<p>I know checking accounts are must-have for .. well, they're just a must-have. However, I'd like to get mine a little early (if I don't do it now, I'll probably procrastinate.)</p>
<p>Problem is, I'm too young to sign up for it on my own, and by the time I get to college, I'll STILL be too young. How do I go about getting a checking account now?</p>
<p>P.S. I won't be able to sign up for one until September 14, 2005.</p>
<p>Usually at orientation there are banks and credit card companies lined up to solicit your business. also good deals on cell phones.
So, where are you planning to attend?</p>
<p>My heart is set on Georgetown's SFS. :).. Back to the first choice.</p>
<p>And uh, can I keep my own cell-phone plan? I mean.. unless the prudent course of action is to change over to a DC phone plan.. but then my friends in LA would have to call .. well, you get the picture. 202 area code + long distance = not a happy phone bill.</p>
<p>no you should definitely keep your own cell phone plan and area code (just make sure you have a national plan, obviously). Everyone else in college will use cell phones as well, so the long distance for them won't be an issue.</p>
<p>As for the checking account thing, if the bank you want an account with wont' give you a checking account until you're 18, then you should just get a savings account and use that until you are 18 and can start a checking account. Do you actually plan on using checks? Personally I despise checks - I only use plastic, which IMHO is the way to go.</p>
<p>Are there any major national banks that offer checks under the age of 18?</p>
<p>My children both had checking accounts at home at the age of 16. As a college student you will be able to open a account at your college; it is possible you might need to have your parents sign with you. My kids also have a second account at college so that they would have a local ATM card. </p>
<p>Once you know wher eyou are going to school, you can check and see which banks attend orientation. You can then contact them in advance and most likely be able to open an account through the mail.</p>
<p>tlaktan,
many banks will be at orientation. the key for you will probably be 'which ATM(s) can you find on campus?'. That is where you want your account- to save on the fees!
I have joint checking accouts with my kids, and luckily our bank has ATMs on their campuses. This way I can make automatic deposits, and in the event they are ill or injured, I can access their accounts to pay their bill.
The joint accouts scenario (at Wachovia) allows 16y/o's to get checking accounts with a visa checkcard (for online purchases!)</p>
<p>My S has a checking account with our bank, which, unfortunately doesn't have branches in the state where he'll be going to school. We were able to find old orientation information on his school's website and investigated the banks that normally offer accounts to the students. Found one that has ATMs on campus and offers free student accounts with good benefits. We'll probably go with them. </p>
<p>Won't be able to just transfer money into that account like we have been so far, but we've got a couple of options for getting money to him.</p>
<p>Strick11- Almost as easy as an electronic transfer with one step added, this is what we do. We put money into my sons local account electronically; he then goes to his campus branch and makes a deposit into his school account using his local check. He pays all of his bills with his home checking account; the campus back is used mostly for the ATM or other bank services he might need.</p>