty to report other errors or problems - In addition to your duty to review your statements for unauthorized signatures, alterations and forgeries, you agree to examine your statement with reasonable promptness for any other error or problem - such as an encoding error or an unexpected deposit amount. Also, if you receive or we make available either your items or images of your items, you must examine them for any unauthorized or missing indorsements or any other problems. You agree that the time you have to examine your statement and items and report to us will depend on the circumstances. However, such time period shall not exceed 60 days. Failure to examine your statement and items and report any such errors to us within 60 days of when we first send or make the statement available precludes you from asserting a claim against us for any errors on items identified in that statement and as between you and us the loss will be entirely yours.

Errors relating to electronic fund transfers or substitute checks - For information on errors relating to electronic fund transfers (e.g., online, mobile, debit card or ATM transactions) refer to your Electronic Fund Transfers disclosure and the sections on consumer liability and error resolution. For information on errors relating to a substitute check you received, refer to your disclosure entitled Substitute Checks and Your Rights.

Duty to notify if statement not received - You agree to immediately notify us if you do not receive your statement by the date you normally expect to receive it. Not receiving your statement in a timely manner is a sign that there may be an issue with your account, such as possible fraud or identity theft.

Account Transfer

This account may not be transferred or assigned without our prior written consent.

Direct Deposits

If we are required for any reason to reimburse the federal government for all or any portion of a benefit payment that was directly deposited into your account, you authorize us to deduct the amount of our liability to the federal government from the account or from any other account you have with us, without prior notice and at any time, except as prohibited by law. We may also use any other legal remedy to recover the amount of our liability.

Temporary Account Agreement

If the account documentation indicates that this is a temporary account agreement, each person who signs to open the account or has authority to make withdrawals (except as indicated to the contrary) may transact business on this account. However, we may at some time in the future restrict or prohibit further use of this account if you fail to comply with the requirements we have imposed within a reasonable time.

Setoff

We may (without prior notice and when permitted by law) set off the funds in this account against any due and payable debt you owe us now or in the future. If this account is owned by one or more of you as individuals, we may set off any funds in the account against a due and payable debt a partnership owes us now or in the future, to the extent of your liability as a partner for the partnership debt. If you debt arises from a promissory note, then the amount of the due and payable debt will be the full amount we have demanded, as entitled under the terms of the note, and this amount may include any portion of the balance for which we have properly accelerated the due date.

This right of setoff does not apply to this account if prohibited by law. For example, the right of setoff does not apply to this account if: (a) it is an Individual Retirement Account or similar tax-deferred account, (b) the debt is created by a consumer credit transaction under a credit card plan (but this does not affect our rights under any consensual security interest), (c) the debtor’s right of withdrawal only arises in a representative capacity, (d) the debt is created by a home equity loan. We will not be liable for the dishonor of any check when the dishonor occurs because we set off a debt against this account. You agree to hold us harmless from any claim arising as a result of our exercise of our right of setoff.

Restrictive Legends or Indorsements

The automated processing of the large volume of checks we receive prevents us from inspecting or looking for special instructions, restrictive indorsements, or “restrictive legends” on every check. Examples of restrictive legends placed on checks are “must be presented within 90 days” or “not valid for more than $1,000.00.” The payee’s signature accompanied by the words “for deposit only” is an example of a restrictive indorsement. For this reason, we are not required to honor any restrictive legend or indorsement or other special instruction placed on checks you write unless we have agreed in writing to the restriction or instruction. Unless we have agreed in writing, we are not responsible for any losses, claims, damages, or expenses that result from your placement of these restrictions or instructions on your checks.

Facsimile Signatures

Unless you make advance arrangements with us, we have no obligation to honor facsimile signatures on your checks or other orders. If we do agree to honor items containing facsimile signatures, you authorize us, at any time, to charge you for all checks, drafts, or other orders, for the payment of money, that are drawn on us. You give us this authority regardless of by whom or by what means the facsimile signature(s) may have been affixed so long as they resemble the facsimile signature specimen filed with us, and contain the required number of signatures for this purpose. You must notify us at once if you suspect that your facsimile signature is being or has been misused.

