At What Age Should a Child Get a Debit Card?

How Do You Know if a Child is Ready for a Debit Card?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to when a child should get their first debit card. Here are some signs that they may be ready:
 

• Earning their own money: If your child has a part-time job or earns money through babysitting, yard work or other activities, a debit card may help them manage their earnings.
• Building good money habits: If they’re already earning an allowance or making smart spending choices, they might be ready to handle a debit card.
• Increasing independence: As children grow older, they may need more financial independence for school activities, outings with friends or online purchases.

Benefits of Having a Debit Card at an Early Age

There are many benefits to getting a debit card for your child, including:
 

• Convenience: If your child receives an allowance, you can give it to them in a more convenient way. Instead of stopping at an ATM or giving them an IOU, you can transfer the money to the checking account tied to their card.
• Parental controls: These allow you to provide more oversight of your child's spending than with cash. As the joint owner of the card, you can sign on to online banking to see the card activity and enroll in account alerts to get notifications about their spending.
• Security: Debit cards can be more secure to carry around than cash. If your child loses cash, they won’t be able to get it back. Debit cards come with protections against theft, plus you can use online banking to lock or unlock their card if it’s lost or stolen.
• Responsibility: A debit card allows you to set boundaries around your child’s spending, while helping them understand what responsible money management looks like.

Types of Accounts for Minors

In most states, anyone under the age of 18 can’t open a bank account in their own name without an adult. But there are options that allow minors to use debit cards under the supervision of a parent or guardian:
 

• Joint accounts: A parent or guardian can open a joint account with their child. This gives both parties access to the account and its features, including a debit card.
• Custodial accounts: A parent or guardian opens these accounts on behalf of the child. The adult retains control over the account until the child reaches a specified age, typically 18 or 21.
• Prepaid debit cards: These cards can be an excellent option for younger children, as they often have no minimum age requirement. Parents can load funds onto the card, set spending limits and monitor transactions.
• Teen checking accounts: Some banks offer specialized accounts for teenagers, usually between the ages of 13 and 17, and students. These accounts often include a debit card and provide tools for financial education.

Money Conversations to Have With Your Child

Use these money conversation topics to further your child's financial education and establish clear boundaries around spending:
 

• Explain where the money comes from: Make sure they understand whether the money is coming from a joint account or their own account, that their debit card is tied to a checking account, and the difference between a checking and a savings account.
• Establish an appropriate spending threshold: How much money is your child allowed to spend with their debit card without having to ask you first? This will give you some control over their account balance and teach responsible spending.
• Discuss overdraft fees and how to avoid them: Does the account your child has access to allow overdrafts? Be sure your child understands what happens if there’s not enough money in their account.
   

Giving your child their first debit card is just the start — the conversations and check-ins you have along the way are what help them build money skills that last.

How KeyBank Can Help

Once you've decided your child is ready, explore KeyBank’s minor account options, including:
 

• KeyBank Hassle-Free Account^®: A parent or guardian serves as the account owner, while children aged 13 and up can be designated as Authorized Minor Users. You can transfer money to their card through online banking¹ and even load the debit card onto a digital wallet, so your child can use their phone to make payments.
• Joint checking account: As the joint owner, you'll both have access to the account and a debit card. You can open one with your child (under 18) at a KeyBank branch or by phone at 1-800-KEY2YOU^® (1-800-539-2968). Dial 711 for TTY/TRS.
• Student checking account with a debit card: Child or student checking accounts offer access to a debit card when a child reaches age 16. KeyBank offers the Key Smart Checking^® and the KeyBank Hassle-Free Account for students.
   

If you want to give your child a debit card at a younger age, you may prefer an option with greater spending limitations, like a reloadable prepaid card. As your child ages, you can give them more freedom with a joint or student checking account. Talk to a banker to discuss your options.