Investing in your Child's Future
Investing for your children can have a huge impact on their financial success, especially if you invest early. Whether you are saving for college, a vehicle, or a down payment for a home, starting early is key. With traditional investments, time is on your child’s side. So setting aside and investing as little as $20 a month can have a big impact. For example, $50 a month invested in the stock market, conservatively, could result in nearly $22,000 by the time your child is 18 years old and $60,000 by the time they are 30 years old!
While most parents would like to invest funds into their children’s future, many find the task of knowing where to begin overwhelming. While there aren’t a huge number of investment options for children, there are some that, as a parent, you can open on behalf of your child.
from: dadvengers
Savings Account
A savings account can be opened for a child by a parent. It is easy to contribute, transfer, and withdrawal money within the account. Both the parent and the child are joint account holders, because of this parents will want to keep an eye on the account activity. Generally, savings accounts for kids have no minimum balance requirement, no monthly fees, and better-than-average interest rates. Savings accounts are more conservative than alternative investments but generally yield a smaller return.
from: us news
529 Education Savings Plan
This is a great tool to save for college or technical training for your child. There are generally no contribution limits (but this can vary by state), additionally anyone can open and contribute to the account. The contributions grow tax free and as long as funds are used for educational expenses, withdrawals are tax-free as well. Additionally, contributing annually to this will usually result in a state tax deduction or credit as well. Annual contributions are also a great Christmas or birthday gift from grandparents or family members. Instead of a physical gift, consider asking for monetary investments. Additionally, if your child ends up not needing the funds for educational purposes, simply transfer the funds to a Roth IRA, and use it for expenses like a down payment on a house or mortgage.
from: good housekeeping
Custodial Roth IRA
This type of account requires that a child has earned income from a part-time job. Contributions grow tax-free. Once funded for at least 5 years, contributions can be used for expenses. The parent will open and manage the account until the child reaches 18 (21 for some states).
from: in today
Coverdell Education Savings Account
This account is also a great tool for saving towards college or technical education. Contributions grow tax-free, and withdrawals are tax-free when used for educational expenses. These accounts do have strict contribution limits depending on your household income, which is important for you to check before signing up.
from: your investment property mag
UGMA/UTMA Custodial Accounts
These accounts stand for Uniform Gift to Minors Act and Uniform Transfer to Minors Act. These are both custodial trust accounts that can be opened on behalf of a child. Depending on the state, the child takes over the account between the age of 18-25. The custodian of the account can make contributions and invest the money into stocks, bonds or mutual funds to grow the account balance. Other family members can also contribute to these accounts.
from: the coffee mom
Certificate of Deposit (CD)
These types of accounts are beneficial if you are able to leave money in for longer periods of time, and pays a fixed interest rate over a predefined term. These accounts are less liquid than cash, checking, or savings accounts, but offer higher rates of return.
from: pixabay
Brokerage Account
These types of accounts are a bit different, in that, they give ownership to the child. However, parents should always monitor the account activity. These accounts do not offer tax advantages, but do give kids a sense of ownership and control. It also allows for parents and children to learn about investing together.
Keep in mind that these aren’t the only things you can do to help plan for your child’s future, but it can be a great start. There are fantastic resources available to help guide you. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed or unsure, find a financial advisor that can help answer any questions you have. A great article to help you get started is here.