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.

There are many misconceptions about credit scores out there. Every time you apply for credit, apply for a job that requires you to handle money, or even apply for some apartment living, your credit score it checked.