Missouri Banks That Don’t Use ChexSystems
Updated on : December 10th, 2021
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If you’ve been denied a new checking account due to poor banking history, it’s probably because of your ChexSystems record. Because banks are able to look up your past banking history through ChexSystems, it can be near impossible for you to get approved for an account at a commercial bank.
Not having a bank account is a problem that affects roughly 6.2% of all Missouri residents, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). This is definitely alarming, as this means that over 372,000 Missouri residents are unbanked.
If you are one of these unlucky residents, we highly recommend looking for a non-ChexSystems or second chance bank. These banks are more lenient when considering your past banking history, and you’re much more likely to be approved for a new account.
Missouri residents have many options when it comes to non-ChexSystems and second chance banking. In this article, we will introduce the top 10 banks in this article and answer some frequently asked questions about ChexSystems.
The Best Non-ChexSystems Banks in Missouri
The three best non-ChexSystems and second chance banks in Missouri are Chime and BBVA (now PNC Bank). Each one of them offers unique and competitive accounts that few other banks can match.
Chime®
Chime’s mission is to make banking helpful, easy, and free for everyone. As a result, they do not run your credit or check your ChexSystems report when you apply to any of their checking and savings accounts.
Chime is technically not a bank. Instead, they are a relatively new financial technology company that offers banking services provided through The Bancorp Bank, N.A. and Stride Bank, N.A., meaning that their products are still FDIC insured. Here’s why you should consider their Chime Checking accounts and Chime Savings accounts.
BBVA (PNC Bank)
BBVA (now PNC Bank) has a few excellent checking and savings accounts for Missouri residents. While they do use ChexSystems, they can be considered a second chance bank because they’re willing to overlook some past banking hiccups.
With PNC Bank’s VirtualWallet, you get a checking and savings account bundled into one product. This means that you’ll have one Spend account to handle checking, and a Growth account to store your hard-earned savings. You can easily transfer funds instantly between the two.
VirtualWallet has a number of useful banking features that you can take advantage of. For example, you can use the Calendar to get an overview of all your upcoming automatic payments and paydays. You can also configure Low Cash Mode to alert you when your account balance drops below a certain amount.
Top 8 Local Missouri Non-ChexSystems Banks
If you prefer the convenience of applying for your new bank account online, Chime and BBVA (PNC Bank) are the best banks to go with. However, you might prefer visiting a local bank in-person. Here are 8 other top local Missouri non-ChexSystems and second chance banks to look into.
Arsenal Credit Union
Arsenal Credit Union offers checking, savings, and digital banking solutions to Missouri residents. Their Arnold location has an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 among 89 Google reviews.
For those with ChexSystems records, consider the Totally Free Checking account. This is a non-ChexSystems account, as Arsenal Credit Union will only consider your TeleCheck report during the application process. The account lives up to its name as there are no minimum balance requirements and no monthly service fees.
Contact Information:
- Address: 3780 Vogel Rd, Arnold, MO 63010
- Phone: (719) 475-7827
Bank of the West
Bank of the West is one of the larger national banks in the country, with locations all over the western half of the US. They have a handful of locations in the Kansas City area which is partly in Missouri.
Bank of the West offers a second chance account where they are more lenient when considering your ChexSystems history. This Fresh Start Checking account comes with a debit card, unlimited access to Bank of the West ATMs, and free online and mobile banking. The account does have a $12 monthly fee.
Contact Information:
- Address: 4610 S Noland Rd, Independence, MO 64055
- Phone: (816) 373-6500
BOK Financial
Another great option in Kansas City is BOK Financial. Their Lee’s Summit location has a high average rating of 4.8 out of 5 among 17 Google reviews.
BOK Financial also has second chance accounts designed for those with bad ChexSystems records. Their Opportunity Checking Account can give you a fresh start to your banking, since you get a free debit card, unlimited transactions, and overdraft protection features. Note that the account is checkless and comes with a $10 service fee that can be lowered to $5 with a $300 monthly deposit.
Contact Information:
- Address: 1710 NE Douglas St, Lee’s Summit, MO 64086
- Phone: (816) 600-3971
Concordia Bank
For those living closer to central Missouri, Concordia Bank has offices in Odessa, Concordia, and Laurie. Their Odessa location has an average rating of 4.4 out of 5 among 7 Google reviews.
Concordia Bank is a smaller local bank that offers a Second Chance Checking account to Missouri residents. The account requires a minimum opening balance of $100, after which there are no minimum balance requirements after that. You do get all the standard banking features of a typical checking account, though it does carry a $10 monthly service charge.
