Can I open checking or savings accounts with more than one bank at a time? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (2024)

FAQs

Can I open checking or savings accounts with more than one bank at a time? | Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? ›

Can I open checking or savings accounts with more than one bank at a time? Yes. There are no restrictions on the number of checking and savings accounts you can open or the number of banks or credit unions with which you can have accounts.

How Many Checking Accounts Can I Have? The number of checking accounts any one person can have is entirely up to them. There's no limit on the number of checking accounts you can open, whether you have them at traditional banks, credit unions or online banks.

There's no rule against opening a second bank account. You might stick with your current bank or credit union, or branch out to a new financial institution. Either way, having multiple checking accounts could make budgeting easier—or more challenging, depending on how you manage your finances.

The number of savings accounts you can have in one place depends on your bank. Some banks limit the number of accounts you can open, and others might not. And if one bank limits the number of accounts you can open, you can open an account at a different bank.

Having multiple checking accounts could also mean more maintenance — and more fees — from the bank if you fall below the minimum balance requirements or inactivity thresholds. Be sure to stay on top of your finances to avoid paying any unnecessary fees or losing out on accruing interest.

The FDIC refers to these different categories as “ownership categories.” This means that a bank customer who has multiple accounts may qualify for more than $250,000 in insurance coverage, if the customer's funds are deposited in different ownership categories and the requirements for each ownership category are met.

There is no limit set to how many bank accounts you should have. However, it is advisable to have less than four bank accounts per person because it becomes difficult to manage money in multiple bank accounts. Is there any problem with having multiple bank accounts?

You can have as many bank accounts as you like, from any bank that's willing to let you open one. Keeping track of multiple accounts can involve extra legwork, but there are definite benefits. You may already have more than one bank account.

There's no limit to the number of savings accounts you can open, either at one bank or several banks. But is there an ideal number of savings accounts? Not really. However, you don't want to get too carried away and open so many savings accounts that you lose track of balances, interest rates and other account details.

Spreading your money out across different savings accounts from various banks could help you take advantage of higher interest rates. For example, your brick-and-mortar bank may pay a lower APY for a regular savings account versus a high-yield savings account at an online bank.

Which is safer, Money Market or CD? ›

Both CDs and money market accounts are safe investments. They typically include FDIC insurance and don't involve the purchase of securities that may fluctuate in value. The only situation in which your investment could be at risk is if the financial institution at which you open the account declares bankruptcy.

The act of closing a bank account, such as a checking or savings account, does not directly affect your credit score. Your credit score is not directly affected by your checking and savings account activity. That includes account closures.

Will having two or more current accounts damage my credit score? Not necessarily, no. However, having two or more current accounts won't necessarily damage your credit score, but it could have a negative impact if you start dipping into multiple overdrafts – making it look as if your finances are becoming stretched.