I had to file chapter 7 bankruptcy 3 year ago due to becoming disabled. Now when I try to get a debit card from any bank I am turned down. The Chex system has me owing one bank 300 dollars even though it was included in the filing. I know life isn't fair, but bankruptcy is supposed to give a person a fresh start, this just does not seem legal to me. Any help would be appreciated.
Jeff from Anderson, IN
Jeff, I'm sorry you're having a tough time. Bankruptcy does give you a fresh start as far as the debt. The bank you used to owe $300 to is barred from trying to collect that money, but Chex Systems is still allowed to keep a record of it just like your credit report will show all those charged-off debts for 7 years.
It does seem silly to deny you a debit card that would deduct money from your checking account. But the reason for this is simple: You left one bank with a negative balance in your account, and so your current bank doesn't want to take any chances on that happening again. A couple of things you might try are opening an account with a credit union (they tend to be very oriented toward helping their members as opposed to just making a profit) or a bank that's based in your area (if you can find one), where you can speak to someone with real authority to make decisions on an individual basis.
All the best, good luck getting your finances in order. (04/18/2008)
By Kelly
There is a web site by Scott Bilker (just type in the name; his site should come up) that offers all sorts of financial advice. You can also ask him specific questions. I've found it wonderfully informative. Good luck. (04/19/2008)
By Janet45101
You can get a debit card at Walmart. It is loadable, for a fee, but it works just like one from the bank. This may be something you might want to look into. (04/20/2008)
By Leann
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