FAQs

Personal banking incorporates the financial products and services available to you, your partner, and your family. It’s checking and savings accounts, credit cards, personal loans, auto loans, mortgage loans, and even wealth management.

It does not include business banking products and services, such as commercial real estate loans, business bank accounts, or treasury management services.

To open a personal bank account, you must be 18 years of age and a US citizen living in Texas.

During the process, you will need:

• A valid, government-issued ID (driver’s license, passport, state-issued ID card)
• Your personal information, including physical address, phone, DOB, and SSN
• A minimum opening deposit in the form of cash or check (minimum amount varies by product, but is usually $50)

If you are not 18, you will probably need someone to co-own the account, usually a parent or guardian. They will need to provide their ID and personal their ID and personal information, as well.

At Texas First, we offer personal checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit (CD).

• Checking Accounts – This is the most basic type of deposit account. It is used for the normal operations of your daily life. You deposit money into the account, and your funds are easily accessible using either traditional paper checks or more commonly, a debit card tied to the account. At Texas First Bank, we take checking accounts a step further by offering high-interest and cash-back rewards checking accounts with no monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirement. Other benefits of Texas First checking accounts include:
  • Unlimited Transactions
  • Easy Set Up for Automatic Bill Payments
  • Free Budgeting Tools
  • Zelle® Money Transfers
• Savings Accounts – As important as a checking account, a savings account gives you a place to keep your money and earn interest long-term safely. With all savings accounts, you are limited in the number of withdrawals from your account each month, and a debit card is not provided. Your money remains easily accessible in your online banking through transfers, at an ATM, or in person at a banking center, but they are designed to grow your money. Savings accounts are ideal for money you don’t need right away, but might need eventually, like an emergency fund. Texas First Bank offers reward savings accounts tied to your reward checking accounts that earn an increased interest rate when you meet monthly qualifications.
• Money Market Accounts – A money market account is a savings account with the flexibility of a checking account. It typically offers a higher interest rate than a regular savings account, but it also requires you to maintain a higher balance in your account to avoid fees.  Like a checking account, you can write checks or sometimes use a debit card to access the funds, but like a savings account, you are still often limited in the number of monthly withdrawals. In Money Market accounts, you typically earn high interest rates when you keep high balances, so they are ideal for long-term savings such as buying a house or car.
• Certificates of Deposit (CDs) – A CD is a type of account in which you agree to leave money in the CD for a specific amount of time. That timeframe is usually between 3 months and 60 months, which you decide based on the available interest rate you may desire. Typically, the longer the term, the higher the interest rate. At the end of the term, you can renew for another term or move the money into a more fluid account. There is a penalty with CDs for early withdrawal, but it’s a great way to save money at a higher rate than other accounts if you don’t have immediate use.

No, you may open a personal checking or savings account at Texas First Bank using our online account opening tool. Please be sure to have your information and documentation to ensure a smooth process. If you desire a co-signer, they will also need to be present at the time of opening online.

By federal law, financial institutions are able to share some information with certain third parties for the purpose of running their everyday business. For example, we use a vendor to process your transactions and another to make online banking available to you. You can learn more about how we collect, share, and protect your personal information in our Privacy Policy.

There’s no right or wrong answer on which account to open first. Typically, we see people opening checking accounts first for accessibility to funds, or we may see people opening a checking and savings account at the same time. Knowing your financial goals or discussing them with a Texas First banker will help you determine what’s right for you. The benefits of having a Texas First Bank account are that your money up to $250,000 is insured by the FDIC, you are afforded some protections for stolen debit cards, and a bank account is the first step into a financially healthy life.

As a first step, we recommend you contact the banking center location in which you opened your account. If you are unable to contact them or you opened your account online, you can call our Personal Assistance Live Support (PALS) number 888-832-7257 or you can chat with a live banker through authenticated and secure chat within your TFB Mobile App or Online Banking.

To open a Texas First Bank account, you must be a resident of Texas.