Bank Connection Issues
How to fix common bank connection problems in Forbidden Finance, including connection errors, degraded connections, and re-authentication prompts.
Overview
Bank connections in Forbidden Finance link your accounts through our secure aggregator network. Most connection issues fall into a few common categories: your bank is not supported, the connection is degraded and needs re-authentication, your bank's credentials changed, or your bank is prompting for additional verification. This guide walks you through diagnosing and fixing each issue.
If your bank connection was working and recently stopped, start with the "Reconnect a Degraded Connection" section below.
Common Issues and Fixes
Your Bank Is Not Found
If you search for your bank during the connection flow and it does not appear:
- Double-check the name. Try the bank's full legal name, common abbreviations, or the name shown on their website. For example, "Chase" and "JPMorgan Chase" are both valid.
- Try the bank's website URL. Some banks are listed by their web address rather than their display name.
- Check whether your bank is reachable. Not all financial institutions support third-party connections. Credit unions and smaller regional banks are less likely to be available on the bank rail. Investment firms may connect on the brokerage rail instead. If your bank is not listed anywhere, you can still track it using a manual account.
Connection Is Degraded
A degraded connection means Forbidden Finance can no longer pull data from your bank. You see a yellow or red banner on the dashboard and/or a warning icon next to the account. Common causes:
- Your bank changed their login flow. Banks occasionally update their security prompts, which can break existing connections.
- Your bank credentials changed. If you recently updated your bank password, the stored connection is no longer valid.
- Your bank requires additional verification. Some banks periodically ask you to re-enter an MFA code or answer a security question.
How to Reconnect a Degraded Connection
Tap the connection health banner
On the dashboard, tap the yellow or red connection health banner. Or go to Settings > Accounts and find the affected bank.
Tap Reconnect
Tap the Reconnect button next to the degraded connection. The secure connection flow opens.
Re-enter your bank credentials
Log in to your bank through the secure connection flow with your current username and password. Complete any MFA prompts your bank requires.
Confirm the reconnection
Once authenticated, the connection is restored. Your transaction history resumes syncing based on your tier's schedule.
Reconnecting and Your Connection Limit
- Fixing a connection never uses another slot. Reconnecting repairs the connection you already have. If you start a fresh connection to a bank you already have (working or broken), the app catches it and offers to fix the existing one instead.
- A broken connection still counts. A degraded or expired connection keeps its slot until it is repaired or removed — disconnect connections you no longer want so the slot frees up.
- If you do replace a broken connection with a fresh one to the same bank, the old broken one is cleaned up automatically after about a week. Both count toward your limit during that short window, so if you are at your tier's cap, remove the old one yourself rather than waiting.
Bank Requires MFA During Reconnection
Some banks require you to complete an MFA step (such as a text message code, email code, or security question) every time a third-party connection is re-established. This is your bank's security policy, not something Forbidden Finance controls. Complete the prompt to restore the connection.
Connection Succeeds but No Transactions Appear
If your connection shows as active but you do not see transactions:
- Wait for the next sync. Transactions may not appear until your bank next reports or the daily pass runs. On every tier, sync is daily plus updates whenever your bank reports changes — there is no hourly or real-time bank sync.
- Check the account type. Make sure the accounts you selected during the connection process are account types supported by your tier. For example, investment holdings connect on the brokerage rail (Pro and above).
- Pull to refresh. On the dashboard, pull down to trigger a manual data refresh.
Key Details
| Tier | Number of Bank Connections | Sync Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Free | None (manual accounts only) | N/A |
| Starter | Up to 5 | Daily, plus updates when your bank reports changes |
| Pro | Up to 15 | Daily, plus updates when your bank reports changes |
| Premium | Unlimited | Daily, plus updates when your bank reports changes |
Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to connect my bank?
Yes. Bank connections run through our secure aggregator network, which connects directly to your bank using bank-grade encryption. Forbidden Finance never sees or stores your bank login credentials.
Why does my bank keep disconnecting?
Some banks have stricter security policies that require periodic re-authentication for third-party connections. This is the bank's policy, and it varies by institution. You can reconnect in a few taps whenever this happens.
Can I connect the same bank account to multiple budgets?
Yes. A single bank connection can feed transactions into any budget you set up. The connection is to the account itself, and you choose how transactions are categorized in your budgets.
What if my bank connection issue is not listed here?
Contact our support team at [email protected] with the name of your bank, the error message you see, and a screenshot if possible. We investigate connection issues and work with our aggregator network to resolve them.
Related Articles
Connect Your Bank
Step-by-step guide to adding a bank connection.Reconnect a Bank
Detailed reconnection instructions.Sync Not Working
Troubleshoot delayed or missing transactions.Manual Accounts
Track accounts without a bank connection.Need more help? Contact us at [email protected].