How To Open A Bank Account With Bad Credit

By: Stephanie Mojica

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Learning how to open a bank account with bad credit just isn’t easy. You might have a bad credit history due to a previously “negative” bank account with not only the major credit bureaus, but also bad check writing databases such as ChexSystems. If you want to practice the task of how to open a bank account with bad credit, you need patience and perhaps even a little bravery.

  1. The first step toward completing your mission of how to open a bank account with bad credit is to visit or call a financial institution that is affiliated with your employer or university. Often, smaller banks and credit unions might not even check your credit score and might be willing to overlook a negative ChexSystems report.
  2. Pay any negative balances that could affect your credit score or ChexSystems profile. Such actions can help even more stringent banks see that you’ve amended your ways, and their representatives might become much more willing to help you achieve your goal of how to open a bank account with bad credit.
  3. If all else fails, try to open a savings account rather than a checking account so you can truly reach your goal of how to open a bank account with bad credit. Savings accounts have more limitations and sometimes fees than checking accounts, but can be an effective measure to actually practice the task of how to open a bank account with bad credit. Keep in mind that your new bank or credit union might place restrictions on how long they hold non-cash deposits, especially if you have a ChexSystems record or poor credit score.


Posted on: Jul. 23, 2010