If you’ve recently been denied a checking account because of past banking mistakes, you’re not alone. About 85% of banks and credit unions use databases managed by ChexSystems, Early Warning Services (EWS), or Telecheck to share data about checking account holders. So, if you’ve been blacklisted at one bank, it’s almost a sure bet you’ll be blacklisted at most other banks. And that information is kept in the databases for five years, making getting an account difficult and frustrating.
However, a second chance checking account offers you another opportunity at banking. Some banks and credit unions offer second chance banking accounts expressly for people who have negative marks in ChexSystems, EWS, or Telecheck.
CheckingExpert has helped thousands of people just like you open second chance banking accounts. We’ve selected the best accounts for 2020 based on acceptance rates, checking account features and benefits, and the accounts with the lowest fees. Best of all, you can open an account today!
The Top 8 Banks For Second Chance Banking
The BBVA Online Checking Account is our favorite second chance banking account. And for good reason. BBVA has won several awards for their leading products and online services.Features include mobile deposits, direct deposit, online bill payment, and NO monthly service charge. Setting up an account is almost too easy and the smartphone app tools are the best we’ve reviewed. This account is available in all states except Alaska and Hawaii.
- NO monthly service charge
- NO monthly account balance minimums
- NO fees at over 64,000 Allpoint® and BBVA ATMs worldwide
- FREE award-winning mobile app (one of the best we’ve reviewed)
- FREE Visa® debit card you can personalize with your favorite photo
- FREE online banking, bill pay, and mobile deposits
- FREE money transfer to and from any email or mobile phone in the U.S. via Popmoney®, Venmo®, and other instant transfer services
- FREE dedicated team of mobile bankers you can contact via text, email, or phone
- FREE cash back rewards for everyday debit card purchases with Simple CashBack
- FREE unlimited check writing
- FREE Visa Zero Liability protects you against fraudulent purchases made on your debit card
- Open with as little as $25
- BBVA USA, member FDIC
Chime Bank is a fast-growing internet-only bank. Unlike big banks, Chime was created during the smartphone era and, therefore, features an app that is more than just a way for customers to review their bank accounts.In our opinion, Chime is the only bank that comes close to BBVA.
- FREE Visa® debit card
- NO monthly service charge
- NO monthly minimums
- FREE online banking and mobile banking/deposits
- NO fees at over 38,000 MoneyPass® and Visa Plus Alliance ATMs worldwide
- SAVINGS: You can round up every purchase to the nearest dollar and automatically deposit that difference into your savings account.
Wells Fargo recently changed the Opportunity Checking account to Clear Access Banking. And we like one change, in particular. Wells Fargo has done away with overdraft and non-sufficient funds (NSF) fees. Clear Access Banking is a debit card-only account (no paper checks available) and if you attempt to purchase something without sufficient funds, the transaction will be denied. That’s a lot better than having the transaction approved and then discovering you’ve been hit with a $35 overdraft fee.There is a $5 monthly fee, but that is be waived for account holders 24 years old and younger. This account is available to residents in all 50 states.
- The largest number of branches in the U.S.
- Minimum deposit of $25 to open an account
- Online bill pay and smartphone app
- Mobile check deposit
- Includes a Visa debit card
- Send and receive money through Zelle
- Additional features include account alerts, 24/7 fraud monitoring, and zero liability protection for your debit card
The Radius Bank Essential Checking account is a FDIC-insured checking account designed to help you manage your money with powerful technology and limited fees. Available to residents in all 50 states.- Free MasterCard® debit card
- Free mobile banking with check deposit
- Free online banking with bill pay
- $10 minimum deposit to open account
- Monthly service charge of $9.00
- No minimum balance
- Ability to upgrade account after 12 months of responsible banking
Washington Savings Bank gives you the opportunity to start fresh with their Online Rewards Checking. We understand that you need an account with easy accessibility and plenty of options. Washington Savings Bank provides all the perks you need to rebuild your banking relationship.With relaxed CheckSystems requirements, you’ll find it is easy to open an Online Rewards account. All you need is a minimum deposit of $10 and an online application. There is no minimum balance requirement, but there is a $14.95 monthly fee. After a year of good standing, you can convert your account to a free checking plan. The account is open to people in all 50 states.
With Online Reward Checking, you have access to:
- A free Mastercard EMV debit card
- Free online banking and bill pay
- Free budgeting tools
- Free mobile banking
- Mobile deposit after 3 months of direct deposits
- Free eStatements
Go Further from GTE Financial helps put you on the path to a better checking account. If you don’t qualify for a traditional account, the Go Further account will help you get there in as little as 12 months. We consider this a low-cost second chance checking. As long as you make a total deposit of $500 for the month, opt to receive eStatements and make 15 monthly transactions, the $9.95 maintenance fee is waived.GTE Financial is one of the largest credit unions in the US. Membership is open to anyone through easy requirements and an online application process. The Go Further account includes:
- Free EMV-equipped debit card with built-in rewards
- Online and mobile banking tools
- Free bill pay service
- Easy money transfers through the Popmoney service
GTE Financial is based in Florida, but anyone in the 50 states can open an account online for free.
