<p>Time for S to have his own checking account - but so far haven’t been able to find a bank here in NYC that will allow a 17 year old to open an account. Did manage to locate a bank in Westchester (Key Bank) that has them, but banking by mail is less than optimal. Any suggestions would be much appreciated…</p>
<p>We had to open an account with our naes on it too, then when D turned 18 we could remove our names. It was still D’s account and she hadnled it, but our names were there for legal reasons.</p>
<p>The two closest savings banks to us that we checked wouldn’t even let him open a joint account with me. Not like he’s looking for a credit card or the like…</p>
<p>soozievt has a 17 year old D at NYU and I know she said they had trouble, but were finally able to open an account for her. She could probably help if you send her a PM.</p>
<p>There are plenty of banks that allow joint accounts. I have a joint savings account with my mother at commerce bank. They rock so check them out <3</p>
<p>Tried Commerce - no joint accounts where one of the parties is under 18.</p>
<p>that’s kind of weird…considering I’m from NYC too and I’m reading this pamphlet that says “free checking for students 25 years of age and under”</p>
<p>They told me at the local Commerce branch…under 25…but over 18…</p>
<p>Our local Chase Manhattan Bank (in Texas) has a special checking account deal for college students. They let my 16 year old open an account even though he is a few years from college. </p>
<p>If I remember correctly, I do not think my name is on the account- just his. A student can use this account for 5 years after they open it. I do not know if this is available only in our area or at all Chase offices.</p>
<p>I will check with Chase here - but I believe if they do offer it - it will not be without a monthly fee…</p>
<p>Is your end goal a debit/ATM card? Most people don’t write checks anymore so I am curious what your goal is.</p>
<p>Goal is actually primarily the checking component - S has a part time job and it would be helpful for him to be able to make deposits and write checks - secondarily I think he would use online banking if available - debit card would be a nice extra but not the primary objective…</p>
<p>I am thinking w/ a debit card the writing of checks becomes moot?</p>
<p>Well not always…if he owes me or his mom money its easier for him to write us a check than deal with getting the cash which we would just wind up depositing to our account.</p>
<p>Good point. I had a checking account at 14 when I went away to school. I think we spoke w/ an officer at the bank and got it set up. I had a debit card and a savings account all tied together.</p>
<p>Wachovia has student checking accounts, with a debit card if over 16. Since we were longstanding customers, I was able to get debit for my 15 3/4 year old prior to a European school trip. I am also listed on account, but this is only so I can transfer funds in!</p>
<p>
*** are you certain you understand the legal implication of having your name on an account?</p>
<p>I did not see this thread and have been out of town but I did read the OP’s private message/inquiry to me before reading this thread now. I might as well post the PM I sent back because it explains the situation.</p>
<p>Hi Alan, </p>
<p>Let me clarify the situation. I live in Vermont. I have a daughter who graduated high school early and started her freshman year at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts (BFA in musical theater) this fall and was sixteen when she arrived 2 1/2 months ago in NYC (now is 17). </p>
<p>Before she went to college, she has had a checking account of her own with my husband and I as co-signers on the account jointly with her, here in Vermont at a bank that is not in NY. It is called BankNorth though that does not help you in NY as it is a regional bank. However, it does help to know that SOME banks will let a minor have a checking account with an adult whose name is also on the account.</p>
<p>When we took our child to NYU in late August, we wanted her to have an account in NYC where she could have checking, deposits, ATM, and debit card, since that is where she was going to live and our local bank has no branch in NYC. The move in day was on a Sunday so the only bank open in that area on a Sunday was Commerce Bank. I was very disappointed when they would not allow me to open a joint checking account with my sixteen year old at the bank, like she has at our home bank. They would ONLY let me open a savings account with her and the only thing she can do with it is make deposits and use an ATM machine but she cannot write checks or use a debit card. This was not too great other than her being able to get cash from an ATM. We really wanted her to be able to write checks or at least have a debit card. I could not understand why this was a problem with an adult on the account given that we have such an account with her here at our home bank but they would not budge. </p>
<p>So, what we now have done is to get a debit card for her on her VT account. Now, in NYC, she can use ATM for either account, make deposits on either account but only write checks or use a debit card on her VT account. </p>
<p>So, that’s the situation. I am not sure if banks in NYC WILL let you open a checking account that is shared between a kid and a parent. Strange to me given my kid has had such an account for years here in Vermont and has earned money since childhood (has done professional work in theater). </p>
<p>Not sure this helps you at all but that is what we have done. I don’t know if your child is at home in NYC or away at college or just what.</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>I forgot to mention in that note that none of the banks in my region have branches in NYC, unfortunately because then whatever we set up here (where it seems these problems do not exist) could be used in NYC with a branch. Luckily she has the use of a debit card now and can and always has been able to write checks but these would be out of state checks in NYC. I think she is mostly using ATM and debit cards. I won’t get into my issues with her that I discovered in her one trip home relating to her lack of keeping records in her checkbooks. I realize she must keep two now and she did it fine before she left (though did not have to use it much before college but did know how and did work this past summer but now is on her own and using money daily and having to handle it all). Showdown over that and I had to set her books straight and have her start record keeping over again, which I will be checking on over Thanksgiving. This was a non issue for my other kid who has similar accounts at college and at home. Actually come to think of it, she got her account in Providence (goes to college at Brown) which is checking and debit card and ATM, when she arrived for freshman year last year and she had just turned 18 a few days before and I guess that made a difference with the bank there.</p>
<p>Check the University credit union.</p>
<p>Check Doral Savings Bank. The passbook savings account comes with an ATM card and you can join if you are under 18.</p>