How to Withdraw Money from Your Maryland Unemployment Debit Card for Free

If you've recently lost your job or have otherwise become unemployed in the state of Maryland, you have probably heard about a change in the way unemployment benefits are paid out. Instead of mailing out paper checks like they've done in the past, the state of Maryland has begun issuing debit cards to unemployment recipients. Unemployment payments are deposited directly onto these debit cards, which can then be spent wherever Visa cards are accepted or withdrawn as cash.

Most people are happy with the new debit card system, but like most cards, if you are not careful, you may end up paying fees that you could easily avoid. The Maryland unemployment insurance debit card allows you to withdrawal money free of charge two different ways. First, you can go into any Visa member bank, hand your card to the teller, and request an over-the-counter withdrawal from your card. You can specify the exact dollar amount you'd like to have withdrawn, and this service is free of charge. There is no limit to the number of times you can make a teller withdrawal per month, so for many people, this will be the easiest, fee-free way to access their money.

If you need to use an ATM, you should know that you can make 4 withdrawals from your Maryland unemployment debit card per month for free befor you will be charged a $1.50 fee per ATM transaction. However, even though the state of Maryland is not charging for the first four withdrawals of the month, the ATM you decide to use may charge you a fee. Luckily, you can avoid ATM surcharges by using ATMs that are part of the nationwide AllPoint network. Sometimes you may need to press a button on an AllPoint ATM agreeing to a surcharge, but when your receipt prints you will see that you were not actually charged. To find an AllPoint ATM near you, visit the website listed in the resources section of this article.

No one likes paying fees to access their money, but by following the "rules" in this article you can avoid paying fees all together on your unemployment money. Just remember to either go inside the bank to withdraw your money, or to only use AllPoint ATMs four times per month or less. The Maryland unemployment debit card system has made receiving payments much faster and easier for most people, and now there's no reason the new system should cost you a single cent!