Children’s Savings Accounts

When your child’s piggy bank or other money collecting device gets full, it may be time to open an account at the bank. A bank account allows children to keep track of money they have saved more easily. Here are some types of savings accounts that parents may want to consider.

A savings account can be started as soon as a child has money to put in one. Choose a day when you both have some free time and make a trip to your local branch of the bank. Talk to a teller or bank associate about starting an account for your child.

You and your child can open a statement savings account. This account gives both of you a monthly report of all account activity. It includes all of the deposits that your child has made into the account and all of the money that they have taken out of the account.

Read over the statement carefully with your child. Explain the various parts of the statement to them. Show them how much money they had and what they ended up with after interest payments and other account activity. Most statements list withdrawals and the date but not a detailed description of the transaction. You can write on the statement what each transaction was for so that the children get an idea of how they are spending their money.

There are also passbook savings accounts. I actually had one of these when I was in college. Each account holder is given a small book. Each time a deposit is made or a withdrawal is requested, the book is run through a machine that records the transaction on the pages of the passbook. This way, your child finds out his or her new balance right away instead of waiting for a statement at the end of the month. Some kids like that because they can look at their money as often as they want.

Banks are not the only institutions that issue savings accounts to children. Credit unions also have savings accounts available to the children of their members. There are special savings accounts that are designed for kids of various ages. When the account is opened, they receive an ATM card with their picture on it and other free gifts for starting the account.

An ATM/debit card can be used as cash by your child for their purchases. Parents can keep the receipts and teach children how to check them against their savings account statements each month. Allowance money can also be deposited in the savings account each month.

If a child is under eighteen, some states will issue custodial savings accounts. These accounts list the parent’s name as the account holder and the child’s name underneath. The account ownership can be transferred to the child when they turn eighteen.

Savings accounts are a great tool for teaching money management skills. Kids can keep track of their money easily and even use an ATM/debit card to make purchases or withdraw cash.