Check Processing

We process items mechanically by relying solely on the information encoded in magnetic ink along the bottom of the items. This means that we do not individually examine all of your items to determine if the item is properly completed, signed and indorsed or to determine if it contains any information other than what is encoded in magnetic ink. You agree that we have exercised ordinary care if our automated processing is consistent with general banking practice, even though we do not inspect each item. Because we do not inspect each item, if you write a check to multiple payees, we can properly pay the check regardless of the number of indorsements unless you notify us in writing that the check requires multiple indorsements. We must receive the notice in time for us to have a reasonable opportunity to act on it, and you must tell us the precise date of the check, amount, check number, and payee. We are not responsible for any unauthorized signature or alteration that would not be identified by a reasonable inspection of the item. Using an automated process helps us keep costs down for you and all account holders.

Check Cashing

We may charge a fee for anyone that does not have an account with us who is cashing a check, draft or other instrument written on your account. We may also require reasonable identification to cash such a check, draft or other instrument. We can decide what identification is reasonable under the circumstances and such identification may be documentary or physical and may include collecting a thumbprint or fingerprint.

Indorsements

We may accept for deposit any item payable to you or your order, even if they are not indorsed by you. We may give cash back to any one of you. We may supply any missing indorsement(s) for any item we accept for deposit or collection, and you warrant that all indorsements are genuine.

To ensure that your check or share draft is processed without delay, you must indorse it (sign it on the back) in a specific area. Your entire indorsement (whether a signature or a stamp) along with any other indorsement information (e.g. additional indorsements, ID information, driver’s license number, etc.) must fall within 11/2” of the “trailing edge” of a check. Indorsements must be made in blue or black ink, so that they are readable by automated check processing equipment.

As you look at the front of a check, the “trailing edge” is the left edge. When you flip the check over, be sure to keep all indorsement information within 11/2” of that edge.

It is important that you confine the indorsement information to this area since the remaining blank space will be used by others in the processing of the check to place additional needed indorsements and information. You agree that you will indemnify, defend, and hold us harmless for any loss, liability, damage or expense that occurs because your indorsement, another indorsement or information you have printed on the back of the check obscures our indorsement.

These indorsement guidelines apply to both personal and business checks.

Death or Incompetence

You agree to notify us promptly if any person with a right to withdraw funds from your account(s) dies or is adjudicated (determined by the appropriate official) incompetent. We may continue to honor your checks, items, and instructions until: (a) we know of your death or adjudication of incompetence, and (b) we have had a reasonable opportunity to act on that knowledge. You agree that we may pay or certify checks drawn on or before the date of death or adjudication of incompetence for up to ten (10) days after your death or adjudication of incompetence unless ordered to stop payment by someone claiming an interest in the account.

Fiduciary Accounts

Accounts may be opened by a person acting in a fiduciary capacity. A fiduciary is someone who is appointed to act on behalf of and for the benefit of another. We are not responsible for the actions of a fiduciary, including the misuse of funds. This account may be opened and maintained by a person or persons named as a trustee under a written trust agreement, or as executors, administrators, or conservators under court orders. You understand that by merely opening such an account, we are not acting in the capacity of a trustee in connection with the trust nor do we undertake any obligation to monitor or enforce the terms of the trust or letters.

Credit Verification

You agree that we may verify credit and employment history by any necessary means, including preparation of a credit report by a credit reporting agency.

Legal Actions Affecting Your Account

If we are served with a subpoena, restraining order, writ of attachment or execution, levy, garnishment, search warrant, or similar order relating to your account (termed “legal action” in this section), we will comply with that legal action. Or, in our discretion, we may freeze the assets in the account and not allow any payments out of the account until a final court determination regarding the legal action. We may do these things even if the legal action involves less than all of you. In these cases, we will not have any liability to you if there are insufficient funds to pay your items because we have withdrawn funds from your account or in any way restricted access to your funds in accordance with the legal action. Any fees or expenses we incur in responding to any legal action (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and our internal expenses) may be charged against your account. The list of fees applicable to your account(s) provided elsewhere may specify additional fees that we may charge for certain legal actions.

Account Security

Duty to protect account information and methods of access

It is your responsibility to protect the account numbers and electronic access devices (e.g., an ATM card) we provide you for your account(s). Do not discuss, compare, or share information about your account number(s) with anyone unless you are willing to give them full use of your money. An account number can be used by thieves to issue an electronic debit or to encode your number on a false demand draft which looks like and functions like an authorized check. If you furnish your access device and grant actual authority to make transfers to another person (a family member or coworker, for example) who then exceeds that authority, you are liable for the transfers unless we have been notified that transfers by that person are no longer authorized.

