Bank Accounts for Kids and Teens
Family banking
that grows with you.
When your kids are small, every purchase they make runs through you. At some point, the goal becomes handing that part over, letting them pay for those decisions themselves. A bank account for kids and teens is where that transition begins.
See your options
Find a branch or location link opens to the Commerce locations page
Bank Accounts for Kids and Teens
Family banking
that grows with you.
When your kids are small, every purchase they make runs through you. At some point, the goal becomes handing that part over, letting them pay for those decisions themselves. A bank account for kids and teens is where that transition begins.
See your options
Find a branch or location link opens to the Commerce locations page
Start with what your child is ready for.
There is no single right age to open a bank account for a child. The answer really is what the child needs from the account. A young child who is still learning that money runs out needs something different from a sixteen-year-old with a paycheck.
Most families move through three stages. A child begins to learn money basics with a parent holding the wallet. A preteen gets a debit card with limits set by a parent. A teenager gets a real checking account and starts making their own financial decisions with a parent still in view.
Commerce built Family Banking around these stages, so you are not starting over every few years.
Commerce Family Banking Options
Greenlight at Commerce, designed for kids under 13
For many families, ages 9 to 12 are the right time for a first debit card. Greenlight gives your child hands-on money experience while you stay involved and set the boundaries. Greenlight plans normally start at $5.99 per month, a $69 annual value. The standard monthly service fee is waived for Commerce customers as long as an eligible Commerce checking account remains connected as the preferred funding source.footnote *
Greenlight is a financial technology company, not a bank. Funds are FDIC-insured through its issuing bank, Community Federal Savings Bank, Member FDIC.
What your family gets
- Give kids real spending experience with their own debit card
- Stay in control with spending limits and merchant restrictions
- Keep up with purchases through real-time transaction alerts
- Connect money to responsibility with automated chores and allowance
- Help kids build saving habits with goals they can track
- Make financial education engaging with Greenlight Level Up™
- Manage debit cards for up to five kids from one account
- Pay no monthly service fee with an eligible connected Commerce checking accountfootnote *
What you need
- An eligible Commerce checking account
- Registration through the Commerce link
- Your Commerce checking account connected as the preferred funding source
- A minimum initial loadfootnote *
Teen Checking, for ages 13 to 17
A first job and paycheck bring bigger financial decisions. Commerce Teen Checking gives your teen a real checking account and room to manage their own money while you stay connected as a joint account holder.
Families can pair Teen Checking with a Commerce savings account and use automatic transfers to help build a save-first habit. A portion of allowance money or each paycheck can move to savings before it is available for everyday spending. Running a savings account alongside their checking account gives your child practical experience balancing what they can spend today with what they want to save for later.
What your family gets
- Give your teen genuine ownership of their money with a jointly owned checking account
- Make everyday spending easier with their own Visa® debit card
- Help them manage paychecks with direct deposit and mobile check deposit
- Give parents and teens separate Online Banking and Mobile Banking logins
- Move money quickly with instant transfer capabilities
- Lock the debit card from the app if it is lost or misplaced
- Prevent overspending by declining transactions that would cause a negative balance
- Pay no monthly service fee and maintain no minimum balance
What you need
- A teen between ages 13 and 17
- A parent or legal guardian as a joint account holder
- An in-branch visit with both the teen and adult present
- Government-issued identification for the parent or legal guardian
- Identification or a birth certificate for the teen
- Social Security numbers for both account holders
- Proof of address
- A $25 opening deposit
Other fees may apply for optional services. Review the account agreement and fee schedule for complete terms.
Learn about Teen Checking link goes Commerce teen checking page Learn about Savings link goes Commerce savings pageCommerce Free Checking when they turn 18
When your child reaches adulthood, the goal is for them to already bank somewhere they trust. There is no monthly maintenance fee when your teen moves to a Commerce Free Checking account at 18, so the transition is a step forward instead of a fee they grow into.
Learn about Commerce Free Checking link goes to the Commerce free checking page
A banking approach that grows with your family
Your child will not learn to manage money all at once. They learn one decision at a time, from spending their first allowance to managing their first paycheck. The challenge is knowing when to give them more independence and how to stay involved without making every decision for them. You know your child best. Commerce gives your family the tools to take the next step when they are ready.
Start with confidence and control
Early money lessons should feel real without putting too much at risk. Greenlight gives younger children their own debit card and hands-on spending experience while you set limits, monitor purchases and control where the card can be used.
Your child gets the freedom to make small decisions. You get the visibility and controls to keep those decisions from becoming expensive mistakes.
Let them learn by doing
Financial confidence comes from making real choices, not just hearing another lesson about saving.
Greenlight connects chores and allowance to spending and savings goals. Teen Checking adds experience with direct deposit, mobile check deposit, account alerts and everyday money management.
The tools change as your child grows, but the goal stays the same: help them learn how to earn, save and spend responsibly.
Give them a clear path forward
Your child’s first account should prepare them for what comes next.
Commerce gives families a connected path from a parent-managed debit card to a jointly owned teen checking account and then to an adult checking account.
