Chex Systems is used to share information among member banks about closed accounts to assess the risk of opening new accounts. Which statement best describes its purpose?

• A. It helps banks assess the risk of opening new accounts by sharing information about closed accounts
• B. It monitors stock prices for banks
• C. It reports credit scores to lenders
• D. It enforces federal banking regulations

Answer: (A)

Chex Systems serves as a shared record among banks about customers’ deposit account histories to help assess risk when opening new accounts. By collecting information on past issues with checking or savings accounts—such as closed accounts, overdrafts, or fraud—financial institutions can decide whether to approve or deny a new account application. This responsibility is specifically about deposit accounts and not about market data, credit scores, or regulatory enforcement. Stock prices aren’t tracked here, credit scores come from consumer credit bureaus, and enforcement of banking regulations is handled by government regulators. So the statement that it helps banks assess the risk of opening new accounts by sharing information about closed accounts best describes its purpose.