Your account number can also be used to electronically remove money from your account. Payment can be made from your account even though you did not contact us directly and order the payment.

You must also take precaution in safeguarding your blank checks. Notify us at once if you believe your checks have been lost or stolen. As between you and us, if you are negligent in safeguarding your checks, you must bear the loss entirely yourself or share the loss with us (we may have to share some of the loss if we failed to use ordinary care and if we substantially contributed to the loss).

Positive pay and other fraud prevention services - Except for consumer electronic funds transfers subject to Regulation E, you agree that if we offer you services appropriate for your account to help identify and limit fraud or other unauthorized transactions against your account, and you reject those services, you will be responsible for any fraudulent or unauthorized transactions which could have been prevented by the services we offered. You will not be responsible for such transactions if we acted in bad faith or to the extent our negligence contributed to the loss. Such services include positive pay or commercially reasonable security procedures. If we offered you a commercially reasonable security procedure which you reject, you agree that you are responsible for any payment order, whether authorized or not, that we accept in compliance with an alternative security procedure that you have selected. The positive pay service can help detect and prevent check fraud and is appropriate for account holders that issue: a high volume of checks, a lot of checks to the general public, or checks for large dollar amounts.

Telephone Instructions

Unless required by law or we have agreed otherwise in writing, we are not required to act upon instructions you give us via facsimile transmission or leave by voice mail or on a telephone answering machine.

MONITORING AND RECORDING TELEPHONE CALLS AND CONSENT TO RECEIVE COMMUNICATIONS - Subject to federal and state law, we may monitor or record phone calls for security reasons, to maintain a record and to ensure that you receive courteous and efficient service. You consent in advance to any such recording. To provide you with the best possible service in our ongoing business relationship for your account we may need to contact you about your account from time to time by telephone, text messaging or email. However, we must first obtain your consent to contact you about your account because we must comply with the consumer protection provisions in the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (TCPA), CAN-SPAM Act and their related federal regulations and orders issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

  • Your consent is limited to this account, and as authorized by applicable law and regulations.
  • Your consent is voluntary and not conditioned on the purchase of any product or service from us.

With the above understandings, you authorize us to contact you regarding this account throughout its existence using any telephone numbers or email addresses that you have previously provided to us or that you have previously provided to us by virtue of an existing business relationship that you may subsequently provide to us. This consent is regardless of whether the number we use to contact you is assigned to a landline, a paging service, a cellular wireless service, a specialized mobile radio service, other radio common carrier service or any other service for which you may be charged for the call. You further authorize us to contact you through the use of voice, voice mail and text messaging, including the use of pre-recorded or artificial voice messages and an automated dialing device. If necessary, you may change or remove any of the telephone numbers or email addresses at any time using any reasonable means to notify us.

Claim of Loss

If you claim a credit or refund because of a forgery, alteration, or any other unauthorized withdrawal, you agree to cooperate with us in the investigation of the loss, including giving us an affidavit containing whatever reasonable information we require concerning your account, the transaction, and the circumstances surrounding the loss. You will notify law enforcement authorities of any criminal act related to the claim of lost, missing, or stolen checks or unauthorized withdrawals. We will have a reasonable period of time to investigate the facts and circumstances surrounding any claim of loss. Unless we have acted in bad faith, we will not be liable for special or consequential damages, including loss of profits or opportunity, or for attorneys’ fees incurred by you.

You agree that you will not waive any rights you have to recover your loss against anyone who is obligated to repay, insure, or otherwise reimburse you for your loss. You will pursue your rights or, at our option, assign them to us so that we may pursue them. Our liability will be reduced by the amount you recover or are entitled to recover from these other sources.

Early Withdrawal Penalties (and involuntary withdrawals)

We may impose early withdrawal penalties on a withdrawal from a time account even if you don’t initiate the withdrawal. For instance, the early withdrawal penalty may be imposed if the withdrawal is caused by our setoff against funds in the account or as a result of an attachment or other legal process. We may close your account and impose the early withdrawal penalty on the entire account balance in the event of a partial early withdrawal. See your notice of penalty for early withdrawals for additional information.

