opening joint checking account- please help?

Question

I'm thinking of opening a joint checking account with my husband, who has a good job and a great credit score. I haven't worked in 3 years (been a stay-at-home mom) and my credit score is poor-fair. I haven't had any banking in my name since I stopped working (never planned it like that, we've just moved alot and didn't make time to opena new joint). Also, about 5 years ago, I bounced 2 checks from my personal account. I'm wondering if anyone who works in banking could tell me if I am still eligible to join my husband on a joint account even though I have this history of 2 bounced checks, a less-than-perfect credit score (which I'm working on), no banking in the last 3 years, and am not currently working? Or should he just add me to his existing account? Thanks so much! I dont want to be embarassed by going into a branch office and being denied

Answer 1

The bank won't care about your work or credit history. You only need to sign a form to be placed on the account, and for a signature card so that you can be identified by your signature.

They don't check for checking history, either. They have no way to go into this much detail, and have punitive charges for over-draft or insufficient funds to try to prevent this.

A credit card company would be more interested in the items that you mentioned, as a way to judge the amount of credit risk that you are, and how much they could safely loan you on a revolving, unsecured account.

Answer 2

If those 2 bounced checks weren't paid, you could be on the Chexsystem and banks won't give you an account. If you took care of the bounced checks right away, there should be no problem with you being on the account.

Answer 3

it is better to have your own account and him his own that is the smart way