Wave fees on Holocaust reparation payments, Florida official asks banks

14 March 2011

Jeff Atwater, Florida's chief financial officer, has called on his state's financial institutions to waive wire transfer fees charged to Holocaust survivors when receiving compensation or reparation payments. “The transfer fee on Holocaust reparation payments essentially amounts to a 10 percent tax on each payment a survivor receives, a significant burden considering that the vast majority rely on these payments to make ends meet,” Atwater was quoted as saying. He added that waiving the fee “is a powerful reflection of the willingness of Florida’s financial community to contribute to the well-being of this important group of Floridians.”

In partnership with the Florida Bankers Association and the League of Southeastern Credit Unions, Atwater wrote a letter asking the chief executive officers of the financial institutions doing business in Florida to sign a commitment pledge to voluntarily waive the wire transfer or processing fees on Holocaust-related reparations. The fees range from US$ 10 to 40 per transaction.

Seventeen financial institutions with more than 1,800 branches state-wide already have pledged to waive wire transfer fees for Holocaust survivors, according to Atwater's office. About 12,500 Florida Holocaust survivors and their families receive about US$ 300 to 350 in monthly reparation payments.