You’re standing in front of the heavy glass doors of your local branch, tugging the handle, only to find it stubbornly locked. It’s 10:00 AM on a Monday. The street is quiet. Then it hits you—the nagging suspicion that you forgot to check the calendar. Is today bank holiday or did the world just decide to stop working without telling you? Honestly, it happens to the best of us, especially when those "observed" holidays shift the dates around.
Today is Sunday, January 18, 2026. If you are in the United States, you are currently in the middle of a long weekend because tomorrow, Monday, January 19, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. While the banks are technically open today (well, as "open" as banks get on a Sunday, which is usually not at all), they will be strictly closed tomorrow. If you’re in the UK, Canada, or Australia, your January 1st hangover is long gone, and there isn't a federal or public bank holiday today. It's just a regular Sunday.
Why the "Is Today Bank Holiday" Question is So Confusing
Most people think a holiday is a holiday, but the banking world operates on its own weird logic. Federal holidays and bank holidays usually overlap, but not always. In the U.S., the Federal Reserve follows a strict schedule. If a holiday like July 4th falls on a Saturday, the banks don't just skip it; they usually close on the Friday before. If it’s a Sunday, they take the Monday off. This "observed" status is exactly why people wake up confused.
Take Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It’s always the third Monday in January. This year, that’s tomorrow. Because it’s a federal holiday, the ACH (Automated Clearing House) network doesn't process transactions. If you were expecting a direct deposit or trying to move money between accounts, that "pending" status is going to sit there until Tuesday morning. It’s annoying. You’ve probably got bills to pay, but the digital pipes of the financial system are essentially turned off.
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The 2026 Bank Holiday Calendar: What’s Left?
Since we are just starting the year, you’ve got a lot of these closures to navigate. Knowing when the banks take a breather helps you plan those annoying chores like getting a cashier's check or visiting a safe deposit box.
Following the MLK Jr. closure tomorrow, the next big one in the States is Presidents' Day (Washington's Birthday) on February 16. After that, there is a massive gap. You won't see another federal bank holiday until Memorial Day on May 25. This long stretch through the spring is when most people get caught off guard because we lose the habit of checking the calendar.
In the UK, things look a bit different. Your next break isn't until the Easter weekend in April. Good Friday falls on April 3, 2026, and Easter Monday on April 6. Unlike the U.S., the UK loves a good "Bank Holiday Monday," and they have them scattered through May and August. If you're looking for a bank in London today, remember they follow the standard Sunday trading hours, which are usually quite limited anyway.
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What Happens to Your Money During a Holiday?
Basically, everything slows down to a crawl. Even though we live in a world of instant Venmo transfers and 24/7 crypto trading, "legacy" banking is still tied to the Federal Reserve's clock.
- Direct Deposits: If your payday lands on a bank holiday, most employers try to pay you the Friday before. If they don't, you're waiting until the next business day.
- Wire Transfers: These are dead in the water. No domestic wires move on federal holidays.
- Check Clearing: If you deposit a check via a mobile app today, the "clock" for the 1-2 day hold doesn't even start ticking until Tuesday.
- ATM Access: This is your savior. Cash machines and online banking apps don't take holidays. You can move money between your own accounts or withdraw cash, but you can't talk to a human or get a mortgage approved.
Interestingly, some private banks like TD Bank have historically stayed open on "minor" federal holidays where others close, but even they have scaled that back recently. Most major players like Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo follow the Federal Reserve calendar to the letter.
Regional Quirks You Should Know About
Depending on where you live, the answer to is today bank holiday might change based on local law. In some states, certain days are holidays that aren't recognized nationally. For example, some states in the U.S. south might observe specific regional days, though most banks will stay open unless it's a federal mandate.
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In Canada, "Bank Holidays" are actually quite specific. While many people use the term interchangeably with "Statutory Holidays," they aren't exactly the same. In 2026, Canadians will see the next major closure for Family Day (or Heritage Day/Louis Riel Day depending on the province) on February 16.
If you're in a pinch today and need a notary or a specific banking service, your best bet is often a branch located inside a grocery store. These "retail" branches sometimes keep weird hours that don't perfectly align with the standalone buildings, though for a major federal holiday like tomorrow's MLK Day, even they will likely be shuttered.
Actionable Steps for Avoiding the "Locked Door" Blues
Don't let a closed bank ruin your schedule. If you realized today that you need a bank service, here is how you handle it:
- Use the App First: About 90% of what people go into a branch for can be done on a smartphone. Mobile check deposit is your best friend.
- Check the "Observed" Date: Always look at the Federal Reserve's official schedule if a holiday falls on a weekend. If the holiday is Saturday, the bank is closed Friday. If the holiday is Sunday, the bank is closed Monday.
- Transfer Early: If you have a mortgage payment or credit card bill due on a holiday, the payment is usually considered "on time" if it’s submitted by the holiday date, but the money won't leave your account until the next day. To be safe, schedule it for two days prior.
- Find an Interactive Teller Machine (ITM): Some modern banks have "Live ATMs" where you can video chat with a teller. These often have extended hours that go beyond the 4:00 PM branch closing time, though they still generally respect federal holidays.
The simplest way to stay ahead of this is to sync a "US Holidays" or "UK Bank Holidays" calendar to your phone. It sounds basic, but it’s the only way to avoid that awkward moment of pulling on a locked door while a security guard watches you from the other side. Tomorrow is definitely a day for staying in or attending a memorial service, not for trying to open a new savings account. Plan accordingly and get your banking done by Tuesday morning when the systems spin back up.