Instructions

• 1). Visit your bank. There should not be any reason why a bank would not allow you to open a checking account or savings account despite your personal bankruptcy filing. If a bank refuses to do business with you based on these grounds, then explore your banking options elsewhere.
  With a checking account or savings account, you are not seeking credit, which was the area where you previously had trouble managing. What a bank may do is restrict your ability to get other services or require you to maintain extra money in your accounts in the event that they consider you to pose a financial risk.
  
  
• 2). Mention your personal bankruptcy. Before attempting to open up a checking account or savings account with a bank, ask their representative if your bankruptcy poses a problem for them or would bring restrictions your way. As a matter of business, your bank may pull your credit report which will reveal your personal bankruptcy. It would be better for the bank to hear from you about this life event then to find out after the fact.
  Contact other banks and credit unions until you find one that is willing to serve your needs without excessive restrictions or extra fees charged for their services.
  
  
• 3). Maintain wise stewardship. You can mitigate some of the problems consumers who have filed for personal bankruptcy face by not overdrawing your accounts or bouncing checks. Plan to open both a savings account and a checking account, linking the two in the event your checking account is accidentally overdrawn. Even with a recent bankruptcy filing, your bank may offer you overdraft checking for a fee; compare this option, taking note of the cost of transfer fees and interest rate charged.