Address or Name Changes

You are responsible for notifying us of any change in your address or your name. Unless we agree otherwise, change of address or name must be made in writing by at least one of the account holders. Informing us of your address or name change on a check reorder form is not sufficient. We will attempt to communicate with you only by use of the most recent address you have provided to us. If provided elsewhere, we may impose a service fee if we attempt to locate you.

Resolving Account Disputes

We may place an administrative hold on the funds in your account (refuse payment or withdrawal of the funds) if it becomes subject to a claim adverse to (1) your own interest; (2) others claiming an interest as survivors or beneficiaries of your account; or (3) a claim arising by operation of law. The hold may be placed for such period of time as we believe reasonably necessary to allow a legal proceeding to determine the merits of the claim or until we receive evidence satisfactory to us that the dispute has been resolved. We will not be liable for any items that are dishonored as a consequence of placing a hold on funds in your account for these reasons.

Waiver of Notices

To the extent permitted by law, you waive any notice of non-payment, dishonor or protest regarding any items credited to or charged against your account. For example, if you deposit an item and it is returned unpaid or we receive a notice of nonpayment, we do not have to notify you unless required by federal Regulation CC or other law.

ACH And Wire Transfers

This agreement is subject to Article 4A of the Uniform Commercial Code - Fund Transfers as adopted in the state in which you have your account with us. If you originate a fund transfer and you identify by name and number a beneficiary financial institution, an intermediary financial institution or a beneficiary, we and every receiving or beneficiary financial institution may rely on the identifying number to make payment. We may rely on the number even if it identifies a financial institution, person or account other than the one named. You agree to be bound by automated clearing house association rules. These rules provide, among other things, that payments made to you, or originated by you, are provisional until final settlement is made through a Federal Reserve Bank or payment is otherwise made as provided in Article 4A-403(a) of the Uniform Commercial Code. If we do not receive such payment, we are entitled to a refund from you in the amount credited to your account and the party originating such payment will not be considered to have paid the amount so credited. Credit entries may be made by ACH. If we receive a payment order to credit an account you have with us by wire or ACH, we are not required to give you any notice of the payment order or credit.

Truncation, Substitute Checks and Other Check Images

If you truncate an original check and create a substitute check, or other paper or electronic image of the original check, you warrant that no one will be asked to make payment on the original check, a substitute check or any other electronic or paper image, if the payment obligation relating to the original check has already been paid. You also warrant that any substitute check you create conforms to the legal requirements and generally accepted specifications for substitute checks. You agree to retain the original check in conformance with our internal policy for retaining original checks. You agree to indemnify us for any loss we may incur as a result of any truncated check transaction you initiate. We can refuse to accept substitute checks that have not previously been warranted by a bank or other financial institution in conformance with the Check 21 Act. Unless specifically stated in a separate agreement between you and us, we do not have to accept any other electronic or paper image of an original check.

Remotely Created Checks

Like any standard check or draft, a remotely created check (sometimes called a telecheck, preauthorized draft or demand draft) is a check or draft that can be used to withdraw money from an account. Unlike a typical check or draft, however, a remotely created check is not issued by the paying bank and does not contain the signature of the account owner (or a signature purported to be the signature of the account owner). In place of a signature, the check usually has a statement that the owner authorized the check or has the owner’s name typed or printed on the signature line.

You warrant and agree to the following for every remotely created check we receive from you for deposit or collection: (1) you have received express and verifiable authorization to create the check in the amount and to the payee that appears on the check; (2) you will maintain proof of the authorization for at least 2 years from the date of the authorization, and supply us the proof if we ask; and (3) if a check is returned you owe us the amount of the check, regardless of when the check is returned. We may take funds from your account to pay the amount you owe us, and if there are insufficient funds in your account, you still owe us the remaining balance.

Unlawful Internet Gambling Notice

Restricted transactions as defined in Federal Reserve Regulation GG are prohibited from being processed through this account or relationship. Restricted transactions generally include, but are not limited to, those in which credit, electronic fund transfers, checks, or drafts are knowingly accepted by gambling businesses in connection with the participation by others in unlawful Internet gambling.

Visa® Check Cards

You agree that if we provide you with a Visa® Check Card to use with your account, the card may be closed or disabled at any time to prevent fraud or misuse, whether actual or suspected.

