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Home >> Accounts >> Checking Accounts
Opening Checking Account with Unrelated Minor
My fiance needs to open a checking account, but is only seventeen and unable to do so on his own. Am I able to open the account with him (I'm 18), or does it have to be a parent/guardian?
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 The laws on minors' bank accounts varies widely from state to state. In some states, there is no specific rule, and a minor might not be able to enter a deposit account contract that is binding. In other states, minors can open bank accounts, but the law only addresses individually-owned (not joint) accounts, and in still other states, a minor can open bank accounts just as if he or she were an adult.
Complicating matters somewhat is the fact that banks may decide to open accounts for a minor in spite of what state law might say, and the fact that a bank may decide not to open accounts for a minor even when state law permits it. Start with the institution where you already have an account and ask questions. Be straight with the bank about your fiancés age -- the bank will require a government-issued ID, and that will show his date of birth. Ask whether a joint account is possible. If you get rejected there, try elsewhere.
Published on BankingQuestions.com 6/05/08
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