Contact Information:
- Address: 325 S 2nd St, Odessa, MO 64076
- Phone: (816) 633-7055
First State Community Bank
First State Community Bank has many locations all over Missouri. Since their founding in Farmington in 1954, they have been offering local Missouri residents a fresh start in banking. Their Farmington location has an average 4.8 out of 5 rating among 10 Google reviews.
Their New Opportunity Checking account is a second chance account that requires a $50 opening deposit, but comes with a free MasterCard debit card and standard banking features. If you set up direct deposit every month, your monthly fee will be reduced to a reasonable $7.95.
Contact Information:
- Address: 201 E Columbia St, Farmington, MO 63640
- Phone: (573) 756-4547
Great Southern Bank
Great Southern Bank is another great option for Missouri residents, particularly if you live in the Springfield area. Their South Campbell Ave location has an average rating of 4.9 out of 5 among 13 Google reviews.
If you’ve had past ChexSystems troubles, consider Great Souther Bank’s Second Chance account. This account offers a free debit card, online and mobile banking, and no minimum balance requirements. The account requires a minimum opening deposit of $25 and has a $10 monthly service charge.
Contact Information:
- Address: 2449 S Campbell Ave, Springfield, MO 65807
- Phone: (417) 888-4357
Neighbors Credit Union
Neighbors Credit Union is a non-ChexSystems bank in St. Louis that uses your TeleCheck report instead. If you don’t have a history of fraud, your approval odds are high at Neighbors Credit Union.
Neighbors Credit Union offers a Simple Checking Account that’s great for restarting your banking journey. This is because the account has no minimum balance requirements and no monthly fees. You can visit a store in-person or apply directly online.
Contact Information:
- Address: 1720 Market St, St. Louis, MO 63155
- Phone: (314) 892-5400
US Bank
US Bank is a national bank with multiple locations in Missouri. While they may check your ChexSystems history, they are willing to offer many clients a second chance to rebuild their banking history.
US Bank’s Safe Debit Account comes with many banking features that can help you effectively manage your finances. These include direct deposit, low balance alerts, and even free access to your VantageScore so you can keep an eye on your credit. The account has a very reasonable monthly fee of $4.95.
Contact Information:
- Address: 201 N Florissant Rd, Ferguson, MO 63135
- Phone: (314) 524-0503
How Does ChexSystems Work?
ChexSystems is a reporting agency that stores information about your past banking history, particularly negative items such as the following:
- Overdrafting
- Bounced checks
- Accounts closed with an outstanding balance
- Account, card, or ATM abuse
ChexSystems collects all this information in the form of a report and shares this with banks and credit unions when you apply for a new account. If you’re considered too high-risk, you’ll probably be denied.
Negative items can stay on your ChexSystems report for up to five years. This is a long time to wait to get a bank account, so we highly encourage seeking one of our non-ChexSystems or second chance banks for Missouri residents to get yourself banked as soon as possible.
How Do Non-ChexSystems Banks Decide Whether To Approve You For An Account?
If non-ChexSystems banks don’t check your ChexSystems history, what criteria do they use to assess your application? Usually, they’ll use one of the following:
- Another reporting agency. This can be either Telecheck or Early Warning Services (EWS), both of whom primarily check for past banking or check-writing fraud. This means that as long as you have avoided fraud in the past, you should be able to pass this check.
- A credit pull. Credit unions in particular will usually perform a credit check during the membership process. As long as your credit score is still intact, you should be able to gain membership access to checking and savings accounts that the credit union offers.
What Is The Difference Between Non-ChexSystems Banks and Second Chance Banking?
As discussed in the previous section, non-ChexSystems banks use other means to verify your past history, whether that be through Telecheck, EWS, or a credit pull. On the other hand, second chance banks may still view your ChexSystems history.
The difference, however, is that second chance banks are simply willing to overlook past banking mistakes. They’ll offer second chance accounts that are designed specifically to help you rebuild your history.
Second chance accounts usually come with a basic set of banking features that you need for everyday life. This includes a debit card, online and mobile banking, and direct deposit.
The only con is that second chance accounts also have more restrictions placed upon them compared to regular checking accounts. For example, you might have a limit on the number of transactions you can make per month, as well as a monthly fee that cannot be waived.
The good news is that most banks will let you upgrade a second chance account to a regular account after 6 to 12 months of good standing. Non-ChexSystems accounts typically don’t have such restrictions, and have the same set of features as you’d expect from a standard bank account.
Is Getting a Non-ChexSystems or Second Chance Account Worth It?