Wire Transfer Agreement

Agreement

You hereby authorize us to honor and execute, and to charge your account(s) for, any wire transfers you request. You authorize us to accept telephonic or other verbal wire transfer requests, email wire transfer requests, and/or electronic wire transfer requests via any system we, at our sole discretion, make available to you for electronic wire transfers.

If you desire to make wire transfers you will provide us, in a form acceptable to us, a list of all Authorized Users. If you authorize anyone other than yourself to make a wire transfer request on your account(s) you will identify them on your list of Authorized Users by name, address, date of birth, and at least the last four numbers of their social security number. “Authorized Users” are entities or individuals that you have told us are authorized to request, order, initiate, authorize, confirm, modify, verify, or otherwise effect wire transfer requests on your account(s). Authority to originate wire transfers should be granted with caution. You will be responsible for the wire transfer requests and verifications made by your Authorized Users. A request or verification made by one of your Authorized Users is considered to have been made by you.

You represent that each of your account(s) to be debited will contain sufficient funds on deposit to allow for payment of each wire transfer you request at the time that such transfer is to be made. However, if Benchmark Bank does execute a transfer of funds at your request that creates an overdraft, you promise to immediately pay on demand the amount of the overdraft.

Your wire transfer limits will be established by us based on your prior history and financial information. Wires in amounts over your limit will require the special permission of Benchmark Bank.

Wire Transfer requests received after our cut off time for wires, 2:30 p.m.U.S. Central Time, will not be processed until the following business day.

Verification

You agree that certain wire transfer requests not made in person at one of our branches shall be subject to verification via callback. During a callback an employee or representative of Benchmark Bank will contact an Authorized User by telephone and, after authenticating the Authorized User by personal and account information, verify the specifics of the wire request, including, but not limited to, recipient’s name, recipient’s bank account and routing numbers, and the amount of the wire transfer. The callback procedure will be implemented at our sole discretion and for our sole use and benefit.

Our Respective Rights and Responsibilities

You agree to promptly examine your statements for your account(s). You agree to report any discrepancies: (i) between the records of the transfers shown on the statements for the account and the transfers shown on the statement for any other deposit account you have, or (ii) between your records of such transfers and any statement for the account, in writing to us within thirty (30) days after the statement date. Your failure to notify us within sixty (60) days of the delivery of a statement showing any such discrepancies will preclude you from asserting any claims for damages or other liabilities against us by reason of such discrepancies.

We will use commercially reasonable efforts to make transfers and otherwise act upon wire transfer requests as promptly as is practicable having due regard for the volume of other transfer requests and we shall incur no liability to you for delays in implementing instructions after such requests have been received by us. We shall have no liability to you for failing to make a wire transfer or failing to take any other action on or before any deadline contained in a request. However, we will take commercially reasonable steps to ensure transactions are completed in a timely manner. Transfer instructions received after cut-off hours may be honored as of the following business day.

You agree to provide us with accurate and complete information in your wire transfer request (including, but not limited to, the accuracy of the name, account number and address of the beneficiary, as well as the name and routing number of the beneficiary’s bank). If your instructions include a receiving bank’s name and ABA number that are inconsistent, the transaction may, at our sole discretion, be completed on the basis of the ABA number; if any recipient’s name and account number as provided by you are inconsistent, the transaction may, at our sole discretion, be completed on the basis of the account number. You understand and agree that you, not us, will control the beneficiary information for all wire transfers, including any repetitive wire templates, and that if any wire transfer instruction by you describes the intended recipient of funds inconsistently by name and account number that payment by the receiving bank (which may be us) may, at the receiving bank’s sole discretion, be made on the basis of account number alone even if that account is not owned by the person or entity named in the wire transfer instruction. We will not be liable for any errors or losses resulting from any errors in or changes to the beneficiary information provided by you. You agree and acknowledge that we are not responsible for detecting any errors contained in your wire transfer requests. However, if an error is detected, we will contact you. We have no obligation to attempt to revoke or rescind any transfer initiated by you. We will notify you if a transfer was delayed or not made.

