Do your kids who are going off to college....

[tripletots]

have a checkbook? Our DS is heading off to college in 6 days and I just realized that he does not have a checkbook. He has a debit card that has a visa logo, so he will use that. What have you all done? Do your kids who are in or going to college have a checkbook?

Also, are you, the parent, on your teens account as a joint? I am, but I see no purpose. I can still make deposits not being on it. I just can't make withdrawals.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Not a parent, but I finished undergrad in '09 and have siblings in college.

The summer before college I opened my first checking account. We made sure to get checks in addition to the debit card. This was definitely a good idea. There are times when college students owe their friends money, and it's not the best idea to keep a lot of cash in the dorm. Fellow college students can also rarely help to make exact change. Plus, dad was right that the account would "grow" with me. Meaning I kept the account long enough that I reached a point where I needed those checks for paying bills.

Neither of my parents were part of that account in any capacity, and they haven't been on any of the accounts I've opened since (other than "beneficiary" of my big savings acct). Basically the attitude is "we've taught you how to do this, let us know if you have any questions, but you're old enough to be responsible". Same case for my sister. We've done just fine. No overdrafts, no issues. They also didn't really want their track record being spoiled by teen stupidity If I owe my parents money, I hand them cash or write them a check, so their inability to make withdrawals is a non-issue. As you've said, they can still deposit money for me when they owe me money.

 

[benolathe]

Yes, my son does have a pad of checks. When he opened the checking account, the bank included a free box of checks as a benefit of the 'student account.' However, in the past 3 years he has probably only written a physical check 2 or 3 times. He keeps the box of checks in a drawer at home. With everything electronic these days, he pays for anything he needs with his Debit card that is associated with his checking account. If he needs cash, he goes to his bank's ATM and withdraws what he needs.

He is totally responsible for his account and to ensure there is sufficient funds in it. Actually, the only real bill he has is auto and motorcycle insurance and that is set-up to be automatically deducted from his checking account. Of course, he pays for gas, groceries, entertainment, etc. He does still live at home while taking classes.

And yes, I am an authorized user on his checking account. However, this is more for 'in case of a tragedy' and something happens to him, we have access to his account.

 

[mamaLori05]

not my children (they are only 2 and 5), but when I was a senior in H.S I got my first checkbook and debit card. My parents were never on any of my accounts. Your DS will probably be fine with just the debit card, but it wouldn't hurt to get him a checkbook just in case. If he has an apartment and/or will be sharing bills with roomates, he will need some way to pay his part of the bill. Sometimes it's easier just to write a check, expecially if he doesn't have a car to get to an ATM all the time.

 

[Tinker'n'Fun]

I just had DD get hers last week. She got a checking acct (only way to get a debit card here with the mastercard logo) and we will order one box of checks. I am sure she will not write many checks, but since she was clueless to the whole checking account process, I felt it was important to teach her. Since my DD is only 17 I have to be on her account, but she wanted it that way to I could transfer funds in if she needed them.

 

[sharbear]

My kids in college have checking accounts but never needed to write any checks until they moved off campus and had to pay bills or roomates. I think he will be fine for now. If he needs to write a check and it will be rare he can go into the branch and have a bank check written.

My kids did have joint accounts with me but have since opened their own accounts themselves in their college towns.

 

[FINFAN]

DD had a debit/Visa card for first 2 years ( joint account w/me) now entering her Junior year, she did add checks and still a joint account , basically to make it easier on me to get deposits in there. Still no credit card tho, which I know she has to start building credit, but waiting another year for that if we can. All I can say is get a joint account and activate on-line banking. DD goes to school in Fl and we are in Il, only 1 common bank between us.

 

[disneyfan007]

Our bank had the whole kit n kaboddle on their student accounts. It came with a debit card, checks, savings account and a credit card with a $500.00 limit on it. (no fees either) To answer your question about the checking account, my son has never written a check yet. He is a sophomore in college now, but he has lived on campus in a dorm. If he goes to Wal Mart or Kroger he uses the debit card. He will use the credit card for books, gas, etc., but he goes on line and transfers the money to pay it off immediately. This way he is still building his credit as he goes.

 

[eliza61]

my son is starting his 2nd year away at college. He doesn't have checks, he just uses his debit/check card for every thing.

 

[snoopybabe]

DS is going to be a senior this year in college & he has only ever used his debit card basically everyting can be paid by debit card nowadays.