Get a GTE Financial account
Fresh Start Checking through Corporate America Family Credit Union gives you the chance to rebuild a positive checking history. In order to qualify for Fresh Start Checking, you must meet the credit union membership requirements (see below) and keep a minimum balance of $100 in a savings account (they call it a Regular Share Account). There is no minimum balance requirement for your Fresh Start Checking account, but there is a monthly maintenance fee of $10. You receive:- Free Visa debit card
- Free direct deposit
- Free online account access and mobile banking
- Free bill pay
- Access to shared branches and free ATMs throughout the nation
CAFCU wants you to succeed. They provide an online study course to give you the tools you need to better manage your checking account and finances. CAFCU makes it easy for anyone to become a member by asking you to donate $5 to The Hope Group. Your donation goes toward colleges and/or universities to be placed in their general scholarship funds. It’s a good cause and gives you membership to one of the nation’s best credit unions.
Open a CAFCU account
The Peoples Cash Solutions Second Chance Checking Account might be the answer for you. Peoples Bank will open an FDIC insured Second Chance Checking Account for you even if you have bad credit or have been reported to ChexSystems or TeleCheck in the past (except where fraudulent activity has been reported). Available in all 50 states.- Debit MasterCard®
- Personal checkbook
- Online bill pay
- Online banking
- Online money transfers
- Monthly maintenance fee of $4.95
- $30.00 minimum deposit
Who Needs a Second Chance Banking Account?
Banks often refuse to open checking accounts for consumers who are considered a “bad risk.” You could be considered a bad risk for things like bouncing checks (which is accidental), writing bad checks (a deliberate act), having a low credit score, or breaking a bank’s rules by exceeding the daily ATM withdrawal limit or frequently transferring money between accounts.
Many of these activities result in fees being charged to your account and if you have too many fees or are not paying the fees due to a low account balance, you may be considered a bad risk for a bank.
You might think you can get around this by switching banks, but banks use information collected by reporting agencies like ChexSystems, TeleCheck, or Early Warning Services (EWS). These companies are similar to the credit reporting agencies that gather consumer data to compile a credit report.
Just as a bad credit report can mean you’re denied a credit card or a loan, a bad banking report can mean you’re denied a checking account. That’s where 2nd chance banking comes in.
Our research shows that there are some very competitive checking accounts for people who need a second chance. That includes robust checking accounts with mobile and online tools, great customer service, no or low monthly fees, and very high approval rates.
What to Look For in a Second Chance Banking Account
Don’t settle for a second chance bank account with tight restrictions and controls while also demanding high fees. This is a trap too many people fall for because they don’t know about second chance bank accounts or have been told to go to payday loan or checking cashing companies. When you’re shopping around look for things like:
- No minimum balance required
- Low or no monthly fee
- Ability to write checks
- Online and mobile banking
- Debit card access
What Is ChexSystems?
Most consumers aren’t familiar with ChexSystems until they’re denied a new bank account or a merchant declines to accept their check. Briefly, ChexSystems is a consumer reporting agency (CRA) that tracks your checking and savings account activity.
It’s similar to credit reporting agencies Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, which collect data on consumers’ loan and credit card history. A ChexSystems record doesn’t affect your credit score and doesn’t factor in to banks’ decisions to extend credit, but it can impact your ability to open a bank account or write checks. And in today’s wired world, having access to a checking account for a host of services is critical.
ChexSystems is not responsible for the decision made by banks to deny you a bank account; however, the information reported by banks and credit unions and stored by ChexSystems can result in a denial of a bank account.
The following information may be stored in your ChexSystems report:
- Paid and unpaid insufficient fund items (“NSF”)
- Any kind of fraud
- Uncollected overdrafts, ATM transactions, or automatic payments the bank paid
- Abuse of debit card, savings account or ATM card
- Violation of any banking rules and regulations
- Opening an account with false information
There may be additional reasons a bank reports their customers to ChexSystems, but the above list represents the most common reasons consumers end up in ChexSystems.
What Is Early Warning Services (EWS)?
EWS was created by major banks including Wells Fargo, Capital One, BB&T, JP Morgan Chase, and Bank of America to prevent fraud and reduce risk. Whereas companies such as ChexSystems and TeleCheck focus on keeping records of people who mismanage bank accounts with overdrafts or writing checks on closed accounts, EWS focuses on fraudulent activity.
