Banking Services and Credit Cards

Initially, it’s helpful to introduce yourself to the bank manager so that they and the staff can get to know you personally. You might also consider banking at less busy times and avoid lunch hours or weekends.

Banking services that can be helpful for customers who are blind or have low vision include the following:

• Large print, braille, and audio account statements
• Large print, braille, and audio versions of booklets on banking services, products, and ATM instructions
• Online and telephone banking services
• Toll-free TDD/TTY lines
• Wheelchair access at branch offices
• Increased accessibility at ATMs

Raised-Line Checks, Large Print Checks, and Check Templates

• Guideline raised-line checks are larger than standard checks, have raised lines and bolder print, and include a more extensive check register. If you are interested in raised-line checks, your bank will charge you the price for standard checks at the time of your order. There should be no additional charge for the raised line feature.
• Large print checks can be requested through your bank’s manager or customer service representative. They are available through Deluxe Corporation. You must obtain your “routing transit number” from your bank or credit union before placing your order.
• Check templates are designed with openings that accommodate any standard check and are available in black, plastic, or aluminum. You can find check template guides and various rigid and flexible signature guides by looking for helpful product companies in the links to the helpful products section.
• See Signing Your Name and Handwriting for more information on signature and handwriting guides.

Banking Strategies

Get to know your bank’s customer service representatives

Go directly to the customer service representative at the service desk. He or she can take care of your withdrawal or deposit, and you can organize and record your transactions while waiting.

Identify and sort your money

• Ask a friend or family member to accompany you to the bank and assist you with separating your money and placing the different denominations into separate pockets, separately identifiable envelopes, or an adaptive wallet.
• A portable electronic talking money identifier is a device that verbally announces the denomination of all old and new United States bills (from $1 to $100); an enhanced version also vibrates for users who are deaf-blind.
• The U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) has developed a free downloadable application (app) to identify paper United States currency. The app is called EyeNote™, designed for Apple iOS, which will scan a banknote and communicate its value back to the user. EyeNote™ uses image recognition technology to determine a note’s denomination. You can read more about the EyeNote™ at the EyeNote™ App Overview.
• See Money Identification and Management and Shopping Tips for more information on identifying coins and bills, selecting an adaptive wallet, and managing change and financial transactions while shopping.

How can I tell how much money the bank teller has given me?

• One solution is to ask the teller to hand your money to you in separate denominations (such as the $10.00 bills first, the $5.00 bills next, and so on). Take the time to place the bills in a secure place.
• You can also ask for your paper money in all of the same denominations (no larger than $10.00 bills, for example).

Using Credit or Debit Cards

When using a credit card, the challenge for a person who is blind or has low vision is knowing where to sign the credit card slip:

• Ask a family member, friend, or store clerk to make a sharp crease in the paper along the writing space. This will provide a tactile raised writing line to help guide your signature placement.
• Place 2-3 layered “Post-it” notes along the writing line to make it easier to locate and feel. Write your name just above the “Post-its” and remove them when finished.
• Ask a family member, friend, or store clerk to place the upper edge of a credit card just below the writing line. This will provide a raised writing line to help guide your signature placement.
• Use your non-writing hand’s index and middle fingers to form a “V.” Place your hand forming the “V” sideways on the paper so that your index finger is directly below the entire writing line. Sign your name above your index finger to help guide your signature placement.
• Ask a family member or friend to cut a rectangular opening in either an expired credit or debit card, a facsimile credit card sent with card offers, or a piece of cardboard cut to the size of a credit card. The opening should be 1/2 inch by approximately three inches.
• If you have low vision, ask a family member or friend to use a marker pen and darken the writing line for you. This will make the signature line more accessible for you to see.
• If you use a debit card, request that the transaction go through as a credit instead of a debit to avoid giving your PIN to a stranger.
• Please note: Before you sign any important document, ask a trusted friend or family member to read it before you add your signature.