Second Chance Checking Accounts

This is another way of landing a new checking account. Remember, you can still get a savings account regardless of your history. It is a checking account that will be the issue. So moving on, if you do not choose to get a second chance checking account, you will have to find non chexsystems banks. There are banks that you can apply online to get a second chance account, so if there isn’t one in your local area, do not forget about that. A non chexsystems bank will be a bank that of course does not check your record on the chexsystems list. Some places will check your credit score as a substitute. One bank that has been known for not using chexsystems is Union Bank of California, although I am not able to verify that for sure since I have not tried them before. Your best bet for finding a non chexsystems bank is to go with the smaller banks. Most of the big banks use the list, and although I said UBOC might not check it, I am not sure.

It is a good idea to check your chexsystems record, and just like a credit report, you a legally allowed to get a record each year. You can go to the Chexsystems site here. It is possible to get your name cleared off of the list, and that will be if you pay your debts with past banks. If you are not able to clear your name from the list, your name will remain on Chex Systems for 5 years before they take you off.

If possible, it would be a good idea to get another account at a different bank. You never know what happens, and it never hurts to have a back up bank account. Just make sure that if you do not use it often to keep a hundred or more dollars in there just in case the checking account gets charged from some place you forgot about.

Your first goal should be finding non chexsystems banks or a second chance checking account, and your second goal should be to clear your name from chexsystems. Being denied a new checking account is not fun, and just in case you move and you want to open an account wherever you want easily, it would be easier if your name is not on this list. About 1/5 out of all the banks do not use chexsystems. That will give you a decent estimation about what to expect when you are going to find a new bank. There are banks online that you can apply and get a checking account too if you do not want to go driving around looking for a new bank. If you have any current bank accounts that are still open, make sure that you keep them open. Even if you dislike the bank that you still have an account with, it could help out a lot to keep one you currently have.