A bank problem can feel small and maddening at the same time. A fee you do not recognize. A deposit that never shows up. A account that is frozen with no clear reason. The good news is that you have more than one place to take it. The harder part is picking the right one.

Start with the company, then pick a door

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau says companies can usually answer questions specific to your situation. So ask yourself first whether you have already contacted the bank. If you have not, that is a reasonable first move. If you have and got nowhere, you have options outside the bank.

Three main routes show up in the sources. The CFPB takes complaints about checking and savings accounts. Your bank's own regulator can take a complaint directly. And for brokerage or investment trouble, different agencies handle it. Each has its own intake, and none of them requires you to be an expert.

A lone figure stands at a rain-streaked window in a dim room, lit by a warm desk lamp over an open notebook, pausing at a quiet turning point.
A notebook and a lamp at the end of a long day: the pause before deciding where to file a bank complaint.

How to choose between the CFPB and your bank's regulator

Use the CFPB if your complaint concerns a product it accepts, such as a checking or savings account. The Bureau began taking bank account complaints in 2012, when it noted that almost nine out of ten American households had at least one checking account. That page is archived, so treat its details as dated.

The Federal Reserve Consumer Help site takes a different view. It says filing directly with your bank's regulator is the most efficient route for a bank problem. To learn which agency supervises your bank, it points to the FDIC's BankFind tool. Look up your bank there first.

  • Checking or savings account issue: the CFPB is a fit.
  • You want the supervising agency to handle it directly: use the regulator found through FDIC BankFind.
  • Brokerage firm complaint: FINRA.
  • Securities, investments, or cryptocurrency: the SEC.

Not sure? Federal Reserve Consumer Help says it will refer your complaint or explain where to file. The CFPB adds that if your product is not listed, usa.gov lists other places to complain. The sources do not describe the OCC or other regulators in detail, so use BankFind and the agencies' own sites for specifics.

What to prepare before you file

Get your facts in order first. The CFPB's own guidance suggests a few questions. What happened, with key details and documents? What have you already done to try to resolve it? What would be a fair resolution?

Write the timeline down in plain order. Dates, amounts, the name of the account, and any messages with the bank. Keep copies of statements or letters that back you up. One clear paragraph beats five angry ones.

If you think you have been the victim of a scam, the CFPB says to take several important steps right away. The source does not list them, and the sources give no steps for reporting fraud or unauthorized transactions to a bank. Check the CFPB's complaint page directly for that guidance.

Filing with the CFPB: what to expect

An online complaint usually takes less than 10 minutes. By phone it can take 25 to 30 minutes. The number is (855) 411-2372, open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays. The TTY/TTD line is (855) 729-2372. Because these details come from the CFPB, confirm them on its site before you call.

Here is how the process runs, per the CFPB:

  1. You submit a complaint, or another government agency forwards it.
  2. The CFPB routes it to the company. If another agency is better placed, it sends it there and tells you.
  3. The company responds to the issues you raised.
  4. The CFPB publishes information about the complaint in its public Consumer Complaint Database, without information that directly identifies you.
  5. The CFPB tells you when the company responds, and you can review the response and give feedback.

Companies generally respond within 15 days.

In some cases a company says its response is in progress and gives a final answer within 60 days. After the company responds, you have 60 days to give feedback. You can check status and get email updates on your complaint. The Bureau says it sends more than 100,000 complaints a week to companies, so yours joins a very large queue.

What the sources do not tell you

Be clear about the limits. The sources do not explain what to do if a company's response is unsatisfactory beyond the 60-day feedback window. They do not say what regulators can do after that. They do not cover deposit insurance and its limits. And a complaint is not a promise of any particular result.

This is general information, not financial or legal advice. If your situation involves a large sum or a legal deadline, consider speaking with a qualified professional. For everything else, the path is short: gather your facts, find your regulator, and file.

Please seek a professional. This article is general information, not financial, tax or insurance advice. Please seek a licensed financial, tax or insurance professional about your own situation.