There are many bank holidays in the United States. There are so many that it can be hard to track them all! I’ll explain a bank holiday and when you’re likely to get one.
What is a bank holiday?
A bank holiday is a day when banks are closed. In the United States, there are ten bank holidays.
Bank holidays are not to be confused with public holidays! They do not fall on the same day every year and usually only apply to financial institutions such as banks and credit unions.
However, some states may choose to include retail stores in their definition of “banks.”
There are more bank holidays than you may realize
Many people may not realize the number of bank holidays in the United States. While Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve are prominent holidays, others may be less apparent.
You can count on banks and other financial institutions being closed on:
Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 15)
Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
Independence Day (July 4)
Labor Day (the first Monday in September)
If you’re planning on visiting a bank or credit union during one of these days, make sure you call first to check their hours before heading out.
It’s also helpful to know that although some institutions close for four days at Christmas time. That said, some stay open for limited business hours during this season. So don’t get too stressed if your local branch closes early or is closed altogether!
Conclusion
If you’re planning a trip to the US, be sure to check the calendar before you go. You may find that there are more bank holidays than you expected!
And if you want to learn more about what it means for banks to be closed on these days, check out this article on how banks operate during holiday seasons.
