There are a lot of free credit score offerings out there, and many can be useful, but there are a few things consumers need to know when looking up their credit scores. Some scores are educational — meaning creditors do not use free credit score formulas for making lending decisions — but they can still inform you whether you have good or bad credit.

7.7% of Americans don’t have a bank account, but not everyone is checking-less by choice. If your ChexSystems score affects your ability to open a regular checking account, you still have a chance to put yourself on the road to financial security with a 2nd chance checking account. A second chance checking account is like a checking account for bad credit.

The federal government gives us the right to a free credit report once a year. However, there’s no government mandate for annual free FICO Scores — the credit score lenders most often use to approve credit applications. You may be able to receive a free FICO Score by signing up for another subscription service, but that isn’t always a good option.

Having a low credit score can hurt you in a number of different ways. Here are some of the disadvantages of having a low credit score.

Bankruptcy is by no means game over for your financial life — there are steps you can take to begin rebuilding your credit and eventually, your overall financial health.