If you don’t currently have a bank account, then yes, getting a non-ChexSystems or second chance account is definitely worth it. Even though some accounts may have additional restrictions, having a bank account is always better than not having one.
A non-ChexSystems or second chance account can help you in many ways financially, including:
- Providing a safe place to keep your money. Keeping your money in cash, even if secured in a safe, is not as secure as putting it in a bank. A bank account also allows you to simply bring your debit card as a payment method instead of cash. Perhaps most importantly, many legitimate bank accounts are FDIC-insured, meaning that your money is safe even if there’s a bank failure.
- Access to useful banking features. Bank accounts provide useful features such as being able to set up direct deposit, view your overall balance, and verify your transaction history. You can also set up automatic payments or transfers, such as a monthly transfer to a savings account.
All in all, a bank account will keep your finances more organized. From there, you can start to add more good financial habits, such as creating and sticking to a budget.
Do Banks Require a Credit Check to Open an Account?
Usually, banks will not require a credit check to open an account. However, credit unions and non-ChexSystems banks may opt to use a credit check for screening.
If your credit score is low, you might want to consider credit repair if you know that a bank is going to perform a credit pull. In particular, we outline in our Ultimate Review Guide for Credit Saint how they can permanently increase your score by upwards of 60 points in a few months.
Does The Bank of Missouri (and Other Popular Banks) Use ChexSystems?
Unfortunately, yes, the Bank of Missouri and many other popular banks in Missouri do use ChexSystems. This also includes larger national banks, such as Bank of America.
However, it’s still possible that these banks offer second chance accounts. For example, US Bank is the largest bank in the state, and they did make this list of the top banks because their Safe Debit Account is a very competitive second chance checking account.
Conclusion and Next Steps
A significant chunk of Missouri residents are currently unbanked. If you fall into this category, we highly recommend looking into non-ChexSystems and second chance banking. We’ve included 10 top banks in this article that are willing to give you a chance to start your banking journey afresh.
Specifically, we like Chime for their competitive Savings account, which comes with an industry-leading high interest yield. Chime has approved many people with past ChexSystems hiccups for this account, so don’t hesitate to reach out to them today.
Our Top Pick for Banks that Don't Use ChexSystems is Chime.
When doing research, Credit Help Info relies on credible and authoritative sites. These research sources are provided so that you can see exactly where we get our information.
- https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/credit-reports-and-scores/consumer-reporting-companies/companies-list/chex-systems/
- https://www.economicinclusion.gov/
- https://www.fdic.gov/resources/deposit-insurance/understanding-deposit-insurance/
- https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/credit-reports-and-scores/consumer-reporting-companies/companies-list/tele-check-services/
- https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/credit-reports-and-scores/consumer-reporting-companies/companies-list/early-warning-services/
- https://www.fdic.gov/resources/deposit-insurance/
Disclosures:
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.
1. There’s no fee for the Chime Savings Account. Cash withdrawal and Third-party fees may apply to Chime Checking Accounts. You must have a Chime Checking Account to open a Account.
2. Chime SpotMe is an optional service that requires a single deposit of $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to the Chime Checking Account each month. All qualifying members w overdraw their account up to $20 on debit card purchases and cash withdrawals initially, but may be later eligible for a higher limit of up to $200 or more based on member's Chime Ac deposit frequency and amount, spending activity and other risk-based factors. Your limit will be displayed to you within the Chime mobile app. You will receive notice of any changes to may change at any time, at Chime's discretion. Although there are no overdraft fees, there may be out-of-network or third party fees associated with ATM transactions. SpotMe won't c transactions, including ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, or Chime Checkbook transactions. See Terms and Conditions.
*The Annual Percentage Yield (“APY”) for the Chime Savings Account is variable and may change at any time. The disclosed APY is accurate as of November 17, 2022. No minimum balance required. Must have $0.01 in savings to earn interest.
The average national savings account interest rate of 0.21% is determined by FDIC as of November 17, 2022 based on a simple average of rates paid (uses annual percentage yield) by all insured depository institutions and branches for which data are available. Visit National Rates and Rate Caps to learn more.
About the Author
Chris Morgan
Chris Morgan is a credit expert and founder of Credit Help Info. He has been featured in Addition Financial, GOBankingRates, MSN Money, Yahoo Finance, and many other publications. He has read hundreds of books and resources on finance and the credit industry. Because he did this, you don’t have to. As a school teacher for over 20 years, Chris enjoys taking complicated material and breaking it down into manageable information that’s easy to understand.
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