Does First National Bank Use ChexSystems?

A closed checking account can follow you to the next bank, especially when the account left behind an unpaid balance or a fraud warning. First National Bank reviews past banking activity before it decides whether to approve a new deposit account.

The bank has several checking options, including a checkless account that prevents overdraft fees. However, lower fees and tighter spending controls don’t remove the bank’s application requirements.

First National Bank Uses ChexSystems

First National Bank uses ChexSystems when it reviews new checking and savings account applications. Negative information in your ChexSystems consumer report can affect the bank’s decision.

The bank may see unpaid balances, involuntary account closures, returned checks, suspected fraud, and other reported deposit account problems. It may also confirm your identity through separate databases.

First National Bank makes the final approval decision. ChexSystems only provides information for the bank to review.

A paid balance from several years ago may receive different treatment from recent suspected fraud or an unresolved debt. First National Bank doesn’t publish a list of entries that cause an automatic denial.

First National Bank Has a Checkless Account

First National Bank offers the eStyle Account, a checkless checking account that doesn’t charge overdraft fees. The bank declines or returns transactions when the account lacks enough money, although some transactions can still create a negative balance.

The eStyle Account doesn’t include paper checks. Customers can make payments with a debit card, online banking, mobile banking, and digital payment services.

These controls may help someone avoid new overdraft problems, but First National Bank doesn’t identify eStyle as a second chance checking account. Applicants still have to pass the bank’s normal account review.

How the eStyle Account Works

The eStyle Account focuses on electronic banking and predictable spending. It may suit customers who rarely write checks and want transactions declined when their available balance is too low.

The account includes:

• No overdraft fees: First National Bank doesn’t charge an overdraft fee when the account becomes overdrawn.
• No paper checks: Payments must be made through the debit card or supported electronic services.
• Debit card access: Customers can make purchases and withdraw cash with a Visa debit card.
• Mobile deposits: Eligible checks can be deposited through the First National Bank mobile app.
• Online Bill Pay: Customers can schedule eligible payments without writing checks.
• Digital banking: The account includes online and mobile account access.

First National Bank warns that it can’t prevent every negative balance. A delayed card transaction, reversed deposit, or other adjustment can still overdraw the account. The customer must return the balance to a positive amount.

Freestyle Checking Is the Standard No-Fee Option

Freestyle Checking is a more traditional account. It includes unlimited check writing, no minimum balance requirement, and no monthly service charge when the customer chooses online statements.

An online application requires a $50 opening deposit. First National Bank lists no minimum opening balance for customers who open the account at a branch.

Freestyle Checking also includes:

• Visa debit card: The card supports eligible mobile wallet services.
• ATM access: Customers can use about 1,800 surcharge-free ATMs.
• Paper checks: The account permits unlimited check writing.
• Mobile and online banking: Customers can review activity, transfer money, and make deposits.
• Instant payments: The account can receive eligible payments through supported real-time payment networks.

Freestyle Checking may cost less than a checkless account, but it doesn’t have the same overdraft limits as eStyle. It also isn’t promoted as an account for applicants with negative ChexSystems information.

A ChexSystems Entry Doesn’t Always Mean Denial

First National Bank can consider more than the existence of a ChexSystems record. The details behind the entry matter.

An application may face more difficulty when the record shows:

• Money still owed: An unpaid negative balance can make the problem look unresolved.
• Recent account closures: A recent involuntary closure may receive more attention than an older issue.
• Suspected fraud: Fraud-related entries may carry more weight than ordinary overdrafts.
• Repeated account problems: Several closures or unpaid balances can show a pattern.
• Debt owed to First National Bank: A previous loss involving the same bank may prevent approval.

Paying an accurate balance doesn’t remove the entry right away. The reporting bank should update the status to show that the debt has been paid.

Review ChexSystems Before You Apply

Request your ChexSystems consumer report before you submit an application. You may find an error that can be corrected before First National Bank reviews your information.

Check for incorrect balances, unfamiliar accounts, wrong closure reasons, duplicate entries, and paid debts that still appear unpaid.

Accurate negative information generally remains for five years. You can dispute information that is inaccurate or incomplete and send documents that support your claim.

What to Do After a Denial

Read the notice First National Bank provides after it denies your application. The notice should identify any consumer reporting company that supplied information used in the decision.

Request the named consumer report and review the entries that may have caused the denial. Dispute incorrect information with both the consumer reporting company and the bank that submitted it.

Contact the former financial institution when the balance is accurate. Ask how to pay the debt and when the account status will be updated.

You can also ask First National Bank whether it will reconsider the application after a correction or payment. If the bank still declines the account, compare banks that don’t use ChexSystems and true second chance checking accounts before applying elsewhere.

Best Alternatives to First National Bank

If First National Bank’s ChexSystems policy prevents you from opening an account, there are several other banks that can help you start fresh and get approved quickly.

Learn More

• Banks That Don’t Use ChexSystems – Take the first step to rebuilding your banking history with our list of banks that do not use ChexSystems for account approval.
• Credit Unions That Don’t Use ChexSystems – Find a credit union that will work with you, not against you. Learn about the credit unions that don’t use ChexSystems.
• Am I in ChexSystems? – Unsure if you’re in ChexSystems? Learn how to find out and take control of your financial status.
• How to Get Out of ChexSystems – Learn how to get out of ChexSystems in four simple steps.
• Second Chance Checking Accounts – Take control of your financial future with our list of over 450 banks that offer second chance checking accounts.