 TITLE: What Is a Checking Account? CONTENT: How Does Having a Bank Account Affect My Credit?\n------------------------------------------------\nThe status of your bank account doesn't affect your credit scores directly, but insufficient funds can lead to missed bill payments, and that can lower your scores.\nThat's why opening a checking account can actually help your credit scores if you manage it well. While improving your credit won't happen automatically—and is no guarantee just because you open a checking account—once you have a bank account, you can set up automatic bill pay with your credit card, utility, medical and other bills, which can ensure you never miss a payment. Automatic payments make it easier to manage credit card payments with a checking account, and also help to boost your credit while you're at it. Because payment history has the biggest influence on your credit scores, showing future creditors that you're able to manage your monthly payments on time will reassure them that you are financially responsible—and that may make them more likely to lend to you, whether via loan or credit card.\nOnce you've had your account for a while and have been paying your utility and telecom bills on time through your account's bill pay program, you could actually improve your credit. [](;k_id=_k_Cj0KCQjwhPfkBRD0ARIsAAcYycGhQm0Xodkvp3mlHsJWWEXqXx-U9pKXOOlfqWCfXpWd6FgC0Zb8K3gaAgsOEALw_wcB_k_&k_kw=kwd-585063777506&k_mt=e&pc=sem_exp_google&cc=sem_exp_google_ad_1651407997_65972645920_337084588681_kwd-585063777506_e_1t1__k_Cj0KCQjwhPfkBRD0ARIsAAcYycGhQm0Xodkvp3mlHsJWWEXqXx-U9pKXOOlfqWCfXpWd6FgC0Zb8K3gaAgsOEALw_wcB_k_&ref=boostbrand&awsearchcpc=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhPfkBRD0ARIsAAcYycGhQm0Xodkvp3mlHsJWWEXqXx-U9pKXOOlfqWCfXpWd6FgC0Zb8K3gaAgsOEALw_wcB)Experian Boost™† ™ is a program that counts your utility and telecom payments in your payment history, which can help you begin building a better FICO® Score☉ before you even take out a loan or credit card. END