Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Preparing for the switch

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 15, 2002

Some questions and answers on today's takeover of Huntington Bank by SunTrust:

When will the transfer occur?

Officially at 4:30 p.m. today, though the actual transferring of accounts will occur over the long President's Day weekend.

Will I have access to my money over the weekend?

Yes, through the new SunTrust cards mailed to Huntington's customers during the past week. The new cards must be activated by calling the telephone number on the attached sticker. Huntington cards will not work after 4:30 p.m. today.

What about automatic check deposits.

They should automatically be forwarded to SunTrust.

Will the terms of my account change?

Huntington customers are being placed in accounts with similar terms to those they had at Huntington. Account numbers will remain the same. Some fees will go up. Some will go down. Customers may change their account type after the merger.

May I continue to bank at Huntington branches in Albertson's supermarkets?

No. Those branches will close today. They were not included in the sale, although account holders at those branches were earlier switched to the nearest SunTrust branches.

May I use my old Huntington checks?

Yes, most customers may. Those who can't were notified. Use your old Huntington checks until you run out and then reorder SunTrust checks.

What about loan payments?

Continue to make them as you do now. In the next few months you will receive detailed information on any changes, including a new payment book or statement.

What about the interest rates on my loans and certificates of deposit?

Loan rates and fixed-rate CD rates will remain the same. Variable rate CD's will change, according to your account agreement.