- Start with Greenlight. Give a younger child real spending experience with limits you control.
- Move to Teen Checking. Add direct deposit, mobile check deposit and greater account ownership.
- Continue with Commerce Free Checking. Help them enter adulthood with established banking experience and no monthly maintenance fee.
By the time your child is managing paychecks, bills and bigger financial decisions, the tools will already feel familiar. More importantly, the habits will already be in place.
Frequently asked questions
Can you open a bank account for a child?
Yes. Banks and credit unions may offer accounts for minors that are usually opened with a parent or legal guardian as a joint owner.
At Commerce, teens ages 13 to 17 can open Teen Checking with a parent or legal guardian as a joint account holder. For younger children, Greenlight offers a prepaid debit card managed through a parent’s account rather than a bank account held in the child’s name.
What types of bank accounts are available for kids and teens?
Common options include savings accounts, checking accounts and parent-managed debit cards.
Savings accounts help children build short-term and long-term saving habits. Checking accounts help teens practice using a debit card, receiving deposits and managing everyday spending. Parent-managed debit cards, such as Greenlight, give younger children spending experience with controls set by a parent.
Is a savings or checking account better for a child?
It depends on what your child is ready to learn. A savings account is best for working toward short-term or long-term goals. A checking account is better for teens who are ready to use a debit card, receive direct deposits and track everyday spending.
Many families use both so their child can practice deciding what to spend now and what to save for later.
What is the difference between a custodial and joint bank account?
A custodial account is managed by an adult on behalf of a child until the child reaches the age established by applicable law. A joint account gives both the adult and child ownership and access.
Commerce Teen Checking is a joint account owned by a teen and a parent or legal guardian. The structure gives the teen ownership of and day-to-day access to the account while allowing the adult to remain connected to the account.
Is a kids debit card the same as a bank account?
No. A kids debit card such as Greenlight is a prepaid card managed through an app and funded from a parent’s account. It is not a bank account held in the child’s name.
Commerce Teen Checking is a jointly owned bank account. It supports features such as direct deposit and mobile check deposit, giving teens experience with banking tools they are likely to use as adults.
What do you need to open a bank account for a child?
Requirements will depend on the financial institution and account type.
To open Commerce Teen Checking, the parent or legal guardian and teen must visit a Commerce branch together. Bring government-issued identification for the adult, identification or a birth certificate for the teen, Social Security numbers for both account holders, proof of address and a $25 opening deposit.
Can my teen manage their own account alerts?
Yes. Parents and teens receive separate Online Banking and Mobile Banking logins. Each person can independently enroll in text alerts and choose the notifications they want to receive. There are no age restrictions specifically for Mobile Banking notifications.
What happens to Teen Checking when my teen turns 18?
At 18, your teen can graduate to a Commerce Free Checking account. This account type has no monthly maintenance fee, so they can continue banking with Commerce without acquiring an unexpected monthly account fee.
More on family banking
Money conversations are easier when you have somewhere to start. These guides cover questions parents commonly ask, from a first allowance to a first paycheck.
Bank with Commerce
Commerce has been helping families manage money for more than 160 years. Find the account that fits where your child is right now.
Find a branch link opens to the Commerce locations pageBank with Commerce
Commerce has been helping families manage money for more than 160 years. Find the account that fits where your child is right now.
Find a branch link opens to the Commerce locations pageDisclosures:
*Commerce Bank customers are eligible for the Greenlight Select Plan at no cost when they connect their Commerce Bank account as the Greenlight funding source for the entirety of Commerce's relationship with Greenlight. Customers may also choose to upgrade to one of Greenlight's Partner premium plans: Infinity Select or Family Shield Select. Upgrades will result in additional fees. Commerce Bank customers will receive a $5.99 monthly discount on Greenlight premium plans when they connect an eligible account as their Greenlight funding source. In the event Commerce ends its relationship with Greenlight, members will be responsible for all associated Greenlight monthly fees. Offer ends 8/09/2029. Offer, pricing, and Commerce Bank participation subject to change. Subject to minimum funding requirements of $1.00footnote ^ and identity verification. Terms and conditions apply. See Commerce Bank and Greenlight terms at https://greenlight.com/promotionsgeneralterms link opens in a new window for full details. Price reflected includes monthly Commerce discount.
^Unless otherwise provided by Community Federal Savings Bank (the “Issuer” of the Greenlight debit card) and/or Greenlight from time to time, the minimum amount of an initial value load and a reload are variable (between $1 and $20) and the applicable minimum amount will be established and displayed for each customer either on the initial registration screens or the reload screens in the Application. The minimum initial value load and minimum reload amounts can be waived by the card issuing bank or Greenlight at any time.
The Greenlight® prepaid card is issued by Community Federal Savings Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International. Greenlight Select families can earn monthly rewards of 2% per annum on an average daily savings balance of up to $5,000 per family.
Copyright © 2026 Greenlight Financial Technology, All rights reserved. The Greenlight Card is issued by Community Federal Savings Bank, member FDIC, pursuant to license by Mastercard International.
