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Does Opening a Checking Account Affect Credit Score?
Money SmartsJuly 19, 2023
Opening a checking account can potentially affect your credit score but this is typically minimal or non-existent in most scenarios. Banks and credit unions do not generally check your credit report when you open a checking account; however, they may use a different system such as ChexSystems to verify your banking history. In certain instances, a credit union or bank will perform a credit check and understanding when this happens can help you maintain a good credit score. This article outlines how opening a checking account affects your credit score and some of the more common banking activities that my result in a credit check or lowered credit score.
Key Takeaways:
- Checking account and credit score: While opening a checking account can potentially impact your credit score, the effect is typically minimal, with banks and credit unions often using systems like ChexSystems rather than credit reports to assess banking history.
- Financial institution policies and hard inquiries: Some financial institutions may conduct hard credit inquiries when opening an account or applying for credit, which can temporarily lower a credit score, emphasizing the importance of understanding a bank's policies.
- ChexSystems and banking history: ChexSystems, used by banks and credit unions, maintains records of consumers' banking histories and negative entries such as bounced checks or unpaid fees can impact your ability to open new accounts or gain credit approval.
- Maintaining a good credit score: Good credit score maintenance requires a range of factors including paying bills and fees on time, promptly addressing any errors on credit reports, and avoiding frequent opening of new accounts.
When Might a Bank or Credit Union Make a Hard Inquiry?
A bank or credit union may make a hard inquiry when you're applying for credit, such as a credit card, mortgage, or personal loan. Additionally, some bank or credit unions may do a hard pull if you opt for overdraft protection, as this can be viewed as a line of credit.
Consider Your Options Before Choosing a Bank or Credit Union to Avoid a Hard Pull Penalty
It's always wise to consider multiple options before settling on a bank or credit union. Some financial institutions may conduct a hard pull when you open an account, particularly if you're applying for credit or overdraft protection. A hard pull can temporarily lower your credit score, so it's crucial to understand a bank's policies before proceeding.
Can Using a Bank or Credit Union Decrease Your Credit Score?
Banks and credit unions themselves typically don't report to credit bureaus unless there's a significant issue such as an unpaid debt. However, certain activities like failing to pay overdraft fees, closing an account with a negative balance, or numerous account applications can potentially hurt your credit score.
- Failing to pay overdraft fees: Unpaid overdraft fees can be sent to a collection agency, and this collection activity is likely to be reported to the credit bureaus, damaging your credit score.
- Closing an account with a negative balance: If you close a checking account with a negative balance, the credit union could report this to credit agencies, and it may be viewed as unpaid debt, thereby reducing your credit score.
- Overdrafts and bounced checks: If you frequently overdraft your account or bounce checks, your bank or credit union may report this to ChexSystems, which doesn't directly affect your credit score, but it can indirectly influence it if the negative information leads to unpaid debts or collections.
- Debit card and ATM abuse: Chronic misuse of your debit card or ATM transactions could lead to account closure and an adverse report to ChexSystems; while not a direct hit to your credit score, this can lead to future banking difficulties, which could indirectly impact your credit.
- Numerous account applications: Applying for many financial accounts within a short period can lead to multiple hard inquiries on your credit report, which can lower your credit score.
- Frequent loss of debit cards or checks: Consistently losing debit cards or checks could be perceived as negligence, leading to your account being flagged or closed, but while it may cause inconvenience and potential banking difficulties, it's unlikely to directly impact your credit score.
- Unpaid negative balances: Unpaid negative balances may be reported to credit agencies as unpaid debt, which can significantly lower your credit score.
What is ChexSystems?
ChexSystems is a reporting agency that maintains records of consumers' banking histories. Banks and credit unions use this system to determine the risk associated with potential account holders. Negative entries, such as bounced checks or unpaid account fees, stay on your ChexSystems record for five years unless the source of the information removes it sooner.
What is on Your ChexSystems Record?
Your ChexSystems record may include any unpaid fees from financial institutions, instances of check fraud, bounced checks, or any negative account balances that were not repaid. Information about overdrafts that you have not paid back could also appear on your ChexSystems record.
Don’t Co-sign
Co-signing for a loan or credit card can put your credit score at risk if the primary borrower doesn't manage the credit responsibly. If they miss payments or default on the credit, it will negatively impact your credit score. Unless you're willing to take on the risk, it's generally recommended to avoid co-signing.
How Can You Maintain a Good Credit Score?
Maintaining a good credit score involves several factors: Paying all your bills and fees on time, addressing any errors on your credit report promptly, avoiding the opening of too many accounts in a short period, and responsibly managing your credit utilization.
- Maintaining a Healthy Credit Score and ChexSystems Record: Keeping both your credit score and ChexSystems record clean by managing your accounts responsibly can enhance your creditworthiness and open up opportunities for better financial products.
- Pay bills and fees on time: Making timely payments on all your bills, including loans, credit cards, and even bank and credit union fees, can help maintain a positive payment history, which is a crucial factor in calculating your credit score.
- Address errors on your report: Regularly checking your credit report for errors and addressing any inaccuracies can help ensure your credit score is an accurate reflection of your credit history.
- Avoid opening accounts too often: Opening accounts sparingly prevents excessive hard inquiries, which can lower your credit score if too many are made in a short period.
Checking Accounts Are the First Step Towards Financial Success
Having a checking account is a fundamental part of managing your finances. It allows you to safely store your money, keep track of your spending, and often it's required to set up direct deposit for a job.
How Many Bank or Credit Union Accounts Should You Have?
The number of accounts you should have depends on your individual financial needs. However, it's common for individuals to have at least one checking and one savings account: the checking account for managing day-to-day transactions and the savings account for accumulating funds over time. Some people also find it useful to have additional accounts for specific saving goals. Remember, the key is to manage them responsibly to avoid any fees and to maintain a good banking history.