Are banks open today? Here's a list of U.S. bank holidays for 2024

• Most banks follow the Federal Reserve System's holiday schedule.
• If you're part of an online bank, transactions aren't processed on holidays.

Once a holiday weekend comes around, everything can become a frantic rush — family gatherings, last-minute shopping trips, ever-changing holiday decorations. It's easy to lose track of which days your bank is closed, but you also don't want it to affect your day off if you need to access money in one of your bank accounts.

We've included a list of holidays when most banks close, plus alternatives for accessing cash if you need money quickly. We also maintain a list of the best banks in the U.S.

Are banks open on New Year's Eve?

Most financial institutions will be closed on New Year's Eve because it falls on a Sunday this year. If a bank or credit union is regularly open on a Sunday, branches may be open for limited banking hours since New Year's Eve isn't a federal holiday. Contact your local branch for specific hours.

Are banks open on New Year's Day?

Financial institutions will be closed on Monday, January 1, because it's a federal holiday. Brick-and-mortar banks and credit unions will close their branches on New Year's Day. If you use an online bank, your transactions may be delayed until the next business day. Most institutions will reopen with regular banking hours on Tuesday, January 2.

When are banks closed?

Financial institutions close on federal holidays. Most have a holiday list on their website to let you know and prepare ahead of time.

Some brick-and-mortar national banks have a list in the FAQ section of the website.

Others, like TD Bank and Regions Bank, have separate pages with bank holiday schedules. During these holidays, brick-and-mortar banks will close all of their branches or modify their branch hours. Customer service hours may also vary depending on where you bank.

Quick tip: If a bank doesn't have a holiday schedule on its website, your best bet will be to call your nearest branch to know which holidays it's observing.

Online banks usually don't have physical branch locations, but you still may be affected. When an online bank observes a holiday, transactions may be delayed until the next day.

Customer service availability will usually stay the same with online banks, but there are some exceptions. Capital One 360 offers customer service support for all holidays except the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

Most financial institutions follow the Federal Reserve System's holiday schedule. Here is the holiday schedule for 2024.

If a holiday falls on a Saturday, the bank will still be open on a Friday. But if a holiday occurs on a Sunday, the bank will be closed the following Monday.

The stock market is open on most of the same days as banks, with a few exceptions.

Do transactions go through on bank holidays?

Most banking transactions don't process on bank holidays, regardless of whether you use an online or brick-and-mortar bank.

Ally Bank, for instance, doesn't let you make any money-related transactions on federal holidays. The online banking platform Chime also has a list of holidays when it can't process direct deposits.

Transactions at brick-and-mortar banks like Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America won't be processed until the next business day. Business days are weekdays when branches are in operation.

So, instead of hinging on a lagging direct deposit, you may want to come up with a backup plan in case the transaction gets delayed.

Where can I get cash when banks are closed?

Branches are closed on federal holidays, but ATMs aren't. If you have a debit or ATM card, you can still use a machine to take out cash during the holidays.

If you're out of town, you can also use a debit card to get cash back at a store if you don't have any free ATMs nearby. That way, you don't have to pay an out-of-network ATM fee if your bank doesn't reimburse charges.

How can I cash a personal check when banks are closed?

If you receive a personal check during the holidays, there are a few roundabout ways access to your money quickly.

You can cash the check out at a store if you need money in a pinch.

Some ATMs let you cash or deposit checks, but you may already need to have those funds in your account. If your bank's ATM network doesn't let you make check transactions, you can deposit the check using your bank's online or mobile features, then cash your check out using an ATM.

Funds likely won't be available right away, so this alternative works best if you prefer to have money safe in your account and don't mind waiting a day or two.