If you want your kid to learn financial responsibility, it’s time to learn about bank accounts for teens.
Your child won’t stay in high school forever. Once he turns 18, he’ll have to handle his finances by himself.
Teen banking could prepare your kid to deal with the aspects of personal finance. It allows him to understand its consequences without sabotaging his financial future.
You could set the limits of his accounts so he doesn’t hurt your finances as well. Yet, he’ll see an actual example of how money management affects his finances.
Millions of teens have jettisoned their finances forever due to poor financial management. Start teaching financial responsibility today, so your kid grows with financial stability.
Why Is Teaching Teens About Checking Accounts Important?
Your kid won’t be hanging around your home forever.
Eventually, he’ll have to move out and start a life of his own. Personal finance is a crucial part of adult life, and bank accounts for teens properly guide your kid early.
US consumer debt rose to $4.2 trillion in February 2020 due to credit card debt, auto loans, and student loans. If you notice, he will soon be capable of shouldering these debt options.
Without proper financial literacy, your kid may grow up burdened by unpaid balances. These could truly pull down his credit score and other important aspects of his life.
He can’t properly start his adult life if he’s too busy paying off creditors. Excessive debts eventually lower credit ratings, so that employers may reject him for job opportunities.
Bank accounts for teens build a solid foundation of financial literacy. As a result, children develop to become adults who manage their finances wisely.
Ultimately, early financial education prepares him to take on adult life.
How to Create a Bank Account for Teens
Getting your kid a bank account is similar to how you’d do it. You just have to be there every step of the way.
First, explain why you’ll provide them with a bank account. Emphasize how bank accounts for teens are as important as those they’ll handle as an adult.
Elaborate on the characteristics of debit and credit accounts. Give them an idea of how concepts like interest rates and overdraft fees work.
Then, choose the best bank that best suits you and your child’s needs. Search for teen checking account options that will prevent him from spending too much.
Similar to riding a bike, their first should protect them as they learn. Soon, they’ll be able to drive their finances without the “training wheels.”
Find the Right Bank
Numerous banks can provide bank accounts for teens.
You may check Bank Of America, Citizen Bank, or other financial institutions for their list of options. Choose the ones that offer important account features and favorable terms and conditions.
For example, make sure he can track his account using the bank’s smartphone app. This will allow your kid to monitor and understand his spending habits. Discourage him from saving his log-in details, though, as it could facilitate impulse spending.
Pick accounts that don’t require a maximum or minimum balance or a monthly service fee. This kiddie account can be converted into a regular one once he hits 18. Consequently, you’d want your kid to have the best terms and conditions as an adult.
For instance, you could open a joint account with your kid converted into his regular account as an adult. Another type of bank account for teens is the prepaid card that allows you to cap your child’s spending.
Once he has his bank account for teens, explain how it works. Verify if he has further inquiries, and answer them with proper explanations.
Emphasize how he should handle his kiddie account now so that they can have the best adult account in the future.
Create Ground Rules
As a parent, you know how rules instill discipline and good behavior in your child.
With the prevalence of online banking, it’s extremely easy to purchase products and services using the internet. As a result, people tend to impulsively click “add to cart,” burying them in debt within minutes.
Consequently, parents should impose ground rules to limit bank accounts for teens. Your kid should follow guidelines so that he can avoid financial problems.
For example, set a limit on transaction amounts that will prevent them from overspending. You could also require your approval for every purchase.
You could even use these rules to reinforce other good behaviors. For instance, you could require your child to maintain a good grade to continue their account privileges.
These limitations will depend on you. After all, you and your kid will open the account, and you understand what’s best for him. Your ground rules should suit your parenting style and goals.
Debit vs. Credit
Once you open a bank account for teens, you should clarify the differences between credit cards and debit cards.
Your teenager will receive a debit card along with his new bank account. As such, your kid may think this debit card functions like a credit card.
Like typical savings accounts, debit cards draw from funds that cover transactions. If he spends past the card limit, he could incur overdraft fees and a negative balance.
If he swipes like there’s no tomorrow, you’ll have to foot huge penalties from his bank account for teens. Thankfully, some banks provide overdraft protection, preventing excessive ATM withdrawal and expenditures.
Furthermore, you should discuss debit card safety and security. He should keep his log-in details safe and private, so nobody else could spend his money.
Teach Them Money Management Skills
Bank accounts for teens serve as training tools for financial literacy.
As we’ve mentioned, it helps your teen learn how to manage his finances with minor consequences. In turn, he can handle money properly to avoid severe financial problems in the future.
One of the important teen money management skills is saving. This teaches him how to delay gratification and to prepare for a rainy day.
Let’s say you fund his account depending on his household chores. This could teach the lesson that money should be earned and valued.
The bank account for teens may help establish a connection between his labor and his money. He may become conscientious about proper spending, reserving his money for better purposes later.
Aside from short-term savings, your kid may learn to manage his long-term credit rating.
You could give him a credit card so that he could understand credit scores better. He would see how his spending habits boost or drop his credit score.
Again, this will depend on your discretion as a parent.
You must balance risk and financial education when getting a bank account for teens. Learning money management involves understanding risks, so your child might not learn if there are no consequences.
Remember that minimal risk today may save him from financial ruin in the future.
Final Thoughts
A bank account for teens could provide financial literacy for your child’s adult life.
It could help him manage money properly so that he can avoid potential money problems. Also, this will help him succeed in one of the important parts of adulthood.
If you need further assistance, you could check bank websites for more details. Even better, they usually have customer service representatives ready for your inquiries.
You could also visit your local bank for additional help. However, the COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing, so keep safe by following public health guidelines.
Collaborate with your child regarding his financial literacy, so he’ll be ready for adult life.
Questions About Bank Account for Teens
Can a teenager get a checking account?
A teen may open a checking account with their parent or legal guardian. He must also follow government laws and bank guidelines.
What is the best debit card for a teenager?
This will depend on a number of factors, such as their personal needs and the options available. Please inquire at your preferred bank for more detailed information.
Which bank is best for teenagers?
The teenager and his parents will ultimately decide which bank best suits their needs. Banks have websites that can provide more information about their specific options.
What is needed for a teenager to open a bank account?
To open a bank account for teens, they would need a parent or a legal guardian. Moreover, they should comply with government laws and submit their bank’s specific requirements.
