Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Americans say the federal government should place limits on how much banks charge when customers overdraw their bank accounts, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Thirty-four percent (34%) disagree and say banks should be allowed to charge any amount so long as they disclose the costs in advance.

Seventy-three percent (73%) of Democrats and 52% of adults not affiliated with either major political party like the idea of government caps on bank overdraft fees. Republicans are narrowly divided on the question.

But most Americans (57%) believe than banks should be allowed to charge a higher amount to customers who frequently overdraw their account. Thirty-one percent (31%) oppose giving banks the right to charge frequent overdrafters more.

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When given several options on how much a bank should be allowed to charge for overdrafts, 13% of adults say nothing at all, while 16% think any amount is okay as long as it has been previously disclosed to customers.

Fifty-eight percent (58%) say a bank should only be permitted to charge someone who overdraws their account a fee of $10 or less. Seventeen percent (17%) say $35 should be tops, and that’s the average fee charged by banks today.

Fifty-six percent (56%) of adults acknowledge that they have overdrawn their bank accounts. Forty-two percent (42%) say they have never done so. Men are more likely to have overdrawn their accounts than women. Seventy-eight percent (78%) of government employees say they’ve overdrawn versus 61% of those in the private sector.

Among those who have overdrawn their accounts, 66% favor government-imposed limits on how much banks can charge for overdrafts.

Connecticut Senator Christopher Dodd, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, and several other Democratic senators introduced legislation this week that would limit the amount banks can charge for overdrafts. According to the Wall Street Journal, “the Federal Reserve is also considering rules that could be finalized later this year that would, among other things, require customers to opt-in to overdraft protection.”

Americans are almost evenly divided over a proposal by President Obama to create a new government agency to regulate what banks, mortgage lenders and credit card companies offer their customers. Forty-two percent (42%) favor such an agency, while 44% oppose it.

One-out-of-two Americans (50%) still lack confidence in the stability of the U.S. banking system. In July of last year, two months before the Wall Street meltdown began dominating the news, 68% were confident in the stability of the nation’s banking system.

Despite reports of slowing inflation from Federal Reserve policymakers, Americans remain highly concerned about the issue and lack confidence in the Fed to keep inflation under control.

A new Rasmussen video report shows that 53% expect interest rates to be higher a year from now.

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