Will it hurt my credit if my bank or credit union closed my checking account?

Tip

Some banks and credit unions use additional information, such as information from your credit report, to determine whether or not to let you open a checking account. Reports from specialty checking account reporting companies are also considered.

Specialty checking account reporting companies, which include Chex Systems and Early Warning Services, collect and report information about checking accounts you’ve had in the past. If you’ve had your account closed due to an unpaid negative balance, the bank or credit union would typically report this “involuntary closure” to a checking account reporting company. You may also be reported if you were suspected of fraudulent activity by the bank or credit union. Banks and credit unions often use reports from these companies to help decide whether to offer you a checking account and the type of checking account to offer you.

Also, debts that come from negative closing balances are sometimes passed on to debt collectors, and those debt collectors might supply information to the big three consumer reporting companies that the debt is in collections. That would affect your credit report and score.

You have the right to know what information is in your report(s). Get more information about requesting a copy of your checking account report.

If you review your report and spot errors, you can file a dispute and then ask that the company correct the error. You should also dispute the inaccurate information directly with the bank, credit union, or merchant that first reported the information to the checking account reporting company. Get more information about disputing information found on your checking account report.

If you’ve had difficulty opening or managing a checking account, see our consumer guides on choosing and managing checking accounts. You might also consider getting a prepaid card.

View guide on selecting a lower risk account
View guide on managing your checking account
View guide on checking account denials

Submit a complaint

If you have a problem with credit reporting, you can submit a complaint to the CFPB online. We’ll forward your complaint to the company and work to get you a response.

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