Joint Bank Accounts

[krispy12]

Me & my bf have bank accounts with our local credit union. I have my own personal account, just me on it only, that has my car & my checking/savings. My checking has nothing & my car is behind on payments a few months.

My bf has a checking/savings account under his name & he added me as a joint user on the savings account 5 years ago.

When I check my credit report I never see his account that I'm joint on. I am using his checking account right now to put money in & get gas, groceries, etc.

I am on a 2 year wait for a inside transfer. I just want to see if I should have my bf remove my name off his savings or should I just leave it alone? I also don't want to raise any flags later, although I'm not sure how they can find out about this account if it doesn't show up on my credit report?

[BigJohn]

I don't think your regular back account shows up on a credit report. As for your name being on his account, I assume you can write checks on that account. I would remove your name from his account.

[AngelinaCat]

I agree with BigJohn. We had a similar situation with our names on our god-dau's account. They were put there for the express purpose of cashing ONE check that had to go through a local BOA branch. Even though we never considered the account ours, and did not list it in our paperwork because we never considered it ours, legally, THIS day in time it was legally ours as well, and when god-dau overdrafted it by nearly 2K, we were going to be responsible.

Krispy, you and BF are going to have to close that account. That--at least in our experience--was the only way to get our names off the account. Perhaps the CU will have a little different policy. BF will have to open an new one, and then I guess, give you an allowance for food, etc.

Good luck.

[hnhlvr]

Yep, close all the accounts and get new ones at different banks. Also, get a new account for yourself at a different bank than the one you and your bf have. When I knew things were going to go downhill for me, I opened a new account (the other checkings were at banks w/credit cards) so I'd have a new account that's not linked to anything (not even my DH - even though we also opened new joint accounts). I always believe in a woman having her own bank account even if she's a SAHM (like I am). . . be sure to find a bank unrelated to any of your debt and NEVER get any credit via that bank.

[krispy12]

There's no way my bf is closing that account because he uses it as his spare account & he's used them for over 10 years & has everything set up there. He can remove my name from his account no problem but I was just worried because I didn't want to raise any red flags showing I was taken off his account before filing & them trying to get money from my bf.

I told my bf & he is taking my name off his account tomorrow. Luckily I don't have to be there since he is the primary account holder.

Oh & I definitely think it's wise for anyone to always have their own account as well. Alot of people just have joint accounts but to have your own personal own is handy just in case.