Its database tracks consumers’ negative interactions with banks, as well as activities such as bank fraud, forgery, check kiting, check alteration and counterfeiting.
What is Telecheck?
Like the credit bureaus, ChexSystems, and EWS, Telecheck is a consumer reporting agency (CRA) that focuses specifically on consumer information related to checks and bank accounts.
Retailers use Telecheck to determine how risky it is to accept someone’s check, making a decision on the spot whether or not they’ll accept it as payment. If a check is approved by the Telecheck system, the merchant is guaranteed that they’ll get the full amount of the approved check.
Some banks and other financial institutions use Telecheck when deciding whether or not they should allow a consumer to open a checking account. This is done in an effort by financial institutions to reduce fraud and minimize risk as much as possible.
What’s The Difference Between A Second Chance Bank Account And A No-ChexSystems Bank Account?
There is a difference between a second chance checking account and a bank that does not use ChexSystems. Here’s why it’s important:
If you are on ChexSystems and are unable or do not have the time to dispute the negative information, you will want to find a bank that does not use ChexSystems as part of their checking account screening process. Be aware that the bank may perform a quick check on your credit score, and they may use EWS to make sure you have not engaged in fraudulent behavior. These kinds of banks and credit unions are very rare and difficult to find. Our top pick for this group of banks is BBVA.
Banks offering Second Chance Checking will almost always check ChexSystems. And they may also use EWS and Telecheck. However, generally, they are prepared to open an account as long as you don’t owe their institution money.
Approval rates for these accounts are high and you’ll enjoy most of the banking options you would expect with a ‘normal’ checking or savings account.
Again, finding these banks and credit unions is hard. The staff at CheckingExpert.com has reviewed over 1,000 different checking accounts and we have the most comprehensive and accurate list of second chance banks available.
Is Second Chance Banking A Better Option Than A Prepaid Card or PayDay Loans?
The right second chance banking account is far more convenient and less expensive than using alternatives like check-cashing businesses, payday loans, and pre-paid debit cards.
Payday lender loans and cards feature a slew of gotchas and fees—even for on-time payments. These type of financial products have been identified as some of the worst available for consumers.
After comparing the pros and cons of each option, the choice seems fairly clear: a second chance checking account with a bank debit card is still a superior option for most consumers.
The ease and convenience of adding money into your checking account without any hidden fees, the consumer protections attached to these cards, and the freedom to spend your money immediately makes them a great option for anyone looking to create a healthy financial lifestyle.
Frequently Asked Questions About Second Chance Banking
Can I live anywhere in the United States to apply for a second chance banking account?
With the exception of BBVA, our top second chance banking recommendation offer accounts to residents in all 50 states. BBVA does not offer its banking services in Alaska or Hawaii.
What information will I need for the application process?
You will need your social security number (or individual tax ID number). In some cases, the bank will ask questions during the application process to verify your identity.
What’s the likelihood my application will be accepted?
We’ve selected these banks based on their extraordinarily high acceptance rates. Our informal surveys indicate an acceptance rate about 95 percent.
Do these banks require an initial deposit to set up the account?
Chime Bank does not require an initial deposit, while the balance of the banks do. We’ve provided information about the minimum deposit required for each of the banks.
Will I receive a pre-paid card or a checking debit card?
None of our top second chance banks will send you a pre-paid card. They only offer Visa or MasterCard debit cards which are linked directly to your checking account. These debit cards will allow you to select a personal identification number (PIN) and and have the full buying functionality that comes with the Visa or MasterCard networks.
What are the fees associated with my second chance checking account?
BBVA and Chimecard have no monthly fees. The remaining banks have low monthly fees as detailed above.
Will my second chance bank account be FDIC insured?
All of the banks on our list offer FDIC insured checking accounts. That means the federal government insures the money in your account up to $250,000.
What if I want to bank locally so I have access to a branch office?
The CheckingExpert editorial staff has reviewed bank checking accounts in all 50 states and have outlined those banks and credit unions in each state which offer second chance banking accounts. That list is provided below.
The Best Second Chance Banks by State
Unfortunately, most major banks don’t offer second chance checking, but many community banks and credit unions have them under various names, such as Opportunity Checking and Fresh Start Checking.
Our editorial staff regularly updates the list of banks offering second chance checking in every state. Here’s an overview of these accounts and where you can find them at branches in your area.
Conclusion
If you’ve experienced issues with credit debt, checking account issues, or bounced checks, CheckingExpert can help you get back on track toward a healthy financial future. Our goal is to guide you through the complex financial roadmap to find the banks or credit unions that can best meet your needs.
The vast majority of the time, you can get a bank account with ALL the features and benefits you need with no fees, minimums, or restrictions. We’re glad you found us. Now, let us help you find the right financial partner for you.