 

[radiatorsprings]

I am not a parent of a college student but I am 24 and I have never had a checkbook. I used to use my debit card for everything but now I have a Disney Visa and I use that to pay for everything like gas, groceries, etc. and I just pay it off every week or two with my checking account through online banking. I also pay most of my other bills online (car insurance and cell phone bill) with my Disney Visa. For rent, I live with my boyfriend and his mom so we pay his mom cash and she writes a check to the landlord. I guess it would be good to have checks to pay rent if you are not living with someone else.

 

[RitaE]

My son is going to be a Junior. He has a checking account but keeps his pad of checks at home. He carries a debit card and our credit card as back-up.

 

[Sadie22]

Our bank had the whole kit n kaboddle on their student accounts. It came with a debit card, checks, savings account and a credit card with a $500.00 limit on it. (no fees either) To answer your question about the checking account, my son has never written a check yet. He is a sophomore in college now, but he has lived on campus in a dorm. If he goes to Wal Mart or Kroger he uses the debit card. He will use the credit card for books, gas, etc., but he goes on line and transfers the money to pay it off immediately. This way he is still building his credit as he goes.

You could be describing my sons. Very few checks written but they have needed a few and whatever that was specified no starter checks. Apartment rent, maybe. They set up accounts at banks which had branches in their college towns and ATMs in the student union in case they needed cash from the ATM. They had student accounts which were free of fees well into grad school and then free of fees with direct deposit. Years later they still handle their credit cards the same as your son does -- as soon as they buy something in a store, they go home and transfer the amount to pay that off to the credit card company. They knew too many kids who did not use credit wisely.

 

[linnylu]

My ds will be a senior in high school this year so we need to start thinking about this. The bank where we have checking/savings doesn't have student accounts. Does anyone know a good bank to open one up at?

 

[blessedmom4]

Our son opened a checking account the summer before he left for his Freshman year in college through our Credit Union. We closed it after the first year...they charged a monthly fee and he never wrote one check the entire time he was away. He opened a credit card account that same year and is very responsible with it. For us, we prefer this over checks.

 

[disneyfan007]

My ds will be a senior in high school this year so we need to start thinking about this. The bank where we have checking/savings doesn't have student accounts. Does anyone know a good bank to open one up at?

During orientation at my son's school, a bank was set up there to open accounts. This is the same bank that has the ATM on campus. (also happens to be the bank in our hometown where his account was already set up so that worked out perfectly for us) I would wait to see what banks are available in the town that he chooses to go to school at.

 

[Leajess99]

have a checkbook? Our DS is heading off to college in 6 days and I just realized that he does not have a checkbook. He has a debit card that has a visa logo, so he will use that. What have you all done? Do your kids who are in or going to college have a checkbook?

Also, are you, the parent, on your teens account as a joint? I am, but I see no purpose. I can still make deposits not being on it. I just can't make withdrawals.

Please, if your child is going out of the area for college, keep yourself on the account just in case something happens to the account. I was at the bank last school year when a mom was desperately trying to get her child's account fixed as her daughter's account was compromised. The bank could not help her and the child was at college out of state which made it a lot harder to get the paperwork and what not completed.

ETA: This was a local credit union that does not have branches outside of this area.

 

[r&kmommy]

my kids are still small, but I can't see them needing a checkbook @ college. I write about 10 checks a year - car insurance, water bill and sewer bill. Everything else is done online (internet service, utilities bills, car payments, credit card payments, etc...) and I pay with cash or debit for everything.

Things may be different in other parts of the country, but around here EVERYONE takes debit cards - McD's, Dunkin Donuts, grocery stores, gas stations, 7-11's, etc...

 

[MrsPete]

My daugther's about to start her junior year of high school, and one of our this-week goals is to go to the bank and start her a checking account and a small, secured credit card. She's just starting a job, so it's time.

Yes, although I don't write all that many checks, I do write them. I want to teach her to manage both checking and credit cards before she heads out on her own. My mom did the same thing for me, and I never had trouble managing my money in college (even when I had so little!).

I will throw in that she's going to get her account at the State Employees' Credit Union, so she won't pay any fees to keep the account. If she had to PAY for checking, I'd think twice.

Given that she's still a minor, yes, I assume I'll have to be "on her account". Although I recognize the value in having a long-standing account, I'm figuring on this account being a "right now" account for her. When she chooses a college, she may very well want to change to a different bank -- one that's on campus or very close by. When she changes to a college account, I won't be involved.

 

[Sparx]

I'm a college student and if your child is living off campus its definitely a good idea to have a pad of checks. I can pay all my bills via online bill pay except my rent. I always write a check for my rent, so while I only go through a few checks a year, they're nice to have around.