Foreign Wires

From time to time, we may experience various difficulties in transferring funds to certain countries. Those difficulties include but are not limited to: (i) excessive delay in applying funds; (ii) incorrect application of funds; (iii) disappearance of funds; (iv) excessively slow response to inquiries; or (v) government restriction on the transfer of funds. We may, at our sole discretion and for our sole benefit, identify such countries from time to time. You acknowledge and assume any expense in connection with such transfers, which may be incurred by us in addition to normal and customary charges. You are obligated to comply with all laws relating to the transfer of funds for foreign countries, individuals, or agencies. This includes requirements of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Information regarding OFAC requirements can be obtained by calling OFAC hotline (800) 540-OFAC. Noncompliance may result in the delay of funds transfer, fines equivalent to a percentage of the amount of the transfer, or confiscation of the entire amount of the transfer if an attempt is made to transfer funds to a sanctioned individual, agency and/or country.

If a transfer is in currency other than U. S. Dollars, the rate of conversion shall be according to our stated rate at the time of the transfer. If a transfer is in U.S. Dollars, but is to be converted by another financial institution to the currency of the place of payment, then such conversion shall be at that financial institution’s conversion rate at the time of payment.

Limitation of Damages

Our only responsibility and liability to you from and against all liabilities, claims, losses, costs, expenses (including legal expenses), and damages of any and every kind (including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, and punitive, the “Claims”) caused (including Claims caused by our negligence or gross negligence), incurred, suffered by, or asserted against us arising out of or resulting, directly or indirectly, in connection with your wire transfers shall be to compensate you as expressly provided by Uniform Commercial Code Article 4A as adopted by the State of Texas (“UCC 4A”).

You agree to hold harmless, defend, and indemnify us, and our shareholders, officers, employees, agents, and assigns, from and against any and all liabilities, claims, costs, expenses, losses and damages of any and every kind (including legal expenses) arising out of or resulting, directly or indirectly, from your acts or omissions in connection with your wire transfers and wire transfer requests except to the extent of our liability per the preceding paragraph.

OUR LIMITED RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY AS SET FORTH IN UCC 4A CONSTITUTES YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES REGARDING YOUR WIRE TRANSFERS AND WIRE TRANSFER REQUESTS AND IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER REMEDIES, WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED AND WHETHER AT LAW OR IN EQUITY, AND WE DISCLAIM, AND YOU WAIVE ALL CLAIMS FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES AND ALL CLAIMS REGARDING LOSS OF REVENUE, INCOME, PROFIT, AND USE, OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES AND YOU RELINQUISH YOUR RIGHT TO ANY OTHER REMEDY AND TO ANY ADDITIONAL CLAIMS. THE EXTENT OF LIABILITY THAT MAY BE IMPOSED ON US IS LIMITED STRICTLY AND SOLELY TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND AMOUNTS AS SET FORTH IN UCC 4A.

We may use correspondent banks or other agencies in connection with any wire transfer or wire transfer request, but we shall not be liable for their improper or negligent acts or omissions to act. No liability shall attach to us or to such correspondent banks or agencies for any losses or damages in consequence of present or future laws, censorships, regulations, decrees, orders, controls, or restrictions rightfully or wrongfully exercised by any de facto or de jure domestic or foreign government or agency.

We will not be liable for, and will be excused from any failure or delay in performing, our obligations regarding wire transfers, if such failure or delay is caused by circumstances beyond our control, including, but not limited to, any natural disaster, storm, fire, war, riot, hostage-taking, terrorism, emergency conditions, theft, strike, labor dispute or unrest, power failure, breakdown or failure of equipment including internet equipment, interruption of communication facilities, errors in transmission, suspension in payments by another financial institution, legal constraint, governmental action or inaction, errors or acts of any third party, acts of God, your acts, omission, negligence, or fault.

Charges and Disputes

You agree to pay our prevailing charges in effect from time to time for providing wire transfers and we may charge your account(s) for those charges. You agree to reimburse us upon demand if such fees are not paid.

In the event of any disagreement regarding wire transfers, or if conflicting demands or notices are made upon us relating to wire transfers, we may, after notice to you, refuse to comply with any such claims or demands on it or refuse to take any other action with regard to the subject matter of the dispute, so long as such dispute continues; and in any such event, we shall not be or become liable to any person for our failure or refusal to act.

Unless otherwise prohibited by UCC 4A, you may not bring any claim against us, or our shareholders, officers, employees, agents, and assigns arising out of your wire transfers or wire transfer requests, or the performance of said transfers, more than one year after the cause of action accrued.