America’s Best Checking™ for Students
A safe, smart banking option for students age 10 through 17. Current customers can open an account through online banking or in person. New customer? Open an account in person.
Banking Made Easy for the Entire Family
Whether you want to pay your child for chores or transfer spending money for an upcoming school trip, America’s Best Checking for Students makes it easy.
Your child’s privacy is important to us. Read our Children’s Privacy Policy.
FREE Features
No monthly, overdraft or ATM fees1. Instead, your child can get a free personalized debit card, and you both can enjoy the convenience of using the same free Bell mobile app that you use for your banking.
Safety and
Controls
Parents can access controls to view your child’s debit card transactions and easily turn their card off or on. Plus, your child will be covered with free identity theft recovery2.
Digital Wallet Capabilities
Debit card can be connected with Apple PayTM for easy digital payments (must be 13 or older).
Unlimited
Referrals
There’s no limit to how many friends or family members you and your child can refer to Bell.
Savings Account Options
Start saving for your child’s future with Bell’s standard and interest-bearing savings accounts or 529 plans for education costs. Plus, take advantage of our ChangeSaver™ program, which rounds up debit card purchases and deposits the difference into a savings account. Receive a 5% match* from Bell – up to $250 a year!
*The annual match limit is $250. You need to be enrolled in ChangeSaver and have your checking and savings accounts open on the last day of the year to receive your 5% match for the year. If you close either account before the end of the year, matching funds are forfeited. You may receive Form 1099-MISC for income you receive from us.
Compare Youth Checking Products
| Feature | Leading Youth Products | Bell Bank |
|---|---|---|
| No monthly fees | X | ✓ |
| No overdraft fees or ATM fees1 | X | ✓ |
| No minimum balance requirement | Varies | ✓ |
| Activity monitoring and spending controls | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compatible with digital wallets such as Apple PayTM and Google Pay | X | ✓ |
| Automatically converts to a standard checking account when child turns 18 | X | ✓ |
Personalize Your Debit Card
With Bell’s free custom debit cards, your student can choose from one of our existing card graphics or upload their own. They can make their card as unique as they are by repping their favorite sports team or using a photo of their pet, their friends or their hobbies.
America's Best Checking for Students FAQs
How do I open an account for my child?
What features are included with America’s Best Checking for Students?
What’s not included with the account?
If my child already has an America’s Best Checking account with Bell, can I convert it to an America’s Best Checking for Students account?
What happens when my child turns 18?
What kind of safety features does the account have?
Can I get a referral bonus for referring my child?
1 Bell will automatically refund the first four ATM fees (charged by the machine owner) on your monthly statement.
2 Underwritten by Lyndon Southern Insurance Company
3 We will deposit $50 into the new, first-time personal checking account, and the referrer will receive $50 in their current Bell checking account after the new, first-time personal checking account has been active 60 days with either a recurring direct deposit (excludes transfers from another bank) or 10 debit card transactions (point of sale) or a recurring automatic payment. After the qualifications are met, $50 will be deposited into the accounts within 5 business days.
Youth Education Hub
Discover youth-focused activities, worksheets and insights articles designed to teach kids good money habits.
Contact Us
Open an America’s Best Checking for Students account by stopping by one of our convenient locations. Still have questions? Contact customer service toll-free at 800-450-8949. Weekdays from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT, and weekends from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT.