Below we have provided answers to questions that you may have about switching from Berkshire Bank to Pathfinder Bank.
As always, please reach out with any additional questions and we will be happy to assist you.
Copyright © 2024 Pathfinder Bank. All rights reserved.
ABOUT US
Q. Who is Pathfinder Bank?
A. We’re not just a bank; we’re your neighbors. Pathfinder Bank is deeply ingrained in the fabric of Oswego and Onondaga Counties, with 11 full-service branches and an extra loan production office in Oneida County. With a legacy of 165 years, we place utmost importance on nurturing authentic connections within our communities. Our commitment extends to providing quality, personalized service to every customer and playing an active role in the prosperity of the regions we call home.
Q. What does the Pathfinder brand stand for?
A. We strive to be the local bank our community trusts and deserves. Local. Community. Trust.
Q. Where are you located?
A. Please visit our Locations & Hours page for our list of branches and ATM locations.
Q. What products/services do you offer?
A. Please visit pathfinderbank.com to explore our complete suite of financial products and services. From personal banking solutions to mortgages, personal and business loans, business banking services, and investment options, we have a wide range of offerings to meet your needs.
FAQ
For more information on the acquisition, please reach out to us at 315-343-0057.
Your go to documents:
CONVERSION WEEKEND
Q. Will the branches be open on Saturday, July 20, 2024?
A. No, existing Pathfinder Bank locations are not open on Saturdays. Berkshire Bank's East Syracuse location will be closed on July 20th, 2024 for the conversion and will resume normal business hours on Monday, July 22nd, 2024 as Pathfinder Bank.
Our Contact Center will be open 8am-12pm on Saturday, July 20th, 2024, for any questions that require immediate assistance.
Q. Will customer support be available?
A. Our Contact Center 315-343-0057 will be available Monday-Friday 8am-5pm. Branch hours for the Berkshire Bank East Syracuse location will not change, however, they will be closed Saturday, July 20th, 2024 for the conversion and will resume regular hours on Monday, July 22nd, 2024 as Pathfinder Bank.
Our Contact Center will be open on July 20th and 27th, 2024, from 8am–12pm to support and answer all questions.
Q. How will I have access to my funds during the conversion weekend?
A. Due to the conversion process, use of your new debit card
or access to ATMs could be limited or periodically interrupted. Please plan ahead and consider carrying alternative forms of payment before Friday, July 19th, 2024, at 3pm.
Additionally, we recommend planning ahead for any payments, transfers, wires, and withdrawals that would normally take place during the conversion period. Please review any transactions that may be scheduled during the conversion period. These should be moved to either before or after the conversion period to avoid any delay.
Q. Is my personal data safe during the conversion?
A. Yes, your personal data and account information is safe and secure, as always.
Q. How will my Online and Mobile Banking be affected?
A. On Thursday, July 18th, 2024, at 5pm Berkshire Bank's Online and Mobile Banking will be disabled and no longer available.
Beginning Monday, July 22nd, 2024, you may download our iPhone®, iPad® or Android™ app from the App Store® or Google Play™. You can log in using the credentials you’ve already established for Pathfinder Bank Online Banking. If you’re signing in for the first time, see Personal Online Banking instructions.
DEPOSIT ACCOUNTS
Q. Will my Routing and Transit Numbers Change?
A. Your new Pathfinder Bank routing number is 221370894.
Q. Will direct deposit be affected?
A. No. Berkshire Bank will notify agencies and third parties of changes in routing numbers for the first 90 days to ensure uninterrupted service for electronic deposits and automatic payments. Some companies may need direct notification from you about these changes. Please notify providers of the new routing number 221370894 effective July 22nd, 2024, to avoid transaction delays.
Q. Will checks be the same?
A. No, your checks will change. You will receive a letter in the mail from our check-ordering partner, Deluxe, including a promo code to be used towards your first order of Pathfinder Bank checks.
Q. Are fees changing? When do they begin?
A. We encourage you to carefully review the Fee Schedules provided in the Account Disclosures booklet.
It’s important to note that you will not incur any monthly service fees from July 19th, 2024 through July 31st, 2024. However, monthly service fees for your new account will begin with your first full statement cycle thereafter.
Q. How is interest calculated on my new accounts?
A. We use the daily balance method to calculate the interest on accounts. This method applies a daily periodic rate to the principal in the account each day. Interest will be compounded on a daily basis (365/365 day year, 366 day leap year) and will be credited to the account on the last business day of each month and on the maturity date.
Q. Will the interest rates on my accounts change?
A. Depending on your account, your interest rate may change. Please visit pathfinderbank.com/rates for current rates. Rates are subject to change at any time.
Q. Will my accounts still be FDIC insured?
A. Your deposit at Pathfinder Bank will continue to be insured by the FDIC up to the maximum amount permitted by federal regulation. Customers with deposits held at Berkshire Bank and Pathfinder Bank will continue to be insured separately for six months.
Certificates of Deposit (CDs) will be insured separately for six months from July 19th, 2024, or until maturity, whichever is later. After the six-month grace period your Berkshire Bank and Pathfinder Bank deposits will be combined for the purpose of determining FDIC coverage.
If you have questions about your deposit insurance, we encourage you to visit the FDIC website at fdic.gov or call 1-877-ASK-FDIC to speak with a deposit insurance specialist.
Q. Will overdraft protection still be available?
A. Pathfinder Bank offers a discretionary Extended Overdraft Privilege (EOD) service to checking accounts that are in good standing. If your current Berkshire Bank account qualifies for EOD, it will carry over to your new Pathfinder Bank account. Your new EOD limit for personal accounts is $750, while the limit for business accounts is $700.
For complete details and alternative ways to cover overdrafts, please refer to the Account Disclosures booklet. Also, you can cover overdrafts by transferring funds from another deposit account (subject to a transfer fee) or by applying for an overdraft line of credit (subject to credit approval). If you wish to opt out of the overdraft service at any time, simply notify us.
STATEMENTS & ACCOUNT HISTORY
Q. Will my account history be available after the conversion?
A. No, your account history will not be available after the conversion. You will need to contact Berkshire Bank for any historical transaction data, as no statement or transaction history (including debit card and check transactions) will be accessible. Please plan ahead and print and/or download your account history by July 18th, 2024 at 5pm.
Q. Will my statement look different?
A. All statements will have slight changes in appearance and content, but will still provide all necessary information for monitoring and reconciling your accounts.
Q. Will the statement date for my deposit accounts change?
A. The statement date for your accounts may change. You will receive a final paper statement from Berkshire Bank covering activity up to July 19th, 2024 for all deposit accounts.
After this, you will receive a statement from Pathfinder Bank for activity from that date until your first regular cycle date. These will cover shorter periods than usual. Statement dates will be based on Pathfinder Bank’s schedules going forward.
Q. Will I still receive electronic statements?
A. If you are enrolled in Berkshire Bank electronic statements, you will have access to them in Berkshire Bank Online Banking until July 18th, 2024 at 5pm. Before the conversion begins, you will receive a paper copy of your final Berkshire Bank checking, savings, or money market account statements, even if you are enrolled in electronic statements.
After the conversion is complete, you will need to re-enroll in eStatements by following the prompts under the “Documents” tab in Pathfinder Bank Online Banking. Once enrollment is complete, you will begin receiving eStatements starting with the next statement cycle.
DEBIT CARDS
Q. Are my debit card withdrawal and purchase limits changing?
A. Yes, your debit card limits may change depending on your card type or if you had custom limits set with Berkshire Bank. Please see the Account Disclosures Booklet for details on Pathfinder Bank’s limits. You are able to modify your limits by stopping into a branch or reaching out to our Contact Center.
Q. Will my debit card PIN number change?
A. You will be asked to set a PIN of your choice for your new Pathfinder Bank Debit Card at activation.
Q. Why is my debit card not working?
A. Your Pathfinder Bank Debit Card will be inactive until July 20, 2024. If you encounter any issues with your debit card after this date, please make sure you have activated and are using the most recent card issued by Pathfinder Bank. All customers should have received their new Pathfinder Bank Debit Card by mail at the beginning of July 2024. Please be aware that Berkshire Bank Debit Cards will remain active until 5pm on July 19th, 2024. If you have not received your new card or have any inquiries, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our customer service center at 315-343-0057 for assistance.
Q. Will Apple, Samsung and Google Pay work with my new debit card?
A. Yes. You will need to set up your digital wallet with your new Pathfinder Bank Debit Card after July 20th, 2024.
DIGITAL BANKING SERVICES
Q. Will Online/Mobile Banking change?
A. Yes, there will be changes. You will receive detailed instructions closer to the conversion date, including Personal Online Banking first-time log-in guidance and information on downloading the new mobile app. Additionally, new features and services will be available to enhance your banking experience.
Q. Will bill payments process? How will bill payments change?
A. Your bill pay transaction history and eBills will NOT automatically transfer to Pathfinder Bank.
You may resume using Bill Pay services in Pathfinder Bank Online Banking on Monday, July 22nd, 2024. After the conversion, we recommend verifying your bill payment information to ensure its accuracy.
Recurring payments, such as mobile phone bills, insurance premiums, utilities, subscription services, etc., that are set up on service providers’ websites must be updated with your new Pathfinder Bank Visa® Debit Card information on and after Saturday, July 20th, 2024, in order to avoid service interruption.
Q. Will Quicken or QuickBooks change?
A. Yes, if you currently use Quicken or QuickBooks to directly connect to Berkshire Bank, on or before Thursday, June 18th, 2024 at 5pm, you can download a Quicken or QuickBooks formatted file and import your balance information and transaction activity into Quicken or QuickBooks from Berkshire Bank Online Banking.
Q. Will I still have access to P2P?
A. If you currently use Berkshire Bank’s peer-to-peer payment service, your payments and payees will not be transferred to Pathfinder Bank. Access will be unavailable starting Wednesday, July 17th, 2024, at 3pm. Once enrolled in Pathfinder Bank Online Banking, you can send payments quickly and easily with Zelle® from the Mobile app. Find the Zelle® tab in the mobile app, complete enrollment and begin sending money to, or receiving money from, people you trust.
Zelle and the Zelle related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used under license.
WIRE TRANSFERS
Q. Will Incoming Wire Transfers change?
A. Beginning Monday, July 22nd, 2024, all incoming wire requests will need to be redirected using the following wire information:
Domestic Wires:
For wires originating within the United States, please send to: Pathfinder Bank, 214 W. 1st Street, Oswego, NY 13126, USA, ABA Routing Number 221370894. Please include the account holder's name and account number of the beneficiary at Pathfinder Bank with wire transfer instructions.
International Wires Sent Via SWIFT in US Dollars:
Pathfinder Bank’s Correspondent Bank is: Atlantic Community Bankers Bank (ACBB), 225 Grandview Ave Suite 401, Camp Hill, PA 17011 using Swift Code NORHUS33. Please indicate further credit for Pathfinder Bank, ABA Routing Number 221370894. Please include the account holder name and account number of the beneficiary at Pathfinder Bank with wire transfer instructions.
Q. Will outgoing wire transfers change?
A. For your first outgoing wire transfers on Monday, July 22nd, 2024 or later, please visit your local branch where a banker will assist you in processing your transfer. Pathfinder Bank offers business customers online domestic wire transfers through our online banking platform. If you send wires often for your business, please ask about our Cash Management services. Some restrictions may apply to certain wire transfers. Some fees apply to certain incoming and outgoing wire transfers. For consumers/businesses that need more flexibility, we offer “Wire Transfer Agreements” so wires can be e-mailed or faxed, then we would perform a call-back to verify the information.
LOANS
Q. What changes will be made to my loans?
A. There will be no changes to any terms or conditions of your Berkshire Bank loans other than the terms directly related to the servicing of the loan. Your interest rate, outstanding principal balance, and other loan terms will remain unchanged.
Loan account numbers will change. You will receive a letter in the mail with your new account number closer to the conversion date.
Q. When should I notify my insurance carrier where to send my insurance policy covering the collateral that secures my loan?
A. You will soon receive a separately mailed servicing transfer notice outlining these servicing changes and will provide further details to update the Loss Payee/Mortgagee Clause on your loans.
Q. If my mortgage loan currently has an escrow account, will the escrow balances be transferred to Pathfinder Bank?
A. Yes, your existing loan escrow account balances will be transferred and serviced by Pathfinder Bank beginning July 19th, 2024.
Important Notice: Debit Card Delivery
We have recently become aware that there has been a delay in the delivery of some Pathfinder Bank Debit Cards. Regrettably, an unexpected issue with our vendor has caused this delay. We understand the inconvenience this may cause and offer our sincere apologies. Please be assured that we are diligently working to resolve this matter promptly and efficiently.
While we work with our vendor to correct this, please note the following:
What This Means for You:
- Current Card Deactivation: Your Berkshire Bank debit card was deactivated on Friday, July 19th at 5:00 pm.
- Activation of New Card: You will be able to activate and use your new Pathfinder Bank debit card as soon as you receive it in the mail. Your card will come in a plain white envelope for discretion.
What You Can Do:
- Instant Issue: Visit any of the following locations to receive an instant issue debit card: Clay, Cicero, Main Office, Downtown Syracuse, and your East Syracuse branch. Locate a branch near you for quick and convenient service.
- Cash Withdrawals: You can visit any of our 12 locations starting at 8:00 am on Monday, July 22nd for cash withdrawals.
- Credit Cards: If you have a credit card, you can use it for purchases during this period.
- Check Payments: You may continue using Berkshire Bank checks, which will be honored for payments for 60 days post-conversion.
- Cash Apps (P2P): You can begin using services like Venmo with your account and routing numbers. Zelle® is available in our mobile app.
Thank you for your understanding and for being a valued Pathfinder Bank customer.
- PayPal: You can use your account and routing numbers to make payments through PayPal.
Pathfinder Bank’s routing number is 221370894.
In most cases, your account number remains unchanged. If your previous Berkshire Bank account number had fewer than 10 digits, zeros have been added at the beginning (e.g., 12345678 becomes 0012345678). If you received a new account number, it was provided in a separate mailing.